Ask Phoebe: Safe bikers see the light and cover the angles

My biggest issue with dazzling lights on vehicles is with some cyclists who have overly bright lights fitted to their bikes, usually intermittent, so there is a series of very bright pulses that are almost blinding and very distracting, whether visible ahead or in the rear vision mirror. Surely there is a safety standard for such devices?

Graeme Easte, Mt Albert.

There is and there isn't.

The road code states that when ridden at night, cycles must have the following:

A steady or flashing rear-facing red light that can be seen at night from a distance of 100m, and one or two white or yellow headlights that can be seen at night from a distance of 100m (one of these lights may flash).

However, Consumer magazine reported recently that even though high output LEDs and USB rechargeable models had revolutionised bike lights, there was no New Zealand standard for them.

This means there are plenty that are so dim they are almost useless - and also some which are too bright.

In the latter case of front lights, they suggest you use the less bright settings or point the lights slightly down towards the road.

So how bright is bright?

The law says lights and reflectors must be visible from 100m away and that they must not dazzle other road users.

In good conditions, a candle meets these requirements.

The article goes on to say that the more visible and recognisable you are at night, the safer you are.

This means using a combination of lights, reflectors, reflective clothing and bright colours that make you obvious in any conditions.

But does this mean the brightest lights are the best?

Not necessarily. A light may be bright when seen from straight on, but not when seen at an angle - and many night-time accidents between bikes and cars happen side on or at an angle rather than from directly in front or behind.

So being visible from all angles is important.

Having travelled recently up and down the motorway system through Auckland, and seen signs that say "North" and "South", as well as ones that announce the Northern Motorway and Southern Motorway, I got to wondering - where does one end and the other begin?

Brian Jones, Auckland.
The motorway system that runs through the City of Auckland (State Highway 1) is made up of several sections.

From north to south, you travel along the Northern Motorway from the Puhoi turn-off to the northern abutment of the Harbour Bridge.

You then travel over the bridge (a separate section of SH1) to the southern abutment, where the Central Motorway Junction, aka Spaghetti Junction, begins.

This section takes you through to Khyber Pass Rd, where the Southern Motorway begins.

This ends at the State Highway 2 interchange at Pokeno.

Tell us Do you have a question for Phoebe? It can be about transport or any Auckland issue Email askphoebe@nzherald.co.nz.