OGC Optik7 Flashing LED Warning - Page 4 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-18-2004, 12:18 AM

Mike Beauchamp wrote:

> Yeah, cheap-ass stuff like this I'd imagine is manufactured overseas and
> then sold under countless company names. You probably haven't had a problem
> with it because water isnt' being sprayed directly up into the bottom (where
> the switch is) like it is when I have it mounted on the seatpost.

These el-cheapo LED flashers are sold everywhere. Their lifespan is
often measured in days, not years, before they fall apart, or fail in
other ways.

12-18-2004, 12:18 AM

Mike Beauchamp wrote:

> Yeah, cheap-ass stuff like this I'd imagine is manufactured overseas and
> then sold under countless company names. You probably haven't had a problem
> with it because water isnt' being sprayed directly up into the bottom (where
> the switch is) like it is when I have it mounted on the seatpost.

These el-cheapo LED flashers are sold everywhere. Their lifespan is
often measured in days, not years, before they fall apart, or fail in
other ways.

12-18-2004, 12:18 AM

Mike Beauchamp wrote:

> Yeah, cheap-ass stuff like this I'd imagine is manufactured overseas and
> then sold under countless company names. You probably haven't had a problem
> with it because water isnt' being sprayed directly up into the bottom (where
> the switch is) like it is when I have it mounted on the seatpost.

These el-cheapo LED flashers are sold everywhere. Their lifespan is
often measured in days, not years, before they fall apart, or fail in
other ways.

12-18-2004, 04:16 AM

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.

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.

Except at twilight, I prefer two steady lights displaced horizontally,
their message being clearest then.

At twilight, I add a white strobe between them; they're not yet bright
enough to attract normal attention, but the bike is dark enough not
to be seen in tree shadows. Day-glow materials also do well at
twilight (there being lots of relative UV in the sky, on which they
work).
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

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

12-18-2004, 04:16 AM

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.

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.

Except at twilight, I prefer two steady lights displaced horizontally,
their message being clearest then.

At twilight, I add a white strobe between them; they're not yet bright
enough to attract normal attention, but the bike is dark enough not
to be seen in tree shadows. Day-glow materials also do well at
twilight (there being lots of relative UV in the sky, on which they
work).
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

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

12-18-2004, 04:16 AM

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.

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.

Except at twilight, I prefer two steady lights displaced horizontally,
their message being clearest then.

At twilight, I add a white strobe between them; they're not yet bright
enough to attract normal attention, but the bike is dark enough not
to be seen in tree shadows. Day-glow materials also do well at
twilight (there being lots of relative UV in the sky, on which they
work).
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

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

12-18-2004, 04:16 AM

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.

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.

Except at twilight, I prefer two steady lights displaced horizontally,
their message being clearest then.

At twilight, I add a white strobe between them; they're not yet bright
enough to attract normal attention, but the bike is dark enough not
to be seen in tree shadows. Day-glow materials also do well at
twilight (there being lots of relative UV in the sky, on which they
work).
--
Ron Hardin
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

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

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, 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, 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]