agent pombero

I have a NiteRider Pro 1800 lumen light mounted on my helmet -- the flash is super bright. I believe that on flash it is using the full 1800 lumens. Every reflective surface 15 blocks out, signs, parked car lights, etc, light up like fireworks.

Anyone aware of any 3,000+ lumen lights that use the full power in flash? Looking for something even more intense.

GeneO 

15 blocks, really ?

Bandera

You are aware that 3K lumen output flashing can be annoying and distracting to all other road users at night?
Does Portland have any bicycle traffic in the evening or are you the lone cyclist on the road cringing in a dark tunnel of fear?
Is your intent to mimic aircraft runways or just simply pi_s off everyone else while inducing a few seizures?

-Bandera

agent pombero

Yes.



More annoying and distracting than the rampant cell phone usage?
The helmet mount allows different angles. That said, annoying and distracting is mission accomplished.







The roadways are my "aircraft" runways. People prone to seizures should be on medication, not drive at night, and avoid driving in general because...lights (including flashing ones) are everywhere.

vol

Just curious, has there been any case when a driver deliberately hit a cyclist because of rage over too bright flashing light the cyclist was using? Or maybe accidentally hitting another person, pedestrian or cyclist or car? (Defending excuse might be: "I was blinded by the light"?)

Athens80

At what intensity -- lumens, lux and/or pulse -- does a light go from being a safety accessory to being a weapon: non-lethal force, used to temporarily blind and disorient targets? Does it take 3,000, or 30,000 lumens, or what? What do security/police/military personnel, use, if anything?

JohnJ80

Is this even a problem?

J.

zacster

That's just too bright. People have complained about my 600 lumen light.

GeneO 

The reason I was skeptical about the 15 city blocks is I reckon that is about a mile and would think it is kind of hard to see light that far. ahead, especially in a city. But I guess Portland blocks are smaller so around 3900 feet, so about 3/4 of a mile.

ItsJustMe

Here you are:
https://www.aviationlogs.com/aviation...d-white-a470as

More seriously, this might actually be useable on a bike:
https://www.crazedpilot.com/aircraft-...ights-wig-wag/

Personally I think that you've already reached the point of not just diminishing but zero and possibly negative return. There's a point beyond which more isn't better. I think if you're not getting their attention with a 1000 lumen flash, a 10,000 lumen flash won't serve you any better.

zacster

I don't doubt the 15 blocks. I can see almost that far with 600 lumens flashing. I wouldn't notice it with a steady light though.

JohnJ80

People complement me on my 2400 lumen light. "Nice light!" I hear it from people/pedestrians all the time.

fietsbob

why does it have to flash?

agent pombero

I want to use the NiteRider 1800 as the bar light to light the runway for me (the 700 lumen on there now is too weak). The 3,000 lumen flasher on the helmet would be my "I know you see me now!!" light.

vol

Maybe the 600 lumen was real spec, the 2400 lumen was overstated

agent pombero

I get equal amounts of love and hate from motorists/cyclists/peds about my beams.

no1mad 

Just out of curiosity, do you happen to ride in the rain? I ask because some people have claimed that a really bright light on the helmet can actually blind them from the rain droplets bouncing the beam back at them...

agent pombero

I ride in every weather condition. And here in the PNW the rain is a daily riding buddy for about 9 months of the year.

90% of my riding is through neighborhoods in the city. It is typically dark on these streets, especially with the large trees everywhere. Most cars seem to be overwhelmed with my lights and actually just pull over and wait for me to pass before thry continue on their way. I love that! Makes me smile just reflecting on that as I type this. That said, I do take care with the intensity of the flasher. It is never angled to the horizon, it is angled so that the bulk of the flashing light falls onto the roadway 30 to 50 feet in front of the bike. If I need to do so, a slight tilt of the head backwards orients the light to the horizon ---- I do this at every road where cars can come from, both left and right (especially at lighted intersections with higher volumes of traffic) The intense flash has stopped cars from entering my path countless times.

2 wheeler

You remind me of my brother in law; for him, too much is never enough.

Athens80

You're pointing the center of the light down to the roadway. That makes sense.

But if most other traffic is unable to safely proceed when you're passing by them, it might be an indication that your lighting is too intense for conditions.

westrid_dad

I had replied with these comments below in another thread re: bright lights, and thought it actually may be more relevant here, so just pasting the contents of my reply below. Apologies in advance if this is "bad form". I am very interested, though, in other people's thoughts on the whole "more and brighter has to be better" debate. Is "more and brighter" always truly safer?




"Do you get any "legitimate" negative comments from other motorists / cyclists when you run the "strobe and pause" mode? After getting several complaints that my 140L was dangerously distracting in that mode (for nighttime riding), I switched to the "slow pulse" mode for nighttime, but do go to the "strobe and pause" for daytime use. In addition to my 140L on the back, I do also have a PB Superflash Turbo in strobe mode.

I used to just ignore people's complaints about my lights, thinking "more and brighter" had to be better, and hey, at least people notice me. But, one night my daughter told me that my lights were so bright and so distracting that she had to look away from me altogether when she was passing me that night in her car. She thought it was more dangerous for me if drivers can't watch me as they pass.

I kind of get her point. If a cyclist is lit up to the degree that they are too bright to watch, then a motorist isn't necessarily paying attention anymore to that "bright object". Or, if a motorist is so attracted to that bright / shiny object that he then is no longer focusing on the basic act of driving (responsibly), is that also unsafe? I kind of have the mental image of bugs flying into a bug light. All joking aside, in some states here in the US there are concerns about the increase in motor vehicle collisions (at night) with parked police cruisers that have their "bright / shiny" strobes going. Many people believe this increase in collisions coincides with the use of brighter emergency lights on these police cruisers.

So, anyway, not to get this thread side-tracked, but all of this is making me re-think how I am presenting myself on the road with lights, with headlights / taillights, and reflective materials. For commuting purposes, I am no longer of the "more and brighter is always safer / better" camp."

fietsbob

invested in 2 Lights with B&M's IQ2 LED design, that lay down the light on the ground where it need to be.
an Eyc for the Dynamo on my Brompton [Lyt BN w/o standlight, was a dissapointment].

and an Ixon IQ , a battery light for handle bars ,

+ as I intend, the additional mount to fit on my Porteur rack.

German made Lights dont have a flashing mode.

kingsqueak

You are really short cutting, a real pro would simply mount a Whelen Engineering aircraft strobe to the helmet



You simply want to be seen. No light will change how a motorist will care about you...if anything your obnoxious strobes are going to go the wrong way in that category.

vol

Not only that, but a driver could hit anyone, not just the rider with too bright light, if he has to turn away from where he should be looking. Using too bright light in strobe mode may make oneself noticeable, but is selfish in that it can endanger other people's safety (including the drivers'). Imagine if every cyclist did the same thing.

mstraus

I personally feel my Niterider Lumina 700's flash mode is TOO bright. I am actually getting a cheaper, less bright light to have a dimmer flasher and using my niterider in steady mode most the time.