forget reflectors

[Zebee Johnstone]

Forget reflectors, howabout doing down the road in a blaze of colour?

www.fossilfool.com/down-low-glow.htm (not working for me)
http://www.xtracycle.com/down-glow-p-74.html
http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/lowrider-down low glow.html

from the xtracycle blurb:
"Do you want more respect on the roads at night? The Down Low Glow
(DLG) is a great new way to make your SUB highly visible to cars, and
make a statement at the same time. The DLG throws down a beautiful
cloud of colored light beneath your bike, giving you the sensation of
floating on a cloud of color."

Mind you, it means carrying Yet Another Battery.

Zebee

 

[asterope]

Forget reflectors, howabout doing down the road in a blaze of colour?

www.fossilfool.com/down-low-glow.htm (not working for me)
http://www.xtracycle.com/down-glow-p-74.html
http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/lowrider-down low glow.html

from the xtracycle blurb:
"Do you want more respect on the roads at night? The Down Low Glow
(DLG) is a great new way to make your SUB highly visible to cars, and
make a statement at the same time. The DLG throws down a beautiful
cloud of colored light beneath your bike, giving you the sensation of
floating on a cloud of color."

Mind you, it means carrying Yet Another Battery.

Zebee

i can just imagine getting pulled over by the police for illegal neons on my bicycle...

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Thu, 9 Nov 2006 16:06:25 +1100
asterope <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> i can just imagine getting pulled over by the police for illegal neons
> on my bicycle...

YOu just say "never mind that, see the blue lights in my windscreen
wipers!"

And as their brains explode at the idea of a bicycle with windscreen
wipers you make your getaway.

Zebee

 

[thefathippy]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> Forget reflectors, howabout doing down the road in a blaze of colour?
>
> www.fossilfool.com/down-low-glow.htm (not working for me)
> http://www.xtracycle.com/down-glow-p-74.html
> http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/lowrider-down low glow.html
>
> from the xtracycle blurb:
> "Do you want more respect on the roads at night? The Down Low Glow
> (DLG) is a great new way to make your SUB highly visible to cars, and
> make a statement at the same time. The DLG throws down a beautiful
> cloud of colored light beneath your bike, giving you the sensation of
> floating on a cloud of color."
>
> Mind you, it means carrying Yet Another Battery.
>
> Zebee

I think they've been copying my ideas... If you were at the Scott 24hr
this year, or Yellowmundee 12 hr last year (or places in teh bush
before then), you may have seen me glowing away.

I have been pulled up by the cops, but not for the neons, LED tubes or
EL wire, but because I had a flashing blue LED on my helmet - that was
the only thing they worried about, because they claimed that flashing
red and blue (my normal red flasher as well) are reserved for emergency
services. Even then they liked the setup, and said I was very visible.
I wasn't booked, but haven't used the blue flasher on road since.

I concur with the comment that cars give you a wide berth - although
the blue flasher was best of all, the neons and LEDs certainly ensure
I'm well seen, and cars do give me more space. Probably too busy
thinking WTF to do much else.

Tony F

 

[Travis]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> Forget reflectors, howabout doing down the road in a blaze of colour?
>
> www.fossilfool.com/down-low-glow.htm (not working for me)
> http://www.xtracycle.com/down-glow-p-74.html
> http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/lowrider-down low glow.html
>
> from the xtracycle blurb:
> "Do you want more respect on the roads at night? The Down Low Glow
> (DLG) is a great new way to make your SUB highly visible to cars, and
> make a statement at the same time. The DLG throws down a beautiful
> cloud of colored light beneath your bike, giving you the sensation of
> floating on a cloud of color."
>
> Mind you, it means carrying Yet Another Battery.
>
> Zebee

For Perthies, on page 15 of the Malz catalogue (available from
http://www.malz.com.au/) there is "White LED bar", with a self-adhesive
backing for $10.95 and "Fibre lights" for $5.95 or $6.45 for blue.

I called and asked about them, they've got the usual black and red
wires which you're supposed to hook up to a 12V power supply.

