Night time driving

[awa355]

According to tonights news, NZ'rs are the third worst night time drivers in the developed world.

Are we?? :cry: Who are the two countries that dare assume, they are better than us at lousy driving after dark?


Only a Bronze for bad night time driving,:facepalm: Surely, we can do better. I would start with abolishing driving tests altogether, remove the requirement to indicate, amongst other measures.

On a serious note, on night driving, when it is pouring with rain on the motorways, the reflection of the motorway lights off the wet surface makes many headlights redundant. The road lane markings are just about impossible to see.

Would switching those orange lights off, help?

[FJRider]

Maybe ... part of license testing ... X number of hours night driving ... :shutup:

and street lighting on ALL roads ... :facepalm:

[PrincessBandit]

Not to mention not outriding/driving your headlight range...(or ability to be prepared for what lies just outside the beam)

Oh noes, that might mean dropping the speed a little to better prepare for the unexpected. Can't have that.

[Subike]

blaming poor road lighting is just another excuse for bloody poor driving skills
If as many of us know, driver training in NZ was better, things like this would not be such a problem.
Its lazy drivers, with little skill traveling at the ""safe speed"" that cause the problem,
Some dont understand the 100kph limt, is for good conditions, not all conditions

[FJRider]

Oh noes, that might mean dropping the speed a little to better prepare for the unexpected. Can't have that.

That's the solution ... lower the speed limit by 20 km's after sunset. :yes:

Problem solved ... :laugh:

[Road kill]

I prefer night time driving over day time.

Not so much on my bike though,the bugs seem bigger at night time.

I'd love to know who came up with the figures,,,and what their $$angle$$ is.<_<

[Gremlin]

I don't know what you lot are going on about.

There seems to be a decent proportion who can't turn their lights on... we're talking pitch dark, residential streets, city streets, motorways, nah, fuck it, don't need lights. I won't even try to make comments about dusk if they can't do it at night. :facepalm: For those clued up enough to realise what I'm trying to tell them, a percentage struggle to actually turn on their lights (or get high beam).

For those that just stare at me blankly... :bash:

I do struggle to believe there are countries that are worse.

I travel a fair bit at night. Probably half the week involves a trip at dusk/night and I've done a lot of night riding, including riding the whole night and even some adventure riding. The views are shit though :rolleyes:

[Akzle]

...remove the requirement to indicate, amongst other measures.

On a serious note, on night driving, when it is pouring with rain on the motorways, the reflection of the motorway lights off the wet surface makes many headlights redundant. The road lane markings are just about impossible to see.

Would switching those orange lights off, help?

fucken reckon. who indicates anyway?!
our road marking is shocking. a bit of surface water and it disappears. i believe in yurp they grind up recycled glass which adds reflectivity to the road marking paint...
also think they should pull out every second lamp post from motorways where they have them.
and restrict cocks with 4x4s in town from having 10 bajillion watt kryptonite hyper-daytime bulbs, they're just not fucking necessary.

[mashman]

fucken reckon. who indicates anyway?!
our road marking is shocking. a bit of surface water and it disappears. i believe in yurp they grind up recycled glass which adds reflectivity to the road marking paint...
also think they should pull out every second lamp post from motorways where they have them.
and restrict cocks with 4x4s in town from having 10 bajillion watt kryptonite hyper-daytime bulbs, they're just not fucking necessary.

We call them Cats Eyes. Just about every road has them (ya kinda take them for granted), but they are feckin brilliant on the long stretches of road and motorway that don't have lights.

@OP: aye, that stupid orange haze in the rain is painful on the eyes, spechully when you've just come out of a pitch black area.

[oneofsix]

I prefer night time driving over day time.

Not so much on my bike though,the bugs seem bigger at night time.

I'd love to know who came up with the figures,,,and what their $$angle$$ is.<_<

A bit buried but perhaps this (http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/7774478/Street-lights-not-up-to-scratch) helps. Seems they want to sell LED street lamps.

awa355 not having lights don't make the markings any more visable

akzle there was a thread a while back about glass beads being left on the road in NZ after the painting of road markings . This would mean they are used in at least some cases.

[YellowDog]

I prefer night time driving over day time.

Not so much on my bike though,the bugs seem bigger at night time.

I'd love to know who came up with the figures,,,and what their $$angle$$ is.<_<

At night time, you can very easily see approaching cars from a long way off.

AND hopefully get back on your own side of the road before they get too close!

[willytheekid]

That's the solution ... lower the speed limit by 20 km's after sunset. :yes:

Problem solved ... :laugh:

...I wouldn't be surprised if they did exactly that mate, it seems to be the ONLY solution the police and the NZTA can ever come up with.
Better driver training, more lighting, etc etc...that all costs money!, and it requires some degree of thought and organization...where as road signs are cheap!, and damn easy to put up.:yes:

[FJRider]

At night time, you can very easily see approaching cars from a long way off.

