White LED strobe on front

Zebbedee

Anybody used or using one of these?
Am just wondering if it'd make you more visible while filtering on the likes of the m50.
Not on high beam, just low. Don't want to blind anybody.
Probably not strictly legal I realize but you'd probably get away with it as long as you wern't taking the urine?
Any thoughts?

punisher5112

Zebbedee wrote: »

Anybody used or using one of these?
Am just wondering if it'd make you more visible while filtering on the likes of the m50.
Not on high beam, just low. Don't want to blind anybody.
Probably not strictly legal I realize but you'd probably get away with it as long as you wern't taking the urine?
Any thoughts?

Pointless they still won't see you, if you ride to the condition of the road and think nobody actually sees me then you will most likely be ok....

I would however look at a louder horn....

mikeecho

Zebbedee wrote: »

Anybody used or using one of these?
Am just wondering if it'd make you more visible while filtering on the likes of the m50.
Not on high beam, just low. Don't want to blind anybody.
Probably not strictly legal I realize but you'd probably get away with it as long as you wern't taking the urine?
Any thoughts?

How about getting a man with a flag to walk Infront of you... That'll also be a safe option.

(It's probably just as legal having the pedistrian on the M50 as it is having the strobe light)

listermint

Don't.


Learn to drive properly.

Zebbedee

listermint wrote: »

Learn to drive properly.

Why do you say that?

punisher5112

Zebbedee wrote: »

Why do you say that?

If one rides defensively and to the conditions it's better then having illegal fitted flashing lights which honestly someone may well take as one letting them out.....

Most of the time you can tell a car is going to change lanes even if they don't indicate, there are tell tale signs which you will learn after time...

Interceptor

Zebbedee wrote: »

Anybody used or using one of these?
Am just wondering if it'd make you more visible while filtering on the likes of the m50.
Not on high beam, just low. Don't want to blind anybody.
Probably not strictly legal I realize but you'd probably get away with it as long as you wern't taking the urine?
Any thoughts?

Anything that makes you more visible is always a help but defensive riding is the key for me. Filter at no more than 15-20kmh more than the traffic around you so you can respond to sudden movements, watch the drivers heads through the cars and in their mirrors as you filter and gauge whether they are distracted. Large spaces between cars means the following car is distracted and potentially hazardous.

Ride with your dipped headlight, add a couple of LED spots but don't blind people and try to follow other bikes rather than cutting your own path.

I did fit a strobe to the front of my bike and it worked well, several people commented that they were able to spot me filtering and that they thought it was a good idea. I sold the bike and then never fitted one again - I had planned to fit a headlight modulator but like lots of things never got around to it

Here's an old video of the strobe I had on my bike, yes I recorded it on a potato.

listermint

Zebbedee wrote: »

Why do you say that?

Because if are relying on blinding other drivers with a STROBE LED then you are not driving defensively as you should.

Anyone with a strobe on their bike should be taken off the road.

Strobes... you should be off the road.

Interceptor

listermint wrote: »

Because if are relying on blinding other drivers with a STROBE LED then you are not driving defensively as you should.

Anyone with a strobe on their bike should be taken off the road.

Strobes... you should be off the road.

Everyone has their own opinion, if you can stop car and van drivers from using their phones and concentrate on driving then I'd agree but it's not a perfect world. Not every strobe will blind someone and if you are advocating for 'taking people off the road' then we need to start with the distracted and incompetent ones.

listermint

Interceptor wrote: »

Everyone has their own opinion, if you can stop car and van drivers from using their phones and concentrate on driving then I'd agree but it's not a perfect world. Not every strobe will blind someone and if you are advocating for 'taking people off the road' then we need to start with the distracted and incompetent ones.

Its not an opinion its illegal.

You arent an emergency service vehicle. you have no need for strobe lights pointing at other drivers.

Anyone who thinks their bike needs a strobe on it needs an advanced drivers course.

Interceptor

listermint wrote: »

Anyone who thinks their bike needs a strobe on it needs an advanced drivers course.

I'm ROSPA Gold certified, I have more hours of advanced riding tuition under my belt than most and I'm answering the OP's question. You can bang on about something being illegal but you have to admit that if it makes you more visible it makes you safer. I opened my original reply with the point that defensive riding is the key and advanced training is vital. After that its up to the cops to enforce the law. <waves goodbye from the bus lane>

Zebbedee

listermint wrote: »

Because if are relying on blinding other drivers with a STROBE LED then you are not driving defensively as you should.

