Lighting

Moderator

BluesCat wrote:

Nightturkey:

Wow.

I have a different, yet also surreal set of feelings on my ride to work beginning at 5:30 AM.

The first mile or so takes me west along a major collector road towards a crosstown freeway, and the quality of the homes and neighborhoods starts to deteriorate rapidly. I, too, see very few cars moving about at this time of day, and all of them are police cruisers.

I then cut northwest for about a half a mile on a paved, multi-use path which runs parallel to an irrigation canal. Yes, it is pretty quiet: only the gurgling of the water in the canal on my right and the puking and coughing sounds of the drunks and vagrants sleeping in the bushes on my left.

I reach the east noise abatement wall of the freeway and turn north. The balance of my eight mile ride to work consists of crossing several collector streets and major arterials while dodging the broken beer and wine bottles and other flotsam thrown out of the crack houses on my right and from speeding automobiles on the elevated freeway on my left.

As I approach my office, I have one, sort of dreamy, activity to accomplish. It consists of attempting to cross a really busy major arterial without getting hit by a car driven by a psychopath who speeds up the second his headlights paint and light up the reflectors on my panniers and spinning wheels. Actually, "nightmare" would be a more appropriate word than "dreamy."

Ahem.

So, tell me: what is job situation like for Network Engineers/Administrators in the Carolinas?

BluesCat cat

.

Damn....I can't touch that!!! affraid

Recumbent Guru

rydabyk wrote:

Damn....I can't touch that!!! affraid

Dang, now I've gone and done it. I was so jealous of Nightturkey's idyllic morning commute that I went overboard in my description of my morning urban adventure. It really isn't that bad. As matter of fact, for a big city ride it is really very pleasant.

Think I should make amends by describing it more realistically in the Commuting section of the forum?

_________________
BluesCat -----> beer

2008 Sun EZ Sport CX - "Bluetiful", 2001 Giant Yukon SE - "The Roadley", 1986 Batavus Course - "DutchGrl"

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Moderator

Yes, by all means. Maybe we all should.

Actionbent Moderator

Meanwhile, back at the Lighting thread, the commute with the Reelights was (mostly) a success. At speeds over 10 mph or so the light settles into t rapid-pace flicker instead of a blink. I still use the regular lights, so the flickering is hardly noticeable, I must say, however, that the Reelight is definitely more of a "be-seen-by" light and not a "see-where-you're-going" light.

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"Taiwan Red" SWB USS HBB, "Lady Blue"E-Z SunRay

Recumbent Guru

Nightturkey wrote:

Meanwhile, back at the Lighting thread, the commute with the Reelights was (mostly) a success. At speeds over 10 mph or so the light settles into t rapid-pace flicker instead of a blink. I still use the regular lights, so the flickering is hardly noticeable, I must say, however, that the Reelight is definitely more of a "be-seen-by" light and not a "see-where-you're-going" light.

I have this lighting setup on my mountain bike:

When I had just the Blackburn, and set it to blinking rather than on steady, I found it more irritating than useful. The larger, Planet Bike light casts a wider beam than the Blackburn, so when I have both lights on I have to agree with you: the flickering is hardly noticeable and I'm more comfortable having a "be-seen" light in conjunction with a "seeing" light.

I'm considering moving the Planet Bike over to my EZ Sport, and putting it on the top crossbar of the handlebars, but I'm going to have to dig up some rubber spacers from my collection of old bike parts because that top bar is a lot smaller than the handlebar proper and I don't think the bracket will cinch down tight enough on it.

_________________
BluesCat -----> beer

2008 Sun EZ Sport CX - "Bluetiful", 2001 Giant Yukon SE - "The Roadley", 1986 Batavus Course - "DutchGrl"

---------0
---------\__^o\
------(*)`"''"""(*)

Actionbent Moderator

The Reelight system came with a headlight and a taillight, with four magnets that were intended to go two for the front and two for the back. I put three of the magnets on the front and used only one for the back since the taillight can flash at a slower pace and not be annoying.

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Burn more carbohydrates, fewer hydrocarbons

"Taiwan Red" SWB USS HBB, "Lady Blue"E-Z SunRay

Senior Member

I'm too much of a weenie to ride at night, but I want to be seen during the day, so I got a Trion Cygolite. At full power it's 600 lumens, very obnoxious. I use it in strobe mode which is even more obnoxious. I haven't had any more problems with cars cutting in front of me. I like the fact that it's self-contained, I don't have to mess with external batteries and wires.

Actionbent Moderator

There's nothing weenie about not wanting to ride at night - I'm not too crazy about it myself, but if I want to get to work on time I have to leave between 4 and 4:30 AM in the morning. Even with Daylight Savings Time the sun ain't nearly up at that hour (shows more sense than I have, I guess).

_________________
Burn more carbohydrates, fewer hydrocarbons

"Taiwan Red" SWB USS HBB, "Lady Blue"E-Z SunRay

Recumbent Guru

garrybuck:

I agree with Nightturkey, there is NO disgrace in opting out of riding at night. During the winter in Phoenix, since I have to leave the house when it is "darkest just before the dawn," I have opted to NOT take the unlit multi-use path along the irrigation canal, but stay on a longer route which includes a chain of unbroken streetlights.

Call me a weenie if you want, but I am not a terrific swimmer to begin with and can't imagine trying to keep myself AND a 38 pound EZ Sport AND about 20+ pounds of panniers afloat when it is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit!

speedy

_________________
BluesCat -----> beer

2008 Sun EZ Sport CX - "Bluetiful", 2001 Giant Yukon SE - "The Roadley", 1986 Batavus Course - "DutchGrl"

---------0
---------\__^o\
------(*)`"''"""(*)

CFRR Moderator

I usually have two mounted. One is a d-cell mag-lite that throws a wide beam and the other is a task force light from Lowes. The task force light is the 60x beast. I really want to see and be seen during the dark hours. The tail end is a flashing contraption that is used to light up farm equipment.