njkayaker

You are likely much more able to notice this than drivers with bright headlights can. I don't think it's really possible to distract drivers this way even with a "good bright light" (whatever it might be).

Bearhawker

Ask a pilot - there's a reason lights on towers etc blink.

I would only ever run a solid light in a group where I'm not at the back (never)

bikelif3

Don't feel like telling you. Figure it out. And of course and ad hominem attack

canklecat

Best solution I've found is two or more lights, separated by about a foot/30cm or so helps drivers determine distance, speed, etc. Even with the minimal separation of lights on a typical motorcycle, they're still easier to see than most bicycles -- unless the cyclist is using multiple lights with some separation. For years I've usually ridden with lights on my bike and helmet.

At night I usually set the rear light to pulse mode, which can be adjusted in duration and speed. However in group rides I'll set it to steady unless I'm riding as sweep, tailgunner or caboose to watch for riders who lag behind or have mechanical or health problems, in which case I use the pulse mode since there are no cyclists immediately behind me.

In daytime I use the brightest strobe mode. It's still barely visible from a distance in some conditions, but it helps.

My clipless cycling shoes have reflective patches, but with time and wear the visibility has faded. I need to add some adhesive reflective patches. There's also reflective tape for frames.

The best visibility enhancement by far that I've seen is colorful LED wheel spoke lights. These don't even need to be blinding in brightness to offer a huge increase in visibility. These are definitely the best I've seen for side visibility. Even the best front and rear lights are still barely visible from the side.

VegasTriker

You can ride the interstate in Nevada outside of populated areas where there is no alternative route. Were it not for that, you would have to equip your bike with wings and a propeller. When I-15 replaced the old roads that connected Las Vegas to CA and UT it became the only way to reach those states. I'm not sure I would be comfortable riding the breakdown lane of a road with vehicles traveling at 75 mph (and often a lot faster). One recent weekend the state police ticketed a bunch of drivers going over 100 mph in a speed crackdown..

Here in NV, blue lights are illegal on both bikes and motor vehicles unless they are police or other emergency vehicles. We do have a bicycle equipped patrol that cops use in the resort corridor so they can use blue lights on bikes. Cops can and sometimes will stop vehicles and require them to disable blue lights on the spot, I have two bike lights that incorporate blue, red, and white lights in the same light. One displayed blue and red alternatively so I disabled the blue light portion to make it legal.

You can get small rolls of the reflective tape used on ambulances. I bought some but haven't applied it yet. It should be great to reflect in all directions at night when added to the frame but I rarely ride at night. You don't need much. A lot of it comes by post from China like this one. 9 feet for less than $5 https://www.ebay.com/itm/363824789361 $1.28 with very slow shipping https://www.ebay.com/itm/313511030697 or genuine 3M tape in several colors for $6 from a US seller https://www.ebay.com/itm/313511030697

unterhausen

I used to ride on an interstate almost every day in Utah. Took a while to talk myself into it.

I have a generator taillight (solid) on all my bikes. I also use a rear light in a mode where it varies, but never goes off. I have seen people with blinkys where it was really difficult to tell where they were when the light was off. And then, poof, they appear again.

tcs

Everybody check the laws/statutes/ordinances where you ride. Some (many) places require a bicycle to have a rear taillamp AND a reflector.

If you have a good taillamp, the only person likely to care that you didn't also have a reflector is the sharp lawyer for the drunk who hit you.

Troul 

i've yet to own a taillight that lacked a reflecting feature.

njkayaker

It's not an ad hominem. No one should take anybody's "reading"..

[QUOTE=bikelif3;22984668]Don't feel like telling you. Figure it out.QUOTE]
It's easier to just discount what you said.

SpedFast

Super bright blinking during daylight hours and a steady or breathing pulse at night. I also run blinking headlight during day and solid with dimmer feature at night. I find a lot fewer cars pull out in front of me during the day with my bright blinking white light on up front. I'm really a shy person until I get on my bike, then I want everyone to see me.

steelbikeguy

When I lived in Yuma, AZ, it was legal to ride on I-8 heading east. There was no alternative route to travel in that direction, so I guess they couldn't restrict what vehicles could use it. The speed limit might have been 55mph back then too (late 70's, early 80's).

Steve in Peoria

tcs

Chinghis

Was this inspired by a ****** post today? The one where the guy got passed and commented on his solid red light or something?

