I think they give the rider a margin of safety, and I just don't see how they are distracting. Being a rider, I'm already aware of other bikes, but the flashing light does tend to grab my attention. I don't have it on my bike. I've been pretty lucky so far, and haven't had too many close calls. I have a rather large and pretty visible bike, but it's a dark color that might make it hard to see. That could become an issue for me.