They're maybe worth considering, but yesterday (and today) it has
rained and my bike got filthy as you'd expect, I can imagine that if I
stick one of those LED bars to the underside of my downtube it would
cop the full brunt of all the **** flung onto it by the front wheel.

Does that match your experience Tony and Zeebee?

Travis

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on 9 Nov 2006 22:36:37 -0800
Travis <[email protected]> wrote:
> They're maybe worth considering, but yesterday (and today) it has
> rained and my bike got filthy as you'd expect, I can imagine that if I
> stick one of those LED bars to the underside of my downtube it would
> cop the full brunt of all the **** flung onto it by the front wheel.
>
> Does that match your experience Tony and Zeebee?

My bike has full mudguards

I have some little LED bars from Jaycar as numberplate lights on my
Yam special. They are very bright but also focused, I don't think
they'll do the same job these neon tubes do.

Zebee

 

[Friday]

thefathippy wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>
>>Forget reflectors, howabout doing down the road in a blaze of colour?
>>
>>www.fossilfool.com/down-low-glow.htm (not working for me)
>>http://www.xtracycle.com/down-glow-p-74.html
>>http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/lowrider-down low glow.html
>>
>>from the xtracycle blurb:
>>"Do you want more respect on the roads at night? The Down Low Glow
>>(DLG) is a great new way to make your SUB highly visible to cars, and
>>make a statement at the same time. The DLG throws down a beautiful
>>cloud of colored light beneath your bike, giving you the sensation of
>>floating on a cloud of color."
>>
>>Mind you, it means carrying Yet Another Battery.
>>
>>Zebee
>
>
> I think they've been copying my ideas... If you were at the Scott 24hr
> this year, or Yellowmundee 12 hr last year (or places in teh bush
> before then), you may have seen me glowing away.
>
> I have been pulled up by the cops, but not for the neons, LED tubes or
> EL wire, but because I had a flashing blue LED on my helmet - that was
> the only thing they worried about, because they claimed that flashing
> red and blue (my normal red flasher as well) are reserved for emergency
> services. Even then they liked the setup, and said I was very visible.
> I wasn't booked, but haven't used the blue flasher on road since.
>
> I concur with the comment that cars give you a wide berth - although
> the blue flasher was best of all, the neons and LEDs certainly ensure
> I'm well seen, and cars do give me more space. Probably too busy
> thinking WTF to do much else.
>
> Tony F
>

Did they quote a law?
I've looked and found no law against a bicycle having a blue flashing light.

Friday

 

[Vincent Patrick]

Travis wrote:
>
> For Perthies, on page 15 of the Malz catalogue (available from
> http://www.malz.com.au/) there is "White LED bar", with a self-adhesive
> backing for $10.95 and "Fibre lights" for $5.95 or $6.45 for blue.
>
> I called and asked about them, they've got the usual black and red
> wires which you're supposed to hook up to a 12V power supply.
>

Thanks for the info, Travis.

I've seen a couple of Perth bikes with super bright rear LED lights, almost
like car lights, and wondered where they could have sourced them.

Cheers,

Vince

'Too much of a wimp to ride in the rain'

 

[thefathippy]

Friday wrote:
> thefathippy wrote:
> > Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> >
> >>Forget reflectors, howabout doing down the road in a blaze of colour?
> >>
> >>www.fossilfool.com/down-low-glow.htm (not working for me)
> >>http://www.xtracycle.com/down-glow-p-74.html
> >>http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/lowrider-down low glow.html
> >>
> >>from the xtracycle blurb:
> >>"Do you want more respect on the roads at night? The Down Low Glow
> >>(DLG) is a great new way to make your SUB highly visible to cars, and
> >>make a statement at the same time. The DLG throws down a beautiful
> >>cloud of colored light beneath your bike, giving you the sensation of
> >>floating on a cloud of color."
> >>
> >>Mind you, it means carrying Yet Another Battery.
> >>
> >>Zebee
> >
> >
> > I think they've been copying my ideas... If you were at the Scott 24hr
> > this year, or Yellowmundee 12 hr last year (or places in teh bush
> > before then), you may have seen me glowing away.
> >
> > I have been pulled up by the cops, but not for the neons, LED tubes or
> > EL wire, but because I had a flashing blue LED on my helmet - that was
> > the only thing they worried about, because they claimed that flashing
> > red and blue (my normal red flasher as well) are reserved for emergency
> > services. Even then they liked the setup, and said I was very visible.
> > I wasn't booked, but haven't used the blue flasher on road since.
> >
> > I concur with the comment that cars give you a wide berth - although
> > the blue flasher was best of all, the neons and LEDs certainly ensure
> > I'm well seen, and cars do give me more space. Probably too busy
> > thinking WTF to do much else.
> >
> > Tony F
> >
>
> Did they quote a law?
> I've looked and found no law against a bicycle having a blue flashing light.
>
> Friday

