Are daytime bike lights a safety essential? Should you get daytime lights?

Always use lights, even in daylight, because conditions exist on the road where they help.

Bright sunlight means deep shadows, cars in the light cannot see riders in the shadows ahead of them. Rear lights help this.

Front lights are even more effective for cars pulling out of side streets. Typically they only give a quick glance when they pull out, but my urban-550 flasher means they never miss me. The difference is very noticeable, and probably measurable.

Making lights compulsory in daytime will just be another layer of victim blaming to distract from serious safety concerns. While people argue the toss about helmets, hi-viz, vehicular cycling etc the real changes to our streets cape that are required are not discussed.

Once we have safe routes then individuals can campaign for their personal safety hobby horse (lucky heather compulsory on all new bikes) but until then try to stick on message and not get sidetracked.

Hi all, great comments on here, and it's good to see people having a conversation about daytime visibility because ultimately, we at least want to get people thinking about it.

A few points:
-We are in no way advocating the idea that there should be regulation that mandates the use of lights during the day.
-We have not created the Flare R for the purposes of solely placing the responsibility for our safety on us as riders. We completely agree that the solution is better driver training, better infrastructure, and a more Dutch/Danish style transport culture in general.
-Please read the link Mat has provided to John Sullivan's report. It's a great read in general, but also provides really useful information about how we interpret visual inputs, and the speed at which we can process them.
-We wish we could point you to some peer-reviewed study that demonstrates the effects of the Flare R, but we can't. As far as we know, it doesn't exist. However, we do know about optics and how the brain processes various visual stimuli, so there are some elements of science behind why we know, albeit anecdotally, that using the light does have an impact.
-As Dave mentioned, even with the Flare R, you will still get people making terribly bad decisions when driving near you. This is not the be all/end all solution. It just makes you have a bit more of a say, and hopefully eliminates SMIDSY excuses.

A couple of technical notes:
-Using a light typically designed for night use is potentially not bright enough. It depends on the beam pattern, and how wide a viewing angle it has.
-There are brighter lights available, but this light was designed to maximise the visual output of the 65 lumen it has during daylight. The optics are designed to create the most visible beam pattern possible, so even though you can find lights with higher lumen count, the Flare will appear much brighter due to the lens design.
-The beam pattern range is 270 degrees, so quite wide.
-While runtime in full daytime mode is sub-6 hours, for longer rides you can get away with running the other mode, which has one flash that is as bright as full day mode. It will dramatically increase battery life and at least provide the same level of brightness in one interval of the flash pattern.

It's unfortunate that there are those who think the Flare R was created either as a way for us to make more money, or to solve a problem that doesn't exist. We are in the business of developing new products, both bikes and accessories, so of course we have a vested interest in being profitable so that we can continue to be on the leading edge of technology in the bike industry. We reinvest back into the R&D phase of everything we do, because costs a huge amount of money to engage in multi-year research projects for something like the Flare R. Then there is the prototype phase, and, in some cases, hiring people who have specialist knowledge of a product. In this case, optics.

As far as how much of a problem visibility actually is, that's where we do have a wealth of evidence to choose from. Anyone familiar with Rachel Aldred's Near Miss Project will understand that there is indeed an issue with not just visibility, but the perception that drivers have about cyclists.

As John Burke says in the video, even if you don't get a Flare R, get SOMETHING that makes it harder for drivers to not see you.

as a rule i generally ride with a rear light on flash during the day.
the way i look at it, people are less likely to drive into the back of me with it on, it's probably more effective than wearing a high-viz (and doesn't look crap), and it doesn't slow me down.

I do 25 commuting miles a day, and even though people shouldn't be on their phones, reading the paper, etc. they still do it and they're always going to.

at least a bright flashing red light might give me a chance of getting noticed out of the corner of someone's eye whilst they're updating their facebook status.

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I was in San Diego, and I’m driving along during the day,

Tells you most of what you need to know about this: a car driver that makes bike bits decided to make another bike bit.

No evidence presented as to the effectiveness of this at all.

