Using a light DAY and night safety campign

[Aushiker]

Hi

Stolen from BikeRumor.com



More details at the related Facebook page.

Andrew

[Euan]

Any evidence that bicycles using a light during the day does anything at all?

[im_no_pro]

Hmmm... a light brand telling me using lights day and night is in my best interest. Too much potential for conflict of interest, and more marketing campaign than safety campaign to me. IMO lights during the day is the same as high vis, its great when it's uncommon, but the more people doing it the more the impact/benefit diminishes significantly.

[il padrone]

There are a new range of Busch & Muller dynamo lights that have daytime running lights incorporated.




Not sure why they need these extra, lower power LEDs. I've been running my regular Supernova E3 head and tail-ights off a Schmidt dynohub, day and night for the past 5 months of riding. The drag is so low that it's very easy to do.

[Aushiker]

Hi

One of the guys on the Audax ride yesterday had a SON Edulux sensor light and it came on because it determined that it was low light. This was in the morning around 11:00 AM. It really made a difference to his visibility. I noticed it when he was a good 200 to 300 metres behind me. I was very impressed.

Andrew

[winstonw]

Any evidence that bicycles using a light during the day does anything at all?

Yes, from motorcycle conspicuity studies.
http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857.full

"Results Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%). After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self reported light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk. Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle. If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation. "

[ausrandoman]

Any evidence that bicycles using a light during the day does anything at all?

Yes, from motorcycle conspicuity studies.
http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857.full

"Results Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%). After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self reported light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk. Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle. If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation. "

What on earth are you doing bringing actual data to the discussion? Everyone knows that opinions are more reliable than measurements.

[KenGS]

So I went to the local shops to pick up a few things....
Before leaving I put on my helmet and made sure it was securely fastened. Put on a fluoro vest and reflective anklets for visibility. Checked the batteries in the lights to make sure they were working and switched them on. making sure I had one steady and one blinking at the rear. Gave the mirror a polish and adjusted it. Sunglasses on for eye protection.Tossed a lock and chain into the basket and made sure I had a key. Put on the cleated shoes, clipped in a off I went feeling I had everything essential for safety and security.
Got to the shops, switched off the lights, removed vest and helmet and locked them all together with the bike. Went into the shop and blow it all - forgot what it was I had gone for

[Mulger bill]

Oooooh, a manufacturer pushing their product using the safety angle.

Takes me back to the 1980s...

[Euan]

Any evidence that bicycles using a light during the day does anything at all?

Yes, from motorcycle conspicuity studies.
http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857.full

"Results Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%). After adjustment for potential confounders, drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.94) than other drivers. Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.76, 0.57 to 0.99). Self reported light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk. Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower risk (multivariate odds ratio 0.73, 0.53 to 1.00). No association occurred between risk and the frontal colour of drivers' clothing or motorcycle. If these odds ratios are unconfounded, the population attributable risks are 33% for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing, 18% for a non-white helmet, 11% for a dark coloured helmet, and 7% for no daytime headlight operation. "

Accounting for confounding factors such as riders who voluntarily don all that gear are more likely to be cautious? I'm skeptical about that.

[greyhoundtom]

So I went to the local shops to pick up a few things....
Before leaving I put on my helmet and made sure it was securely fastened. Put on a fluoro vest and reflective anklets for visibility. Checked the batteries in the lights to make sure they were working and switched them on. making sure I had one steady and one blinking at the rear. Gave the mirror a polish and adjusted it. Sunglasses on for eye protection.Tossed a lock and chain into the basket and made sure I had a key. Put on the cleated shoes, clipped in a off I went feeling I had everything essential for safety and security.
Got to the shops, switched off the lights, removed vest and helmet and locked them all together with the bike. Went into the shop and blow it all - forgot what it was I had gone for

I don't have problems like that at all...................my wife hands me The List as I head out the door

[martin_12]

Hmmm... a light brand telling me using lights day and night is in my best interest. Too much potential for conflict of interest, and more marketing campaign than safety campaign to me.

I would be a lot more suspicious if it were a battery manufacturer telling me to use lights all the time.

I use rear lights during the day - powered by rechargeable batteries.

[Ozkaban]

I use a flashing light front and rear, day and night. The front is one of those 4 led safety ones http://www.this link is broken/Mode ... elID=15539. If it's dark I put one of those 900 lumen lights on.

This is probably just me, but I have noticed that when using a flashing light on the front there seem to be less pedestrians stepping out in front of me and less cars pulling out of driveways/sidestreets. My theory is that a lot of people normally consider a cyclist to just be a pedestrian moving ever so slightly faster. If I'm actually travelling at 30-35kmh, they often haven't adjusted for this. I think a flashing light makes people take notice for that extra moment required to actually judge your speed. Dunno, maybe a complete load of bollocks and I certainly have no scientific evidence behind it but it seems reasonable in practice.

Cheers,
Dave

[Mrfenejeans]

All these people cycling round with lights during the day, I'm gonna have to get myself some darker glasses.

[InTheWoods]

I use a flashing light front and rear, day and night. The front is one of those 4 led safety ones http://www.this link is broken/Mode ... elID=15539. If it's dark I put one of those 900 lumen lights on.

This is probably just me, but I have noticed that when using a flashing light on the front there seem to be less pedestrians stepping out in front of me and less cars pulling out of driveways/sidestreets. My theory is that a lot of people normally consider a cyclist to just be a pedestrian moving ever so slightly faster. If I'm actually travelling at 30-35kmh, they often haven't adjusted for this. I think a flashing light makes people take notice for that extra moment required to actually judge your speed. Dunno, maybe a complete load of bollocks and I certainly have no scientific evidence behind it but it seems reasonable in practice.

Cheers,
Dave

+1

I seem to have had less incidents since using daytime lights. 200 lumen strobe on the front and 2 x radbot 1000's rear. It just seems to grab driver's attention, and is particularly helpful when there is lots of patches of shade on the side of the road.

[Mick Donaldson]

Just bought one of those Aussie made NiteFlux tailights the other day, after seeing how effective they were on another rider. He stood out like the poverbials a few hundred metres ahead in broad daylight.

Can't hurt...

[AUbicycles]

Any evidence that bicycles using a light during the day does anything at all?

Spotted a cyclist commuting on Monday and his bright flashing lights caught my eye.
If the lights are bright, then it is good though have the feeling that a group ride would be a distraction for vehicles coming the other way when 30 cyclists are brightly flashing along.

[GraemeL]

Anything that makes us stand out is a good thing.

Graeme