OGC Optik7 Flashing LED Warning - Page 5 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-18-2004, 07:58 AM

Ron Hardin wrote:

> Two rules you're violating
>
> 1. Never use a single tail-light. You won't know when it goes out,
> and it _will_ go out someday, no matter what kind it is.

While I often have two taillights, I wouldn't call this a "rule." IMO,
a taillight and a reflector or two offer sufficient redundancy.

>
> 2. Always use some steady light along with a flashing light, so that
> the flashing light is perceived as having a coherent position in space.
> It needn't be a bright steady light, but use something steady.

The tracking of a flashing light can be a problem, but only if the "off"
portion of the cycle is very long relative to the "on" portion. Most
LED lights have a fast enough "twinkle" cycle that there is no problem
tracking their position.

Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this. I mentioned
the other day a study of visibility treatments of cyclists and
pedestrians. A bike with only CPSC reflectors (no lights) was detected
by drivers at 844 feet. When a simple, low-power leg lamp was added,
the bike was detected at 1,300 feet! Even at a closing speed of 40 mph,
this gives the driver over 20 seconds to react.

Start counting 20 seconds now. You'll see there's no great need for fear.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

12-18-2004, 02:53 PM

Frank Krygowski wrote:
> > 2. Always use some steady light along with a flashing light, so that
> > the flashing light is perceived as having a coherent position in space.
> > It needn't be a bright steady light, but use something steady.
>
> The tracking of a flashing light can be a problem, but only if the "off"
> portion of the cycle is very long relative to the "on" portion. Most
> LED lights have a fast enough "twinkle" cycle that there is no problem
> tracking their position.
>
> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this. I mentioned
> the other day a study of visibility treatments of cyclists and
> pedestrians. A bike with only CPSC reflectors (no lights) was detected
> by drivers at 844 feet. When a simple, low-power leg lamp was added,
> the bike was detected at 1,300 feet! Even at a closing speed of 40 mph,
> this gives the driver over 20 seconds to react.
>
> Start counting 20 seconds now. You'll see there's no great need for fear.

The condition you have to work for is the one where there are other competing lights,
and the idea is to impress on the driver that he has to do something unusual to
avoid you, like give you lane clearance.

A bike alone on a dark road is okay but not the worst case. In a busy area he's
not seeing you any 20 seconds ahead.
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

12-18-2004, 02:53 PM

Frank Krygowski wrote:
> > 2. Always use some steady light along with a flashing light, so that
> > the flashing light is perceived as having a coherent position in space.
> > It needn't be a bright steady light, but use something steady.
>
> The tracking of a flashing light can be a problem, but only if the "off"
> portion of the cycle is very long relative to the "on" portion. Most
> LED lights have a fast enough "twinkle" cycle that there is no problem
> tracking their position.
>
> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this. I mentioned
> the other day a study of visibility treatments of cyclists and
> pedestrians. A bike with only CPSC reflectors (no lights) was detected
> by drivers at 844 feet. When a simple, low-power leg lamp was added,
> the bike was detected at 1,300 feet! Even at a closing speed of 40 mph,
> this gives the driver over 20 seconds to react.
>
> Start counting 20 seconds now. You'll see there's no great need for fear.

The condition you have to work for is the one where there are other competing lights,
and the idea is to impress on the driver that he has to do something unusual to
avoid you, like give you lane clearance.

A bike alone on a dark road is okay but not the worst case. In a busy area he's
not seeing you any 20 seconds ahead.
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

12-18-2004, 02:53 PM

Frank Krygowski wrote:
> > 2. Always use some steady light along with a flashing light, so that
> > the flashing light is perceived as having a coherent position in space.
> > It needn't be a bright steady light, but use something steady.
>
> The tracking of a flashing light can be a problem, but only if the "off"
> portion of the cycle is very long relative to the "on" portion. Most
> LED lights have a fast enough "twinkle" cycle that there is no problem
> tracking their position.
>
> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this. I mentioned
> the other day a study of visibility treatments of cyclists and
> pedestrians. A bike with only CPSC reflectors (no lights) was detected
> by drivers at 844 feet. When a simple, low-power leg lamp was added,
> the bike was detected at 1,300 feet! Even at a closing speed of 40 mph,
> this gives the driver over 20 seconds to react.
>
> Start counting 20 seconds now. You'll see there's no great need for fear.

The condition you have to work for is the one where there are other competing lights,
and the idea is to impress on the driver that he has to do something unusual to
avoid you, like give you lane clearance.

A bike alone on a dark road is okay but not the worst case. In a busy area he's
not seeing you any 20 seconds ahead.
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

12-18-2004, 02:53 PM

Frank Krygowski wrote:
> > 2. Always use some steady light along with a flashing light, so that
> > the flashing light is perceived as having a coherent position in space.
> > It needn't be a bright steady light, but use something steady.
>
> The tracking of a flashing light can be a problem, but only if the "off"
> portion of the cycle is very long relative to the "on" portion. Most
> LED lights have a fast enough "twinkle" cycle that there is no problem
> tracking their position.
>
> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this. I mentioned
> the other day a study of visibility treatments of cyclists and
> pedestrians. A bike with only CPSC reflectors (no lights) was detected
> by drivers at 844 feet. When a simple, low-power leg lamp was added,
> the bike was detected at 1,300 feet! Even at a closing speed of 40 mph,
> this gives the driver over 20 seconds to react.
>
> Start counting 20 seconds now. You'll see there's no great need for fear.

