So, riding home tonight. Planning to swing up the Pentlands and down Poet's Glen on the way home so on the MTB so have my proper offroad lights.
Anyway waiting at lights at a T junction to turn right, taxi driver turning left winds down his window and tells me I shouldn't be using flashing lights as it's against the Highway Code. I put him straight on that one (always have a steady and a flasher both ends) - just checked and I am right on that one.
[i]60 At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. [u]Flashing lights are permitted [/u] but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp. [/i]
So he tells me my lights are too bright and they are distracting him from his driving. I point out it's to make it hard for people like him to pretend they haven't seen me. Seems to shut him up anyway.
Did get me thinking though - is it possible to be too brightly lit? I still had some dopey cow in an X5 drive up the wrong side of the road at me to pass a parked van on her side so clearly I am not visible enough to some idiots.
re the X5 lady, we have one of those around here too, quite funny to watch but i think youre right, lights wouldnt help much with that sort of thing. on my sadly underused commuter i stuck loads of that 3m black sheet which reflects silver, and on my helmet too in stripes. you cant really see it in daylight and should help sommat
You certainly can have too bright a light - and too narrow a beam as well.
IIRC there is even some provision in the highway code for this - two separate things - dazzling folk is not on and a brightness limit for bicycle lights
As for folk not seeing you - this is a function of width as much as brightness - a single light looks narrow thus far away!
TJ - the bit I quoted is the only bit in the highway code that talks about bike lights.
I make sure the light is pointing down and like I say I have a commuter light on there as well so visible from the side.
Couldn't agree more about taxi drivers, come the revolution they will be first up against the wall.