Flashing Brake Light

Dirty · 26-03-2014, 09:59 PM

Yep, illegal, well it would fail an MOT but I thought I'd give it a go.

I had a look around and some are around £40! These are usually adjustable allowing you to change number of flashes, timing etc. Still seemed a lot, it's only a little box with some magic in it. Found some on eBay of course, from China. Paid £3

. I did ask a UK based seller, who had them for £7, a few questions but as they answered with, sorry, I don't know I just sell them haven't fitted one I went with China. I wanted to know what the sequence was. I didn't want it perma flashing.

Fitted it the other day. Flash wise I'm happy, does 4 quick flashes, 3 slower ones then goes solid. It's easy to remove come test time but I'm not sure if it's staying anyway.

Is it 'safer'? Hmmm, dunno. I guess it does draw the eye when it flashes but do drivers think 'he's braking hard'? No one has rammed me yet so it must be working

Here's a vid, apologys for the wobbly camera

https://vimeo.com/90160382

utopia · 26-03-2014, 10:54 PM

I think that drivers are more likely to think "what the fxxx's going on ?", and allow their attention to be momentarily distracted by that question, thus placing unnecessary focus on an irrelevant aspect, to the detriment of their general awareness of real road conditions.
Most of the time that may not matter but, for certain drivers and in certain conditions, that could be just enough confusion to cause a problem.
So I'm afraid I don't like it.
However, if you could restrict it to just a single flash before going continuous, you might just avoid the above problem and end up with a system which still attracted the eye, but without the potential to cause added confusion.
But then again, if everyone had one the effect would be lost and we'd just end up in a sea of flashing red light confusion all the time.
So again, I don't think I really like it.

And to be honest, if I can be so bold as to say so, and without meaning to cause offence, I find such gizmos a bit naff.
It definitely lets down your titanium wheel spindle.

Dirty · 26-03-2014, 11:17 PM

Yes i wondered about the distraction effect, but a bit of pondering brought me to a different conclusion. Most drivers when faced with a 'what the fxxxs going on' situation automatically go for the brake don't they. Certainly seems to me, doing mainly city driving, that 'argh stop' is the default, even when the most sensible and safest thing to do would be carry on. Pedestrians crossing the road come to mind, I've seen them and aim for where they are assuming they'll carry on and be gone by the time I get there. Not always the correct assumption. I find drivers to be similar creatures.

Naff! You wait til I get the blue and yellow LEDs fitted on the underside, the led valve caps and the angel eye halo ring for the headlights then talk to me about naff

Did I mention my new indicator jacket?

27-03-2014, 05:35 AM

My car has flashing brakes when applied hard at 50mph and randomly flashy ones when applied hard at 80 or more. If you could sort it that way round but at 30 or so you would pass the MOT and still cause people to think "wtf is that? Better use the anchors just in case"

27-03-2014, 09:32 AM

I can see both sides of this. Riding around on my commute through London I do find the flashing bicycle lights rather distracting - especially if the rider has set the light to the "illegal rave" setting. That said, blistering down the A3 and then suddenly coming up on a line of braking cars in front of me, I do tend to have a moment hoping the car behind has clocked my brake light (I tend to wave my arm up and down as I slow now). I think a flashing rear light would certainly help.

26-03-2014, 09:59 PM	#1
Dirty Bockloks Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London Bike: No Bike Yet! Posts: 4,601	Flashing Brake Light Yep, illegal, well it would fail an MOT but I thought I'd give it a go. I had a look around and some are around £40! These are usually adjustable allowing you to change number of flashes, timing etc. Still seemed a lot, it's only a little box with some magic in it. Found some on eBay of course, from China. Paid £3 . I did ask a UK based seller, who had them for £7, a few questions but as they answered with, sorry, I don't know I just sell them haven't fitted one I went with China. I wanted to know what the sequence was. I didn't want it perma flashing. Fitted it the other day. Flash wise I'm happy, does 4 quick flashes, 3 slower ones then goes solid. It's easy to remove come test time but I'm not sure if it's staying anyway. Is it 'safer'? Hmmm, dunno. I guess it does draw the eye when it flashes but do drivers think 'he's braking hard'? No one has rammed me yet so it must be working Here's a vid, apologys for the wobbly camera https://vimeo.com/90160382 __________________ Wounds heal, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever Beware of eBay

26-03-2014, 11:17 PM	#3
Dirty Bockloks Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London Bike: No Bike Yet! Posts: 4,601	Yes i wondered about the distraction effect, but a bit of pondering brought me to a different conclusion. Most drivers when faced with a 'what the fxxxs going on' situation automatically go for the brake don't they. Certainly seems to me, doing mainly city driving, that 'argh stop' is the default, even when the most sensible and safest thing to do would be carry on. Pedestrians crossing the road come to mind, I've seen them and aim for where they are assuming they'll carry on and be gone by the time I get there. Not always the correct assumption. I find drivers to be similar creatures. Naff! You wait til I get the blue and yellow LEDs fitted on the underside, the led valve caps and the angel eye halo ring for the headlights then talk to me about naff Did I mention my new indicator jacket? __________________ Wounds heal, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever Beware of eBay

26-03-2014, 10:54 PM	#2
utopia No turn left unstoned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: leicester Bike: M750 Posts: 4,546	I think that drivers are more likely to think "what the fxxx's going on ?", and allow their attention to be momentarily distracted by that question, thus placing unnecessary focus on an irrelevant aspect, to the detriment of their general awareness of real road conditions. Most of the time that may not matter but, for certain drivers and in certain conditions, that could be just enough confusion to cause a problem. So I'm afraid I don't like it. However, if you could restrict it to just a single flash before going continuous, you might just avoid the above problem and end up with a system which still attracted the eye, but without the potential to cause added confusion. But then again, if everyone had one the effect would be lost and we'd just end up in a sea of flashing red light confusion all the time. So again, I don't think I really like it. And to be honest, if I can be so bold as to say so, and without meaning to cause offence, I find such gizmos a bit naff. It definitely lets down your titanium wheel spindle.

27-03-2014, 05:35 AM	#4
don_matese Guest Posts: n/a	My car has flashing brakes when applied hard at 50mph and randomly flashy ones when applied hard at 80 or more. If you could sort it that way round but at 30 or so you would pass the MOT and still cause people to think "wtf is that? Better use the anchors just in case"

27-03-2014, 09:32 AM	#5
turbohobbit Guest Posts: n/a	I can see both sides of this. Riding around on my commute through London I do find the flashing bicycle lights rather distracting - especially if the rider has set the light to the "illegal rave" setting. That said, blistering down the A3 and then suddenly coming up on a line of braking cars in front of me, I do tend to have a moment hoping the car behind has clocked my brake light (I tend to wave my arm up and down as I slow now). I think a flashing rear light would certainly help.