GAPavedTrailRdr

I just saw them on Ebay. They sell for about $5 and are sent from China. It seems like a great idea, but I'm skeptical of the low prices

2 Laser 5 LED Cycling Bicycle Bike Taillight Warning Lamp Flashing Alarm Light | eBay

GaPavedTrailRdr

achoo

It's $5. Buy one and find out.

2_i 

Gimmick. My riding partner rode with such a lamp. It projects faint lines onto the ground that you may notice if you are a rider right behind. The lamp on the seat is normally not perfectly aligned so those lines are projected into some skewed directions.

TransitBiker

I have actually been thinking about something similar to this, but where the light shines a line 4 feet out so motorists know how far they need to be to pass legally.

- Andy

JZackery_I.D.

Give them a shot! I could see these working well through neighborhoods at speeds less than or equal to 25mph. It's like a reminder to give a cyclist his/her space.. Let us know if this concept works well even if the 5$ light doesn't last very long

catonec 

I have been a proponent of the the cheapo chinese rear blinky lights for a while now. I figured Ill just buy a bunch of them since they are so inexpensive, actually the replacement batteries cost more than the whole light but.....

based on some comments Ive read here on bf I was swayed into spending a little cash and buying a quality rear blinky. I bought a cygo hotshot sl.

CygoLite Hotshot SL USB Rechargeable LED 2watt Tail Light Bike Rear HS SL USB | eBay

there is no comparison. the hotshot is crazy bright, even in daylight which was my main reason for abandoning the ebay specials. Its usb rechargeable but it claims to get 500 hours of use between charges.

it was around $30. clips right onto my seatbag, had decent visibility from the sides, about 5 different flash patterns or solid.

if you want a one time purchase of a quality "be seen" product, give up on the cheapos, buy one of these and be done w/it.

irwin7638

An LBS had a more expensive version, but the "lanes" didn't show up at all under natural light, only at night and the case and fixture was a piece of junk. It's a good idea poorly executed.

Marc

MMACH 5

I'm going to disagree with it being a good idea.
The only reason to have these lines on the pavement, behind you is to alert cars of your space in the lane and only at night.
There's not a light source on the market that would not be completely washed out by a car's headlights.
So, basically, in the area where this would be useful (in a driver's field of vision) it goes away. Kind of pointless.

irwin7638

Actually the ones I had showed up quite well against all kinds of artificial light, but disappeared completely in natural light. I think a higher quality lazer might create a good product which could be useful all the time.

Marc

no1mad 

Y'all get 4' up there? OK only gives me 3' ...

TransitBiker

The law was only updated in 2012 or so. Before that there was no specific distance, but the rest of it had been on there for some years. We have a large amish/meninite population here, and they all can be seen riding in the warmer months, so it's not really even a bike commuter issue here in PA.

- Andy

scroca

OP, a better idea would be to tow a highway line painter.

I'd suggest a double yellow line just to your left.

It might cost more than $5 though.

lostarchitect 

I've seen these a couple times in NYC. The ones I saw were junk. I couldn't see the "lanes" until I was right behind the cyclist, and I'm sure they'd be less visible in a car.

GAPavedTrailRdr

Yeah, $5 or not, if it doesn't even function as a decent tail light with some possibility of giving some dimension to your form (meaning, what is that faint red light on the dark road up ahead?), then it actually seems unsafe.

Daniel4

You're still depending upon trust that the motorists will respect your space. How about mounting the rear light at the end of a flexible rod that sticks out two feet? Motorists won't want to hit that light and so will safely avoid you.

noglider 

If I could somehow mount lights to rods that protrude far from the bike, I'd use the lights to illuminate me. I want the motorists to see a guy on a bike, because that is what, I presume, they most want to avoid hitting.

Daniel4

That would be common logic but it's still the motorist's judgement to determine if he has enough room to slip by you. This is what happens everyday in broad daylight.

I bet if there's any risk of scratching his paint job, he'll avoid the risk.

Daniel4

2 Laser 5 LED Cycling Bicycle Bike Taillight Warning Lamp Flashing Alarm Light | eBay

I ran some calculations. Assuming the two-second rule for a motorist to respond and stop in the case of an emergency.

Side street: Motorist 50km/hr, cyclist 10km/hr - 22m
Main Road: Motorist 70km/hr, cyclist 15km/hr - 30m (if you're a fast cyclist, the distance is less)

So to be relevant and safe, that light should extend 30m behind you to give motorists time to react.

alan s 

I think sharks with lasers would be more effective than that piece of junk.

noglider 

I'm not speaking of protrusions from the bike and how motorists respond to them. I'm speaking of illuminating ourselves to make ourselves visible and therefore avoided.

genec

I saw a guy that did something like this on my commute route... He didn't do the lights off to the side, but from the back off the rack to illuminate him from the back, so it was obvious that anyone approaching was approaching a human. It seemed to work quite well. However I have no idea what he used to do this... all I saw was an angled light from his rack, lighting up his back.

Frankly I have found that the high low blinky situation seems pretty good... one on the helmet and one low on the bike, seems to get pretty good attention. I'd perhaps also like stickman in reflective tape along my arms and back... right how I just have bits of reflective tape here and there.

The other day I saw a guy that had some sort of LEDs and down lights all over his rear triangle... showed great from the back and sides.... but I wondered what he used to power them.

Saw another guy with similar LEDs all around them main triangle and top tube. Made me wonder if there is some new 12 lighting stuff out there, like 12v LED xmas light strings. (BTW I don't know that these were in fact 12V)

Daniel4

That's what I'm talking about too. In broad daylight motorists can see you and still they continue to squeeze by you when they get the chance.

As for a light to illuminate yourself, why not just wear a reflector vest? I do, plus I have a reflectors on my helmet, ankles, the back of my bike as well as blinkies on my bike and helmet.

All of this illumination and reflection doesn't stop some motorists from skimming by you.

I've thought of the protrusion for a long time but never installed one. I don't want to start any sort of war because if an angry motorist starts to retaliate he can come up with much worse.

noglider 

My solution to the motorists-skimming-by-me problem is to develop strong nerves to tolerate it.

TransitBiker

I've never had a choice with this. People drive so often like they want to cause problems for others intentionally, that i have to be super assertive and super "i'm going this way, slow down/stop or i'll see you in court". I have very frequently stpped at stop signs ready to turn left and some extra special dingleberry feels the stop sign doesn't apply to them & i gotta jam on the brakes as they cut my turn off.

- Andy

noglider 

Suburbs, huh? Suburban drivers are more annoying than city drivers! City drivers are inconsiderate, and they know it. Suburban drivers are inattentive and entitled. You need an air horn and police lights to wake them from their dazes.