The rabbits are coming for me

[master6]

As a retiree, I regularly ride in the luxury of sunlight, and in winter, some warmth.

Last weekend I joined some old mates on a 5am ride from the Western suburbs in Brisbane. Those rabbits I spotlighted in my youth must have been out on bikes, looking to even the score with me. Now I have an understanding of how those rabbits felt when we blinded them with extremely bright spotlights, and then fixed them up for the dinner table!!!!!!!!

Of concern, the "light rage" understandably exhibited by a couple of blinded riders.

Someone is going to get hurt here, either from being blinded, or from some of the retalitary action I hear is being planned.

My advice to the bright light brigade is "dip it", or you could be in for a nasty surprise

[ruscook]

As a retiree, I regularly ride in the luxury of sunlight, and in winter, some warmth.

Last weekend I joined some old mates on a 5am ride from the Western suburbs in Brisbane. Those rabbits I spotlighted in my youth must have been out on bikes, looking to even the score with me. Now I have an understanding of how those rabbits felt when we blinded them with extremely bright spotlights, and then fixed them up for the dinner table!!!!!!!!

Of concern, the "light rage" understandably exhibited by a couple of blinded riders.

Someone is going to get hurt here, either from being blinded, or from some of the retalitary action I hear is being planned.

My advice to the bright light brigade is "dip it", or you could be in for a nasty surprise

what the.....? I don't see bright lights on bikes as any worse than cars and are a helluva safety device for bicycles. The brighter the better would be my motto

The trick to not being blinded is to NOT look at the light, or close one eye before the approaching vehicle is close enough to blind you then open that one when it's passed. Works on the road on my motorbike or car....

[lethoso]

or from some of the retalitary action I hear is being planned.

your retiree bicycle gang is gonna beat them up?

[Phill_B_34]

or from some of the retalitary action I hear is being planned.

your retiree bicycle gang is gonna beat them up?

I don't know why the retirees are complaining about being “blinded” for, the way most of them drive I'd swear that they were already half blind to start with......

[duds2u]

Why would a retiree want to ride that early in winter? That's why doonas were invented so you can stay warm in bed.

I thought early morning rides were for young blokes with jobs or old guys who can't afford to retire.

[ZepinAtor]

Well how coincidental is that. I was riding along with my 1800 lumen 6 pack Exposure light on full when all of a sudden all these old coggers started swerving all over the place. It was like dodging a bunch of starteled wallabies accept this bread would be the wobbly species. Lucky they were wearing their incontinence pants, as I was cause I almost pee'd myself laughing.

[sogood]

Cataracts are good as neutral density filter.

[elantra]

Well how coincidental is that. I was riding along with my 1800 lumen 6 pack Exposure light on full when all of a sudden all these old coggers started swerving all over the place. It was like dodging a bunch of starteled wallabies accept this bread would be the wobbly species. Lucky they were wearing their incontinence pants, as I was cause I almost pee'd myself laughing.

naughty boy.

[ed muggles]

or from some of the retalitary action I hear is being planned.

your retiree bicycle gang is gonna beat them up?

obviously you've never been trampled by a hoard of zimmer frame wielding retireies... its slow and painful way to go

[ColinOldnCranky]

So far hasn't elicited any serious responses. So I offer a little support for his point.

He is right - there are a lot of riders out there who give the appearance that they are in a size-of-the-dick competition. Which would be all very well, but they should at least zip up the flies a little.

Yeah - drop the thing a little. There is no requirement as far as I can understand that requires a strong light to be up at my eye height fifty or more metres in front of them. (Which may translate into lighting up the track four feet lower down some hundred metres forward.)

These lights are not a big issue but think a little about the rider coming towards you. We promise to still be impressed by the brightness of your equipment and the size of your wallet.

[Phill_B_34]

So far hasn't elicited any serious responses. So I offer a little support for his point.

OK then.....

I don't get it. We get a hard time for the few that don't ride with enough lights, now we get threats for having too much light.....

I personally don't like bikes coming the other way with strobing white lights, but the benefit to the rider of being seen and noticed by oncoming traffic far out ways any angst I may have for all of 30 seconds max.