No - I suspect that's why I wasn't booked! ;^)

Tony F

 

[thefathippy]

Travis wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> > Forget reflectors, howabout doing down the road in a blaze of colour?
> >
> > www.fossilfool.com/down-low-glow.htm (not working for me)
> > http://www.xtracycle.com/down-glow-p-74.html
> > http://www.aztlanbicycle.com/lowrider-down low glow.html
> >
> > from the xtracycle blurb:
> > "Do you want more respect on the roads at night? The Down Low Glow
> > (DLG) is a great new way to make your SUB highly visible to cars, and
> > make a statement at the same time. The DLG throws down a beautiful
> > cloud of colored light beneath your bike, giving you the sensation of
> > floating on a cloud of color."
> >
> > Mind you, it means carrying Yet Another Battery.
> >
> > Zebee
>
> For Perthies, on page 15 of the Malz catalogue (available from
> http://www.malz.com.au/) there is "White LED bar", with a self-adhesive
> backing for $10.95 and "Fibre lights" for $5.95 or $6.45 for blue.
>
> I called and asked about them, they've got the usual black and red
> wires which you're supposed to hook up to a 12V power supply.
>
> They're maybe worth considering, but yesterday (and today) it has
> rained and my bike got filthy as you'd expect, I can imagine that if I
> stick one of those LED bars to the underside of my downtube it would
> cop the full brunt of all the **** flung onto it by the front wheel.
>
> Does that match your experience Tony and Zeebee?
>
> Travis

Yes, they do cop the **** that gets thrown up, but, they're very bright
LEDs, and they still shine brightly. Of course, I could just wash the
bike if the LEDs get dirty, but that would be silly. ;^)

My main one these days is under the top tube, so it doesn't cop much at
all, but I've had neons on the downtube during dusty races, and they
were still bright and obvious when my laps were done - a quick wipe
with a rag, finger, or mate's shirt when he wasn't looking would have
fixed that. Waterproofing hasn't been an issue with neons or LEDs, but
that may be just beginner's luck.

Tony F

 

[Dancier]

"Do you want more respect on the roads at night?

I saw this thread about a guy in the states who was not getted much respect from the cars at night regardless of how many light he had on board.

The solution was simple on his part, he just wore a pistol holster with pistol attached. To his amazment the car drivers could see the outline of the pistol and holster from a fair distance away at night and gave him a wide berth when passing.

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:27:51 +1100
Dancier <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> The solution was simple on his part, he just wore a pistol holster with
> pistol attached. To his amazment the car drivers could see the outline
> of the pistol and holster from a fair distance away at night and gave
> him a wide berth when passing.

Ask anyone who has an ex-cop BMW motorcycle. "hard to see" is
********, they see cop bikes OK.

And my radical chopper was apparently very visible too. Despite being
black, having a very narrow frontal area, and minimal lighting.

If something is a threat they'll see it. "Didn't see you" is more
usually "didn't need to bother about you".

Although at least the woman I yelled at the other day on Pyrmont
Bridge Road decided that the combination of yelling cyclist and
buzzsaw was maybe enough of a threat to make not pulling into my path
a good idea.

