LarrySellerz

For what it’s worth when I see someone wearing highly visible, reflective clothing I write them off as a non-threat. I size everyone up on the road, and high-vis screams slow. Lights are super obnoxious, but fast people use them too.

Paul Barnard

There's quite a bit more left in me.

livedarklions

Non-threat? You're threatened by fast riders?

shelbyfv

This isn't very nice. It's disappointing you are allowed to continue posting like this.

livedarklions

I just assumed he was joking, but...?

shelbyfv

He's got some history. Another cycling genius unappreciated in his time.

big chainring 

Agreed. I'm trying to find a bracket that attaches to the fork of my Claud Butler and you can then hang a light on it. Probably a dime a dozen in the UK but hens teeth here in US.

DaleDee

Three different instructors and it was not they who made the rule. And it was during daylight, not at night. If I was still riding a motorcycle, I would still run on high beam during daylight because of drivers coming the other way who pull out to pass and come straight at me. Yes, that did happen.

terrymorse 

Many fast riders use lights, including several who race for a living:

Be Bright Wear a Light

Iride01 

Angle of the lights might make a difference too. In this video my son made of the Century ride the city put on last Saturday, some of the footage is from a camera on the front of my bike. The camera was down below my handlebars about the height of the top of the head tube. I noticed that even the flash from the cyclist I was following in a paceline seems annoying in the video, yet for me on the bike it wasn't glaring, distracting or annoying at any time while I was behind. (It was misty for the first part. So apologies for the wet camera lens. It clears up in the last half)


What was really annoying to me during the ride was the lights on some people's bikes that were mounted on their chain seat stays that probably were actually angled up instead of parallel to the ground. As were a few others mounted on seat bags or seat post. But more often than not the seat post mounted lights were not an issue.

And I'd think having the lights aimed parallel to the ground will be better as you want the person behind you to notice them far enough away to avoid you safely, not just see them as a flash briefly at the moment they run into you.

Lombard

Who really knows around here? Though I have to admit his "I wouldn't pee on you if you were on fire" was pretty funny.

Paul Barnard

I did too. Even if they weren't joking, my last remaining feeling isn't hurt.

Paul Barnard

As a bicyclist, motorcyclist and auto driver (why don't we call ourselves automobilists) I am telling you that in certain circumstances running brights during the day can negatively affect the vision of oncoming road users. If I am coming toward you on a two lane road, do you want me looking away to protect my vision? That's part of the point of the OP.

pdlamb

I was a little upset with the comment about asphalt-colored hair. After thinking about it a while, I figured OP meant the color of freshly laid asphalt. With that caveat, my hair is also asphalt colored, just that it's the color of asphalt that's been around (ahem) about as long as I have.

Blinking lights in the daytime? Probably not me.

DaleDee

In daylight, you won't have to look away; just keep looking ahead. You are entitled to your point of view, as I am to mine.

Perhaps I should explain why I maintain my view about the use of a motorcycle main beam during the daylight hours. First of all, motorcycles on main beam on a public highway, are not comparable to bicycles with bright lights on a narrow cycle path. Also, it's not unreasonable for a motorcycle to be traveling at 50 mph on a public two-lane road where permitted. It's also not unreasonable for a vehicle coming the other way to be traveling at 50 mph. The total combined speed is 100 mph. The sooner a car driver sees a motorcycle approaching, the better it is for the rider. A low beam doesn't cut it.

My motorcycling experience included twenty-nine years of riding motorcycles on both sides of the Atlantic in literally every kind of weather. It includes a serious crash when a Vespa rider, coming the other way, turned in front of me at a road junction. That resulted in totaling both my motorcycle and his scooter. It also resulted in my losing six months off work, and one year before I could finally move without pain. That kind of thing never leaves one's mind, especially when riding a motorcycle on any public road.

When the opportunity to attend the motorcycle experienced rider course came, I jumped at it. It teaches defensive riding among other things. When the instructors told us to use main beam during daylight, they said it may annoy some drivers but our safety is more important than their annoyance. In all the years I rode on main beam, not one driver flashed me. I certainly noticed motorcycles on main beam coming the other way, so it stands to reason that car drivers noticed them, too. I was never annoyed by another motorcycle's high beam during daylight hours but, apparently, you are one of those drivers/riders who are annoyed. My right to be as safe as possible supersedes your right to not be annoyed.

One of the first questions the instructors asked us was: "Is motorcycling safe?" The answer is: "No." That also applies to cycling; you can make it as safe as possible by taking professional instruction, but it can't guarantee you won't have an accident. Using a main beam on a motorcycle is one of the ways of making it as safe as possible.

Erzulis Boat 

Getting the Finisher jersey alone for that ride is a gnarly accomplishment.

GhostRider62

Do you realize almost all bicycle lights spill light spherically? An oncoming cyclist with a cheap POS 2000 lumen light is more than annoying and when flashing, it is utterly disorientating.

These30 dollar flashers are mostly on low budget wanker's bikes, but YMMW

terrymorse 

Climb to Kaiser is quite the sufferfest. It seems it's never not scorching hot on that day. But the route is great (except for the valley portion).

The ride is really tough when you get it in your head to go for a first place finish. I thought I had the lead going into the Huntington Lake stop (6955 feet elevation), but the guy there said there was one rider ahead of me. How far ahead? "About 20 minutes". Poof, there was no way to make up that much time!

DaleDee

I wasn't talking about bicycle lights. I was talking about motorcycle main beam during daylight hours.

LarrySellerz

Agreed, I dislike riding behind lights, but my point was that seeing lights on a bike isn't a clue that the rider is slow. High viz clothing, which I have no issue with, is a clue that the rider isn't going to be going fast.

That being said, I cannot help but wonder if that cyclist on Canada road, Lester, who got smashed by a car right after that hill before the water temple was using a light and if it could have made a difference if he did. Hate victim blaming questions like this, especially as someone who often goes sans helmet, but yeah its been on my mind recently.

LarrySellerz

Yes. I dont like being passed, especially because im usually on my "home turf" and riding for 30 minutes or less.

livedarklions

Are you going to go nuts when someone in hi-viz passes you?

I don't get passed a lot, but I've never noticed there being any color correlation. Maybe it's a regional thing.

Lombard

This sounds like a personal issue. Why would you care if someone passes you? Is your ego really that fragile?

livedarklions

Cat 6 is harmless. Probably motivates him to put more effort into it, so it might even be a good thing. I just thought the word "threat" was funny in this context.

I don't think Larry is unusual in this context--I don't like being passed much, and will sometimes use it as incentive to pour it on. I've also been on the other side of it where I've made up a gigantic head start the other guy had, passed them, stayed ahead of them for a few miles, and then watch as they suddenly do a sprint past me, turn off and double over panting. I find those ones pretty funny because they think we were actually racing when I've obviously been going much faster just cruising than them for many miles. Good for them for using it as fuel for a big interval at the end.

terrymorse 

I no longer care when someone passes, but I used to play this game:

I would wait until the passer had a lead of about 100 meters, then I'd chase. I often could reel them in, especially if there was an uphill. My ride buddies would egg me on to give chase. "Forget it Terry, that guys way too fast. You'll never catch him."

Nowadays, with all the structured training, I just keep doing my pace and let folks pass. Or maybe I'm just too slow to give chase.