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Message started by srinath on 04/15/20 at 07:42:27

Title: Twin Headlight illusion
Post by srinath on 04/15/20 at 07:42:27

Have you ever seen a bike with twin round super bright headlights and thought it was a jeep or something far away instead of a bike much much closer ???

Has this happened to anyone - its been 7-8 yrs but still terrifies me. On both sides. I nearly turned left in front of the bike - it was a Harley and what saved him and me from getting clobbered right in the driver door by a 800lb Harley going 40-50mph - Loud a$$ pipes. I knew there was a bike somewhere - but never connected this to that.

Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Twin Headlight illusion
Post by Eegore on 04/15/20 at 07:57:00

Never happened to me but I can see where it's an issue.

Creative lighting I have found is a great, yet legally borderline safety feature. In CO we can't legally put LED "decorative" lighting outside of a vehicle, however bikes have no interior. I've never heard of a bike being pulled over or cited for being more visible - within reason - so no flashers, excessive brightness etc.

Turn signals that illuminate the ground at night have proven very useful as it's a lighting effect that vehicles do not normally produce, so it grabs attention. I've built some that have a magnified lens on the underside of the casing that focuses yellow light on the ground.

Also a rapid turn signal flash for 1 second followed by normal sequence is proven to be the most eye-catching. The rapid flash is not common, so you look, then the normal flash is familiar so you associate a foreign stimulus with a familiar process and actually pay attention.

Two regular headlights coming at an intersection? Seems like bad news.

Title: Re: Twin Headlight illusion
Post by srinath on 04/15/20 at 08:18:01

This is why I have single headlights on all my bikes - will never fit a twin headlight unless its stacked. Which BTW is better for distance penetration - The wider spread with side by side basically lets you see deer on the side of the road I'll bet.

Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Twin Headlight illusion
Post by SoC on 04/15/20 at 12:22:26

I believe I may have posted on it before, but they sell these cool Schwinn Quick Wrap bicycle lights at Wall Mart, Amazon, Target. They are fairly small, battery powered and have a stretchy strap that mounts them. They fit perfect on a crash bar up front and around turn signal post in rear. You get a red and a white light in each pack, so you need to buy 2 packs for full effect.

I mount them so they point down with the white lights shining on the road just under and in front of frame and red shine down on sides illuminating area of rear tire. They are so small you don't even notice them when mounted except when they are on. Make the bike much more visable at night.

In photo it is the bright spot under frame and the red on rear of bike. Neither are directly visiable to on coming or rear approaching traffic.

Title: Re: Twin Headlight illusion
Post by srinath on 04/15/20 at 14:51:05

Yea that's an option - but someone 20' front of your headlights will see that - remember its nearly parallel to their plane of vision - as in - if someone were to hold a flat plate in front of you - you're least likely to see it if its parallel to your plane of vision.
I'm more comfortable engaging a second sense - sound. That's what kept me from turning left - I thought the bike was on the other side and wanted to "see it" before going.
This jeep was far far away for me to worry LOL.
Cool.
Srinath.