Daytime Running Lights - Get Them! Video
 

Hi everyone. I'm a big advocate of safety so I figured I drop this post here. If you're a commuter, road cyclist, touring etc. I think everyone should invest in a set of daytime running lights. Here in the Northeast Fall is approaching and as we near the ending of daylight savings time it will be getting darker earlier. I already notice the transition. These lights are just great for city riding and congested areas to poke awareness around your riding. Be safe or be sorry. Having them on in the past few weeks I felt safer than not having them on at all. So I'm recommending these. Check out the video I made in more detail below. If you're on Youtube share it with a friend and Subscribe if you dig the video and want to see more.

I'm not going to argue against anyone who runs daytime running lights on the road. I don't but there are more distracted drivers out there and maybe this helps. I do wish people would stop running bright lights on the MUPs during the day though.

Guy should invest in a tripod, so he doesn't have to lean over so much when making his videos. :D

These lights are getting smaller and smaller, and maybe in a few more years, a light that small will also contain a tiny video camera, and cost under $50.

I might as well run lights all the time; I turn them on at dusk, when the sun is low in the morning and again in the late afternoon when the sun is low, in the rain, and at night.

Since most motor vehicles in traffic now have daytime running lights, having your bike lights on helps drivers see you as part of traffic.

The purist in me says lights are not part of cycling. The pragmatist in me says if you're gonna ride in traffic then use mirrors, lights and a horn like the other vehicles...and I do, except for daytime lights as noted above. On the other hand, my high-visibility yellow and orange jerseys really stand out in the daylight...

I can't argue with the video.

Thanks for posting it.

For sure! Thanks for checking it out. I got hit by a car years ago and suffered from it for 2 years without riding. I'm big on safety and living in NYC, I advocate for everyone to have lighting on their bikes.

On my daylight in-town commute, I run two tail lights (one flashing, one solid red) and a flashing headlight. My completely unscientific, n=1 experience, is that this reduces the number of close-calls with automobiles - they tend to give me wider berth.

Yawn. Over in the A&S forum a cyclist was hit in broad daylight with a flasher going. At very, very high speed. I am amazed they survived at all. While nice, it is not essential that oncoming traffic see you, it is more important that trailing traffic see you, but it is even more important that you as a cyclist do not act unpredictably and force a motorist to accommodate your erratic actions. Because they may not, whether they 'see' you or not.

Yawn all you want, but I always use obnoxiously bright daytime flashing running lights front and rear. My experience is that it definitely grabs motorists attention even more so than my fluorescent jerseys. Still, your point about cycling safety being ultimately the cyclist’s own responsibility is well taken. Cycle safely!

Do you know how many times my flashing front light has caught the attention of a driver who rolls up to a stop sign on an adjacent street only to slam on their brakes preventing a T-bone situation? Drivers are looking for other cars (large objects), they are not sensitized to looking for someone on a small bike moving at a relatively high rate of speed (as compared to a walker or jogger). You can see their face do a double take before they apply the brakes.

Of course not. And neither can you. I'm pretty sure I've rolled up to more stop signs than you have because I'm probably 10 to 20 years your senior. I don't use a front light of any kind during daylight hours and here I is, still smiling. So, if its all the same to you, I'll keep using (nothing) what works for me. I must be missing the gene that makes people need to pull total strangers to their way of behavior. A decent 4400mah battery pack sets a person back ~$60. It's definitely useful at night. Why waste a single hour of its limited lifespan lighting up daylight? Does that make sense? Not in my opinion.

I feel naked without my helmet and blinking lights... (Damn, I forgot to get dressed again this morning) :50:

I just bought some rechargeable lights on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was surprised how much brighter they were than my old lights and they allegedly have a long battery life. On my first ride, I had some guy in a car roll down his window and yell "Nice light". At least he saw me.

I saw a video that a variable flashing light gets seen better than a steady light or a steady flashing light.

I attached a HOOOT ( https://www.amazon.com/HOOOT-Recharg.../dp/B07L7GQL44 ) red light to this mirror ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bell-Smar...irror/17619567 ) and transfer between bikes giving a left edge identification along with a center identification frame mounted red light under seat and my helmet mounted red light. Front is a HOOOT clear blinking with additional NightRider 650 lumen and 900 lumen for night riding.

Also have a 5,000 lumen 4 way attached to my night riding helmet and flashing blue Velcro strap light on left leg below knee.

While I run lights day and night and I wear a bright pink helmet, I think for the most part that it makes no difference at all.
Biggest issue is distraction, and the excuse of "I did not see him" still being seen as a valid excuse by police.

Thanks for the video. We all need constant reminders about safety.

"All" is a big word and no, we really don't.

Thanks for posting that.

I've been using bright front and rear flashers for several years. My biggest concern is having an oncoming vehicle turn in front of me while I'm descending a shaded mountain road.

A local rider was killed a few years ago on a popular mountain road, when an oncoming van turned in front of her. I usually descend that section at about 40 mph, which is the posted speed limit. Maybe a front blinker would have saved her.

Been running my lights day or nite; dry or raining
for over 10 years now. I guess it works; :D still in
1 piece here in New York City:

My Toyota has DT running lights always on. My motorcycles have lights always on and flasher kits. I know these lights will increase visibility and the further away the motorist (cager) becomes aware of you the better for them to plan to avoid you.

Cagers are not looking for motorcyclists going 100 MPH or bicyclists in black Lycra skin suits in the middle of the lane. Blinking lights definitely get my attention sooner than steady or none.

According to some here, all that’s needed is for drivers to take periodic test to maintain proficiency. No lights needed.

That said, I use lights during hours of darkness and about hour before and after.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Leisesturm (Post 21116321)

Yawn. Over in the A&S forum a cyclist was hit in broad daylight with a flasher going. At very, very high speed. I am amazed he survived at all. ....

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Laws of Discussion Forum Comments

1) One outlier negates all other data points and observations.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Leisesturm (Post 21116710)

... I'm pretty sure I've rolled up to more stop signs than you have because I'm probably 10 to 20 years your senior. I don't use a front light of any kind during daylight hours and here I is, still smiling. So, if its all the same to you, I'll keep using (nothing) what works for me. ....

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2) If nothing detrimental has occured for X years while performing act Y, nothing detrimental will ever happen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 1nterceptor (Post 21116897)

Been running my lights day or nite; dry or raining

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Uh oh. A contradictory observation to law # 2. I'm guessing 10 years isn't long enough to be valid. Wait 10 more years.

This is BF A&S, what "We" need is drama, and plenty of it, day and night, on very ride.

Lights, camera, action!

Well in some countries - I know of Germany, but there might be others - that would also grab a policemans attention and result in a fine, since flashing lights are verboten in traffic there. Same goes also for front lights that don't have a beam cutoff and aren't StVZO approved.

5000 lumens as mentioned by another poster are total overkill; that is comparable to a car headlight on high beam. I certainly wouldn't want to get hit with that from oncoming traffic.

It would take a mountain of evidence to convince me that bicycle daytime running lights offer a safety benefit, and so far I haven't seen any. As far as I'm concerned they are just annoying.

Who made up the law and why should anybody give a rat's behind to it? ;)