Front lights that are too bright

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geocycle
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by geocycle »

SleepyJoe wrote:I have had problems with other cyclists with over bright/no cut off lights on my commute along a cycle track a couple of times.
When they come towards you, I can't see a thing until they are past. However, I can normally see whether there are any pedestrians around before they get too close and I usually hold my hand up to shield my eyes.
I have also had a problem with a cyclist drafting me with a very bright front light. I cast a big shadow in front of myself with a very bright outer edge. It was very hard to see the path ahead of me even with my bright (but cut off) cycle lights. I should have slowed down and let him go past but that is hard to do......
I can understand why people want to see where they are going but for road/cycle path use, you should have either a horizontal cut off of the beam at about waist high or a dipped beam option. Anything else is just inconsiderate
Mark


I've had the same experience. Bright lights can be very dangerous all round in inconsiderate hands.
stork
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by stork »

It seems that little thought goes into the beam pattern for most lights marketed for cycles. Many of them are just ultra-bright torches with a perfectly circular beam, perfect for dazzling other people. Very few comply with any of the standards which are designed, amongst other things, to take account of dazzle. It is of course illegal to use, as your only lights, those which don't comply with the relevant standards, as well as being illegal to use any lights (including supplementary ones) which dazzle. It's also illegal to sell non-compliant lights as bike lights without making it clear that they're for supplementary use only, or to sell dazzling lights without making it clear that they're for off-road use only. Even good, standards-compliant lights will dazzle if fitted incorrectly.

For battery lights, you can't do better than to get them from Lidl (K-marked to meet the German standards). They're perfectly good for any normal riding (I use them for commuting, including unlit paths and roads, and I've used them for the Dunwich Dynamo).
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mjr
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by mjr »

stork wrote:It's also illegal to sell non-compliant lights as bike lights without making it clear that they're for supplementary use only, or to sell dazzling lights without making it clear that they're for off-road use only.

I'd not noticed that, or had forgotten it. I see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989 ... on/10/made emphasises that you can't apply an approval mark if it's not compliant, but what requires dealers to label substandard bike lights?

You know, it's a shame there's not some sort of cyclists touring club with a worker who looks into these things... and a large enough team of public workers to enforce these sort of legal requirements. ;)
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Lambretta
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by Lambretta »

I have a cree light but haven't used it yet.
I have been looking for a diffuser lens but after searching here and googling the only link I find is for an ebay seller that no longer lists them.

the glass has cracked in mine and I have clear perspex to cut but it won't solve the dazzle problem.

I'm going to try the pound shops to see if I can bodge a lens from a front lamp otherwise can anyone steer me toward a link for one please ?
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simonineaston
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by simonineaston »

stork wrote:It's also illegal to sell non-compliant lights as bike lights without making it clear that they're for supplementary use only, or to sell dazzling lights without making it clear that they're for off-road use only.

Whilst I'm fully in favour of well-written standards and guidelines for sellers, I don't think we should shift the focus away from the end-user - it doesn't take a genius to work out that your new and powerful light is badly adjusted. It just takes a smidgen of empathy for the poor person coming the other way, be they driver, cyclist or pedestrian. The inability of the bright-light user to work out what their lights are doing simply points to the fact the individual concerned is unimaginative, selfish, stupid, or else some combination of all three.
(and although there's very good reasons for off-road users to employ the brightest lights they can get hold of, that doesn't stop them adjusting them once they get back on tarmac...)
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Given that most motorists are unaware of:
- the existence of a light dip control in the car
- the issues caused by load in their car
- the ridiculous level of light they are throwing around

I don't see why cyclists would be any different...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Penfolds11
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by Penfolds11 »

[XAP]Bob wrote:Given that most motorists are unaware of:
- the existence of a light dip control in the car
- the issues caused by load in their car
- the ridiculous level of light they are throwing around

I don't see why cyclists would be any different...


Seems to me that there are a number of motorists who like the newer, bright bicycle lights so much that their admiration extends to only driving with one headlight lit. :wink:

I saw three cars last night driving with faulty headlights; which goes to add a fourth to your list: unaware of " - whether their headlights are working or not"
freeflow
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by freeflow »

A few weeks ago I was driving home late at night and met an oncoming car with full beam headlights. So I flashed him. He flashed me back to show he was using his 'dipped' headlights. <sigh>.

I don't begrudge others using overly bright lights given that for most people an equivalent 'correctly' designed light is not obvious or equally as cheap.
SA_SA_SA
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by SA_SA_SA »

Lambretta wrote:I have a cree light but haven't used it yet.
I have been looking for a diffuser lens......otherwise can anyone steer me toward a link for one please ?


Here is a thread about that:
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=92132&start=30#p845612
------------You may not use this post in Cycle or other magazine ------ 8)
Bikefayre
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by Bikefayre »

Simple place hand over the light to shade it, in return vehicles drivers will dip. Also find most cyclists like their lights pointing skyward which is very blinding, mine are angled to point at the road with a two to three bike length beam. My own bike has five lights at the front and three rear, all the drivers and Police love me as are as bright as a truck! Clear sticky back plastic will soon dim your lights an easy fix, more so if frosted!!!
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Lambretta
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by Lambretta »

SA_SA_SA wrote:
Lambretta wrote:I have a cree light but haven't used it yet.
I have been looking for a diffuser lens......otherwise can anyone steer me toward a link for one please ?


Here is a thread about that:
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=92132&start=30#p845612




Thanks sasasa .
I have read that thread. I want the wide beam lens as mine Is cracked.
Any link I find to a seller seems obsolete now.
When i finish my night shifts I will see if I can buy a pound shop one and cut the lens to fit .
or just cut some plain perspex I have and fit another lamp for on road ;)


As for car drivers with only one headlamp/mis aligned headlamps/ etc
another bug bear is fog lughts permanently on especialy in rain and snow.
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gaz
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Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by gaz »

High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
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Lambretta
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Joined: 16 Dec 2014, 12:12pm

Re: Front lights that are too bright

Post by Lambretta »

gaz wrote:Diffuser lens.



Ah thanks. I should of tried the description I used (diffuser) to search in the first place :oops: :D

I've bookmarked the site , cheers ;)
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