Zebee

 

[BrettS]

Friday wrote:

> Did they quote a law?
> I've looked and found no law against a bicycle having a blue flashing
> light.
>

My understanding is that it used to be illegal for _anyone_ to display a
blue flashing light, so it wouldn't have necessarily have been a traffic
law. Mind you this was many years ago, before external house/business
alarms.

--
BrettS

 

[Friday]

BrettS wrote:
> Friday wrote:
>
>> Did they quote a law?
>> I've looked and found no law against a bicycle having a blue flashing
>> light.
>>
>
> My understanding is that it used to be illegal for _anyone_ to display a
> blue flashing light, so it wouldn't have necessarily have been a traffic
> law. Mind you this was many years ago, before external house/business
> alarms.
>
> --
> BrettS

I know it's your understanding but is it illegal ?


Friday

 

[Aeek]

Friday wrote:

> Did they quote a law?
> I've looked and found no law against a bicycle having a blue flashing light.

National road rules - vehicle includes bicycle, driver includes rider.
Still doesn't include WA?

 

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:06:44 +0800
Friday <[email protected]> wrote:
> BrettS wrote:
>>
>> My understanding is that it used to be illegal for _anyone_ to display a
>> blue flashing light, so it wouldn't have necessarily have been a traffic
>> law. Mind you this was many years ago, before external house/business
>> alarms.

> I know it's your understanding but is it illegal ?

A pdf I have from Qld transport says no vehicle other than emergency
vehicles may show a blue light.

vsi08.pdf which is a vehicle standard bulletin from the RTA website
says
Flashing lights
A flashing light displayed on a vehicle may only be amber/yellow,
blue, red, green or magenta/crimson.
Each of these colours, or combination of colours, is intended to
convey a specific warning to road users.
To guard against incorrect use and to avoid possible detraction from
the significance of a flashing warning
light, their use is limited to particular types of vehicles and in
particular circumstances.


NSW legislation
ROAD TRANSPORT (VEHICLE REGISTRATION) REGULATION 1998 - SCHEDULE 4
talks about lights a vehicle must have, and specifies that the various
kinds of light can't be blue. Again, motor vehicles.

the Oz road rules incorporated in NSW regs include:
AUSTRALIAN ROAD RULES - REG 259
Riding at night
259 Riding at night

The rider of a bicycle must not ride at night, or in hazardous weather
conditions causing reduced visibility, unless the bicycle, or the
rider, displays:
(a) a flashing or steady white light that is clearly visible for at
least 200 metres from the front of the bicycle, and
(b) a flashing or steady red light that is clearly visible for at
least 200 metres from the rear of the bicycle, and
(c) a red reflector that is clearly visible for at least 50 metres
from the rear of the bicycle when light is projected onto it by a
vehicle’s headlight on low-beam.

again, nothing that says you can't have blue.

Now, whether you can get "I'm a bicycle so I can have a blue flashing
light cos even if there are bike cops no one would mistake me for one
and all the laws are about cars anyway" past the beak is not something
I'd bet the fine and costs on myself.


Zebee

 

[Friday]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> In aus.bicycle on Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:06:44 +0800
> Friday <[email protected]> wrote:
>> BrettS wrote:
>>> My understanding is that it used to be illegal for _anyone_ to display a
>>> blue flashing light, so it wouldn't have necessarily have been a traffic
>>> law. Mind you this was many years ago, before external house/business
>>> alarms.
>
>> I know it's your understanding but is it illegal ?
>
> A pdf I have from Qld transport says no vehicle other than emergency
> vehicles may show a blue light.
>
> vsi08.pdf which is a vehicle standard bulletin from the RTA website
> says
> Flashing lights
> A flashing light displayed on a vehicle may only be amber/yellow,
> blue, red, green or magenta/crimson.
> Each of these colours, or combination of colours, is intended to
> convey a specific warning to road users.
> To guard against incorrect use and to avoid possible detraction from
> the significance of a flashing warning
> light, their use is limited to particular types of vehicles and in
> particular circumstances.
>
>
> NSW legislation
> ROAD TRANSPORT (VEHICLE REGISTRATION) REGULATION 1998 - SCHEDULE 4
> talks about lights a vehicle must have, and specifies that the various
> kinds of light can't be blue. Again, motor vehicles.
>
> the Oz road rules incorporated in NSW regs include:
> AUSTRALIAN ROAD RULES - REG 259
> Riding at night
> 259 Riding at night
>
> The rider of a bicycle must not ride at night, or in hazardous weather
> conditions causing reduced visibility, unless the bicycle, or the
> rider, displays:
> (a) a flashing or steady white light that is clearly visible for at
> least 200 metres from the front of the bicycle, and
> (b) a flashing or steady red light that is clearly visible for at
> least 200 metres from the rear of the bicycle, and
> (c) a red reflector that is clearly visible for at least 50 metres
> from the rear of the bicycle when light is projected onto it by a
> vehicle’s headlight on low-beam.
>
> again, nothing that says you can't have blue.