I kill two birds with one stone and ride with my Fly6 on all the time, as it's the original version I have to have the light on.

Sods law, with my main bike in the shop for the day, I got knocked off my other bike that didn't have the fly6 on. Wouldn't have helped as someone decided to pull a u-turn as i overtook a traffic que.

I can see no reason not to ride with lights!
They weigh next to nothing, no one is putting peoples arm up their back to use them and I have yet to see any sensible or compelling argument against their use.

The "Ah yes but" brigade will no doubt bore us sensless with any number of silly reasons why we should not ever have to ride with lights, (day or night probably) but as long as they are kept busy grinding their little choppers on this issue they are not annoying anyone on more serious matters.

The advocate of this victim-blaming strategy argues that it "hopefully eliminates SMIDSY excuses"

No it doesn't . It backs up the whole SMIDSY philosophy.

For evidence on the conspicuity cone see Chapter 9 here http://rdrf.org.uk/death-on-the-streets-cars-and-the-mythology-of-road-s... For why it's victim-blaming and ineffective in both short (and certainly long) term see also http://rdrf.org.uk/2013/10/31/hi-viz-for-cyclists-and-pedestrians-sensib... and related posts.

After a while a red herring such as this is not only of negligible or zero effect, it feeds into a culture which allows the problem to become more entrenched, thus raising the prospect of NEGATIVE effect.

From Road CC in 2018:

"TREND SPOTTING: Should we be wearing body armour on-road as well as when doing downhill mountain biking?"

Manufacturer X thinks we should be wearing their body armour/knee/shin/elbow protectors with full-face lids, although other stuff may be relevant and they don't want it to be compulsory.

Loads of commenters write: " I wear Manufacturer X (or Y or Z) produced body armour/knee/shin/elbow protectors with full-face lids and they have saved my life/saved from serious injury dozens of times. So get the kit or it's your fault. And I'm not victim-blaming".

I bet you it will come. Maybe before 2018. And, above all, do not expect any rational argument to dissuade the advocates.

My comment is this

Where I live and ride there is a lot of narrow tree covered roads
When the sun is out it casts very strong shadows of the trees across the road. The light and dark shadows are so strong it obscures pot holes and other road debris.

I find myself using a rear facing light during the day for safety reasons
If I can't see potholes, drivers can't see me or my bike.
A flasher immediately solves that problem.

Despite views from many who feel Bontrager is only looking for ways to cash in. I feel much safer because I use a light during the day

My 2 cents

Can someone explain the followign to me?

As an mtber one of the first rules is never to look at something be it a rock or tree or whatever as you will hit it.
Yet on the road so many people are "shouting" "Look at me, look at me."

How come there are more rear enders as driver attention is attracted to the bright flashy light just like a moth to a flame?

To Trek and other light companies, How far ahead do you think a cyclist needs to make their presence known. Do I as a car driver really need to know that a bike is say a mile away or in heavy traffic 2 minutes away? At what point do you think it essential to let other know you are there or is it a case that people have all fallen into the brighter is better trap?

If Trek sold the lights at near cost price, then I'll believe without any salt.
Like when Volvo gave away their patent for three point seatbelts, now that, deserve to be praised.

While many may argue that one shouldn't need a light to be seen, as people should be looking harder, it is fairly plain to see that we as humans are pretty rubbish at consistently spotting everything we need to spot on the road. Anything that makes it less likely that someone will fail to notice you is likely to reduce the chances of an accident.

I also know from driving experience that it can be hard to quickly see cars (let alone bikes) when moving into dark shady areas from bright sunshine, and DRLs really conspicuity safety here.

I'd rather be safe than take a moral stand on hoping people will look harder.

However, I would strongly argue against making them compulsory.

I run a bright flashing light front and rear in all conditions on the road. Smart R1 rear and Moon Meteor 200 front. At night I angle the front light down towards the road and use it in constant mode so I can see where I'm going.

Just on the subject of car DRLs: in Europe they're now compulsory fitting on all new cars. http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/topics/vehicles/daytime_runnin...

