Are there unwritten rules on the subject?
I’m new to this so tried to copy the crowd: flashing lamp rather than superbrite Mtb off road setting.
But I crossed one of the parks, flipped the lamp to a non-flash low setting (so I could see the path) and was screamed at by a rider going the other way “turn off that light you f’ing ****”.
Was he a random nutter or did I break The Code again?

I say again… Apparently cycling through a red light is also frowned apon. Who knew?!?!

proof that there are as many knobs on bike as in cars… tell him where to go, light up dude! maybe dip the position to pish less people off but definitely light up. Its the cyclists without lights thats the problem = death wish.

Very bright lights in a dark place such as a park might be quite unnerving for some people. The reaction seems a bit over the top though. I’ve asked a couple of other cyclists to aim the beams of their stupidly bright lights downwards more when on towpaths and such, as they can temporarily blind you which isn’t what you want really.

People who think it’s sensible to mount a red light to the front of their bikes need to have a word said to them though.

The north/south path through Hyde Park is a bit of a mare at night. So many super bright lights you do get dazzled a bit. And I suspect I’m dazzling others myself with 3 front lights, including helmet!
Do what keeps you safe IMO. I take it easy through the parks simply because it can be hard to see the path properly as a result of all the riders coming the other way. But if they want bright lights so drivers see them, then that’s ok by me!

ti_pin_man – Member
proof that there are as many knobs on bike as in cars… tell him where to go, light up dude! maybe dip the position to pish less people off but definitely light up. Its the cyclists without lights thats the problem = death wish.

This is very true and it seems the increase in bike traffic means there is a disproportionate increase in knobbery. At the moment it seems we’re getting close to level of black cab drivers in the selfish d*ckhead stakes.

You really don’t need a 12 gazzillion lumen light in london, but since you’ve got one just aim it down as Mike says above.

Apparently cycling through a red light is also frowned apon. Who knew?!?!

Funny one that, it tends to be determined by the crowd. If there’s a bunch of cyclists stopped a light, most other cyclists coming up to that junction will also stop.
On the other hand, if there’s no one waiting or other cyclists are scooting through when safe to do so, then that behaviour will be copied.

Woe betide a cyclist who cuts through a big group of stationary riders though, they tend to get verbally slaughtered!

And I suspect I’m dazzling others myself with 3 front lights, including helmet!
Do what keeps you safe IMO.

Are you suggesting that it’s fine to dazzle other riders so long as you’re safe? Even if what you’re doing impeeds the safety of the poor sod coming the other way who rides off the road because he can’t see where he’s going? I see no reason to be riding with helmet lights on the road.

I get seriously annoyed with people riding with trail lights on the road through Richmond Park. You don’t need that much light at all to ride on the road, even if it’s unlit. If you do ride with big lights they should be dipped right down.

You don’t need that much light at all to ride on the road, even if it’s unlit

I don’t understand people who use those stupidly bright off-road lights anywhere in town.
total overkill. I have a small Smart front LED light which is perfectly adequate for even unlit paths. I don’t see the need for megawatt lights. Unless oyu have really crap night vision then perhaps it would be safer to take the bus/walk.

I was walking through London at rush hour the other day and it was interesting watching passing cyclists and their level of visibilty.

Here`s some observations.

Good flouro clothing makes you stand out as much or more than lights.

The broad row of led lights on on Boris bikes makes them very visible.

Small focussed lights dazzle,a broad throw of light is better.

Hi viz cuffs and trouser bands,and anything that aids side visibility is good.

There are lots of suicidal idiots with no lights and or wearing dark clothing.

I have a couple fo front lights on the SS that I commute on, one for when I am in London that is set to flash and then when on the unlit single track road that I also use I have them both on.

One rear light set to flash and one on the pack that is constant.

I also usally wear a yellow top or my Altura Night Vision jacket if the weather is bad.

Super bright lights are not necessary but if used should be pointed away from other users and as for red lights I always stop as you never know which knob is coming the other way!!!!!!

Are you suggesting that it’s fine to dazzle other riders so long as you’re safe?

No, I’m not.

I have bright lights to ensure I’m safe on the road. But I’m aware that in the darkness of the run down the cycle path through Hyde Park that the lights are very bright – it’s a lot darker in there so the contrast is greater…

flipped the lamp to a non-flash low setting (so I could see the path) and was screamed at by a rider going the other way “turn off that light you f’ing ****”.
Was he a random nutter or did I break The Code again?

Did it occur to you that your light might have been making it very difficult for the oncoming rider to see where they were going?

MTB lights can be a real nuissance to other road users.

i use a smudge V2 light, angled down to about 5ft in front of my wheel, and on the lowest setting for my commute (in manchester). not had any abuse off other riders yet for it, but i’m thinking about buying something like a lezyne powerdrive instead (mostly cos of the internal battery). i’d want to use it as a helmet light too to supplement the smudge light when riding offroad, and i can’t afford to have tons of lights around for different types of riding…
it’s all about having a little bit of consideration for others- if you do run a megalumen light, it’s easy enough to angle it away from the line of vision of oncoming riders really.