Ah, good! So it's not illegal in NSW.

>
> Now, whether you can get "I'm a bicycle so I can have a blue flashing
> light cos even if there are bike cops no one would mistake me for one
> and all the laws are about cars anyway" past the beak is not something
> I'd bet the fine and costs on myself.
>
>
> Zebee

 

[Theo Bekkers]

BrettS wrote:
> Friday wrote:
>
>> Did they quote a law?
>> I've looked and found no law against a bicycle having a blue flashing
>> light.
>>
>
> My understanding is that it used to be illegal for _anyone_ to
> display a blue flashing light, so it wouldn't have necessarily have
> been a traffic law. Mind you this was many years ago, before
> external house/business alarms.

The Police in WA strongly resisted Fire Appliances being fitted with blue
and red flashing lights. I'm fairly confident that blue and red flashers are
limited to emergncy vehicles in WA, but can't be fagged looking it up.

Theo

 

[BrettS]

Friday wrote:
> BrettS wrote:
>
>> Friday wrote:
>>
>>> Did they quote a law?
>>> I've looked and found no law against a bicycle having a blue flashing
>>> light.
>>>
>>
>> My understanding is that it used to be illegal for _anyone_ to display
>> a blue flashing light, so it wouldn't have necessarily have been a
>> traffic law. Mind you this was many years ago, before external
>> house/business alarms.
>>
>> --
>> BrettS
>
>
> I know it's your understanding but is it illegal ?
>
>
> Friday


I didn't know when wrote it, but was simply suggesting that it may not
be a traffic law, hence why you couldn't find it. I since found this:
http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/lic_vsb13.pdf
Which indicates that unless your vehicle is used to attend life
threatening emergencies, AND it is either specified as an emergency
vehicle in the WA Road Traffic Code (2000) or you have prior approval
from the DPI, then you cannot display a flashing blue light. While the
pdf doesn't refer to the specific legislation, I'm sure that the
prosecuting sergeant would be able to... ;-)

The relevant bits from the PDF:
"It is important to note that flashing lamp combinations
are priority specific as opposed to emergency
service provider specific..."

"Approval must be obtained from the Department for
the fitment and use of flashing warning lamps on
vehicles not specifically listed in the Road Traffic
Code 2000 as being permitted to display such lamps."

"Emergencies requiring flashing lamps have been
classified into the following four categories;
Priority One - Life and/or Serious Property
Threat Emergency,
Priority Two - High Risk Personal or Property
Threat Emergency,
Priority Three - Statutory Law Enforcement
Emergency,
Priority Four - Potential Danger or Risk
Emergency."

:Red, Blue, White
Priority One Emergency -
Combinations of red, blue and white flashing lamps
may only be fitted to vehicles that regularly attend
life threatening and serious property damage
emergencies."

"Vehicles typically in this category are Police vehicles,
Ambulances, Operational Fire Brigade or Bush Fire
Brigade vehicles, Blood/Organ courier vehicles, and
certain Army and State Emergency Service
vehicles. The lamps shall only be activated when
the vehicle is attending an emergency."

--
BrettS