Ironfish653

^^^ This

The laws, statutes and common practices that make up the “Rules of The Road” exists so that everyone behaves in a more-or-less predictable manner, thereby reducing the overall risk for all road users, during what is an innately risky activity.

Behaving in a contrarian manner, like the OP, may make him feel safer by calling attention to his behavior, but it makes it less safe for the rest of us, because now, the other road users need to try to figure out what this anomaly means, and what the appropriate response to it is, which means paying less attention to the other, ‘normal’ things going on around them.

bikecrate

Yep, at least twice. Salmoning too. So when I thought I was coming up behind them we were actually heading towards each other. Not too safe.

I-Like-To-Bike

The OP is not the only contrarian recommending visual safety equipment that does not conform to many, if any state or local codes in the U.S. Well known and in some cases infamous "experts" recommend that bicyclists use amber rear reflectors for their bicycles.
Recommendation for use of AMBER rear reflectors

livedarklions

"A red taillight meets the legal requirement for red at the rear if you are using an amber reflector. " I live in NH and I'm quite sure that's legally correct here. So the amber reflector is in addition to the mandatory red at the rear. As we know from running lights, amber as a color does not indicate directionality unless it's a blinking turn signal, so are you claiming that having amber reflectors in addition to the required red light or reflector at the rear would violate ANY state code? You're going to need some pretty good evidence for that one.

I must say, I'm quite amused by the assertion that the law is somehow discouraging you from putting reflectors on your bike that happen to not be legally required.

mr_bill

Speaking of contrarians. How many blinky red lights do bike likers recommend, and how high should they be mounted?

p.s. In Massachusetts, you are allowed to mount all manner and color of lights and reflectors on your bicycle and yourself. You sometimes have to have a WHITE light in front, a red reflector and/or red light in the back, and a pedal or ankle reflector color unspecified.

Other than that, knock yourself out.

"This clause shall not prohibit a bicycle or its operator to be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by clauses (8) and (9)."

p.p.s. Sadly, I have to live with the consequences of the expert. Luckily, his followers are small in number and dwindling.

-mr. bill

I-Like-To-Bike

High and bright enough with sufficient size/number to be seen from a good distance by a motor vehicle operator in at least the second vehicle that is tailgating the first, when both are fast approaching bicyclist in a traffic lane on a high speed road. A good countermeasure to the added risk to bicyclists riding on high speed (50+mph) presented from dumbass motorists who combine tailgating with last minute maneuvers to pass.
Does a contrarian xpert and/or his small band of followers still have any remaining influence to effect bicycling in your area? I would assume that in the past a coterie of Bicycling Safety and Efficiency ideologues led by self appointed bicycling experts have instigated sad/negative consequences for improving the bicycling environment in your area.

Maelochs

When I am in scary situations (night, lots of traffic, lots of cars switching lanes and fighting for position----which I try to avoid like the health risk it is, but sometimes I find myself there) I use two very bright flashing tail lights---I think if they are out of phase they are more attractive to the driver's eye, and it is easier to judge closing distances with two light sources---though likely they are not sufficiently separated to make a difference at distance.

In any case, no matter how many lights a rider runs .... if the drivers aren't looking, lights don't matter.

GamblerGORD53

There have been many good ideas that have come along, like the high center tail light on cars.
Lately they have strayed into mindless tinkering with standards.
YELLOW lights have been used for the SIDE of trucks and the front signal for cars.
The STUPID new standard seems to have yellow rear flashers too. So now we have like 1953 Studebakers, that you couldn't tell which way they were going. LOL.
I have NEVER worn zebra vests that ought to be RESERVED for official reasons. I don't think they actually are better anyway.
I have exactly one front light and one nice big red one in the back that has 2 built-in reflectors on each side. Always on because I have a dyno. ZERO problems being seen by anyone, day or night or wherever I have travelled. My headlight is on my right side fork, where it belongs, IMO. The light twinkles on the spokes, a vast help for being seen sideways too.
This backwards facing headlight idea is 100% STUPID. I say the same about helmet front lights too.

Daniel4

Don't neglect the reflector. When your light run out of power, a reflector can do a pretty good job.

mr_bill

On your “answer.” You won’t fit under bridges or trees.

On your questions.

They had a decades long reign of terror around here against all things not status quo. So yes, their expert legacy is very much still felt, often marked by white bicycles.

But now the experts just whinge on social media over and over and over and over again.

On the bright side, one expert now edits the uniform.vehicle.code.2000.dead.dead.dead.

20 years dead.