AND hopefully get back on your own side of the road before they get too close!

We won't talk about the things you can't see at night ... like sheep, cattle, horses, rocks, pot-holes ... :shutup:

[Scuba_Steve]

There seems to be a decent proportion who can't turn their lights on... we're talking pitch dark, residential streets, city streets, motorways, nah, fuck it, don't need lights.

I have found modern cages in well lit streets can be a problem. I've done it on a couple of occasions where I've got 100m down the road before realising my lights ain't on, all because the streets are so well lit up vehicles lights have no effect on my vision & the modern cage come standard with dashboard glowing like it's christmas in Chernobyl at all times unlike older models which waited till headlights were on before lighting up.
I have noticed in the newer of the modern cages there be a headlight light on the dash now to tell you when your headlights on like the high beam one of old (which is also still there).
If you ask me they'd be better off returning to the days of old, dashboard glows when lights go on twas simple, easy & it worked... but then I guess it didn't look as "cool" :facepalm:

[Road kill]

There's no shortage of people in this country that can't drive or ride very well during day light,,,,an have a raft of reasons why it's not their fault.

Put those same people out there in the dark and the problem becomes even larger.

To all those that have posted why "it's the lights,,"it modern cars,,"it's the road marking.

I'm talking to you cunts,,get your shit togeather FFS:angry:

[george formby]

:facepalm::shit:

Jeez, theirs some tripe in the media. It's habitual in a lot of Middle Eastern countries to drive at night with the headlights switched off so they wear there bulbs out. Bloody terrifying!

Admittedly a straight road in the desert is a bit different.

Gawd, just engage brain before starting.

[Road kill]

:facepalm::shit:

Jeez, theirs some tripe in the media. It's habitual in a lot of Middle Eastern countries to drive at night with the headlights switched off so they wear there bulbs out. Bloody terrifying!

Admittedly a straight road in the desert is a bit different.

Gawd, just engage brain before starting.

My boss is like that,,doesn't like seeing the truck lights on during the day because it might strain the charging system.

Wouldn't be an issue,,,if it was his fucking truck.:facepalm:

[awa355]

That's the solution ... lower the speed limit by 20 km's after sunset. :yes:

Problem solved ... :laugh:

Can you imagine the money made from speeding fines if the limit was down to 80kph after dark:cry:

I travel to and from work each night and the number of cars on the road with one headlight not working is amazing. The end result of having headlights worth $3-500, although most would only be a blown bulb. Most, would only bother to replace the knackered light/bulb at wof time. ( one downside to proposed longer wof timeframes).

[darkwolf]

A workmate of mine just replaced a HID bulb in his car - $250 for new, 2nd hand $80. I wondered why I saw so many later model cars driving with a headlight out but now I think I get it, they don't want to pay $250 for a part on their $10K car - makes perfect sense :facepalm:

[FJRider]

Can you imagine the money made from speeding fines if the limit was down to 80kph after dark:cry:

I travel to and from work each night and the number of cars on the road with one headlight not working is amazing. The end result of having headlights worth $3-500, although most would only be a blown bulb. Most, would only bother to replace the knackered light/bulb at wof time. ( one downside to proposed longer wof timeframes).

What many may not realise ... not having a vehicle up to WoF standard can get them a fine ... and demerits. ($150 & 10 Demerits currently ... I think) No lengthening of WoF periods will change that. It may even see an increase in the existing fines/demerits if those periods are increased.

Most night time accidents can be put down to out-driving their headlights. The short delay as the brain deciphers what the eye's see ahead .. until the foot hits the brake, makes the braking distance required to stay safe is just too far.

Try it yourself ... by counting off TWO seconds (as per the two second rule) from first seeing a given point on (the side of) the road ahead ...at night. An unfamiliar road is a good way to demonstrate this. It may suprise you.

[awa355]

Once apon a time, you could go into the local sv stn and pick up a standard 5" or 7" headlight unit for $35. It fitted most cars. A different era admittidly, but shows how complicated and expensive, basic auto features have become.

I would hate having to replace some of the headlights on newer sportsbikes.

[Gremlin]

I would hate having to replace some of the headlights on newer sportsbikes.
Not just sportsbikes... the headlight on my GSA costs around $800 I think. Free under warranty though (haha BMW).

[scumdog]

That's the solution ... lower the speed limit by 20 km's after sunset. :yes:

Problem solved ... :laugh:


They do that in other countries (Canada for one) so it's not as 'out-there' as it may seem.

