Sorry mate, you can science it up however you bleedin want, but I live here in this real world and if I’m driving my car on a real road and I see a real bike with a real light on it, flashing or otherwise, bright or dim, it means only one thing: There is a bike there on that road. I see it with my eyes and I react with my driving. It’s not a “destraction” [sic], it’s a real thing, there to be part of the observation I undertake when driving and avoided/given space/waited for… whatever the situation dictates.

If you read fully the rest of my post the context of what I am talking about should be clear. The problem is not do you have issues with very bright flashing lights, the problem is does anyone have the issues I described with very bright flashing lights. Judging by some of the other posters on this thread I am not alone. Note I am not arguing against running a rear light during the day, I am not arguing against running a rear flashing light at all just that you have to be awearnof some of the issues with them in some contexts for some people.

Lastly I always attempt not to be aggressive in internet debates but upon me challenging your statement you come back with what would be considered in an face to face decision to be quite aggressive with a “listen mate”, you then continue not to challenge my argument in any meaningful way other than to say that your experience is different to mine, which is actually my point. Just because you don’t have a problem with bright flashing lights, does not mean others don’t and that they can’t cause problems.

ok, I’m not aggressive towards you personally, just this notion that it’s cyclists bringing trouble onto themselves.
I hope you appreciate what I’m saying there… there should be no reason for a car to hit a bike in the normal state of things. Whether a cyclist is lit up like a Christmas Tree or otherwise – in my many years of experience on the roads, the main reason for cyclists getting hit, is drivers not doing what they should. Obviously, that doesn’t apply in all cases, but to say a cyclist puts themself in danger by having a flashing light on their bike, is quite ridiculous. If thats not what you’re saying, I apologise on bended knees.

Flashers outweigh the steadies on this thread – cos the thread asks whether you flash.? 😉

It piqued my curiosity anyhoo – and I’m a commited flasher. Always have at least one ‘Moon’ style rear, flashing day or night. Lit up like an F’ing Xmas tree!

As a committed car driver also – I’m not sure I’ve ever found a cyclist’s rear lights distracting either.. 🙂

Both. It doesn’t have to be an either/or and I don’t think one light is enough for proper night riding (apart from anything else I want some back up in case of failure).
I have a dynamo powered steady Toplight on the rack, flashing Cygolite Hotshot and a Holy Hand Grenade, one row flashing, one row steady.

I’m currently living in Kenya, the times I muttered about roadies and their lights; I take it all back. The bloody loons out here don’t use them, on roads with no lighting. When I get back I shall never complain again, even if you’re all lit up like Dynamo from ‘Running Man’!

To me, a flashing red light triggers an automatic awareness that it’s a bicycle, rather than anything else ahead…

From my experience driving, I follow this way of thinking…

If you see a solid red light 3 or 4 cars in front, you just assume it’s another car. And often on unlit roads, that’s all you can see. But if you’re travelling 10X faster, you’re going to be approaching very quickly, and by the time you can see the cyclist, you may only have a second or two to react, if that.

With the speed differential on the roads, a flashing light marks you out as a potential hazard, and if I see one up ahead, I immediately start assessing the conditions. Do I need to slow down? Can I overtake? Etc.

I live in a fairly rural area though. Perhaps the rules change in an urban environment?

Personally, I too, have solid and flashing at the same time. Never really experienced any issues at all with lights on bikes while driving, but I’m regularly blinded by car lights. (Not saying it doesn’t happen. Just not experienced any kind of annoyance whatsoever).