Late night country riding

[superman]

For the benefit of someone (maybe).

When you are riding late at night through the country, stay at the utmost level of awareness. Seeing another vehicle may be rare, but in the last year I've come across buffalo, cows and a few horses. Do not become complacent!

It's safe to say you do not want to collide with such burly animals, and that running over a rabbit/possum in a corner is risky enough for your safety.

However... if you don't wish to end up as a man and beast sausage or crawling through the country going 20km/h around blind corners there are some techniques you should be practising over and over.

1. Emergency Braking
2. Eat carrots, lots of carrots
3. Emergency Braking in a corner (extra points for not losing traction)
4. Scanning proficiency
5. Expecting the unexpected

I constantly ride 12am - 2am through the country, don't see many bikers doing the same but I'm sure there's some around.

If you do come across stock, find the farmer, wake them up and give them a hounding. Most of the time the stocks only gotten out because they've been doing some 'creative' fencing.

[unstuck]

Stock on the road is just a part of life down here,mate hit a deer a couple of years ago and fucked himself up.

[george formby]

It's more flavoursome riding at night. The merths are the worst, can't see jack when the buggers stick to your visor like a bat signal.

A few years ago I noticed that the reflective posts at the road side are illuminated way beyond the head light throw & started using them as a secondary vanishing point. My road position is a lot better, far fewer suprises with tightening corners etc & more time for spotting hazards like bears, drunks, gravel & cow pats.

[Usarka]

Another tip, the reflective markers along the side of the road are different on each side. Learning which is which makes life a lot easier.....

[Gremlin]

It's dark at night?

You should have more lights

[george formby]

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Another tip, the reflective markers along the side of the road are different on each side. Learning which is which makes life a lot easier.....

Tis true, very helpful to know which side is which. I have noticed the colours are not consistent though. You can do the same thing with cats eyes too. Luckily we do not have any badgers here, buggers of things for knocking you off late of an evening.

[bogan]

Carrots thing is bullshit. You should only ride at a speed in which you can stop within you visual distance, so more lights = more speed! And don't get stuck out with only a tinted visor, it makes for pretty slow going

[caspernz]

Oh bugger the helpful advice! Where in this country can I play chicken with buffalo?

[george formby]

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Carrots thing is bullshit. so more liYou should only ride at a speed in which you can stop within you visual distance,ghts = more speed! And don't get stuck out with only a tinted visor, it makes for pretty slow going

The first part applies whenever you ride but the second bit catches you out on tighter corners, particularly left handers, or is it right handers, hmmmm. Any hoo, when your staring into the abyss & your headlight is illuminating a field, that's when the reflective doo dackeys help a lot...

[superman]

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Oh bugger the helpful advice! Where in this country can I play chicken with buffalo?

Guess I'm just lucky to have neighbours which produce buffalo cheese/milk

[bogan]

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The first part applies whenever you ride but the second bit catches you out on tighter corners, particularly left handers, or is it right handers, hmmmm. Any hoo, when your staring into the abyss & your headlight is illuminating a field, that's when the reflective doo dackeys help a lot...

Depends on the spread, some lights offer remarkably improved beam pattern and light intensity over stock units. I still have an HID unit to go in mine

[Fast Eddie]

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Tis true, very helpful to know which side is which. I have noticed the colours are not consistent though. You can do the same thing with cats eyes too. Luckily we do not have any badgers here, buggers of things for knocking you off late of an evening.

Apparently there is actually quite a bit of info on the relective markers on each side of the road, An old work collegue tried to explain the rule of thumb but I was more interested in something else. Basically the colors/strips on the reflective markers should also give you an indication of the corner speed as well as an upcoming left/right bend. and if you know how to read them they will give you enough info by color, and if it has a white strip through the color etc and other cues to tell you if its a right or left coming up and if its safe to take the bend at the speed limit of if you need to slow to safely take it. Now if only I knew how to read them...

[george formby]

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Apparently there is actually quite a bit of info on the relective markers on each side of the road, An old work collegue tried to explain the rule of thumb but I was more interested in something else. Basically the colors/strips on the reflective markers should also give you an indication of the corner speed as well as an upcoming left/right bend. and if you know how to read them they will give you enough info by color, and if it has a white strip through the color etc and other cues to tell you if its a right or left coming up and if its safe to take the bend at the speed limit of if you need to slow to safely take it. Now if only I knew how to read them...

That would explain my confusion. How clever. Now to do a bit of research me thinks. Cheers.

[george formby]

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That would explain my confusion. How clever. Now to do a bit of research me thinks. Cheers.

Research done. Road markers explained & markings explained. The writer is very dry, no sex, violence or humour in the road marking world...... It all becomes clear at fig 3.8 here

[oneofsix]

I was taught to drive by an old road worker. When going round the bend as you pass one marker another should appear around the corner, if not slow down. Yes the colours are different for near side and far side, bridge abutments etc but I have been noticing the markers are getting removed in favour of these speed signs and other useless devices rather than telling drivers how the markers work. All they really need to know is that a new one should appear as the pass one, what's so hard???