Woe betide a cyclist who cuts through a big group of stationary riders though, they tend to get verbally slaughtered!

Guy did that by Oval tube on Wednesday – and was promptly pulled over by the copper waiting 20 yards further up, by the patrol car with lights going, in broad daylight. I lol’d.

Guy did that by Oval tube on Wednesday

I saw a copper on a motorbike sitting by the lights. I did wonder if he was there to go for the RLJers. I hope he was.

RLJ achieves nothing apart from p1ssing off other road users. It doesn’t get you anywhere quicker. All it proves is you’re a selfish c***.

I laugh when I see cyclists pulled over for RLJing, their expressions are priceless.

When you point it out to them, they come across as a bit confused. I do wonder if there are cyclists out there who’ve never driven and maybe don’t actually realise it’s illegal.
If they don’t they should probably be locked up for their own safety, a red light is a pretty universal signal!

RLJ achieves nothing apart from p1ssing off other road users. It doesn’t get you anywhere quicker. All it proves is you’re a selfish c***.

Are we on the Circle Line? I’m sure we’ve been here already.

I saw a copper on a motorbike sitting by the lights. I did wonder if he was there to go for the RLJers. I hope he was.

There have been about 4 coppers on push bikes at a busy crossroads near me every morning this week pulling over RLJers. I thought it was really good. However, there doesn’t seem to be an awful lot that they can do if people refuse to stop, which I’ve seen a couple of times.

If you’re in unlit areas, sometimes it’s polite to dip it down a bit. Torches in particular have very focused beams which can be barely visible at acute angles (make sure you return it to a horizontal position in traffic!), but mega blinding when aimed towards your eyes!

Try to find that sweet spot in the middle, but when there’s little or no street lighting, remember that peoples eyes are adjusted to the dark, and a torch shining in their face won’t be too comfortable…

It’s difficult really. There doesn’t seem to be any real guidance for lights in cycling, and many of the lights available aren’t really the best suited to their uses.

Are we on the Circle Line? I’m sure we’ve been here already.

Maybe you should get off before you do a loop then.

Shall we talk about critical shite better instead? 😀

Are we on the Circle Line? I’m sure we’ve been here already.

Has this turned into a game of Mornington Crescent? I presume we’re playing the version where red lights are advisory only?

It doesn’t get you anywhere quicker.

To be fair, it does. Doesn’t advocate it, but it’s fairly basic logic that not stopping does mean better progress than stopping!

I think the ones that annoy me most are the ‘attempt a track stand, but just wobble through at 0.1mph, then decide it’s ok, because you tried, and ride off’. They’re all dicks though. But anyway, tangent and that.

Has this turned into a game of Mornington Crescent?

Oooh!

Stoke Newington. Dump. 😉

think this shows that in the UK we just do not really have sensible commuting lights.

Need more like the philips and other euro lights. Bright to see with and be seen, but not to dazzle + decent side illumination.

Most lights here seem to be glorified torches with beam patterns to match.

Invalid move: Stoke Newington is not on the London Underground network.

think this shows that in the UK we just do not really have sensible commuting lights.

Bollocks does it, it just shows that people don’t use them! I use my Maxx-D, not an inappropriate light as long as it’s on low and not pointed skyward. I’m not buying a specific commuting light when it does the job just fine!

It is perhaps a fall out of the MTB light ‘arms race’, with people (not unreasonably) not wanting to buy different lights for different purposes.

Bollocks does it, it just shows that people don’t use them! I use my Maxx-D, not an inappropriate light as long as it’s on low and not pointed skyward. I’m not buying a specific commuting light when it does the job just fine!

Gold star for your correct use, but you do see lots who do not… too bright dim, angles funny etc, clipped to bars, body, helmet..

overseas most commuters cyclist have uniform lights in a uniform position..

though perhaps not as bad as no lights at all…

I like the look of the exposure strada as that has a nice beam pattern on dip..

though think might go the dymano and eurolight option.

I just use my Hope Vision 2, on low. So around 150/200 lumens? Don’t really need anything brighter unless you’re out on country roads.

The flashing lights I find quite annoying, and I think motorists and other road users find them quite hard to judge speed and distance.

think this shows that in the UK we just do not really have sensible commuting lights.

+1

Having recently switched to using the Philips light, you can do an awful lot better both in terms of illumination to see by and not being annoying to other road users than just pointing an MTB light downwards. From the beam patterns that I’ve seen, I wouldn’t class the Strada as having a particularly good beam pattern.

There’s a reason why car headlights have evolved to have a very sharp cut-off. Bike lights need to do the same.

I don’t understand people who use those stupidly bright off-road lights anywhere in town.

The bane of my commute! I use a cycle path for some of my journey – it’s getting increasingly hard to spot pedestrians because I keep getting dazzled by stupidly bright lights from riders coming the other way.

It’s high time we adopted the German standard, which specifies a proper dipped beam.

Brilliant a thread about bright lights and this banner ad on the page

Nice work 8)