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I also hate flashing lights. Is it just me or do flashing bike lights cause some kind of strange mild disorientation? In addition, they are distracting and stop me seeing other things.

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I think flashing makes more sense at day time or twilight where they aren't nearly as contrast with the background brightness. You get massively better battery life blinking than solid on. But of course nothing stops a incompetent user using flashing lights pointed upwards at night.

It's not just you. Objects that blink are hard to track (our brains aren't good at it), and working to process it anyway creates an unnecessary distraction as a secondary effect. And as a tertiary effect, this added distraction leads to a reduction in safety.

Having some movement can be good, though. This is why I went out of my way to mount reflectors on the back side of my aftermarket pedals.

Along with a constant red tail light. And a fixed red reflector.

(A grown-ass man with reflectors on his bike? You betcha. The dork disc is still intact, too. I don't like crippling surprises, and I'll look way better with a safer bike than I ever can in the hospital.)

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