$25 easy safety mod - could save your life

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by GatorGreg, Oct 13, 2016.

  1. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    I highly recommend this easy safety mod for $25 - it might save your life. It's the Bontrager Ion 35 flashing LED - the cheapest model they have at $25 ( http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/e...ssories/bike-lights/bontrager-ion-35/p/12536/ ). Not sure if it's 100% legal on motorcycles, however I've been using this kind of light for the last few years on previous scooter and motorcycle and I've yet to be pulled over by a cop. I do make a point of aiming them down a little, especially at night, so as not to annoy people - even when pointed down slightly they significantly add to your visibility. I think they are especially effective at getting cagers' attention during the day. If you aim them too high at night I could see a cop pulling you over because they are very bright. If cop ever pulls me over I plan to just play stupid (very easy for me to do :sneakiness: ) and say that I just assumed it's legal since I see bicyclists riding on the road with them all the time.

    [video=youtube;89YPB554HCg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89YPB554HCg[/video]
     
  2. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    Yeah, I can see that getting you pulled over around here. I don't think flashing lights like that, in the front, would fly around here. Most bicycles that have a flashing light will have it in the rear so they are seen by vehicles approaching from the rear. I don't ride much at night any more so not so much for me.
     
  3. Lint

    Lint Member

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    Cornering lights? ;-) Modulated headlights are legal in California, so these may be too.
     
  4. Bubba Utah

    Bubba Utah Member

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    I see some benefit during the daytime! During the day I always ride with the bright switch on. But, of all of the bikes that I have owned I will say that the LED headlights on our bikes are the best I have ever seen at night. I ride home at night from work, and if the bike bounces on the freeway I literally "Light up anything ahead and all markers on that stretch of road." I agree with FJRIDERTOO. I know that in Utah you would be pulled over and ticketed. It does give better visibility to others of you at night! But this is hard to say, and even may I dare say because we are always getting hit but, "This may cause you to be a distraction to other traffic and even cause those sensitive to "Scrubbing light" issues and may be a possible issue to those cagers?
     
  5. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    In flashing mode it might look like a left turn is about to be made that could confuse oncoming traffic.
     
  6. Lint

    Lint Member

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    Good point!
     
  7. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    It flickers so fast I'd really be surprised if someone would confuse it with a turn signal - but at least they see me. I could always put another one on the other side but then they might think I have my hazards on :tongue-new:
     
  8. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    Daytime is when I find it to be the most effective actually - or it could just be because I ride in the daytime more frequently - but I've had numerous daytime situations where cagers seem to notice me all of a sudden and abruptly halt their turn, situations where I think the flashing LED really helped. But without stopping and interviewing the cager there's really no way to know for sure whether or not it helped. But based on when I'm driving my own car and how well I see oncoming bicyclists with these types of lights I think it is a tremendous help.
    As far as cops pulling you over - the only way to really find out is try it and see how it goes. I would imagine they would only give you a warning at first anyway - so worst case scenario is you could just put it on your bicycle or give it to a friend who has one. Best case scenario is it could save your @$$.
     
  9. duccmann

    duccmann Member

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    Work with a guy that has those clipped to his boots and has red flashing lights on the back of his helmet, all bought a bicycle shops
    The lights on the helmet at called Blackburn flea, the boots one are superflash


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2016
  10. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Two could be mounted. One on either side of the front of a bike. Add a blue lens or photo filter to one and a red one to the other. This would keep oncoming traffic from being confused.

    The best place to mount one IMO, is facing rearward to sort of give notice to tailgaters to back off.
     
  11. ozzybob

    ozzybob New Member

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    You can have hi vis vests, flashing lights, loud pipes and cagers still won't see you.
    It's up to YOU to see them and learn to predict their errors.
    You can scream "it wasn't my fault" from your grave for eternity.
     
  12. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    I agree. It all depends where you're coming from.
     
  13. ozzybob

    ozzybob New Member

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    Well I'm coming from the "I will look after myself" on the road, side of the street.
    If the rest of you don't you are kidding yourselves.
    Your safety is your responsibility.
     
  14. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    Ozzy!!!! I agree with your point of course.

    [video=youtube;ZcoweoZ6jpM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcoweoZ6jpM[/video]
     
  15. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    My bad. Eternally yours...BB
     
  16. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    what a loss, losing Randy...:rip:
     
  17. duccmann

    duccmann Member

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    All cagers are dazed and confused. Wouldn't mind the headlight option.
    Already have it on my rear brake lights.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  18. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    Yeah I was just a kid but I remember that tragic day like it was yesterday - it happened about 30 miles from my old house - he was supposed to play at Rock Super Bowl XIV in Orlando at what was then called the Tangerine Bowl along with Foreigner, Bryan Adams, and UFO ( http://www.rockshowvideos.com/rocksuperbowl14.html ).

    Here's an article and vid about what happened for those not familiar - I didn't realize he was only 25: http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/spotlight-0319-2011.aspx

    The takeaway: Never let a bus driver high on cocaine pilot your plane :grumpy:

    [video=youtube;KHIXz28KzuM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHIXz28KzuM[/video]
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2017
  19. GatorGreg

    GatorGreg Honda Fanboy/LitiGator

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    Thanks for reminding me Duccman! I've been meaning to get one of those brake light things ever since I tested the S1000RR and rode behind the BMW guy who had one on his brake light. I found it to be extremely effective - see vid. Is there a particular one you would recommend?
    [video=youtube;TTqsOPOE1cU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTqsOPOE1cU[/video]
     
  20. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    Funny that he's demonstrating this flashing LED at night because that's not when cagers have trouble with motorcycles. At night cagers are looking at headlights and my lifetime riding experience has shown me that they see motorcycles pretty well at night. It's during the daylight hours that problems occur.

    I've got a Kisan Pathblazer Headlight Modulator on each of my 3 motorcycles and I'm careful to only use the pulsing headlight where it's appropriate (I try to be considerate and courteous, for example, I don't ride along on the interstate highway with it pulsing). I use it in situations where there can be sudden cager left turns or careless cager merge-at-intersections-from-the-right maneuvers.

    While I do my best to take care of myself by watching out for strange/sudden/dangerous cager behavior, in the past 10 years of riding (the length of time that I've been using the Headlight Modulator) I truly believe it has saved me from being crushed at least once a year (maybe more that I wasn't even aware of).
     
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