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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate with a raging passion those flashing cycle lights

181 replies

turnaroundtime · 06/01/2022 20:40

Why in anyone's God's name are those things allowed. They are so bright and distracting that if some one walked out in front of my car I wouldn't see them due to being blinded by an oncoming cyclist with their flashing strobes of death.

OP posts:
Chardlettuce · 06/01/2022 21:06

I once saw a cyclist with a flashing front light and for some reason my brain interpreted it as being an indicator light and they must be turning left.
I pulled out of the road in my car into his path but fortunately we didn't crash. I felt absolutely dreadful and ever since I worry about crashing into cyclists.
I was carefully looking at him and knew he was there, but for some reason my brain thought the flashing light meant indicator light.
The whole thing sounds implausible but it's true, and it still stresses me out whenever I remember it.

DdraigGoch · 06/01/2022 21:06

@Offmyfence

Don't be ridiculous they don't blind you!

I suppose we haven't had a cyclist hating thread for 45 mins, so good to start one,

Ironically, I've found that as a cyclist they disrupt my vision. I was cycling home (rather further than I intended, I didn't check for engineering works) and had low batteries. I switched them on to flashing to conserve the remaining battery and opted to go back via a quiet country lane, rather than the local road known (not without good reason) as "Schumacher Lane".

What I found when cycling along this unlit country lane using a flashing headlight is that my eyes couldn't stay adjusted to the light levels and I really had trouble seeing, whereas if I just turned the lights off and used the moonlight, I could see perfectly well. Needless to say though, I respected the law and struggled home with the lights flashing.

Offmyfence · 06/01/2022 21:08

@RagzReturnedUnwrapped if you check the Highway Code you'll see your DH is wrong. Stop believing everything he says and decide for yourself from your own research.

ivykaty44 · 06/01/2022 21:09

he's got lights on but still drivers don't see him, either the or they deliberately driver in front or into the cycle lane?

RagzReturnedUnwrapped · 06/01/2022 21:11

[quote Offmyfence]@RagzReturnedUnwrapped if you check the Highway Code you'll see your DH is wrong. Stop believing everything he says and decide for yourself from your own research. [/quote]
I will. I can't wait to tell him he's wrong! I love doing that.
It sounded sensible though, which is why I never checked. I don't expect him to research everything I tell him...

Akire · 06/01/2022 21:12

I find them dreadful give me migraine walking on the pavement. Often have stop and turn my head until they have passed. I don’t drive anymore but If I did I would be constantly having to pull over and let them past as I couldn’t drive with a flashing strobe light behind me. I don’t know why not a standard set constant light or a two tone light to make it obvious it’s a bike. Anything but strobe flashing light

DdraigGoch · 06/01/2022 21:12

@RagzReturnedUnwrapped

DH told me it's against the highway code to have flashing lights on a bike. Apparently its actually harder to see how far away they are.
He's out of date, Rule 60 states that flashing lights are permitted.

It does also advise that on unlit roads that the front light ought to be steady (see my previous post for why) but that's advice, not law.

DdraigGoch · 06/01/2022 21:13

For clarity @RagzReturnedUnwrapped the law on flashing lights changed as far back as 2005. I hope that your husband has refreshed his knowledge of the Highway Code since then.

Tal45 · 06/01/2022 21:14

Flashing lights have been allowed since 2005 apparently. I can't decide whether they're a really good idea or a really bad one.

vodkaredbullgirl · 06/01/2022 21:18

At least they had lights on their bikes. I live in a town and the amount of young lads on bikes without lights on.

Rexthesnail · 06/01/2022 21:18

The human eye can actually see a flashing light further away than a stationery light. It's a safety feature. Motorcyclists are taught to do a few brakes so their lights flash when riding in fog

Brahumbug · 06/01/2022 21:30

Flashing lights are only permitted on bikes used by emergency services. Flashing lights are prohibited under motor vehicle lighting regulations 1989 part 2 section13

GoodnightGrandma · 06/01/2022 21:31

I agree that they’re distracting. They should have a continuous light.

WhatIsThisPlease · 06/01/2022 21:34

Glad it's not just me. I hate them and have to really turn my head away when one approaches.

ivykaty44 · 06/01/2022 21:35

@Brahumbug as the others on this thread have already pointed out the rules changed in 2005

Brahumbug · 06/01/2022 21:36

I retract that it looks like that was amended by the 2005 regulations to permit flashing lights.

ivykaty44 · 06/01/2022 21:37

whats really good about this thread is that it shows they work as you all notice the flashing lights

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 06/01/2022 21:38

As a pedestrian, flashing lights make it really, really hard to judge how fast a bike is moving towards you when you're waiting to cross the road at night. I always err on the side of caution, and wait until they've gone past, but if someone isn't paying attention (yes, I know, their own fault), then it makes it MORE likely to misjudge how much time you have to get across and cause a collision.

80sMum · 06/01/2022 21:40

You are definitely NBU! I hate them too. Evil things!
The white ones at the front are dazzling and disorientating. The red ones at the back (the ones that only flash about once every 2 seconds) render the cyclist invisible for most of the time.
Are the flashing lights actually legal? I was under the impression that they're not, but maybe I'm wrong.

RoarySaury · 06/01/2022 21:41

They should be banned due to seizures - a lot of them brought off Amazon are not actually in line with the frequency guidelines that we have.

Even the ones that are within the correct frequency if there's two or three coming at me at the same time I am farked.

OneTC · 06/01/2022 21:41

I'm a cyclist and find them super annoying. If you've got the light flashing then you're using it for attention rather than illumination and could just point it down more.

I have a super bright front light that I need for illumination, I point it at the ground a certain distance in front of my bike.

Keeping them facing fully forward, whether for flashing or constant is annoying for cyclists and drivers alike

Blinkingbatshit · 06/01/2022 21:43

Smart motorways (ie using the hard shoulder) are currently legal - doesn’t mean they aren’t bloody dangerous and should be under review🤷🏼‍♀️.

Momicrone · 06/01/2022 21:46

Why in anyone's god's name, are those heavy metal boxes on wheels that have killed and maimed thousands for years, allowed

SoupDragon · 06/01/2022 21:51

I think they've got worse recently as I don't recall them being a problem a few years ago. Now they are awful. Driving home a week or so back some gave me an instant headache (which thankfully disappeared quickly once the cyclist had gone)

Probably in response to the awfulness or car headlights now.

Momicrone · 06/01/2022 22:03

Good job there aren't thousands of cyclists on the roads then - imagine the chaos