Headlights vs Backlights for safety
Besides being die-hard cyclist, I also love to tinker with bike lights. On my bike you'll find a 20 watt halogen MR16 12 volt headlight, and a 3 LED backlight. I've come under the impression however that for safety, the best place to invest on lighting on a bike is in the rear - which is what the cars see as they approach you.
For that reason, I'm considering (never mind that - I've made up my mind) - I'm attaching 2 Luxeon amber Superbrite LED panels to the back of my bike. Those things are bright and blinding! No one will fail to see me with those lights on there.
What are your opinions on bike safety and lighting. How much is too much lighting? And where should I invest my lighting rescources on the bike - headlight or backlight? And finally, what are the chances I'll be pulled over by a cop for a blinding back light? Keep in the mind I live in the burbs and the cops up here (near the 401) don't really care about cyclists. (Plus - vehicle speeds are much faster than downtown - so safety should take priority over the law, right?)
PS - In case you're wondering - the lights I'm talking about are the ones you can get at Active Surplus - absolutly the best store downtown :)
I'd say a flashing light is better than a super bright one. And red in the back, white/blue in the front seems common. I think a light in the back is more important - if I only had one light, I'd put it on the back. At least at the front you can see whatever's coming at you.
The HTA only says
W have already had several Ministers of Transportation say that they would not charge cyclists for using flashing lights, but that's not yet written in our laws.
As long as you can provide the power, your bike can be a dazzling moving light show.
On the rare occasion that I've been riding in the country at night, the rural folk driving their pickups slowed waaay down and gave me, and the cyclists I was riding with, extra wide clearance while passing. We all had just gotten the Planet Bike Superflash tail lights. I suspect that, because they were new on the market and so bright, the locals must have thought that we were police doing night-time maneuvers, or else they were quite confused as to what could be so bright and flashing. Previously, on those very same roads, the locals would pass quite close to us and yell things at us from their windows as they passed.
The lesson I've learned? Your bike should be a moving light show, travel in packs, (as much as practical) and wear a yellow jacket (just like the police). While there are no guarantees, you're much more likely to get some respect out there on the road.
The HTA only says:
W have already had several Ministers of Transportation say that they would not charge cyclists for using flashing lights, but that's not yet written in our laws.
As long as you can provide the power, your bike can be a dazzling moving light show.
On the rare occasion that I've been riding in the country at night, the rural folk driving their pickups slowed waaay down and gave me, and the cyclists I was riding with, extra wide clearance while passing. We all had just gotten the Planet Bike Superflash tail lights. I suspect that, because they were new on the market and so bright, the locals must have thought that we were police doing night-time maneuvers, or else they were quite confused as to what could be so bright and flashing. Previously, on those very same roads, the locals would pass quite close to us and yell things at us from their windows as they passed.
The lesson I've learned? Your bike should be a moving light show, travel in packs, (as much as practical) and wear a yellow jacket (just like the police). While there are no guarantees, you're much more likely to get some respect out there on the road.
The HTA only says
W have already had several Ministers of Transportation say that they would not charge cyclists for using flashing lights, but that's not yet written in our laws.
As long as you can provide the power, your bike can be a dazzling moving light show.
On the rare occasion that I've been riding in the country at night, the rural folk driving their pickups slowed waaay down and gave me, and the cyclists I was riding with, extra wide clearance while passing. We all had just gotten the Planet Bike Superflash tail lights. I suspect that, because they were new on the market and so bright, the locals must have thought that we were police doing night-time maneuvers, or else they were quite confused as to what could be so bright and flashing. Previously, on those very same roads, the locals would pass quite close to us and yell things at us from their windows as they passed.
The lesson I've learned? Your bike should be a moving light show, travel in packs, (as much as practical) and wear a yellow jacket (just like the police). While there are no guarantees, you're much more likely to get some respect out there on the road.
...what you light your bike with, I'm not convinced lights or reflectors can necessarilly prevent that one driver who isn't paying attention from colliding with you...
I was hit from behind just 3 m past a crosswalk, while making a vehicular left turn onto a sidestreet from the left lane of an arterial, virtually in the middle of the road, wearing fully reflectorized booties, MEC pants, MEC jacket, MEC vest, MEC helmet cover, all with 3M Reflexlite; and a red 3 LED rear light, two rear reflectors (rack and fender), HTA compliant red tape on my rear stays, and even little amber strips on my pedals. None of it made a difference, he hit me and demolished my bike, nearly killed me, and simply told the firefighters, the cops, the insurance adjuster, and the judge, "I diddn't see him". He got off on a $400 fine by pleading guilty to "fail to turn out to the left", reduced down from a fully justified charge of Careless Driving.
I occasionally wear my vest. But I dont' believe it makes a difference.
