old as dirt wrote:
I I believe they make the rider using them to feel more like they should be seen better and they may get to complacent about that. If you actively and agressively scan your areas in front and to the sides you are in control of your visability. head nods and slight hand waves to other motorist helps keep you in their awarness zone.
If anyone gets complacent just because they have a modulating headlight an argument can be made to forgo hi-vis jackets and other be seen techniques.
I absolutely agree with being vigilent. Last week riding into town on a road with bad reputation a cage 150 yards in front of me turned into the turn lane then started to make a left turn in front of a semi traveling the other way at 55+ mph. Lucky for the cage part way into the oncoming lane he saw the truck and was able to steer back to the turn lane in time to miss him but probably needed a change of pants. For a driver that can't see a semi-truck there is no hope for a motorcyclist. This road has seen 3 mototcycle deaths in the last year from a car "not seeing" the bike. There have been two similar fatality accidents with just cages involved. Statistically the motorcycle is more likely to go unseen, but some people are like Sgt Schultz on Hogan's Heroes "I see nothing".
Proficient Motorcycling and MSF teach perceived eye contact is totally unreliable. At 60+ mph on a two lane road, the guy on a side road is too far away to make eye contact with and that was the situation of my closest call.
In addition to the modulator I have a winter high vis yellow jacket (plan to buy a mesh one in the spring), extra reflective tape on helmet and bike, auxiliary flashing LED brake lights and cages makeing bonehead moves around me. The bonehead moves are less and I am better at watching out for them driving defensively on bike or in cage.
One final thing, the questions on the modulator surprised me and especially from other riders, but are still less than the ones that I have a headlight burned out.