I have a reasonable light (Exposure Strada Mk2) that I do have on full beam for most of my early morning/night rides (especially this time of year) as some of the sections I ride are not light up by street lighting very well (A certain tree lined avenue springs to mind). My light is aimed sensibly (i.e. not possum spotting high, nor 2m of scorched white roadway either), but I rate me seeing where I'm going a little higher on my list of priorities that whether or not I blind guys coming the other way. Am I out on my own with this logic?

[elantra]

So far hasn't elicited any serious responses. So I offer a little support for his point.

He is right - there are a lot of riders out there who give the appearance that they are in a size-of-the-dick competition. Which would be all very well, but they should at least zip up the flies a little.

Yeah - drop the thing a little. There is no requirement as far as I can understand that requires a strong light to be up at my eye height fifty or more metres in front of them. (Which may translate into lighting up the track four feet lower down some hundred metres forward.)

These lights are not a big issue but think a little about the rider coming towards you. We promise to still be impressed by the brightness of your equipment and the size of your wallet.

OK point taken and of course i agree it it is becoming a significant issue.

And it has been discussed in the general forum and so on, but sometimes humour is good medicine.

In a few minutes i will be commuting in the dark, with my puny 1 watt light, and i will silently curse any w****r who blinds me with his aircraft landing lights.

[Comedian]

I think we decided these people were to be known as supernovas.

[lethoso]

OK point taken and of course i agree it it is becoming a significant issue.

I think the replies here have demonstrated how significant people think this issue is. Given the choice, I'd much rather encounter a roadie with over bright lights than a ninja on a BSO any day.

[nitramluap]

I agree.

Far too many people have lights that are not just too bright, but are not dimmed appropriately (it's the new 'my bike is lighter than yours' arms race). My lights all have sharp beam cut-offs (Busch & Muller) and do not dazzle (unless I'm going over a rise - this I accept can be difficult for everyone) whereas many riders have lights which just spray bright light everywhere - quite wasteful really...

If I'm not blinded by such lights I can see quite clearly... I can even see other cyclists and pedestrians who don't have any lights or reflective gear. To avoid being temporarily blinded I have to 'look away'.

[master6]

or from some of the retalitary action I hear is being planned.

your retiree bicycle gang is gonna beat them up?

The plans I heard of were not exactly as you suggest, but along those lines.
The ridicule of older riders is laughable, as many of you need these lights!. You could not ride out of sight on a dark night!

Perhaps we could make an appointment to discuss the matter in person one October afternoon in Inverell?
(well, those of you who can make it????????????)

[rkelsen]

He is right - there are a lot of riders out there who give the appearance that they are in a size-of-the-dick competition.

Post of the year!

[Comedian]

Well I nearly had a head on today on a bike path because the oncoming cyclist had like a half watt light with 15 year old batteries. I sort of saw a distant light... it looked like it was something off in the distance. Concentrated on it and realised it was an oncoming cyclist who was closing on me fast. Not too much of a problem except for the fact that I was overtaking someone at the time.

[nitramluap]

Well I nearly had a head on today on a bike path because the oncoming cyclist had like a half watt light with 15 year old batteries. I sort of saw a distant light... it looked like it was something off in the distance. Concentrated on it and realised it was an oncoming cyclist who was closing on me fast. Not too much of a problem except for the fact that I was overtaking someone at the time.

With our current paths that really is a problem and I often go extra slowly just in case.

If we had decent paths however - well lit and a sensible width (ie. bidirectional should have enough room for FOUR cyclists side-by-side) - then this wouldn't be an issue at all... one can dream!

[Comedian]

Well I nearly had a head on today on a bike path because the oncoming cyclist had like a half watt light with 15 year old batteries. I sort of saw a distant light... it looked like it was something off in the distance. Concentrated on it and realised it was an oncoming cyclist who was closing on me fast. Not too much of a problem except for the fact that I was overtaking someone at the time.

With our current paths that really is a problem and I often go extra slowly just in case.

If we had decent paths however - well lit and a sensible width (ie. bidirectional should have enough room for FOUR cyclists side-by-side) - then this wouldn't be an issue at all... one can dream!

Dammit the problem is the path is in total darkness. You know the one that runs along the golf course to herston road from Roma Street Parklands?

