gpsblake

In your opinion, which is better or easier to be seen?

Multiple blinky lights or just one?

Troul 

Pulse. I prefer a steady & a second that pulses.

10 Wheels

Strobe Best

Tourist in MSN

Daytime, blink. Night time, constant on.

You can't get any depth perception on a blinking light, but a constant on light, you can get an idea on how far away it is. I want drivers behind me to be able to estimate where I am. If they are seeing a strobe light, they have no clue where I am.

Fog or heavy overcast, often use two blinkers to get their attention.

Above is pertinent to taillights only.

Chuck M 

I put my rear on strobe. When I'm driving, I seem to notice a bike with a strobe sooner.

znomit

I usually run one on each seat stay(one of those is the dyno taillight) and another on the helmet. Not blinking unless I'm on the highway ("Hey, I'm a bike").

Eyes Roll

IMO, blinking light(s) get relatively more attention than non-blinking light(s). Also, the color of rear lights is typically red, symbolizing stop or danger, and a flashing red light serves to alert or caution motorists approaching from behind.

I always have two rear lights in red in blinking mode attached to my bike basket. I have the same make of rear lights.

njkayaker

This isn’t true.

Their headlights should be illuminating by the time that depth perception matters anyway.

You could also use two lights: one constant and one flashing.

njkayaker

Two certainly.

============================

Flashing versus constant rear lights.

You want to register as a cyclist from a long distance away. Note that I didn’t say “seen”: that’s the first step. You also want the driver to know what you are. The further away this can happen, the longer the amount of time there is to have it happen.

Cycle lights tend to be small, which, obviously works against being noticed from a far distance.

The problem with steady lights is that they they can be hard to see or be interpreted as some sort of not-moving reflector.

Flashing objects are more noticeable from farther away (it’s why they are used on radio towers, etc, etc).

A small flashing light is more likely to be registered as a cyclist (because that’s generally what is using them on the roadway). This is a big advantage of flashing lights that naysayers don’t mention.

People frequently chime in with the “estimating trajectory” or “depth perception” stuff but they don’t realize either it’s not really an issue or it doesn’t matter. This bad because it encourages people from using the better flashing light.

The point of a light is to be noticed from a longer distance before where these could start mattering. By the time/distance they could matter, the car headlights are illuminating you.

The “trajectory” issue is more so for things that are crossing in front. With cyclists, the driver is coming up from behind (there’s no crossing). Anyway, to a large degree, drivers are seeing cyclists as not or barely moving.

There is nothing specific that suggests drivers have special perception issues with the flashing lights used by cyclist. There are indications where there could be issues, like for flying, but they might not be relevant. At the distances you want the rear lights to be working, small constant lights have similar problems with “trajectory” and “depth perception”.

If you believe there are these problems with flashing lights, you could use on constant and one flashing.

The purpose for rear lights is to be noticed for a long distance and time away as possible. The purpose is not for negotiation around you (the car headlights are for that purpose).

If you are riding in a group, flashing lights can irritate other riders, especially at night. (It’s not that uncommon for cyclists to have their rear light angle up, which makes them more annoying for following cyclists and makes the light less effective.)

Pulsing might be less irritating to other riders but, if it’s too slow, it might have an effect close to being constant.

That car rear lights are constant is no argument that constant would be better for cyclists. Car rear lights are much, much larger for one. Also, cars are also much more common (all of them flashing would be awful).

Keep in mind that nothing is perfect.

jadmt

which do you notice more? I notice blue and red flashing lights more than steady on red lights. The other day on the interstate I could see a set of blue and red flashing lights far up the road and I noticed everybody's brake lights were coming on and they were merging over to the passing lane while slowing to the speed limit (this was in an 80mph zone where everybody drives 90mph) I kid you not it was a guy on a bike that had red and blue flashing lights on the back of his bike. freaking genius.

tcs

Pedal lights, or, pedal reflectors.

njkayaker

These are a good idea too but they need headlights to work. So, they aren't sufficient. (Note that it's generally a legal requirement to have a rear light at night.)

They can be dim. Also, many people don't have pedals that will accommodate them.

These are the same idea as pedal reflectors but brighter (much brighter) and work for any pedal. You do have to remember to put them on. But they work in all directions (unlike pedal reflectors).

https://www.amazon.com/Jogalite-Cros...s%2C115&sr=8-2

There are two general types of reflective material (used like this). This works when wet. The other, which looks gray in marketing material doesn't work when wet.

njkayaker

Blue flashing lights might not be legal.

jadmt

no doubt, but on a busy road I would take my chances with getting stopped. what is the old saying better judged by 12 than carried by 6

njkayaker

Note that I didn't say not to do it. It also might have the potential to piss drivers off.

bikelif3

I use a rear blue and red blinking light on a medium, non-seizure inducing setting. I like fooling cars into thinking I'm a cop ahead of them. Legal in my state from my reading of statutes. Have been passed by many cops with no problem.

Front lights, blinking or steady can be VERY annoying. I would only use steady front lights at night, when needed. Never front blinking lights.

Eyes Roll

The red rear light is widely recognized as the standard choice globally. Have you observed anyone else using blue and red blinking lights on the back of their bicycles? Or, to the best of your knowledge, are you the only one employing this setup? I am aware of individuals being pulled over by police officers for utilizing blinking lights on their cars that resemble those used by law enforcement, resulting in arrests and citations for impersonating officers, which is a serious offense. In the city where I reside, police officers patrol certain sections of downtown on bicycles.

It looks and sounds cool, but you don't want to get yourself into trouble for impersonating cops. You double check it with a cop or lawyer and make sure that you are absolutely certain as to what you are doing.

jon c. 

I blink during the day and go solid at night, But that's situational. In the city I'd flash at night but riding on country roads with a lot of trees the blinking light bounces of them in way that's distracting to drivers. But that's with a good bright light. With a lower lumen light I might still flash.

bikelif3

"Impersonating a cop" = Flashing cop lights on a car, going up to a vehicle with cop-like clothing.

There's nothing wrong with fooling drivers to drive more safely than they would otherwise, especially when I'm on the road with them....

Tandem Tom

Here's an interesting bit of info.
When we were touring in Germany flashing rear lights were Verboten! We were stopped by the police and informed about this. In fact we are leaving for Europe tour #6 in a few weeks and I will say we have never seen flashing lights. One less bit of kit on our bikes as we have dyno hubs and front and rear lights on our bikes.

spclark 

What state was this in?

In all the years I've been driving on I-ways I've NEVER seen an entrance ramp w/o a sign stating bicycles are prohibited, along with other varieties of low-speed transport.

jadmt

it is legal in Montana and I have put 1000's of miles on the I90. I travel to Minnesota a lot and always see bikes on the Interstate in wyoming and both SD and ND.

spclark 

Thanks for that. Last I was in SD was early '80's, yet to get up into ND or west to Montana. Will keep this in mind should I ever get back over that way.

njkayaker

It's not that uncommon in less populated states where the interstates are sometimes the only practical way to get some place.

Bicycles are allowed on Route 10 west of Cabazon in California because it's the only way through the pass.

Bicycles are allowed on parts of the Garden State Parkway in NJ (but you need a permit).

njkayaker

What state is that? Anyway, no one should trust "your reading" of the statutes.