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I believe that the apparent benefits to traffic safety from various lighting schemes share an underlying reason: producing uncertainty in other drivers, and thu

I believe that the apparent benefits to traffic safety from various lighting schemes share an underlying reason: producing uncertainty in other drivers, and thus more delay or caution before maneuvering. Daytime headlights for motorcycles (standard in the US since the 1970s, or so), daytime running lights (standard in Canada, now common in the US), helmet-mounted headlamps for bicyclists - all tend to produce a reaction of "Wait, what is that?" in drivers.

gojomo 4y ago
Indeed - similar to how narrower streets & traffic circles can reduce accidents by demanding more driver attention. Perhaps, even next-generation lighting could be dynamic, brightening or otherwise modulating when on-vehicle sensors detect other vehicles nearing. (That could be either be nearer generally, or when sensors detect heightening risk.)
enriquec 4y ago
Yea, I remember in some intro engineering course at brown they went over a study that over time, mandating more/new lighting eventually had a null or opposite effect - because drivers get used to them. Meanwhile energy, light pollution, and driver fatigue goes up. They don't seem to address this at all.
dustyleary 4y ago
That was the same impression I got when I saw the light patterns pictured in the article. I had to slow down a second to "figure out" what I was looking at. The study claims that "improved lighting could result in other motorists being able to see motorcycles up to 0.8 seconds sooner." Even this might be related to the fact that you are seeing something new and strange. If something "surprising" happens when I'm driving, my attention is instantly snapped to it, and my foot is at least on the brake pedal, if not actively braking. With that in mind, I wonder if the benefit from a new lighting design might fade over time as the novelty wore off.
- gojomo 4y ago
  At least some of the benefit being an expiring 'novelty effect' seems plausible. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelty_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelty_effect Maybe randomization of vehicle lighting schemes, across vehicles and time-periods, would provide the most-enduring improvements.
  - lallysingh 4y ago
    https://lightmodehelmets.com/ https://lightmodehelmets.com/ sticks to the outside of the helmet. Quite visible, but you feel as uncool as a highlighter yellow rain suit.
    - gojomo 4y ago
      Uncool?!? That's frickin' awesome! And you can leave it on from the parking lot to your DJ set. :)
mypalmike 4y ago
Yes, this is also why it makes sense to ride with a bit of side to side motion within the lane. Car drivers see it as somewhat erratic and start to pay attention. They often think you're being showy or maybe even drunk, but they notice, and that is what matters.
RhysU 4y ago
This is why the optimum lighting pattern really looks vaguely like the spouse of the viewing driver, preferably embracing a former lover.

gojomo 4y ago

Indeed - similar to how narrower streets & traffic circles can reduce accidents by demanding more driver attention. Perhaps, even next-generation lighting could be dynamic, brightening or otherwise modulating when on-vehicle sensors detect other vehicles nearing. (That could be either be nearer generally, or when sensors detect heightening risk.)

enriquec 4y ago

Yea, I remember in some intro engineering course at brown they went over a study that over time, mandating more/new lighting eventually had a null or opposite effect - because drivers get used to them. Meanwhile energy, light pollution, and driver fatigue goes up. They don't seem to address this at all.

dustyleary 4y ago

That was the same impression I got when I saw the light patterns pictured in the article. I had to slow down a second to "figure out" what I was looking at. The study claims that "improved lighting could result in other motorists being able to see motorcycles up to 0.8 seconds sooner." Even this might be related to the fact that you are seeing something new and strange. If something "surprising" happens when I'm driving, my attention is instantly snapped to it, and my foot is at least on the brake pedal, if not actively braking. With that in mind, I wonder if the benefit from a new lighting design might fade over time as the novelty wore off.

gojomo 4y ago
At least some of the benefit being an expiring 'novelty effect' seems plausible. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelty_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelty_effect Maybe randomization of vehicle lighting schemes, across vehicles and time-periods, would provide the most-enduring improvements.
- lallysingh 4y ago
  https://lightmodehelmets.com/ https://lightmodehelmets.com/ sticks to the outside of the helmet. Quite visible, but you feel as uncool as a highlighter yellow rain suit.
  - gojomo 4y ago
    Uncool?!? That's frickin' awesome! And you can leave it on from the parking lot to your DJ set. :)

mypalmike 4y ago

Yes, this is also why it makes sense to ride with a bit of side to side motion within the lane. Car drivers see it as somewhat erratic and start to pay attention. They often think you're being showy or maybe even drunk, but they notice, and that is what matters.

RhysU 4y ago

This is why the optimum lighting pattern really looks vaguely like the spouse of the viewing driver, preferably embracing a former lover.