661-Pete wrote:They are also a help at night on dark country lanes, encouraging oncoming motorists to dip their lights. I dutifully and religiously switch my super-bright front lamp to low power whenever someone approaches, but that doesn't always seem to register....
Interested in others' experiences on this.
I've found that *unless* I have a front light which is dazzling for oncoming traffic on back roads, motorists more often than not leave their full beam on. Despite me being ultra visible in reflective everything. It's not they don't see me, they just don't seem to register that dazzling a cyclist is an issue in the same way, or worse, than dazzling a motorist.
Whereas if have have mine on full power and/or adjusted higher than advisable, they always dip theirs. As though once dazzled themselves they realise they oughtn't to dazzle me.
Which leaves me either blinded or feeling guilty that I'm dazzling motorists. A rock and a hard place. Generally I now leave mine on full but cover it up with a glove as long as approaching cars dip theirs.
My lighting rig is an Exposure Strada for main beam, plus a joystick flashing for visibility and a helmet mounted small falshing light too. And a plug in for the strada at the back (which is brilliant, ultra bright an no need to separately recharge), extra flashing rear light just to be sure and a helmet mounted rear flasher.