I ride with a rear light on whenever it's dim/cloudy/rainy/etc.

There must be some real data somewhere about rear end crashes for Barclays bikes. Although I guess you'd have to run them all without flashing lights for a period to make any valid comparisons.

I always ride with a blinker going but i replace the batteries every 6 weeks .
I will replace it with a USB one as a believe the software inside it will always give 100% whilst a AAA version will slowly lose brightness .

cateye 1200 on front / blackburn 1 on back

Whoops! A few posts back I refer to the "conspicuity cone". I meant "con", not "cone".

Quote:

While many may argue that one shouldn't need a light to be seen, as people should be looking harder, it is fairly plain to see that we as humans are pretty rubbish at consistently spotting everything we need to spot on the road. Anything that makes it less likely that someone will fail to notice you is likely to reduce the chances of an accident.

Unfortunately there is plenty already in place to make the life of a cyclist more secure in the form of the Highway Code, I see no reason why the addition of a light is going to make drivers drive with any more care. I find this type of conversation counter productive as your average muppet driver will simply try and use it as another tool for victim blaming. I didn't see the bike as he wasn'tt wearing hi-viz or using a light.

Quote:

I also know from driving experience that it can be hard to quickly see cars (let alone bikes) when moving into dark shady areas from bright sunshine, and DRLs really conspicuity safety here.

Again I've never had an issue with this, I usually change my driving speed or am extra vigilant. The only lime a light would be useful is when the sun is in the eye line and the driver can't be arsed adjusting their driving style to suit the conditions, just like what it says in the Highway Code.

I was out for a walk yesterday and some of the roads are narrow and without pavement. The level of driving was truly atrocious, there appears to be an assumption that cars have some kind of divine right to be there and nothing was to impede their progress. I was brushed by one car, had two stop just before hitting me and numerous pass me dangerously close. Hi-viz or a light would not have benefitted me at all as I was easily seen, the drivers just weren't concentrating.
This country is a horrible place to be on the roads and I'm afraid comparing the UK to other countries won't wash either. The attitude here is different. For example, the scaffold wagon that tried to run me off the road had been sat behind me for two minutes at the traffic lights. If he hadn't seen me, how was it possible for his passenger to give me the bird as he was driving at me?
The people who punishment pass then justify it by telling me I should ride in the gutter?

All these victim blaming stickers telling cyclists not to pass them on the inside. Seriously?

And it's not just restricted to cars v cyclists. It's the pavement parker who blocks wheelchair access, it's the summer music being played loudly that annoys the neighbours, it's the queue jumper at the supermarket, it's the neighbours who block access for sporting/music events..... Etc...

It's a selfish country and until this is addressed there will always be a problem and a silly little light isn't going to resolve it.

....And breathe...

I sometimes ride around the country lanes that are shaded by trees. You can go from a bright road to dark shade on a summers day.

I have a flashing light on whenever I ride; I usually ride routes that go past those kinda country lanes. And anyways, in the UK it always rains

This is why I ride everywhere with my Fly6 rear light AND video camera running.

1) It's fun if riding with friends
2) It's way safer - drivers do see you better
3) Worse case when accidents happen - you have a legal record

Long term it also changes drivers behaviour - if they know potentially most bikes they encounter are running video - they will drive better around you.

Sad fact of the world we live in - but if it means safer roads - it is worth the investment. Just like body cameras.

I've just got back from an 18 mile road ride with my young children. We all had front and rear flashing lights on. Here in the Chilterns, it's routine to go from very bright sunlight into dark beech tree shade. My own driving experience confirms that there's a small window of time when crossing from sunshine into shade, especially if wearing sunglasses, when it's really hard to see anything before your eyes adjust to the shade. That window is enough to hit a cyclist or pedestrian. I slow down, but plenty of drivers don't. A light reduces the risk. It keeps you visible even in the shade and it might save me from being run down. It's a cheap and easy way of reducing the many risks. What's not to like?