On the dubious subject of illegal 'flashing adidtional front lights'.... in the US bikers can add a headlight modulator which flashes high beam continuously when they're riding, and it is said to make a huge difference to their visibility. I wouldn't try to argue otherwise.
EG
Unfortunately the flashing highbeam will get us into trouble in Europe, and there is some eviodence to say that when the modulator is working it is difficult to see your indicators....
I made use of the brake light modulator last year on my last bike, by making a unit which flashed two bright red leds when the brakes were applied, 4 fast flashes, 4 slow flashes and then a steady fade routine.
Then I read about glimmering leds for the front. The science behind it says that a light is most noticeable when it flashes at between 15Hz-17Hz rate. When looked at directly the light virtually appears to be on cosntantly, but the frequency response of the eye in the peripheral zone is less than at the centre of the eye and so a flashing light in your periphery is quite attention grabbing and it makes you look in that direction.
I made a test unit on my last bike and flickered a pair of front facing white leds at a rate which stepped around in the 15Hz-18Hz range. I don't know if the leds were bright enough to be honest but they did grab your attention and then when you view them head on they don't appear to be flashing at all due to POV
EG
I like the idea of the 'alert' function - tap the brakes twice, quickly, and the front leds flash as an extra warning - could be handy when approaching a junction.
The background to this, is that I was knocked off twice in the space of 7 months , Oct 2015 and April 2016, on both occassions the drivers said they had no idea I was there. I had been on a BikeSafe course in September 2014 and decided that my all black leather look probably could do with some enhancement in terms of visibility....so I had added the following
- Hi Viz jacket
- Bright front LEDs on the back of the mirrors
The first accident was settled with the insurance very quickly because they admitted full liability, The second case is ongoing due to a lack of witnesses, so the third party's insurance is pushing hard for 50/50 liability , despite the other driving admitting (at the scene in front of a constable) he was unaware there had even been an accident.
So I just wanted some opinion on ways to make yourself more visible, because as I've discovered if the other driver doesn't look in your direction they aren't going to see you at all. Perhaps some other accident was averted because of the measures I did take ? plenty of evidence suggests extra lighting reduces accident rates, but some evidence suggests not EG Singaporean motorcycle accident rate changed only slightly after DRLs, daytime running lights, became compulsory
There was also no real difference in accident rates between US states which had mandated DRLs and those which hadn't.
I feel there is a factor which is overlooked in this research, in that many of the areas where there is little effect, the average daytime brightness level is quite high. Here in Scotland, particularly at this time of year, even a small led is visible at a distance....not so in sunny parts of the world.
Interestingly both of the accidents I mentioned happened in good sunny conditions.....were my leds just not bright enough ?