Originally Posted by
BobbyG
As a 30-year bike commuter I spend half the year riding home in the dark. Over the years I have worked up a lighting strategy, and what seems like the most successful was adding a bright (but not blinding) 180-degree white flasher on top of my helmet, and a 180-degree red flasher on the rear. THe helmet lights are up high where they can be seen over the hoods and trunks of many vehicles, and through the windows of taller SUVs.
A few years ago I read a discussion on bikeforums about being seen while riding with a low sun behind you, which should be a big concern for bike commuters who tend to ride during sunrises and sunsets. I decided to begin riding with my lights on all the time and I gotta say it has made a huge difference! Once in a wile I will get positive comments from motorists who were excited at how visible I was. Not as many as the 'get off the road' rants though. And none have complained about the helmet light being too bright, although after dark, I have had complaints about my main headlight which is brighter, but not crazy bright, but again, not as many as get of the street rants.
Sounds like you have a pretty good plan... while I did not have the forward white light on my helmet, my 30 years of commuting taught me that
3 lights in vertical line, facing back were a good indicator of "something unusual" to motorists. I tended to have a helmet flasher, seatback flasher and a strong steady light on my rack. I think any combination of that, with at least one steady light are pretty good for indicating "cyclist."
In front, I went with one low flasher and of course a steady high beam. But that three vertical red to the rear seemed to work best.
Oddly, three vertical lights indicate to mariners that a slow tow is ahead or a vessel is constrained by draught. (the top white is the mast head, and the lowest red is the red/green indicating port/starboard side.)
