SJX426 

Thanks! I do appreciate you comment. I am indeed fortunate and often don't complain because others have suffered far worse. I did get 59 years of good use out of that eye! That is worth something by itself and is the only significant impact of the experience! No my plate does not set off the airport scanners!

10 Wheels

Thanks for the video...Nice work.

WNG

+1 Very good work on the video. That set up is bright.

donalson

having ridden with this guy... you can see him easily at nearly 3/4 of a mile (I pushed over a bridge and sat at the next cross roads to wait up for him... just measured and it was right at .7 miles)

I use a rear light any time I ride on the street... the cygolite hotshot in "set off epileptic seizure blinky mode" is easily seen even in the middle of the bright TX sun... during the night I add my cheaper LED blinky in runner mode as it has much better side visibility... up front it depends... on some roads if there are loss of cross roads I'll turn on the headlamp into blink mode, night or day... its gotten the attention of people so they didn't pull out in front of me (as if a fat rider in a florescent yellow jersey wasn't enough)... at night it's just a normal headlamp

gaucho777 

Yikes. Harrowing story. Glad you are still with us as well! It's amazing how drivers often see right through cyclists.

It's amazing how quickly a stupid can surprise you, even when you think you are aware of your surroundings. I was once right-hooked. Going about 27mph down a straight road, a van came up on my left, passed me slightly, then started to slow down (why is this van slowing down?), then BAM! right turn into me.

Earlier this month my office moved from Berkeley to Oakland. My pleasant 2-mile commute across through residential neighborhoods has become an 8-mile commute over busy city streets. Twice last week I came inches from being doored. I don't currently have any lights on my bikes, but this thread has inspired me to look into some lights.

CV-6 

I used a blinky one time on the road. It seemed like the drivers were making a game of how close they could come to me. Have not used one since.

SJX426 

@gaucho777 Thanks! Get those lights. It is worth it. Defense is the name of the game of running on the road for any two wheeled vehicle! Sometimes I think being in the open impacts our driving behaviors. Get in a closed car and you think you will not be recognized. Kind of like flying a plane and dropping bombs. No personal engagement due to a barrier. Then there are the just plain stupid ones who don't know how to pour piss out of a boot with directions on the heel.

cehowardGS

I commuted this morning, first time in about 6 weeks, due to sickness.

Right now, I am about pissed. I drive in balls out rush hour traffic. I am pushing strong double lights up front, and two strong rear blinkys. However, the cages still don't give me my 3 FEET!!! WTF!!

I don't know about you all, but getting passed at 45mph+ and close to a foot or two away from me has got to stop. No, the route can't be change. The only one unless I go 30 miles out of the way. So, I have to respond or stop riding.
My answer to that, I am going STRONGER in the rear.. I am going with an 18650 torch in the rear on blinky just as soon as I find out how to rig one. Maybe with a red filter or just plain.

qcpmsame 

I use front and rear blinking lights, both are Planet Bike, every time I ride, no exceptions. I was run off the road right at my home when I first returned to riding by an automobile. The driver never slowed or varied from their line. I didn't have any lights at the time, I figured it was broad daylight, why bother. I ordered them that night, along with an optic yellow jersey. I have had several comments from dirvers about the visibility of the lights, both front and rear, since installing and using them. They aren't expensive or high tech, the rear is a 3 LED, 2 AAA batteries, and the front a single LED, 2AA batteries, both have flashing and steady modes. Batteries usually last 3-4 months with daily usage and I use the Ultimate Lithium batteries.

I don't ride at night so high power, multiple LED lights aren't really what I need. Others may feel they aren't useful of necessary, they seem to work well for me, though.

Bill

Null66

Something like this?

Attaches to the near universal 808 clones... wide angle.

Sure "wastes" a lot of the light... but with so much to play with...

Amazon.com: Red Wide Angle Lens for Magicshine MJ-808 or similar bike light: Sports & Outdoors

Grand Bois

A blinky on a bike certainly catches my attention when I'm driving, day or night.

SwampDude

My thinking, exactly. Catch their attention when they "come up for air".

The texters, cell phone addicts and substance impaired drivers approaching from behind during the day really scare me. If we get their attention with a brilliant flasher, I'm betting their attention will hold until they pass me safely.

WNG

+1 I was thinking along the same lines. Get one of those XML 1200Lm headlights with the h/m/l/strobe modes and toss in a red lens or red gel.

Stay safe ceHowardGS! You'd think with all your high output torches they'd see you and yield some room. It's really about driver attitude in this country.

It's equally risky out here. Having a truck's rear view mirror brush you at 50mph is not fun! I made up my mind that I will not ride my 17 mile commute to my new work location this year.

cehowardGS

That looks good, think I am going to try that.

10 Wheels

I drilled 5 tiny holes in mine to make it brighter.

cehowardGS

When it looks like that, the call should be "no ride"...Props to making the tough call. Our families are riding with us when we ride too..

cehowardGS

Killer Action!

velomack

Use Cygolite Hotshot SL daytime and eve, simply mounted on rear helmet adjustment strap......ride mainly rural wisco roads, find vehicles give me extra room....use for rollerskiing also!
I found out the hard way, near mishap, vehicle brushed me when I was on shaded section of road during a sunny afternoon, we both were approaching town and I saw the vehicle pull into a gas/store station and the ensuing discussion let me know this guy simply did not see me and yet he thought something occurred he was clueless until I came out of the shade and he saw me in the rear mirror........my thinking is I want to be seen in and out of sun/shade and early eve-low light, so I've picked a moderately bright flashing light that is simple and easy to use in multiple situations.
Safe riding this season!
-velomack

Pars 

Glad you are OK SJX!

I started commuting to work last year, 8.5 miles each way, far west burbs of Chicago. While most of the drivers here are pretty courteous, I avoid major traffic roads, which was a problem given the railroad tracks between me and work are only crossed by two roads, both 4 lane or more, and 45+ speeds. No sidewalk/path and no shoulder on the closer one. I finally realized I could go thru an industrial area and use the tunnel under the tracks at the Metra station, coming out in a subdivision that takes me most of the way to work.

I have a Planet Bike Superflash, and had it on the bike last year, but only used it when visibility was bad. I did have 1 or 2 people pull right out in front of me when seemingly looking right at me, but otherwise no real problems.

For Christmas, my wife got me a Cygolite Metro 420 set with the Hotshot rear light. I have only commuted once so far, but I think that riding with both front and rear lights on (daytime) does make a difference. I had noticed a couple of commuters last year always had lights on in flashing mode, and seemed to be very visible.