I ride with a flashing, 6 LED red light on my seatpost, the same clipped to my bag & an extra red flashing 2 LED Turtle light for backup, two yellow reflector strips down my rear stays and one reflective circle on my seatpost for my rear protection. Up front, I have a 3 LED solid white light and 2 LED flashing Turtle light on my bars, a 2 LED Turtle light & 3 reflective circles on my helmet, and a few reflective circles on my bike for front and side illumination. Unfortunately, my riding jacket is black with no reflectors, so I try to make sure my helmet, bag and bike all are reflective and lit up.
Unfortunately, the only times I've been hit have been in broad daylight...
I wouldn't waste too much cash, front lights are important to see far ahead and avoid obstacles which might cause you to swerve. Brighter headlights also help drivers see your approach... i think the front light should be as bright as legally possible, 150 candlepower or something(1500lumen)... most accidents, left , right hook, private driveway. whatever happen when a driver pulls out in front of you. Compare how car lights are setup - far far brighter in the front. There are lots of cheaper super-bright head lights and li+ battery around now which is great for us - search for p7 led flashlights.
Even a single blinky rear led which is moderately bright will suffice to catch the eye of a driver who is paying attention. Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do about a drunk or inattentive driver who "fails to turn out to left." (do you have more to that story?)
I've have cops tell me "he was lite up like a christmas tree" and still got hit... so safe practices go further here.. even cops get rear-ended by drivers while on the road with their cherries lit.
Flashing rear (or front, for that matter) lights are illegal in many countries, including most countries with the highest use of bicycles for transport. There is evidence that they actually attract impaired or deeply fatigued drivers, and what's worse, they make it harder to judge the change of distance between the driver (or another cyclist) and the flashing lamp.
A bright, steady lamp to the rear identifies you as another road user instantly; a flashing light could be a stopped emergency vehicle, a barricade, whatever--something off to the side of the road.
The best, from what I've read in various studies, would be two steady lamps separated horizontally--then there is not only the change in brightness to clue following traffic to the closing speed, but the change in separation of the two lamps.
Being cheap, I have ridden in LA traffic, at night, often enough in rain, with a single steady lamp for decades without trouble.
But then, the hit-from-behind accident comprises less than 4% of all automobile/bicycle crashes. The vast majority of bike/car wrecks occur when a driver pulls out in front of the cyclists from a side street or driveway, or turns left in front of the cyclists. A bright, steady front lamp is the most important part of your night lighting. Lets them know you're coming, and (unlike a flasher) lets them judge how fast you're coming.
**"But then, the hit-from-behind accident comprises less than 4% of all automobile/bicycle crashes." **
A Toronto study pegged the number for hit-from-behinds at just under 12% of all collisions with another 9% being right hooks. The latter usually begin with the car starting off behind the cyclist then passing them for a right hook.
http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/publications/bicycle_...
This 4% stat has been used for years. Please stop using it unless you are prepared to tell us where it applies (geography wise) and if it is relevant at all in this locale.
I wonder if there is a point when too many lights cause you more risk than good? I have seen a few cyclists literally lit up like a Christmas tree. Drivers are so focused on them that they ignore everything else. Same effect as rubbernecking.
1) the trippier the better; spoke decorations for the win!
2) Anything that runs on a watch battery is landfill. I feel for those ditzy types that just have a single, fading red LED hanging off their rear basket, obscured by a long jacket.
3) Anything that runs on AA or AAA batteries is probably okay.
As much as a rear-facing light seems to matter (nobody wants to get smacked from behind) far worse is the door prize, so I put my money on a blazing superbike handlebar beacon.
Hi people thanks so much for the responses. I think this is a pretty important topic for all riders. Leaside lump I'm sorry about your accident. It must have been pretty unfortunate. I tend not to make lefts from major arterials unless it has a designated left turn lane, and even better, if it's protected by a median. And I'm north of Bloor so cars go so much faster.
While I agree that lights won't protect you from the drunkard, ignorant or aggressive driver, for the 98.2% of drivers who do drive normally, and drive without an intent to kill, I'd have to reason that the more lights the better, in terms of respect. If drivers see cyclists making an effort to stay safe and act like responsible road users, I think drivers will pass with greater care. For me, that's my biggest gripe, the close passer.
Oh and I forgot to mention, my lighting purposes are for daytime riding only. I don't usually ride at night and if I do it's on side streets only. So the purposes for my super-brite back LED's are for daytime visibility only. I plan on having two of them - spaced maybe a decameter apart, like Rick said, and of course not flashing. (flashing and blinding - not a good combo!) (if you're wondering how bright these babies are - I'm talking a car headlight as your backlight!)
But also, if I were to play the devils advocate, there is also a study out there that suggests it's counter intuitive in some cases to "over-visiblify" yourself, and that the more "casual" you are, the more room people will tend to give you. I would have to say I partially agree with this - sometimes while donning my construction vest, people pass way too closely.
