You got Goldilocks lighting?

[SuperDave]

Goldilocks lighting is "just right" lighting. That is, it's not dark or dim and it isn't too bright.
Lights on your person should be bright enough to be seen at night so you don't get run over but should not be so bright as to blind others.
Some people just put on the very brightest light they can find and figure that's good.
Well, it may be good for the person behind the light but it sure as heck isn't good for the people coming the other way.
Good night vision is important for the safety of all on the Playa and if you are blinding people with your high intensity light you are not only
annoying them--you are putting them in danger.
If you are blinded by these bright lights it's almost impossible to the the darkwads cruising through the crowds at high speed--an invitation to disaster.
Keep you bicycle light pointed down, not straight into approaching eyes.
The worst of all are those headband mounted super bright led lights. If a light is mounted on your head it is impossible to keep pointed down,
it mostly shines right in other's faces. Use dimmer lights or glow on you person.
If you are walking, you do NOT need to illuminate your path in front of you so pleeeeeessse leave those headlights at home.

It takes a communal effort to keep the playa safe for all at night.

[delle]

If you are walking, you do NOT need to illuminate your path in front of you so pleeeeeessse leave those headlights at home.

Bad advice, IMHO. Bring the headlights. They're fucking necessary.

If you have a hinged one - and especially one with a red-light option - You already Win. Either way, slipping it down around your neck so it lights the ground and not others' eyes is minimal courtesy.

[BoyScoutGirl]

I wear headlamps while working in a group all the time as a field biologist. We pretty much never blind each other because, as delle explains, you angle the light downward. It's the same thing as car headlights, really: they're angled downward so they aren't bright in you eyes unless the lights are above you. Having a red gel or LED makes it even less of a problem.

[robrob]

yeah. n00bs wearing (incredibly powerful) white headlamps on their heads kinda surpassed darkwards on my annoyance meter this year.

[GreyCoyote]

The worst of all are those headband mounted super bright led lights. If a light is mounted on your head it is impossible to keep pointed down, it mostly shines right in other's faces. Use dimmer lights or glow on you person.
If you are walking, you do NOT need to illuminate your path in front of you so pleeeeeessse leave those headlights at home.

My beloved $14 Walmart head light offends you? Thats odd, because it adjusts downward nicely, has three brightness settings, and lets me pee with pinpoint accuracy so the next guy gets a clean seat in the JOTS. Great for walking, campwork, or fixing things where you need both hands.

BTW: A lighted path is a safer path. Even cave men knew this, which is why they invented portable fire, aka the torch.

I would suggest your "worst offender" is anything but. Its a useful tool.

[danibel]

I found a head light that is on a band and it has 4 settings; one super bright, one not so bright, red, and green. It also has a tilt! I am not sure what the green is for though. I love this light. I wear it on red like a necklace and it's bright enough that I can see around me, and my sweetie can see me. I usually have a glowby in my hair too, but this personal light makes my life easier. This year I needed a good light while riding my bike due to all the beaches. I wish I could remember where I bought it. I would buy more for gifts! Oh! And it takes 3 AAA batteries that are super easy to change (no tools).

[AntiM]

I found a head light that is on a band and it has 4 settings; one super bright, one not so bright, red, and green. It also has a tilt! I am not sure what the green is for though. I love this light. I wear it on red like a necklace and it's bright enough that I can see around me, and my sweetie can see me. I usually have a glowby in my hair too, but this personal light makes my life easier. This year I needed a good light while riding my bike due to all the beaches. I wish I could remember where I bought it. I would buy more for gifts! Oh! And it takes 3 AAA batteries that are super easy to change (no tools).

MyLarry has one much like that, and it has blue setting too. Nifty.

[Token]

Our eyes are much more sensitive to green/blue light than to red. Especially when your eyes adjust to low light.

Blue is my favorite for non-intrusive lighting.

[Omitimo]

I have been a cyclist for a lot of years now. I almost always have enough lights to be seen in most conditions, but my preferred m.o. is Ninja. Natch, this carried over to BRC when I was making a run to the can, or was on a back road, in an alley or non busy side street. I feel safer at night when my vision has adjusted to dark and remains that way. Most of my light in town came from a headlamp on bright shrouded by my neckerchief. I spent much of my time on foot and was pleased to meet other Ninjas and get their perspectives. Surprisingly, I was only called out a few times for it.
One nite, I was wearing ALL white, the sky was clear and the moon was bright. I wore a small red blinky on my ass. They sarcastically commented on my visibility and I kinda chuckled it off and then they kinda got rude about it.
They called me a Darktard and I told them I was A Dark Lord and A Ninja, A White Ninja, so a good one.
They would have none of it.
I reached in my pocket, pulled out the 500 lumens, turned my head and shined 'em.
"I'm tripping and now you can't see me, Fuck yer Burn, but not really".

Anyway, turn 'em down, wish all of us had more commoner senses.

[theCryptofishist]

Anyway, turn 'em down, wish all of us had more commoner senses.

"Common sense" is the stuff that you learned so young that you don't even realize that it's there. With all the subcultures in this country, it's hardly a shock that we don't all consider the same things should be mentally held in common.

[Jovankat]

I almost always have enough lights to be seen in most conditions, but my preferred m.o. is Ninja. Natch, this carried over to BRC when I was making a run to the can, or was on a back road, in an alley or non busy side street. I feel safer at night when my vision has adjusted to dark and remains that way.

So light yourself adequately but do it in red, it won't effect your night vision and you won't get called out or give anyone an unnecessary fright.

[danibel]

So I was wondering around Fry's (as I am known to do) and I happened upon the lighting aisle. I had not seen this before, as this was a new Fry's to me in San Jose. They had about 25 different bike tire lights (mostly LEDs that strap on the wheel spokes) and all kinds of headlamps. I had to stifle my yelp of happiness when I found the headlamp I brought this year. It's a four mode with red as an option (my fav), and tilts down for non-eye-blinding. It takes 3 AAA batteries and is super bright. Only $14.99. Brand is Dorcy. I bought one for my sweetie for a stocking stuffer, and I hope to pick up a few more by the time the next burn comes around as gifts for campmates or virgins.

Yay. I should have known it would be at Fry's. That is exactly where I buy stuff like that.

http://www.dorcy.com/p-359-41-2093-42-l ... light.aspx Retail is $18.99 according to the Manufacturer.