see.sense bike lights

Wishbone Ash

GreeBo wrote: »

...Really only the rear should need to flash as thats where you are going to get hit from...

I've been hit from the front several times but never from the rear. Have you never had a vehicle cross your path?

GreeBo

traprunner wrote: »

I am capable of acknowledging a flashing light without suffering target fixation. If someone can't do that then they shouldn't be driving/cycling/walking.

Then you are pretty unique.
There is plenty of evidence to support that a flashing light is a distraction, why do you think emergency vehicles use flashing lights?
Your brain is hardwired to react to change to stay alive, flashing lights are constant changes in your environment and attract your attention. This is great for the person behind the flashing light, not so much for everyone else.
flashing lights are also perceived as brighter to our eyes, couple that with a halogen bulb and the driver who is already surrounded by distractions is, at best going to lump all flashing lights into one.

cdaly_ wrote: »

There's plenty of opportunity to get hit from the front. Typical options are car emerging from a side road or car turning right across you. IMO, in these situations what light you have is less important than your road position. Drivers will be looking for other cars and not at the kerb. I have found that being mid-lane means that they notice me and give way. Left edge of the road, not so much.

Ageed, if I see a car that could emerge on top of me I dont just keep blindly cycling in the same position, I also get ready to stop if required. "He had right of way" will look great on my grave stone.
In any case, wouldnt that be being hit from the side?

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I've been hit from the front several times but never from the rear. Have you never had a vehicle cross your path?

someone crossing your path isnt really you being hit from the front, its either you hitting the side of someone or someone t-boning you.
These people would likely hit you no matter what illumination you had, save a car/motorbike type light.

If I see somone waiting to cross my path and I realise that I am not shielded by any cars, I will expect the driver to do something stupid and, as above, take up a safer lane position and more importantly, prepare to stop.
Continuing at 20-30km/h regardless of the road situation is asking for it.

Despite that, there are some situations where no matter what, you are going to get hit. Cars crash into each other and inanimate objects all the time.


I've been a commuting cyclist for 25 years into Dublin city centre and a car driver on the same routes also and the above has kept me accident free over all that time, without ever using a front facing flashing light.
Sam Browne and a bright front light coupled with expecting numpties to act like numpties at every opportunity.

traprunner

Alanstrainor wrote: »

So I have a question for anyone with a light, when I connect it to my phone, and open the app there's a brightness slider bar that you can change. As you reduce the brightness it obviously reduces on the light. However when I disconnect my phone it seems to go back to full power brightness? And if you connect again the slider is all the way to the right on full, despite setting it lower. I guess it's just a bug...

I reported the bug today and they were back to me within an hour or two. It will be fixed in the next firmware update due this week.

HivemindXX

GreeBo wrote: »

Then you are pretty unique.
There is plenty of evidence to support that a flashing light is a distraction, why do you think emergency vehicles use flashing lights?

Surely you don't think it is to cause a distraction right? I don't see how this helps you make the point you are trying to make.

traprunner

GreeBo wrote: »

Then you are pretty unique.
There is plenty of evidence to support that a flashing light is a distraction, why do you think emergency vehicles use flashing lights?

Your brain is hardwired to react to change to stay alive, flashing lights are constant changes in your environment and attract your attention. This is great for the person behind the flashing light, not so much for everyone else.
flashing lights are also perceived as brighter to our eyes, couple that with a halogen bulb and the driver who is already surrounded by distractions is, at best going to lump all flashing lights into one.

I don't think I'm unique at all. I just drive, cycle and walk with some care. While I acknowledge that there are many idiots that don't, I think that most do and therefore have no issue with flashing lights.

Emergency vehicles use flashing lights to get noticed, not to distract. I do likewise on the bike. I can think of nothing worse while cycling than a 2 ton plus vehicle not noticing me and ploughing into me.

I'd like to see the research you go on about about. Especially if flashing lights at best get lumped into one.

I've genuinely never had the issues you describe when driving/cycling or walking. I don't end up staring at a flashing lights. I don't stare at non-flashing lights either. I've yet to have an accident (touch wood). I am aware of who and what is around me when driving because I concentrate on the task at hand.

Alanstrainor

I must keep an eye on my battery life, I've torn through 50% of a fully charged battery yesterday with only 1 hours usage. Granted I would assume it was using a power hungry light option (constant, with flash). But still!

traprunner

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I must keep an eye on my battery life, I've torn through 50% of a fully charged battery yesterday with only 1 hours usage. Granted I would assume it was using a power hungry light option (constant, with flash). But still!

I've used mine for for 3 hours and still at about 58%.

traprunner

Firmware v26 is available. I was on v24 for some reason. I didn't think I missed an update in-between.

Alanstrainor

I've been on 26 for the last while. The app should really notify you of firmware updates, the only way to know if there is an update is to reflash the light with the existing firmware... It should be part of a loop to ascertain whether the update is later than the one on the light, and then proceed to update if it is...

traprunner

Firmware 27 is now available.

Johnny_Fontane

I got an opportunity to buy this light for €20 (rear) as they are doing a trial in the Dublin market. Pick up 19th Sep. Think I saw it on facebook.

buffalo

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

I got an opportunity to buy this light for €20 (rear) as they are doing a trial in the Dublin market. Pick up 19th Sep. Think I saw it on facebook.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057780618