But in the end I guess a little bit of lighting helps always.
kevcom, In my opinion, in the daytime, bright clothing will work as well as most lights. The exception is during those times of day and times of year when you are riding into direct sunlight. Then they will make a huge difference.
I ride with multiple front and back lights after dark since it is safer for all road users. Motor vehicle drivers can see me, other cyclists can see me, pedestrians can see me and I can see them. The reflective gear that many people favour is useless unless light is shining directly on it. The lights that many cyclists run aren't bright enough to light up the reflective material, so seeing other cyclists or pedestrians is difficult. This is important when making turns in areas with heavy cycling traffic and poorly lit roads.
One of the creepiest experiences I've had was riding home on the M-G tail after dark. It's wide open with good sightlines, so not normally a creepy place, but I was going relatively slowly since I was fitted out with lights allowing me to be seen , rather than to see. I'm female. Another cyclist, male, decided it was appropriate to ride in my draft. I stopped to force him to go by. He tried to tell me "it's okay, it's okay", but it wasn't okay. Had I had better lights, I could have sped up and dropped him. Once he went by me, he didn't really speed up (I'm pretty sure his normal riding speed wasn't too fast, plus he likely couldn't see that well).
The next day I went out and bought a bright headlamp from MEC. It makes a big difference.
I think the real issue isn't what lights are best, but rather that people should simply have lights on their bike.
Portland has a bike event every fall called "Get Lit". It serves to remind cyclists of the need for lights when riding in the dark. So my point, PUT A FRIGGIN' LIGHT ON YOUR BIKE PEOPLE!!!
I would be perfectly OK with Police ticketing every single bike that didn't have one. For less than $10 you can get Turtle lights both front & back, which is much cheaper that the $110 TICKET for not having one.
It is time for everybody to Get LIt.
I am one of the "Christmas tree variety" cyclists (generally).
When I'm excessively lit up (vs days I forgot the reflective vests or my batteries are dying ) I find that cars give me significantly wider clearance when passing me - the brighter I am, the wider the clearance. My feeling based on my experience and what I see out there when I'm driving and with other cyclists, is that a bright flashy cyclist screams "Danger!" to a driver and they're more likely to avoid.
Rear lights are only important if you might be passed a car. If you are faster than all cars, rear lights are unnecessary.
Front lights are only important if you might be turning left across traffic, or if traffic might be turning left in front of you, or if there are pedestrians around. If you are riding on a railway tracks, front lights are unnecessary.
In other words, both front and rear lights are necessary, of course.
If you've ever been inside a car at dusk or at night, it's obvious how difficult it is to see pedestrians & cyclists through a windshield. Remember, the vast majority of drivers don't want to kill or even injure cyclists. Why not make it as easy as possible for them to avoid doing so? Those that ride without them are "die hard cyclists" in a different sense.
The necessity of having lights on your bike is not just a legal requirement, it is a reasonable way to stay safe.
Contemplating if you are "faster than all cars" is a ridiculous point, and if you are looking for safe ways to ride on Railway tracks, I somehow doubt that the lack of bike lights is your biggest problem.
I love to have a few lights going at all times, but I feel pretty confident that a good flasher on front and rear is sufficient, none of that cheapo mec turtle stuff.
That being said, I've been lit up pretty well and still had 1. a driver try to right hook me on Gerrard (across a bike lane no less), and most recently 2. a non-drive-side passenger give me the door prize and ruin my bike on College. Both times I've had more than the legal minimum, and it didn't protect me from someone being inattentive.
I think lights are really important, and I think that having a good one on the front is more so, since if everyone had a good front light, we would see what we were approaching, and could be seen by things approaching us from the head on collision angle (ie head-on). I don't ride in the 'burbs too much, but if I did, I would double my lights (2x front, 2x rear), and have more reflective stuff, not just on my bike or bags.
One of the things that I've been thinking about more is that cyclists are in an arms race with motor vehicles. If motor vehicles had less bright lights, it would be easier to see things that weren't christmas trees (read: all those pedestrians who keep getting killed). This really only applies in urban centres, but just like we have high beams in cars for the country, perhaps we could have low(er) beams for cities, which have light pouring out from all over the place.
Thoughts anyone?
Bright colours during the day like yellow or orange are best at standing out from the background.
Always run your lights during dusk and dawn...
Tired of being "buzzed" by just about every car that passes you as you quietly ride your bike in the lanes and on the streets of Toronto. I, Donald "GO-by-Bike" Wiedman, would like to offer this possible solution:
ORANGE FLORESCENT GLOVES (or lime green, or lemon yellow, or... you get the point.)