Anyone with a strobe on their bike should be taken off the road.

Strobes... you should be off the road.

In my post I was clear about using a strobe on low beam only and not blinding anybody.

listermint

Interceptor wrote: »

I'm ROSPA Gold certified, I have more hours of advanced riding tuition under my belt than most and I'm answering the OP's question. You can bang on about something being illegal but you have to admit that if it makes you more visible it makes you safer. I opened my original reply with the point that defensive riding is the key and advanced training is vital. After that its up to the cops to enforce the law. <waves goodbye from the bus lane>

Bang on? You called it opinion.its illegal to fit a strobe to your bike. Are we 5 years of age? Fitting strobes to bikes what's this the late 90s hooning around the boreens

MarkR

Shooting a paintball gun at other cars would also get their attention. But probably also illegal.

So to answer OP's questions.

Yes, you'll be more visible.
It is illegal, so bear that in mind.

42 Restrictions on flashing lights.

42. No lamp (other than direction indicators) fitted to a vehicle shall show or be constructed or adapted so as to be capable of showing a flashing light unless such light is invisible to persons outside the vehicle.

We don't get to pick and choose the laws we think apply to us. The flashing lights is supposed to denote an emergency vehicle. If everyone starts having their own flashing lights, people may become desensitized to them, which would affect the emergency services.

My thoughts are you'll make a guard cross one day, and they'll use that as their excuse to pull you in.

Zebbedee

MarkR wrote: »

Shooting a paintball gun at other cars would also get their attention. But probably also illegal.

So to answer OP's questions.

Yes, you'll be more visible.
It is illegal, so bear that in mind.



We don't get to pick and choose the laws we think apply to us. The flashing lights is supposed to denote an emergency vehicle. If everyone starts having their own flashing lights, people may become desensitized to them, which would affect the emergency services.

My thoughts are you'll make a guard cross one day, and they'll use that as their excuse to pull you in.

Thank you for your measured and informative response.

I may still go ahead and fit one.
As I said it would only be used while filtering on motorways. Not on country boreens as somebody suggested.
These lights come with a handlebar switch that can switch off that strobe function.
And I make a point of filtering at no more than 15 or 20kmh faster than the traffic I'm filtering through (which 40 years of riding has taught me). It's also taught me that any little bit of extra visibility helps.
I'm aware that strictly speaking they are illegal but so are strobe brake lights and we're lucky in this country not to have too many anally cross guards to pull us up on minor infractions provided we're riding defensively and with positive regard to others.

Hotblack Desiato

What's with this "strictly speaking it's illegal" crapola. Either something is legal or it isn't.

I don't know why, but those headlamp modulators are quite popular in the states. Very anti-social though (and those tossers who ride behind another bike on main beam are just as bad!)

punisher5112

I absolutely hate strobes unless in a nightclub....

They should not be used on a vehicle unless emergency vehicles and this includes them d1cks with the over bright ones fitted to push bikes, absolutely blinding and can't see past them....

Other thing I'm seeing a lot of is cyclists with blue lights flashing and blue/red flashing too.

These need to be stopped.

archer22

punisher5112 wrote: »

I absolutely hate strobes unless in a nightclub....

They should not be used on a vehicle unless emergency vehicles and this includes them d1cks with the over bright ones fitted to push bikes, absolutely blinding and can't see past them....

Other thing I'm seeing a lot of is cyclists with blue lights flashing and blue/red flashing too.

These need to be stopped.

A Guard on "Crime line" the last night advised cyclists to use flashing lights even during the daytime.

punisher5112

archer22 wrote: »

A Guard on "Crime line" the last night advised cyclists to use flashing lights even during the daytime.

Yes lights day or night and if it's correctly fitted but don't be mistaken if they are high lumens then they are blinding and even worse in the wet.

There are guys going around with the lamp pointing high and know damn well.....

zubair

Zebbedee wrote: »

Anybody used or using one of these?
Am just wondering if it'd make you more visible while filtering on the likes of the m50.
Not on high beam, just low. Don't want to blind anybody.
Probably not strictly legal I realize but you'd probably get away with it as long as you wern't taking the urine?
Any thoughts?

Don't forget to get a POLITE vest too.

Zebbedee

zubair wrote: »

Don't forget to get a POLITE vest too.

No Thanks