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feature
Bontrager Flare Trek Factory RacingAre daytime bike lights a safety essential? Should you get daytime lights?
This article was originally published in August 2015
Should we ride with a rear light on during the daytime? Or perhaps we should go further and ride with both front and rear lights on even when the sun is shining?
We had a forum topic about this issue on road.cc a couple of years ago and what you might call a heated debate when Bontrager announced its Flare R rear light, designed specifically for daytime visibility, earlier in the year.
The reason we’re thinking about it again is that we went to visit Trek last week and the brand is really keen to promote the use of rear lights during the day. It even had the members of Trek Factory Racing ride the prologue of this year’s Tour de France on time trial bikes fitted with the Flare R “to promote awareness of the most important cycling accessory available today”.
Of course, your cynical side thinks that Trek wants to encourage the use of lights in the daytime because Bontrager, it’s sub-brand, produces that Flare R rear light. It’s simply a way of boosting sales.
Trek acknowledges that, of course, it has an interest in selling lights, but says that the key motivation for launching the Flare R was to keep cyclists safe.
“About two years ago, I was in San Diego, and I’m driving along during the day, and I see a biker, a road cyclist, and he’s got a blinking light on the back of his bike, and I thought, ‘That is a great idea,’” says Trek President John Burke. “The only problem is you could barely see his light.
“When I got back to Trek, I put together a team of engineers, and I said, ‘Listen, what I’d really like to see is a light on the back of a bike that can be seen during the day.’ If we could do that, I think it would significantly enhance the safety of cyclists everywhere.”
The result is the Flare R. Here’s John Burke’s short video presentation on the light.
Trek argues that using a light during the day makes sense because that’s when about 80% of cycling accidents occur.
Well, yeah, says your cynical side, but what percentage of cycling takes place during the day? Maybe that figure simply reflects the number of people on bikes during the daytime compared to the number who ride at night.
Trek also argues that, “Studies on accidents resulting in the fatality of a cyclist show that in 40% of all bicycle vs. car accidents, the victim was struck from behind.”
That statistic is from the US. Put a light on the back of your bike, the argument goes, and you’re less likely to be one of them.
“We think products like the Flare R allow a rider to have more control over their safety, putting us in both offensive and defensive positions on the road,” said Trek’s Chris Garrison. “We want to get people talking about increasing their visibility not just at night, but also during the day.”
Chris cites a recent AA-Populous poll as evidence that more cyclist visibility is required. In that poll 91% of drivers said that it’s sometimes hard to see cyclists while driving.
John Sullivan, an RAF pilot and keen cyclist, advised in his paper A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Surviving on the Roads, “Aviation research shows that contrast is the single most important factor in determining the likelihood of acquiring an object visually – this is why military aircraft camouflage is designed to tone down their contrast.
"On the ground, dark coloured vehicles or clothing will result in reduced contrast against most usual backgrounds, and this is why high visibility clothing (for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists) and/or bright lights are so important, in the daytime as well as at night.”
Back at Trek, John Burke says, “People should be able to see you all the time. And when they do, you’re going to have a better riding experience. Get a new Flare R, or buy something else. What I care about is making sure you have a really safe cycling season.”
Of course, Trek didn’t invent riding with a rear light on during daylight. Some people have always done it and USE, for example, has been advocating it for years. The British lights brand says that its Exposure Flash front light and Flare rear light (yes, the same name as the Bontrager light) are designed specifically for both daytime and nighttime use (you could argue that USE, like Trek, has a vested interest in promoting more bike light use).
Our man Dave says, “I’ve used the Flare R rear light a lot and I’d say it makes a noticeable difference to the passes you get. Drivers tend to give you more space.”
Of course, that’s anecdotal evidence. If anyone knows of any scientific research that has been carried out, we’d be interested in hearing about it.
So, why do so few of us use lights during the daytime? We guess that most people don’t think it’s necessary, although some oppose the idea in principle.
“When a vehicle has lights on it makes any in front or behind without harder to see,” said Simon E in that road.cc thread mentioned earlier. “Every vehicle that runs with sidelights/LEDs/DRLs [daytime running lights] in the daytime is furthering the idea that you have to have lights on to be seen, so all the sheeple do the same. Baaaa! This means drivers to look only for lights, not other vehicles or people.
“Lights are NOT needed in daylight, whether on bikes, motorbikes or cars.”
