Maybe chill out a little

[EasyRider]

My plan is to start blinking with the first mixing portion, dismount and switch to fade for the trail portion, and dismount to switch back to blinking for the final mixing portion. And research remote-controlled bike lights

I did this for awhile, now I use a combination of lights. For a steady mode, I like the battery powered B&M Toplight. It bolts to a rear rack and runs on one AA battery. I find that the battery usually lasts the winter. I never forget it, and it's not easy to steal. I have a separate clip on blinky that I turn on and off as needed.

After commuting here for almost 20 years, I've decided flashing mode is mostly safety theater, at least on powerful headlights. Back before the battery/LED revolution, I think blinky mode on cheapo headlights made riders a little easier to see. Those things were certainly useless for seeing the road ahead. But now I think anything but a steady headlight just serves to dazzle oncoming traffic. I don't understand the benefit. Why blast oncoming cyclists and pedestrains with flashing light, on a lighted path? It makes things harder for everyone.

I realize people will do what feels safe for them; that's why people buy enormous cars, because riding high in a big vehicle "feels safe". But man, those lights really can be blinding.

[Tania]

My plan is to start blinking with the first mixing portion, dismount and switch to fade for the trail portion, and dismount to switch back to blinking for the final mixing portion. And research remote-controlled bike lights

I usually run a few rear lights - the one on my bike stays steady and then I attach the ones that Bike Arlington hands out every year to my helmet so I can easily change modes as needed without having to stop.

I'm pretty well lit up (colored LED arm bands, colored lights on my wheels etc) so I don't feel the need to flash my front light at night since there's no way you CAN'T see me but during dawn or twilight hours you bet I have that thing on flash if I'm on the road (not a trail or path).

[TwoWheelsDC]

Yelling at fellow cyclists about lights is just super unnecessary and like the most passive-aggressive thing you can do as a trail cyclist...it's the car honking of trail usage. You're a bully if you do it and I always make a wish that people who do it to me ride over shards of glass immediately after.


To the light issue...Front strobes on the trail are really the only thing that bothers me. Obviously people are different, but rear blinkies aren't bothersome to me and my commute goes from street to trail to street so many times I'm not going to waste time futzing with my rear light every time I transition (although I do have an ANT+ light on one of my bikes that I do turn on and off). I'm very much anti light-covering, and am willing to die on that hill, with the caveat that people should always run their headlights on the lowest setting, and pointed as far dowward as is safe. If you really struggle with people's lights in your face, riding with a cap can help.

[TwoWheelsDC]

My plan is to start blinking with the first mixing portion, dismount and switch to fade for the trail portion, and dismount to switch back to blinking for the final mixing portion. And research remote-controlled bike lights

I use a See.Sense Icon2 for my rear light and control it through my Garmin. What I like is that you can set up the blinking modes through your phone, control the brightness of each mode, and see your battery level at a quick glance. Also, it's so much easier to turn it on and off for transitions from trail to road without having to try and grab under you butt or dismount. It also has a "brake mode," which I think uses an accelerometer to change the light when you brake.

[Smitty2k1]

Interesting about the blinking lights - I'm on roads 100% of the time, albeit just through Capitol Hill so nothing treacherous. I do have the fade in/out option instead of straight blinking.

[bentbike33]

I usually don't mind the rear blinkies, but there seems to be a new class of "all power to rear phasers" models out there that I find painful. I do my best to pass such users, or let them fly off depending on relative speed.

I've decided that if an oncoming rider or jogger has a blinding headlight, it's my problem, not theirs, so I put up a hand or angle my helmet visor to block out the light. It's what I have to do about car headlights and the sun anyway, so what's the difference if the source is a bike or jogger.

[jrenaut]

This is the most reasonable discussion of lights on a trail I've ever seen anywhere.

[EasyRider]

This is the most reasonable discussion of lights on a trail I've ever seen anywhere.

Indeed, let's keep it up. Here's a situation i can imagine using blinky mode on a headlight.

A few weeks ago I was following another cyclist on N. Irving towards 50, maybe a block or two behind. They were using a white/headlight as a rear light; I guess either their red light died and they had an extra headlight, or they didn't know better. Anyway, once I convinced my brain that the cyclist wasn't approaching me, I noticed that their steady white rear light looked a lot like a distant streetlights (we were going downhill too.) In the dark, I could see a driver thinking it was streetlight and not realizing it wasn't until they were right on top of the cyclist. So if one must put a headlight on the rear, maybe aim it down and only then, put it on blinky mode.

[secstate]

so what's the difference if the source is a bike or jogger.

I'm grateful when joggers & walkers have lights at all!

[SpaceJockey]

Indeed, let's keep it up. Here's a situation i can imagine using blinky mode on a headlight.

A few weeks ago I was following another cyclist on N. Irving towards 50, maybe a block or two behind. They were using a white/headlight as a rear light; I guess either their red light died and they had an extra headlight, or they didn't know better. Anyway, once I convinced my brain that the cyclist wasn't approaching me, I noticed that their steady white rear light looked a lot like a distant streetlights (we were going downhill too.) In the dark, I could see a driver thinking it was streetlight and not realizing it wasn't until they were right on top of the cyclist. So if one must put a headlight on the rear, maybe aim it down and only then, put it on blinky mode.

I'm pretty sure bright lights in blinky mode is what people do in tactical situations to disorient the other person. Never understood the benefit of having a blinky headlight.