Otherwise, it's an odd coincidence for me ...

Tourist in MSN

Some of my bike tail lights lack a reflector, some have almost enough to claim that they have one, less than a square inch.

I used to drive through a large university campus in my daily commute, in late fall and winter when it was dark out during my commute I always noticed the up and down motion of pedal reflectors. But lot of pedals are impractical to put a reflector on.

A few months ago I commented on a different thread that due to the lack of pedal reflectors, I put red reflective tape on my left side crank arms, ran out of tape and could not put any on right side. Someone on this forum reminded me that amber was better where reflectors could be seen from the front. Since then I have put some reflective tape, amber, on right and left side crank arms. Not as good as pedal reflectors, those are always aimed towards the front and rear, light from the tape on my crank arm reflective tape is only aimed towards the front and rear when the crank arms are closer to vertical than horizontal and they have very small surface area, but they are better than nothing.

We have gotten far off topic when the original question was simply blink or not and is one enough?

canklecat

Planet Bike and a few other older style rear lights had highly visible reflectors as well. But my Cygolite and Bontrager rear lights have no effective reflectors. I've used a flashlight in a darkened room to check reflectivity and my jerseys and shoes have better reflectors than my Cygolite Hotshots or Hotrods.

The most effective reflectors I've seen are adhesive tape strips attached to the frame. Much better for side visibility as well. The only thing better for side visibility is LED wheel lights.

Troul 

Effective vs none, that's a noticeable difference.
again, I've yet to own a taillight without such feature.

Robert C

Legal in most of southern Oregon and most of I5 north of Redding, I am pretty sure there is a sign in Dunsmier saying all bicycles must exit. There is even a button to press before crossing Lake Shasta to call for a Highway Patrol to escort the bicyclist over the bridge.

DaveLeeNC

Just curious...what is it like to be passed by an 18 wheeler going 75 mph when you are on your bike on the shoulder of the road? dave

njkayaker

???

The choice for some is either the highway or nothing.

Anyway, the highways (where this is allowed) often have wide shoulders (but they are full of debris).

jadmt

happens every day on my rides. No big deal really. I prefer them passing me rather than meeting them. I always worry they are going to have a rock stuck in the wheels that they fling. lots of logging trucks and those guys freaking haul ass.

SpedFast

I stay off the interstate if at all possible but have found that commercial big rigs seem more courteous to me on the state highways with little to no shoulders than most non-commercial traffic. I've even had cars and pickups swerve at me as if trying to see how close they can get without actually losing a mirror. But I digress. The worst is when it's wet and rainy and all those huge tires are kicking up an ocean of water that seems to land right in my face every time. Heck, who needs a shower? (sarcasm-if you're not sure)

Eyes Roll

It is no different than a car or semi-trailer passing by you in the city. You keep your balance, composure, both your hands on your bike handlebar, and ensure you are riding in the straight line. You be a good rider, do your thing, i.e., stay on the right of the road and let them pass.

P.S. When biking in the city, on the route from my home to downtown, which I frequently visit, I regularly experience passed by semi-trailers.

No, you do not want to meet them, not even once, which could possibly be your last, because it will remain on Earth and you will be in Heaven.

njkayaker

Except they are going 75 mph (much, much faster than "city" speeds). They are also pushing a lot more air than a car.

jadmt

never has been an issue for me. literally every day I have semi's go by at 70+. they are not going to suck you under like some people think. If you have ever ridden Highway 12 between Montana and Idaho there is zero shoulder and montana side is 70mph and idaho 50mph and most drive faster. it is a truck route so a lot of truck traffic. it is two lane. again semi's passing you going the same way are no big deal but coming the other way always worries me. lots of logging trucks that have been on gravel roads so they can pick up rocks in the tire tread and they can fling out as they are going by.

Eyes Roll

Will give you a cheap tip. Take a reasonably thick and long winter socks, cut open the other ends that were sewn with a scissors, slide the socks from the wrists to the shoulders underneath the shirt sleeves, and wrap/tie it with an elastic band or rubber band so the socks do not slide down, while riding. Plus, wear hand gloves, helmet, and glasses - you are fully covered. Alternatively, you can also wear sweat shirts with full sleeves. You will feel a bit more sweaty, but you will have less worry about rocks flying and hitting you.