[caspernz]

That's the solution ... lower the speed limit by 20 km's after sunset. :yes:

Problem solved ... :laugh:

The other approach would be to ride/drive to the conditions wouldn't it? Seems to have worked for me for the last 3 or so million clicks...:Punk::laugh::yes:

[FJRider]

The other approach would be to ride/drive to the conditions wouldn't it? Seems to have worked for me for the last 3 or so million clicks...:Punk::laugh::yes:

Climate control makes conditions INSIDE the vehicles perfectly ok ... perhaps remove heaters from vehicles ... and the coldness may alert drivers that the conditions OUTSIDE the vehicles are less than perfect.

I am sure the Site Popo's will confirm ... many will stick to 100 kms/hr, regardless of night or day. Hot or cold .... gravel road or seal.



"But officer ... I wasn't speeding ... " :facepalm:

[SMOKEU]

The kaffir taxis in South Africa are driven by incompetent monkeys who are worse than almost anything I've seen here when it comes to their shocking driving. Worst part is that many of them are packing heat, too.

[Akzle]

Not just sportsbikes... the headlight on my GSA costs around $800 I think. Free under warranty though (haha BMW).
nevermind that. the one on the john deere is 3 grand.

The kaffir taxis in South Africa are driven by incompetent monkeys who are worse than almost anything I've seen here when it comes to their shocking driving. Worst part is that many of them are packing heat, too.

because a) that's entirely relevant to this conversation. b) you've been to africa c) you just love using racial slurs, innit.
(kaffir is like nigger. it's not really offensive unless you're ignorant.)

[bogan]

I am sure the Site Popo's will confirm ... many will stick to 100 kms/hr, regardless of night or day. Hot or cold .... gravel road or seal.

Is it any wonder though? the amount of focus on the '10kmhr over kills' message without regard to the conditions, suggests the conditions are not as important as the speed.

[FJRider]

Is it any wonder though? the amount of focus on the '10kmhr over kills' message without regard to the conditions, suggests the conditions are not as important as the speed.

I've been overtaken in fog (at 80 km's/hr) so thick ... I couldn't see from one marker post to the next in the Cromwell gorge.

Whatever's the limit ... that's the speed they travel.

[bogan]

I've been overtaken in fog (at 80 km's/hr) so thick ... I couldn't see from one marker post to the next in the Cromwell gorge.

Whatever's the limit ... that's the speed they travel.

Perhaps one doesn't shudder to think at the speeds they would travel if there were no limits then?

[FJRider]

Perhaps one doesn't shudder to think at the speeds they would travel if there were no limits then?

Perhaps ...

In the best interest of the economy of this country ... we lower the speed limit.

1. More revenue gained by way of fines. (tax lowered ???)
2. More Police needed to enforce the limit set. (even more revenue)
3. Because everybody is traveling at a safe speed ... ACC levies are lowered.


win win ... :sunny:

[bogan]

Perhaps ...

In the best interest of the economy of this country ... we lower the speed limit.

1. More revenue gained by way of fines. (tax lowered ???)
2. More Police needed to enforce the limit set. (even more revenue)
3. Because everybody is traveling at a safe speed ... ACC levies are lowered.


win win ... :sunny:

And who cares about productivity while the plebs still have money to tax right?

[FJRider]

And who cares about productivity while the plebs still have money to tax right?

I only care that I have money ... they care that I have money ...

What a wonderful world ... :sunny::sunny::sunny::sunny:

[bogan]

I only care that I have money ... they care that I have money ...

What a wonderful world ... :sunny::sunny::sunny::sunny:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6b/Idiocracy_movie_poster.jpg

[FuriousD]

In regards to the problem with reflected light off rain and street lamps and all that these may be a solution.
http://www.amazon.com/DRIVING-GLASSES-POLYCARBONATE-ANTI-REFLECTIVE-PROTECTION/dp/B000KZ34DK

[george formby]

They do that in other countries (Canada for one) so it's not as 'out-there' as it may seem.

:shit:Nooooo! Some of my best laps have been at night time.

[ellipsis]

...i do all my night driving while the sun is out...the idea came to me after reading about the Irish astronauts who are going to attempt a landing on the sun...to save money on all that heat shield technology that would burn them up, they have decided to go at night...:yes:

[FJRider]

...i do all my night driving while the sun is out...the idea came to me after reading about the Irish astronauts who are going to attempt a landing on the sun...to save money on all that heat shield technology that would burn them up, they have decided to go at night...:yes:

They're doing it mid winter ... longer nights then ... :shifty:

[tri boy]

I've hit every road side deliniator i've aimed for at night. and some I didn't................
kiwi's rock at night driving.

[Jantar]

.... many will stick to 100 kms/hr, regardless of night or day. Hot or cold .... gravel road or seal.

That sounds like me. And one of the reasons why I like lights that show up the sides of the road as well as the centre for quite some distance ahead, and tyres that handle gravel are also a bonus. Mind you I would go faster on seal during the day if it wasn't for the high cost of donut vouchers.