Re: Is the hub dynamo headed for an even smaller niche?

In article
<7f69c722-e8e0-4791-9209-db604881aed0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"russellseaton1@xxxxxxxxx" <russellseaton1@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Dec 19, 3:06 pm, Michael Press <rub...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In article
<16eb314a-6e81-449a-9805-1c3dd0c51...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,





 Chalo <chalo.col...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Tim McNamara wrote:

For that matter, motorcycles and cars would use them, too.

If M/Cs and cars used blinking taillights, that would be a reason to
use something different on a bicycle.  Most of the point of a blinkie
is to differentiate oneself from other sorts of objects that emit red
light.

It says, "hi, I'm a bike!"  Doing so is considerate of other road
users.  It's stupid to be annoyed by valuable information.  Are you
bothered by flashing amber signals at hazardous intersections or
school zones?  Are you annoyed by bright brake lights when they come
on immediately in front of you?

Your attachment to the notion that a solid, non-blinking taillight is
somehow invisible is just nonsense.  Sorry.

Not invisible; inconspicuous.  Difficult to distinguish from other
kinds of red lights when visibility is impaired.

The tail light does not exist in a vacuum. Motion of
the bicycle means that back ground lights are eclipsed
for an observer. Even should the cyclist be at or near
as standstill with a steady tail light, background is
still eclipsed by way of parallax. In addition the cyclist
has reflectors on the pedals, spokes, and trouser clips
providing a distinctive signature. Blinking lights on
a moving vehicle are a serious inconvenience for other
road users.

How bright do you think red blinking bicycle lights are? Do you
really think a driver behind a thick windshield at the minimum 10 feet
away from a bicycle is going to be blinded or inconvenienced?

I think that a driver at any distance will be inconvenienced
because blinking lights are an attention suck.

Where do you get "blinded?"

Or are
you just parrotting the other nonsense said on the internet?

Am I? Why do you raise the question?

And if we were to assume other road users
are operating their vehicles while impaired, then they
need all the attention they have, and we should not
steal any by blinking at them. Further a blinking light
sucks an observer into target fixation;

I believe the source of this idea is related to large blinking lights
on construction equipment that could overpower the senses. Not tiny
red blinkies on bicycles that merely serve to give notice something is
there. How people apply something like a large blinking construction
light to tiny red bicycle lights is a mystery. But they do.

Blinking bicycle lights are a serious inconvenience for
other road users. That includes car drivers and other
bicycle riders.

--
Michael Press
.

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