Phasers to stun!

On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:15:15 +0100, Tony Raven <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Having read some reports el swear I ordered myself a couple of the Smart
1/2W Superflash rear lights from UK Bike Store (£11.99ea + £1 postage
total). I still have the dark spots in my vision from when I made the
mistake of switching one on while looking at it.
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/info%5fsmart%5flam317r%2ehtml

Best not use them on the roads, then.

The last thing you want is some blind driver piling up behind you 😄

Tony Raven said:

Having read some reports el swear I ordered myself a couple of the Smart
1/2W Superflash rear lights from UK Bike Store (£11.99ea + £1 postage
total). I still have the dark spots in my vision from when I made the
mistake of switching one on while looking at it.
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/info%5fsmart%5flam317r%2ehtml

it's the one i have on my commutor bike (big green hybrid) works well as
you say very bright.

roger

In article <[email hidden]>, Tony Raven
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Having read some reports el swear I ordered myself a couple of the Smart
1/2W Superflash rear lights from UK Bike Store (£11.99ea + £1 postage
total). I still have the dark spots in my vision from when I made the
mistake of switching one on while looking at it.

If you were shining that in my eyes at night I'd probably try to
overtake you to make the nuisance go away. Even though I was blinded by
the glare.

Rob Morley wrote on 11/04/2007 18:59 +0100:

Quoted message said:

If you were shining that in my eyes at night I'd probably try to
overtake you to make the nuisance go away. Even though I was blinded by
the glare.

My experience is the opposite actually. Not with this light but I have
a Niterider set with a VERY bright rear light. When I first used it I
noticed virtually immediately that whereas before cars would pass me
without slowing they were now slowing down behind me and then overtaking
with a wide margin. I put it down at the time to them thinking
something that bright must be a car with a defective off-side light not
a bicycle.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

Tony Raven said:

Having read some reports el swear I ordered myself a couple of the Smart
1/2W Superflash rear lights from UK Bike Store (£11.99ea + £1 postage
total). I still have the dark spots in my vision from when I made the
mistake of switching one on while looking at it.
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/info%5fsmart%5flam317r%2ehtml

Not a good idea if it's likely to blind the car/4x4/truck driver
behind you?

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind" - leaving
aside idiots in automatics who keep their feet on the brakes with a
"high visibility" high-level brake light and don't know how to use a
hand brake. Or major idiots with rear (or front) fog lights on for
weeks after the fog has cleared...

Stuart Millington wrote on 12/04/2007 00:51 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Tony Raven said:

Having read some reports el swear I ordered myself a couple of the Smart
1/2W Superflash rear lights from UK Bike Store (£11.99ea + £1 postage
total). I still have the dark spots in my vision from when I made the
mistake of switching one on while looking at it.
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/info%5fsmart%5flam317r%2ehtml

Not a good idea if it's likely to blind the car/4x4/truck driver
behind you?

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind" - leaving
aside idiots in automatics who keep their feet on the brakes with a
"high visibility" high-level brake light and don't know how to use a
hand brake. Or major idiots with rear (or front) fog lights on for
weeks after the fog has cleared...

There is a difference between viewing such lights close up and from
further way. Small lights drop off in apparent brightness quite quickly
with distance compared to the old style big red filament lamp jobbies
[1]. All to do with visual acuity and brightness. I doubt in practice
they will appear any brighter than some of the very bright brake lights
around these days on cars.

[1] Actually they drop off at the same rate but the distance at which
they change from constant brightness to brightness decreasing with the
square of the distance is much closer for smaller light sources.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

Stuart Millington said:

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind" - leaving
aside idiots in automatics who keep their feet on the brakes with a
"high visibility" high-level brake light and don't know how to use a
hand brake.

Which automatics have a hand brake?

Cheers,
Luke

--
Lincoln City 0-2 Southend United (AET)
Swansea City 2-2 Southend United
We went up twice with Tilly and Brush

Stuart Millington wrote on 12/04/2007 00:51 +0100:

Quoted message said:

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind"

Not for some time as I know they can be exceedingly bright and avoid
looking directly at them. Doesn't mean I don't know they are there
though. When did you last look directly at oncoming car headlights and
what did that do for your vision? There are lots of very bright lights
out there on motor vehicles and I have no problem with having a rear and
front light that stands out equally.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

"Ekul Namsob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Stuart Millington said:

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind" - leaving
aside idiots in automatics who keep their feet on the brakes with a
"high visibility" high-level brake light and don't know how to use a
hand brake.

Which automatics have a hand brake?

Most of them. Those which don't have a suitable foot brake which serves the
same purpose instead. It's one of the rules for cars that such a system is
fitted. They also have Park. HTH.

clive

In news:[email hidden],
Ekul Namsob <[email hidden]> tweaked the
Babbage-Engine to tell us:

Quoted message said:

Which automatics have a hand brake?

*Every* one I've ever driven...

--
Dave Larrington
<http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
Me, I wanna be an anglepoise lamp, yeah!

In article said:

Stuart Millington wrote on 12/04/2007 00:51 +0100:

Quoted message said:

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind" - leaving
aside idiots in automatics who keep their feet on the brakes with a
"high visibility" high-level brake light and don't know how to use a
hand brake. Or major idiots with rear (or front) fog lights on for
weeks after the fog has cleared...