It's just BLACK after sunset and this is the Northsides main and only bike path heading north. You have to be hardy to commute out my way.

I honestly thought the oncoming light was one from the hospital

[trailgumby]

Well I nearly had a head on today on a bike path because the oncoming cyclist had like a half watt light with 15 year old batteries. I sort of saw a distant light... it looked like it was something off in the distance. Concentrated on it and realised it was an oncoming cyclist who was closing on me fast. Not too much of a problem except for the fact that I was overtaking someone at the time.

This would be one of the reasons I joined the Nuclear Armaments Club and bought myself a set of bar and helmet mounted Ayups: an unlit ninja on an unlit bike path straying onto the wrong side and into my path that would have been a head-on at speed had I not speared off the path into the bushes to avoid them.

I have my bar lights pointed down slightly to the ground, and aim the helmet down and to the left when I see an approaching cyclist, although the temptation is to look their way and check out what they're on. However, they're not pointed down as far as they could be, I still need to be able to see the ninja peds in Sydney Olympic Park early enough to avoid them.

I have been complained at a couple of times, but in each instance the whinger was a drip with a front blinky so dim that they may as well have gone unlit. The reason I beamed them was a survival reflex: What are they? Can they hit me? My view is: if you're stupid enough to have such ineffective lights that I can't tell what and where you are, and where you're going, that's your problem and I won't apologise for doing what's necessary to ensure your safety as well as mine. If you don't like being beamed, do yourself a favour and change your batteries a bit earlier next time, dimwit. (Not aimed at OP, just near-ninjas generally)

If you encounter someone coming the other way with bright lights, you deal with it the same way as car headlights... just look elsewhere, not at them. Given how much more light car headlights put out, I don't see the issue ... unless it's someone got them pointed too high. Then it's a user problem, not a product problem.

[lethoso]

It's just BLACK after sunset and this is the Northsides main and only bike path heading north. You have to be hardy to commute out my way.

I'd rather take bowen bridge rd. (or KGR) than ride through there in the dark.

[landscapecadmonkey]

It's just BLACK after sunset and this is the Northsides main and only bike path heading north. You have to be hardy to commute out my way.

The short stretch from that little peak in the path just under Gregory Terrace heading down between the railline and Brisbane Grammar is about as dangerous as ive found. Its like one of those ghost train rides at the Ekka, with chainwire on one side, retaining wall on the other, less curved path, more funny angled - not sure whats going to appear around the next bend, as it twists and turns at speed. Everynight its something different - either a stray ped, or poorly lit bike that keeps you alert. But must admit, the 'road train' lit bikes could angle the lights slightly downwards. Spent many a year spot light shooting out west. Know what the roo's feel like nowdays.

I have the AirZound for KGR (and North Quay), but seriously thinking about Arup for that little stretch alone. I guess i could use Gregory Terrace as an alternate route, but its much quicker and less hill effort to use the bike path.

[Comedian]

@Lthso, @landscapedmonkey.

Yep, I just can't believe that path has no lighting. Meanwhile the road next to it that sits deserted has full streetlighting. We can't have people having to drive their cars in the dark... the bike riders can do that - they have headlights... GRRRRR.

@TG - if it wasn't for my 900 lumen magic shine I wouldn't have worked out that it was an approaching bike with enough time to avoid it. Thanks magic shine!

Where possible I try and cover it up for oncoming bikes but sometimes I just don't have time and they will have to deal with it.

[nitramluap]

Dammit the problem is the path is in total darkness. You know the one that runs along the golf course to herston road from Roma Street Parklands?

It's just BLACK after sunset and this is the Northsides main and only bike path heading north. You have to be hardy to commute out my way.

I honestly thought the oncoming light was one from the hospital

I know the one!

Your comment about the light appearing to be from the hospital is interesting. I've ridden through there many times when dark and due to its angles and the fact it is unlit, lights in the distance often appear to be bicycles and bicycle lights appear to be buildings. It really needs some proper illumination - letters to council people!

Of course the alternative approach (to counter unlit cyclists) is not to 'go nuclear' and blind everyone in the process - with or without lights. That's just as bad IMO. Instead, try slowing down...