The condition you have to work for is the one where there are other competing lights,
and the idea is to impress on the driver that he has to do something unusual to
avoid you, like give you lane clearance.

A bike alone on a dark road is okay but not the worst case. In a busy area he's
not seeing you any 20 seconds ahead.
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

12-18-2004, 03:19 PM

Mike Beauchamp wrote:
> I bought this 7 LED Flashing Light and mounted it on the back of my
bike in
> November 2004. A few days later, I rode home from school and it was
wet on
> the ground. When I got home, I noticed that the light had shut itself
off! I
> turned it back on again into the first (of 3 modes) and watched it
cycle
> itself into the other 2 modes over several minutes and eventually
shut
> itself off again.
>
> So I took the unit apart to see what was happening. If you notice the

> design, there isnt' a separate sealed switch.. instead there is
simply a
> regular micro switch that is placed inside at the bottom of the unit,
which
> can be depressed by pressing against the outer casing and bending it
> inwards. As an experiment, I turned the unit on and spit on it. Sure
enough,
> the spit shorted the switch and turned the unit off.
>
> I took off the front flasher (5 LED light made by the same company,
but
> different design) that uses a regular sealed switch at the back. I
put both
> into the sink and filled it up with water. Immediately, the Optik7
cycled
> through the modes and then shut itself off. The front flasher
however, kept
> blinking completely submersed in water.
>
> I have contacted Christian Pelletier ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) from OGC, who
said he
> would replace it with a 5 LED version. However, I wanted to post this
online
> incase anyone else is using one of these lights. The fact that they
are
> meant to be mounted on the seatpost, and get directly sprayed by
water from
> the rear tire exactly where the badly sealed switch is seems to pose
a
> safety threat in my opinion. Especially since any contact with water
and the
> light switches itself into the "off" position. Also, since it is
located
> behind you, you don't know that it has turned itself off until it is
too
> late.
>
> DEFINITELY a flawed design in my opinion that wasn't tested properly
before
> being released. Which is a shame for an important safety product.
>
> I've checked the light I have, and there is no flaws with the
manufacturing.
> The seal is there and in place, and it was closed properly. The next
time it
> rained, I even went out to test it again and it was off within 10
minutes
> (yes, the batteries are fully charged). Again, when I opened the
case, a
> slight amount of water had gotten into the case at the bottom right
where
> the micro switch is.
>
> I put up a little webpage with some pictures of the light and a copy
of this
> text...
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Mike

Mike thank you for the post & web page, Happy Hollidays, John

12-18-2004, 03:19 PM

Mike Beauchamp wrote:
> I bought this 7 LED Flashing Light and mounted it on the back of my
bike in
> November 2004. A few days later, I rode home from school and it was
wet on
> the ground. When I got home, I noticed that the light had shut itself
off! I
> turned it back on again into the first (of 3 modes) and watched it
cycle
> itself into the other 2 modes over several minutes and eventually
shut
> itself off again.
>
> So I took the unit apart to see what was happening. If you notice the

> design, there isnt' a separate sealed switch.. instead there is
simply a
> regular micro switch that is placed inside at the bottom of the unit,
which
> can be depressed by pressing against the outer casing and bending it
> inwards. As an experiment, I turned the unit on and spit on it. Sure
enough,
> the spit shorted the switch and turned the unit off.
>
> I took off the front flasher (5 LED light made by the same company,
but
> different design) that uses a regular sealed switch at the back. I
put both
> into the sink and filled it up with water. Immediately, the Optik7
cycled
> through the modes and then shut itself off. The front flasher
however, kept
> blinking completely submersed in water.
>
> I have contacted Christian Pelletier ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) from OGC, who
said he
> would replace it with a 5 LED version. However, I wanted to post this
online
> incase anyone else is using one of these lights. The fact that they
are
> meant to be mounted on the seatpost, and get directly sprayed by
water from
> the rear tire exactly where the badly sealed switch is seems to pose
a
> safety threat in my opinion. Especially since any contact with water
and the
> light switches itself into the "off" position. Also, since it is
located
> behind you, you don't know that it has turned itself off until it is
too
> late.
>
> DEFINITELY a flawed design in my opinion that wasn't tested properly
before
> being released. Which is a shame for an important safety product.
>
> I've checked the light I have, and there is no flaws with the
manufacturing.
> The seal is there and in place, and it was closed properly. The next
time it
> rained, I even went out to test it again and it was off within 10
minutes
> (yes, the batteries are fully charged). Again, when I opened the
case, a
> slight amount of water had gotten into the case at the bottom right
where
> the micro switch is.
>
> I put up a little webpage with some pictures of the light and a copy
of this
> text...
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Mike