I ran a little pilot project myself recently, riding with bright gloves down my worst nightmare streets (Broadview, Danforth, Bloor through Yorkville, Parliament and Gerrard through Cabbagetown). Strange but true - motorists really react when you use hand signals wearing bright "glow-in-their-face" gloves.
Pick up a pair at many hardware, workman or duck hunting stores near you, and try the seven simple hand signals listed below. (No kidding, drivers will "suddenly" notice you there - and more often than not, slow and/or swerve out to give you some much needed safe cycling space.)
STICK OUT YOUR LEFT ARM, SHOWING THE BACK OF YOUR HAND
- to signal you're about to turn or veer left,
- or bend your elbow and hand up, to signal you're turning right.
* but you were already doing that anyway right?
POINT TO THE GROUND ON YOUR LEFT
- to remind distracted approaching drivers that there is a little bike lane white line painted there, under their tire,
- that there is too little space for them to squeeze between you, a parked car and a moving streetcar,
- and to let them know that if their left tire is on the inside of the streetcar track, then their right mirror is - by your calculations - about to pass less than six inches from your handlebar!
POINT TO THE GROUND WITH THREE FINGERS EXTENDED
- to remind motorists that they should give a good three feet when they pass a cyclist (according to the Driver's Handbook - that is nestled there, unread in their vehicle's glove compartment).
HOLD YOUR ARM OUT, ANGLED DOWN, SHOWING THEM YOUR PALM
- to remind all why-are-you-accelerating motorists that they should be slowing down, not speeding up, when they're about to pass you.
SHAKE YOUR ARM, HAND AND GLOVE UP AND DOWN, VIGOROUSLY
- to remind dangerously approaching drivers in huge SUVs, vans and trucks that, if they drive with their fender so close to you, then their mirror is about to knock you (and your little styrofoam helmet) off your bike.
GIVE THEM THE THUMBS UP!
- if they've slowed, pulled out, and passed you with the decency and respect all cyclists in this town deserve.
SHOW OTHER SELECT FINGERS
- should you be so inclined when they ignore your fine florescent hand gestures.
In conclusion, if say 99 cyclists wear bright gloves - and regularly parlay these simple but effective hand signals - Toronto motorists will take notice - pull out, pass, and go home to tell their family and friends about those crazy cyclists trying to make our streets safer once and for all.
Yours truly,
Donald Wiedman
Please note: Of course, these glowing gloved manoeuvres are not guaranteed, nor endorsed by anybody - just suggested by me.
Join is on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=285600741860&index=1 to post your comments, photos and videos.
I love the gloves idea. It never occured to me that such a small detail could provide a big difference, and now I'm eager to go out and buy a brand new pair of flourescent green or orange gloves! Well - I sorta had to buy gloves anyways - the ones I have now offer no protection to the bitter cold which I swear can take your fingers right off in a matter of hours if they're not protected. Yikes!
Though i have some reflective gloves already, they aren't bright orange or yellow like Ronald McDonald's.
Lately i have been pointing out a lot of STOP signs to motorists coming from cross-streets, this past month has to be the worst and most unsafe January.
Curse this warm weather( i think ) and **** Toronto's unsafe drivers. I have a feeling even if i was dressed up like a giant chicken they wouldn't notice. Oblivious ***holes will get what is coming to them.
:)
I use glo gloves.
www.gloglov.com
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/002874.php
Unfortunately no Canadian dealer, but I've ordered them from Night_Gear.
They are plenty visible in the day time too. I use them all year around. One pair has lasted several years of daily commutes.
http://jnyyz.wordpress.com/
I have a light front and rear on my bike, and same on my helmet. I find the ones on my helmet get seen from a distance and over parked cars. Better yet, whatever I look at gets the helmet light shone on it: just by looking, every approaching driver gets that light shone in their window.
I seem to remember back in the 70s when my mom was an avid biker that there were flags you could get that would stick out a good 18 inches or so horizontally from your bike. The were mounted near the back of the bike, were bright orange and stuck out to the side. Their purpose was twofold - one to give another alert to drivers that you were there, and second to provide a flexible protrusion that would come in contact with cars that came to close, possibly scratching their paint.
Does anyone else remember these or know if they're still around? I've often thought this was a great idea.
J
In fact, I've been thinking a lot about mounting some flags on my bike. I'm not so worried about the drag it induces, that's all secondary if it improves my safety. I'd make mine even a bit longer - maybe 2 feet on both sides. It would force a lot of drivers on roads to either pass in the next lane, or on roads like Spadina (dreaded), cross the yellow line. In any case, it would make them slow down, and if they didn't, we'll I'd probably add some sharp X-acto ends to my flags! For that nice paint finish!
The spam filter wont let me post the web link, but you can find the Flag on cycle9.com
Added visibilty - perhaps safety, but I'll bet it gets in the way when locking, parking, passing etc. I knew someone who used one about 15 years ago, he gave it mixed reviews.