A pilot study of road lighting, cycle lighting and obstacle detection

Abstract

This paper investigates cyclists' detection of an obstacle on the surface of the road ahead, observed in peripheral vision, and how this is affected by variations in light level from road and cycle lighting. The data analysed were the height at which a rising obstacle was detected, this simulating an approaching irregularity in the road surface. The results suggest that when cycling on a lit road, cycle lighting frequently offers no benefit for peripheral detection and may make it worse. It was demonstrated that position matters: At low illuminances, a hub-mounted lamp improved detection over a handlebar-mounted lamp. This benefit was sufficient to offset the reduction in detection found when decreasing road lighting from 2.0 lux to 0.2 lux.

Road lighting research for drivers and pedestrians: The basis of luminance and illuminance recommendations

“…Such research is desirable because cyclists are at high risk of a road accident, 172 and there are policies in many countries to promote cycling as a sustainable travel alternative to motorised vehicles. There is evidence that changes in practice and policy would be advantageous, 172 that improvements in the design and location of cycle lamps could improve safety, [173][174][175] and that reflective clothing enhances conspicuity after dark. 176 Many cyclists appear reluctant, however, to use these aids to safer cycling, with on-road surveys in the UK suggesting that only around 25%-58% of cyclists use both front and rear lamps.…”

The Effect of Dimmed Road Lighting and Car Headlights on Visibility in Varying Road Surface Conditions

“…(i.e. Akashi et al, 2003;Rea et al, 2010;Bullough and Rea, 2010;Skinner and Bullough, 2011;and Fotios et al, 2017). For example, Akashi et al (2003) studied the detection distances to small targets under three roadway lighting levels (2-20 lux) and three low beam headlight levels (100%, 30%, and 10%).…”

“…Even for non-motorised traffic, high lighting levels above 2 lx may not be necessary. Fotios et al, (2017) investigated the relationship between various road lighting levels and cycle-mounted lamps. They found that the detection distance changes by cyclists under road lighting alone when reducing illuminance from 20 lux to 2.0 lux was negligible, but a significant decrease in detection was found at illuminance levels below 2.0 lux.…”

Maintenance Factor Identification in Outdoor Lighting Installations Using Simulation and Optimization Techniques

“…These authors simulated roadway lighting quality and then set an experimental scenario to evaluate the energy saving, making some conclusions regarding the benefits of LED luminaires. Other authors have evaluated the influence of lighting in obstacle detection, demonstrating that positioning has a strong influence at low illuminances, e.g., a hub-mounted lamp improved detection compared to a handlebar-mounted lamp [18]. Gago-Calderón et al [17] studied LED photometric properties such as illuminance, uniformity, disability and discomfort glares and enhanced these properties by using an improved optic cover.…”

“…Moreover, high-quality outdoor lighting is an essential service for a city; it has economic benefits for municipalities, engenders a feeling of safety for inhabitants, aids the vision of drivers and pedestrians and contributes to energy efficiency [14,16,17]. Therefore, lighting optimization is an important field of study in modern society and several authors have carried out extensive research on this issue [2,14,[16][17][18][19]. Nardelli et al [2] evaluated the potential of LED technology and their results showed that LED light sources have an extensive lifecycle, good luminous efficiency and superior color rendering index, although the acquisition costs are still high.…”