[...] I doubt in practice
they will appear any brighter than some of the very bright brake lights
around these days on cars.

Exactly the lights Stuart complained about being used inappropriately.
Bright brake lights aren't used continuously while a car is moving, and
bright fog lights shouldn't be in good visibility. Normal tail lights
aren't that bright.

I'd looked at the same light in an LBS and considered it for use in fog,
but for use in clear conditions I think you would at least have to mount it
fairly low for it not to be potentially annoying. (Or point it downwards,
which would lose the whole point of long range visibility.)

It is, however, relatively modest (in price and output) compared with these:
Homebuilt 2*1W Luxeon and 120 smaller LEDs
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=253379
Dinotte 3W, with comparison photos of Superflash
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=240142

Blimey Tony I thought you were the clever one here!

(I nearly said bright, but what with blimey it was just too much to chuckle over)

P

Tony Raven said:

Having read some reports el swear I ordered myself a couple of the Smart
1/2W Superflash rear lights from UK Bike Store (£11.99ea + £1 postage
total). I still have the dark spots in my vision from when I made the
mistake of switching one on while looking at it.
ukbikestore.co.ukinfo%5fsmart%5flam317r%2ehtmlOpen ↗

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

The ones with a UK spec.

quote='Ekul Namsob'Stuart Millington said:

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind" - leaving
aside idiots in automatics who keep their feet on the brakes with a
"high visibility" high-level brake light and don't know how to use a
hand brake.

Which automatics have a hand brake?

Cheers,
Luke

--
Lincoln City 0-2 Southend United (AET)
Swansea City 2-2 Southend United
We went up twice with Tilly and Brush[/QUOTE]

permajeo said:

Ekul Namsob said:

Stuart Millington said:

I note your later post, but when did you last look at "normal" tail
lights on a car/4x4/truck and see dark spots/"go blind" - leaving
aside idiots in automatics who keep their feet on the brakes with a
"high visibility" high-level brake light and don't know how to use a
hand brake.

Which automatics have a hand brake?

Quoted message said:

The ones with a UK spec.

Mine doesn't and it's UK spec. I have a foot-operated parking brake
instead. My point, for the benefit of those who need it pointing out, is
that it's a bit rich to accuse people of being 'idiots in automatics who
[...] don't know how to use a hand brake' from a position of ignorance.

FWIW, I use the parking brake at lights.

Cheers,
Luke

--
Lincoln City 0-2 Southend United (AET)
Swansea City 2-2 Southend United
We went up twice with Tilly and Brush

Tony Raven said:

There is a difference between viewing such lights close up and from
further way. Small lights drop off in apparent brightness quite quickly
with distance compared to the old style big red filament lamp jobbies

True and if mounted low enough, as Alan suggests, that someone (driver
or cyclist) immediately behind the bicycle would not have them in
line-of-sight then it would not be bad.

However, if mounted at saddle level, it could be as bad as someone
sitting with their foot on the brakes in a car with a high-level brake
light.

Quoted message said:

[1]. All to do with visual acuity and brightness. I doubt in practice
they will appear any brighter than some of the very bright brake lights
around these days on cars.

Indeed and these are very hard to avoid if you're sitting in traffic
behind someone with one on waiting for traffic lights to change.

On Fri, 13 Apr 2007 08:53:15 GMT,

(Ekul Namsob) said:

Quoted message said:

Ekul Namsob Wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Which automatics have a hand brake?

....

Quoted message said:

Mine doesn't and it's UK spec. I have a foot-operated parking brake
instead.

Which is the same thing by a different name (and method of activation,
obviously). I do have a vague recollection of the Ford Capri's (or
something of that era) having a dashboard mounted one. But, I don't
recall any of the ones I've seen not having one at all.

Quoted message said:

My point, for the benefit of those who need it pointing out, is
that it's a bit rich to accuse people of being 'idiots in automatics who
[...] don't know how to use a hand brake' from a position of ignorance.

See above.

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I use the parking brake at lights.

You're the only driver of a car with an automatic gearbox that I've
ever known or heard of who does then.

Tony Raven said:

Having read some reports el swear I ordered myself a couple of the Smart
1/2W Superflash rear lights from UK Bike Store (£11.99ea + £1 postage
total). I still have the dark spots in my vision from when I made the
mistake of switching one on while looking at it.
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/acatalog/info%5fsmart%5flam317r%2ehtml

they are a bit bright. I did the same, it took about 5 minutes to get
rid of the red spots

Stuart Millington said:

On Fri, 13 Apr 2007 08:53:15 GMT,
[email hidden] (Ekul Namsob) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

FWIW, I use the parking brake at lights.

You're the only driver of a car with an automatic gearbox that I've
ever known or heard of who does then.

How do you recognise these automatics?

Cheers,
Luke

--
Lincoln City 0-2 Southend United (AET)
Swansea City 2-2 Southend United
We went up twice with Tilly and Brush

On Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:53:51 GMT,

(Ekul Namsob) said:

Stuart Millington <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You're the only driver of a car with an automatic gearbox that I've
ever known or heard of who does then.

How do you recognise these automatics?

"known or heard of" in the above relates to the drivers of the
vehicles - i.e. I know people and speak to them, sometimes I'm even a
passenger and, therefore, a witness to their non-use of hand brakes
;-)