[OHPV-list] Lighting/Visibility test results

[Steve Knight]

 > :
> Pat,
>  
> Thanks for the summary; sorry I missed the event (and sorry my EL vest 
> didn't get tested).
>  
> I always say I'm lit up like a Christmas tree when I ride at night, 
> but I know I use fewer and less bright lights than did any of your six 
> riders.  And I'd wager that all six of your riders were orders of 
> magnitude more visible than the "average" cyclist.
>  
> Interesting statistic on the percentage of side collisions . . .  
> While I often grouse about poorly lighted cyclists while I'm driving 
> at night, the near misses (hits?) that scare me the most (whether on 
> cycle or in car) are the almost side impacts with the bike that seems 
> to come out of nowhere.
>  

I have found this is where I needed to focus my lighting. from the 
front/right side. it is how I test how effective my lighting is. if cars 
don't start and stop or worse not stop at all I am doing fine.
  I wish I could have shown up if you want to see lighting taken to the 
extreme.  right now I have a 10w HID light under the boom. I have two 
cold cathodes that are 12" long in back. 
http://www.elwirecheap.com/coldcathodes.html they are vertical and a 
little above my head at the top. on top of the pole I made for them I 
have a cateye l100 that has great side visibility.  but the cathodes 
seem to be the best for cars seeing me. how do I know I have been told 
by drivers who pull up beside me and tell me how well they can see me 
(G) no other lighting including the xenon flashers have done that. the 
cathodes are not as bright as the cateye or the flasher but a 12" bar of 
bright white light that even lights me up is extreamly effective.  with 
it I pretty much never have any issues anymore. I have found they have 
more impact on getting seen then any headlight I have played with.
 so now I get drivers commenting I get people on the sidewalks 
commenting and people on their bikes. you just can't beat that. plus the 
price is pretty low for them.