In a comment under our story announcing the launch of the Flare R, McVittees said, “Whilst it is perfectly reasonable to want to run as bright a rear light as possible either during the day to warn cars or at night when riding on unlit country roads, I hate being stuck behind someone who is running a high output rear light at night during my urban commute. I find it distracting and obscures my vision of the road (and thus traffic) ahead.”
andyp said, “[Bontrager are] pouring money into something which will make them more money, not into solving a problem.”
What do you reckon? Do Trek’s arguments convince you that you should use a rear light during the day? Let us know what you think.
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
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212 comments
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
Good point.
I'd say I have as many issues with pedestrians who just step out without looking as they don't hear an engine as I do with motorists.
Doesn't really matter how many lights we stick on - thick dozies will still be thick dozies. I had a near miss with one last night - assuming she's not blind the woman saw me, because she was looking straight at a 6'3" prop forward dressed as a banana, in broad daylight. She pulled out to overtake the car in front of her anyway, then pulled back in when it finally penetrated her brain that I was not riding at the 3 mph her small child is probably capable of on a pushbike. Frankly, no amount of additional lighting would have made the slightest difference.
We should wrap the pedestrians in some sort of protective layer as well. Perhaps they could be put in some sort of bubblewrap or polystyrene box, and the posted places instead of having to venture out unprotected. And then the box could be covered in lights. And everything would be okay!
That is an understandable comment but please also look at this. It gives a scientific explanation of why bikes may not "seen" by drivers in certain situations due to the way the human brain processes visual information. Even the best of us are at risk of of being "Dozies" when driving a vehicle.
http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/
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?
Always use my lights during the day with the exception of daylight club runs, seems to make sense and its not doing any harm even if it doesn't make a difference.
I use the Flare and a Cateye 300 set on pulse on the front, both USB charged.
Sounds like you need to battle your way through the Channel Tunnel and not come back if you feel so strongly negative about this country. Then just leave it for the rest of us who enjoy riding here with DRL's or not!
I'd forgotten about that point, but thanks for reminding me. The difference I noticed after driving on foreign plates against UK plates is another thing altogether.
'Things could be better here'
'Well bugger off to somewhere else'
... strangely enough, that dim-witted attitude goes a long way to explaining why the UK is so far behind other places in Europe when it comes to cycling.
Just another reason for humans driving cars to excuse their poor driving. 'Well your honour the cyclist wasn't riding with a rear light so it wasn't my fault I plowed into him on a straight road in broad daylight with the sun in my eyes'
DRL's along with hi viz and reflective spray will make not a jot of difference when the human driving the car is distracted by texting/facebook/Web surfing/I player whilst driving.
If lives are really to be saved then education is needed but a that is unlikely to happen us humans on bicycles will need to do all we can.
Here in the US I'm in the majority of road riders that ride with daytime flashing lights. I also use vertical neon greenish-yellow conspicuity tape, on my shoe heels, which helps grab attention.
Do road riders in the US get hit less than those in countries which don't see people running lights in the daytime?
Looks like a copy of the extremely popular Smart Lunar 0.5w. I often use one on non-blinking during the day.
What a ridiculous and comically unrealistic aspiration. How do you propose to "fix our roads and make them safe for all"? What exactly will that involve, how long will it take and what will it cost? And what is the likelihood of it ever happening?
Anyway, whilst you are waiting for your perfect world to arrive, you can do *your* bit to make *yourself* more visible (and therefore safer) by spending as little as £20 on a cheap, lightweight set of lights that cost next to nothing to run.
Like these for example;
http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/accessories/lights/f/set#!!price_f...
There ... that's "realistically" for you.
Perhaps a publicity stunt but its all about visibility. If I were riding a large motorcycle I'd have my lights on. Always. And wear pink camo gear if it caused a driver to look again. Driver inattentiveness (which I've been on the receiving end of !) Could become more of problem. More driver aids should make things easier but more toys equals more potential for driver overload and potential to fail to prioritise which driver aid to use or whether or not to use them at all.
Front and rear always on lights a good idea but we need better traffic segregation, cyclist specific signage and traffic officers who take cycling accidents seriously. Not just the deaths.
But most of all driver education that reflects the distractions and added complications that a modern car can bring. Oh and new test for chelsea tractors.
