Light Use Question

[Selkie]

I have a bright headlight that I turn on before leave the house (I ride after work). I get home at 4pm, so I'm riding at dusk into sunset hours--for now, that will change to all dark before long :( Anyway, I ride mostly on trails. There is this commuter bike guy who passes me in the opposite lane and every day he tells me to turn off my light. Well, I like to have it on. One reason is that it's new, I haven't used it much, and I want to charge the battery. Another reason, is that I don't want to have to fuss with putting it on later. It's just easier to turn it on and forget it.
Am I making some biker faux pas by having my headlight on during dusk/pre-dusk hours? No one else comments about it. By the way, this guy doesn't have any lights on his bike.
I am amazed at the number of riders with no lights---headlights or LEDs out on the trails after sunset. There folks HAVE to be on the roads, at least for a little way, to get to their houses.

[Trek420]

I keep a cateye light going even during the day! It's visible from the side and I know that it's caught the eye of drivers who would have missed me so I don't think you're wrong ever to have lights.

Maybe it's pointed upwards to much and hits his eye? Can you nudge it down a bit?

[CorsairMac]

I turn on my headlight and both rear blinkies when I leave work at night - around 4:30. I'm with you, I don't wanna have to deal with trying to turn everything on once I'm riding. My commute home is 80% bike trails but I use the lights anyway for the streets I have to cross and to make sure I can be seen by anything on the trails and to see.
Maybe just a simple "thanks" the next time he tells you to turn it off will eventually shut him up! :rolleyes:

[Adventure Girl]

Is it a handlebar light or helmet light? If it's a helmet light, try not to look right at the person's face because that shines the light right in his eyes. But if it isn't even dusk yet it shouldn't be blinding him.

What's his attitude? Does he sound informative -- like maybe you don't know you have your light on? Or does he sound like he's mad at you and your light is bothering him?

As far as I know, there's no cycling social discrace in riding with your light on at dusk... :rolleyes:

[nuthatch]

Boy this story made me boiling mad! Surely your little light, no matter how bright, isn't anything in comparison to the car lights he meets. I agree with the suggestion that you might want to angle the light down a bit, but don't let this guy's preferences buffalo you into taking chances with your safety. I use my lights a lot, even in gloomy weather when cars would also have their lights on for visibility. It's my right, as a user of the road. He sounds like a crackpot to me, riding around in the gloaming with no lights at all. :mad:

[Selkie]

It's a handlebar light, and I have it aimed straight ahead, not at eye level. He's the only one who tells me to turn it off. As a matter of fact, several other guys have commented favorably, "great light...I like your light....etc." For some reason, he tells me to turn it off every time I see him (several days a week). I think he's one of these folks who considers himself "Mr. Expert Bikeman" and that I'm some stupid broad who needs him to tell me what to do. As Mr. T used to say, "I pity the fool."
Thanks for the feedback---at least I know that I'm not the dumb jacka** in this instance!!! :)