Mike thank you for the post & web page, Happy Hollidays, John

12-18-2004, 03:19 PM

Mike Beauchamp wrote:
> I bought this 7 LED Flashing Light and mounted it on the back of my
bike in
> November 2004. A few days later, I rode home from school and it was
wet on
> the ground. When I got home, I noticed that the light had shut itself
off! I
> turned it back on again into the first (of 3 modes) and watched it
cycle
> itself into the other 2 modes over several minutes and eventually
shut
> itself off again.
>
> So I took the unit apart to see what was happening. If you notice the

> design, there isnt' a separate sealed switch.. instead there is
simply a
> regular micro switch that is placed inside at the bottom of the unit,
which
> can be depressed by pressing against the outer casing and bending it
> inwards. As an experiment, I turned the unit on and spit on it. Sure
enough,
> the spit shorted the switch and turned the unit off.
>
> I took off the front flasher (5 LED light made by the same company,
but
> different design) that uses a regular sealed switch at the back. I
put both
> into the sink and filled it up with water. Immediately, the Optik7
cycled
> through the modes and then shut itself off. The front flasher
however, kept
> blinking completely submersed in water.
>
> I have contacted Christian Pelletier ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) from OGC, who
said he
> would replace it with a 5 LED version. However, I wanted to post this
online
> incase anyone else is using one of these lights. The fact that they
are
> meant to be mounted on the seatpost, and get directly sprayed by
water from
> the rear tire exactly where the badly sealed switch is seems to pose
a
> safety threat in my opinion. Especially since any contact with water
and the
> light switches itself into the "off" position. Also, since it is
located
> behind you, you don't know that it has turned itself off until it is
too
> late.
>
> DEFINITELY a flawed design in my opinion that wasn't tested properly
before
> being released. Which is a shame for an important safety product.
>
> I've checked the light I have, and there is no flaws with the
manufacturing.
> The seal is there and in place, and it was closed properly. The next
time it
> rained, I even went out to test it again and it was off within 10
minutes
> (yes, the batteries are fully charged). Again, when I opened the
case, a
> slight amount of water had gotten into the case at the bottom right
where
> the micro switch is.
>
> I put up a little webpage with some pictures of the light and a copy
of this
> text...
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Mike

Mike thank you for the post & web page, Happy Hollidays, John

12-18-2004, 03:19 PM

Mike Beauchamp wrote:
> I bought this 7 LED Flashing Light and mounted it on the back of my
bike in
> November 2004. A few days later, I rode home from school and it was
wet on
> the ground. When I got home, I noticed that the light had shut itself
off! I
> turned it back on again into the first (of 3 modes) and watched it
cycle
> itself into the other 2 modes over several minutes and eventually
shut
> itself off again.
>
> So I took the unit apart to see what was happening. If you notice the

> design, there isnt' a separate sealed switch.. instead there is
simply a
> regular micro switch that is placed inside at the bottom of the unit,
which
> can be depressed by pressing against the outer casing and bending it
> inwards. As an experiment, I turned the unit on and spit on it. Sure
enough,
> the spit shorted the switch and turned the unit off.
>
> I took off the front flasher (5 LED light made by the same company,
but
> different design) that uses a regular sealed switch at the back. I
put both
> into the sink and filled it up with water. Immediately, the Optik7
cycled
> through the modes and then shut itself off. The front flasher
however, kept
> blinking completely submersed in water.
>
> I have contacted Christian Pelletier ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) from OGC, who
said he
> would replace it with a 5 LED version. However, I wanted to post this
online
> incase anyone else is using one of these lights. The fact that they
are
> meant to be mounted on the seatpost, and get directly sprayed by
water from
> the rear tire exactly where the badly sealed switch is seems to pose
a
> safety threat in my opinion. Especially since any contact with water
and the
> light switches itself into the "off" position. Also, since it is
located
> behind you, you don't know that it has turned itself off until it is
too
> late.
>
> DEFINITELY a flawed design in my opinion that wasn't tested properly
before
> being released. Which is a shame for an important safety product.
>
> I've checked the light I have, and there is no flaws with the
manufacturing.
> The seal is there and in place, and it was closed properly. The next
time it
> rained, I even went out to test it again and it was off within 10
minutes
> (yes, the batteries are fully charged). Again, when I opened the
case, a
> slight amount of water had gotten into the case at the bottom right
where
> the micro switch is.
>
> I put up a little webpage with some pictures of the light and a copy
of this
> text...
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Mike

Mike thank you for the post & web page, Happy Hollidays, John

12-18-2004, 03:30 PM

Mike
I wouldn't call it a "rant". A really good & useful post. The kind of
stuff I read rbt for. BTW I stick w/ the Cateye that has a useful
reflector even when it's not turned on.
So far as I'm concerned, it has everything for it. It's bright, small,
dependable, light, really lasts a long time on batts., cheap. What
more could one ask for? I've almost never ridden in the rain w / it.
It's 'agin Ma rayligion to ride in the rain in California. My guess is
that it would be fine.
Thanks again, John