-mr. bill

flangehead

In a nighttime commuting context, a helmet mounted front light is very useful. It allows me to see into my turns and communicate with drivers.

GamblerGORD53

When you look straight AT a driver's face, they will see ONLY that light. That is 100% NOT what you want.
That is what happened to me, riding my bike in Sandpoint ID on a dark street at night. I had NO clue where his bike was or was going. He was coming towards me. Same thing in other situations, ALL I could see was the stupid light. He was 15 feet away before I knew what he was riding.

flangehead

Fully agree. My practice is to shine my helmet light on a (potentially) crossing vehicle’s front tire on about a 3-4 second period.

it is dangerous and inconsiderate to shine a bright light in someone’s eyes.

unterhausen

I only look straight at a driver's face when shining my helmet light at them is exactly what I want. My commute includes a road where the cross traffic doesn't stop for the stop signs unless there is a car coming. If they are still moving as I get to the intersection, they get to enjoy my helmet light in the face. Otherwise it's pointed down, or off if cross traffic isn't a problem. It's very effective.

njkayaker

• Drunks run into all sorts of things. With or without flashing lights or any lights at all.
• It's not established that the "moth effect" is significant. (The on!y study I'm aware of is one involving snow plows.)
• How many police cruisers get "nailed by drunks"? All we know is some of them have been. We have no idea of "how many". How many are "nailed" by not drunks?
• Even with such an effect, you might be safer with flashing lights (not all drivers are drunk).
• Some countries ban flashing lights on bicycles (maybe, it's only Germany). No reason is indicated. Maybe, it's because flashing is reserved for emergencies. If some of them allow them, doesn't that suggest they aren't less safe?
• Even with such an the effect, emergency vehicles all use flashing lights. Do you really think they do because they think it's less safe?

njkayaker

???

Amber rear signals were common in the US not long ago. It seems common in the US that these are red.

I believe they are required in Europe.

rsbob 

[QUOTE=njkayaker;21754420]

• Drunks run into all sorts of things. With or without flashing lights or any lights at all.
• It's not established that the "moth effect" is significant. (The on!y study I'm aware of is one involving snow plows.)
• How many police cruisers get "nailed by drunks"? All we know is some of them have been. We have no idea of "how many". How many are "nailed" by not drunks?
• Even with such an effect, you might be safer with flashing lights (not all drivers are drunk).
• Some countries ban flashing lights on bicycles (maybe, it's only Germany). No reason is indicated. Maybe, it's because flashing is reserved for emergencies. If some of them allow them, doesn't that suggest they aren't less safe?
• Even with such an the effect, emergency vehicles all use flashing lights. Do you really think they do because they think it's less safe?

[/QUOTE

Perhaps you should contact the governments of the Netherlands and Germany and share the error in their ways. It would be real a shame letting your apparent expertise go to waste.

njkayaker

You didn't really read what I wrote.

You don't really know why they aren't allowed. You are just guessing (it's confirmation bias).

Both those countries used flashing lights on emergency vehicles. That's done by most countries (likely, all of them). While flashing lights don't always work (nothing is perfect), they are still used. That would seem to indicate that flashing aren't less safe.

It's fairly common in the US that flashing blue lights are not allowed because, it would seem, blue flashing lights are reserved for emergency vehicles.

Germany might not allow red flashing red lights on bicycles for the same reason. That is, they might not be allowed because flashing red is reserved for emergencies or hazards (something a normal cyclist isn't).

Maelochs

I was going to ask if it was possible that this thread wouldn't turn nasty .... then i glanced at the URL ......

Reflector Guy

If the helmet light is blinding oncoming drivers or cyclists, it is because it is aimed too high.

Cougrrcj

That's why I later upgraded to the Xenon strobe. Not for ME to see where I was going, but for motorists as an attention-grabber so they'd see me. That's the best I could do with late 1970s technology.

Now that we have USB rechargeable LEDs, that's the way to go.

JanMM

The link above that goes to the ''....white light on the back....' advice is not in agreement with the more-recently-updated info here : https://www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvis...guidelines.htm
The regulations say to "Use a red light or reflector that is visible from at least 200 feet to the rear." These specific and sometimes conflicting bicycle regulations and safety guidelines only apply to NPS Natchez Trace Parkway. Most of the information is good.

(I used a Belt Beacon in the 1970's.)

rsbob 

German bicycle laws. No justification is given for any rule, so the reasoning behind is strictly conjecture. German Bicycle Laws

Boy are they strict there.

rsbob 

a fair enough assessment. Well done.

Milton Keynes

You vill obey und you vill like it!