I'd agree. I'm fairly comfortable about the potential dangers in front of me because I can usually anticipate them and take avoiding action. It's the danger from behind that most concerns me because I won't see it coming.
I do think a flashing red light may help ... it might even penetrate the peripheral vision of a texting driver just in time for them to be alerted.
Again it is anecdotal but it does seem to me that most vehicles pass me with a significantly wider berth when I am running a flashing rear light in the daytime.
I have a good tail light that is bright and easy to spot. I always say 'If you're going to run over me and kill me then you are going to see me first'. I think it foolish to ride without one as I consider it even more important than a helmet. I see cyclists riding with lights that should not even be allowed to be sold they are so useless. I say a good light is a good investment. Because whether you think someone should see you are not won't matter if you are roadkill.
I'm all for anything that keeps cyclists safe but I'm struggling with that one.
Helmets are proven to save lives, rear lights aren't.
I have used a rear flashing light for about 6 years now. If I'm on a Club Run in good weather I don't switch it on, motorists should be able to spot a group of riders, but if the weather turns wet or foggy and the visibility drops I switch it on. If I get dropped or whenever I ride on my own (I am not very tall and ride a low position) I switch it on. My TT position is very low so I always have the light on to help make me more visible. It may or may not work but it definitely makes me FEEL safer, and I'm happy with that.
Even if scientifically unproven, there is at least a small chance that a rear light will make you more visible, therefore less likely to be hit. Even if the chance of an accident is only reduced by 5%, surely it is worth it to prevent serious injury? Only downsides being a cost of about £30 and a tiny weight penalty.
Don't understand those who think that they shouldn't have use lights in the daytime. Rain, spray, low sun, reflective sun on wet roads, moving from shady to bright areas?
There is also a proven but small risk of target fixation.
So would you rather be visible and the target or invisible and not seen?
Or would you rather suffer punishment passes where the driver did see you but didn't give a f***?
I can see lights can help, not sure they are a panacea, and I would argue more needs to be done about drivers who can see and do see but don't give enough room because they don't give a f***
The councils turn off street lights at night in order to reduce energy consumption, and now cyclist are being asked to use more energy by lighting up in the daytime? Modern day logic at its best!!
While I admire you for coming here and speaking directly with the public, there have been many times where this strategy has gone pear shaped, I can't help thinking that these dialogues are counter productive and just give ammunition to drivers in their victim blaming (cyclists should wear helmets, cyclists should wear hi viz and now cyclists should have lights during the day, SMIDSY!). And another conversation about what cyclists should be doing to protect themselves is wrong, in my opinion.
I would have far more respect for you guys if you put your money behind a campaign to assist drivers in their hazard perception training. As I said earlier, this is already inplace in the Highway Code and ultimately in the driving test. Media & attitudes in general have made victim blaming acceptable. Media can reverse this trend.
I was on an audax ride on Saturday. For a few kms we shared the route with a time trial. Many of the TTers were using these but none of the audaxers. This, of course, is due to the quoted 4.75 hour battery life making them only suitable for nipping to the shops or a short TT
I love riding my bike but what I love even more is coming home to my wife and kids in one piece. I always ride with a flashing front and rear light, anything that might save me being cleaned up by a car is worthwhile. I'm still don't feel 100% safe with so many drivers on their mobile phones, but when I drive I certainly spot a bike with a flashing light before I see one that does not have one.
I presume this was a reply to my comment about a 'dozy' pulling out to overtake when I was in the road space she would have needed to travel through to complete the manoeuvre. Yes, I have read the article you linked to - to believe it is in some way relevant requires me to believe that the woman was somehow not seeing properly the thing that was in the space she was about to enter. The implications of that are seriously scary, and if you really believe it you should be campaigning to remove drivers from the roads, not messing about with flashy lights.
I don't think it should be legislated, but I always use a Smart Superflash during the day one at home in Germany, which irritates drivers so you know you're been seen. Still didn't stop me getting hit from behind last year by a car doing 100kmh as I was riding into the setting sun.
Even so, I'd never dream of riding a dual-carriageway in Germany. I was driving from the south coast to Dover in July up the A23 in 14 degrees, it was raining, and really dingy at 9am and was astonished to see a road race being run along parts of the A23 in both directions - looked like a death wish to me. Only one of the riders out of 20 that I saw there had a flashing led on the back, the others were more or less invisible
I NEVER ride without my lights, both front and rear. Anything to improve my odds.
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