Lief you can simply lament the destruction of your budget.
Bob,
My budget is so shot, I gotta wear shades.
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These lights are pretty awesome - when it comes time to worry myself over more lighting I have direction.
Thanks Team.
One corollary on lights - I have a still-incomplete-but-practically-tested theory that takes into account how (I think) our brain often works to judge both existence (that it's there) and distance...of things like bikes on the road.
One important way our brain decides how far away an oncoming vehicles is; using what we know about the distance between headlights (relative size and familiar size). One of the few things left from the observer inside a car (can't use noise for example).
That and relative motion (depth from motion) against other things (lights, shrubs, cars, etc).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_perception
Since...
Bikes TEND to only have one light in the front - which means drivers can't use relative size and familiar size. But they might choose familiarity with "brightness". If the brain thinks it's bright enough to be car headlights then they are SO far away as to merge into one that they must represent a car that is REALLY far away. (these are snap judgements by the way - not considered in the rational part of your brain - the kind that make a driver pull in front of you unexpectedly). Even if the bike has two bright lights - it may still trick the driver since rarely are they set apart at "vehicle" size.
The brain might try to use motion - but bikes move slower against the backdrop - also making it seem as if they are further away (or stationary).
So, I've worked out this arrangement.
Mount my light far enough back so as to illuminate part of ME.
This is particularly easy to do on recumbents as you can illuminate your feet quite easily AND still get forward light sufficient for seeing the road (especially with awesome lights such as those available today).
On an upright - I think the best solution might be to point a light backwards from the handlebars (but since we are on Cruzbike.com I'll not belabor that point).
This provides for a much simpler snap judgment on distance using relative and familiar sizes (knowing how big a person's feet/legs are).
It also provides, usually, for some recognizable motion against a backdrop. Though not quite the same as "whole bike motion" against the backdrop.
My anecdotal evidence appears to me that since I mounted my headlight like this I've had FAR fewer "close calls" than when my lights were previously mounted - unobstructed - in the farthest point forward.
The only real con could be how you might be bothered by your feet flashing along in the forward beam of your headlight - I don't notice it so much in much of the well-lit routes I ride.
If it's REALLY dark. If I had this situation I'd probably just have a steady light pointed at my legs from below/behind.
For Charles...and to save another thousand words.
