Headlights on

[ukusa]

Most of the bikes I have owned have their headlight on automatically, I can't help but think this is another 'you're on a bike so it's your fault' law if you're with me? Why not make it compulsory for all vehicles to have their headlights on. I mean there's more car crashes than bikes crashes.

Wonder if there are stats on that as well.... how many motorcycle deaths involved bikes with the headlight off. I know it makes us easier to see, but normally the govt. tries to back up a law change with stats.

[mdooher]

Most of the bikes I have owned have their headlight on automatically, I can't help but think this is another 'you're on a bike so it's your fault' law if you're with me? Why not make it compulsory for all vehicles to have their headlights on. I mean there's more car crashes than bikes crashes.

Because European research (Sweden I think) suggests this makes motorcycles less visible

[BMWST?]

A lot of bikes after 1980 have lights permanently on anyway. The trouble with pre 1980 bikes is that they have Mr Lucas (Prince of Darkness) wiring and are not reliable.

most 80s bikes wont have permanent headlights,

[mdooher]

but "legitimate" and "splitting" should not be in the same sentence in my mind. Its like "safe" and "chainsaw".

Hmm ...California made splitting legal...reason...because aircooled bikes were overheating in traffic jams....local Govt got sued...result; instant law change.

Mind you the lanes are wider in California....then again so are the cars ...and the bikers

[ready4whatever]

I wonder if it'll prevent more crashes, therefore acc levy could be cut? - yeah right

[lizardb0y]

I had absolutely no idea this was changing until just this minute. Thank Cthulu I already sold the Ducati.

[gammaguy]

it would be crazy to ride without them on.

no,but it would be crazy to think you have been seen just because you have it on.be paranoid and survive.
I have been riding non stop for 33 years WITHOUT LIGHTS.(i always use them if it is overcast/raining,or of course,Dark.)

the new law is bullshit.they cant see you if they arent looking/texting/arguing with the kids/daydreaming/stoned/drunk.or just dont care.

be aware and dont take anything for granted.

[davereid]

no,but it would be crazy to think you have been seen just because you have it on.be paranoid and survive.

They dont see trains, and they are bright red and have really big headlights..

I used to ride with light of,, then tap the "pass" button if I thought a driver had not seen me, it seemed very effective.

My new bike can't turn the light off, so I flash "hi" instead.

My only concern (other than the fact I will have to put day running lights on my older bikes, is that a right light distorts distance perception.

So even though you may be seen, your distance and speed may be misjudged.

[JohnC]

You have a late model bike.. 2 out of three of my bikes simply cant manage to run with the light on all the time. I will be able to comply with the law by putting a very low wattage headlight bulb in.

It will be fine as long as I dont expect to be able to see in the dark.

Such is the price of safety !

The law only applies to bikes first rego'ed after a set date,,,I think it's 1979,but best check that.
A number of the brittish bikes I've owned and one jap bike in particular I prefered to keep the light off for the reasons you mention.
Personaly I don't feel any safer with lights on or off,,,,I can just see it now,,,but he didn't have his lights on,,,so I ran him down,,,what a great excuse has just been provided to be yet a worst driver

[JohnC]

A lot of bikes after 1980 have lights permanently on anyway. The trouble with pre 1980 bikes is that they have Mr Lucas (Prince of Darkness) wiring and are not reliable.

Hmmm,none of my pre 80's jappers have had Lucas electrics,,,,,nore my pre 80's Ducati,,,all though Lucas would of been an improvment.

You do know why poms drink warm beer right,,,just in case you don't,,,,,,,,,,
Lucas made fridges.

[JohnC]

I wonder if it'll prevent more crashes, therefore acc levy could be cut? - yeah right

No it won't.
Visability has never been the true issue,being seen, but still being ignored has.

[Swoop]

Just came back from up north and had the pleasure of following an unmarked car. Thoughtfully I sat behind him, allowing the officer to soak up the opulence of 2 headlights on, as is De Law.
For some reason I might have been frightening away possible "trade"...

Failure to keep left on open roads is the worst behaviour I observe these days.

Do not head into one of the 4 "big cities" then. Retards do exactly the same thing, but they have up to 6 lanes in width in which to do it.
Nothing like seeing someone cut across 5 lanes to make their exit...

[martybabe]

,,,I can just see it now,,,but he didn't have his lights on,,,so I ran him down,,,what a great excuse has just been provided to be yet a worst driver

Oh yes culpable negligence, yesterday our only crime was riding motorbikes, today if your bulb goes and some twat t/bones you, it's your fault for not having your light on.

[Indiana_Jones]

I look forward to getting a ticket for riding with a blown bulb I might not notice considering it's the middle of the fucking day.

This law is not needed and is just an easy way to tax more.

Nearly all bikes these days have lights wired on....

-Indy

[JohnC]

Oh yes culpable negligence, yesterday our only crime was riding motorbikes, today if your bulb goes and some twat t/bones you, it's your fault for not having your light on.

" Sorry mate I didn't see you, yes I know visibility's good and your covered from head to toe in dayglo yellow, as is your passenger and yes it is a fuckin enormous bright pink bike but you didn't have your light on did you ,see, that's what happens sunshine. Lucky for you I caught a glimpse of you past the messy kebab I was eating, as it is I've burnt myself with my fag and dropped coke all over the dashboard. You really should be more careful bud".

That's a very good one eyed view of things mate,but it's also totaly wrong.
A very good friend of mine took out a biker two years ago year while pulling into my drive way.
My home is in an 80 zone but that never stopped this cock on the bike blasting past our front gate at 120-140 twice a day 5 days a week.
The drive is on the crest of a hill,but that never stopped him going past on his rear wheel now an then,he had no drivers licence of any kind,I think it's called disqualified,but that never bothered him to much either.
My friend was still prosocuted to the full extent of the law because it was (her fault) but our biker mate never got done for any of his crimes.
Today he is still recovering from his head injurys,his broken legs (both of em')his broken arm and ribs,,and it looks like permanant brain injurys at this stage.
I'm still paying off the lawyers fees,,which are more than my own bike is worth (could of got me a tidy FXR for what I'm paying thanks to this (biker??) practicing criminal that intruded on my life more like it.
The whole thing stopped me posting on this site as I had been doing a lot under a different name up until then (because of being so disgusted with the self centered bullshit so many bikers of today come out with) like your little rant,I sold my bikes of the time so I could help pay the fines,court costs,and lawyers fees.
In case you havn't worked it out yet,the friend is my wife,she lost her job over the whole thing,needed counciling over the damage she'd done to this prick.She actualy felt responsible even though there's no way of knowing there's a bike coming over the brow at an estimated by wintnesses 120kms.She was made to feel like a criminal and actualy had to apoligise to the arseholes family for what (she'd?) done.
So now I come back to this site and nothing has changed huh.
Bikers (the same ones) still making excuses and flat out blaming others for their own fuck ups while claiming to be victims of an unjust system.
So it seems to me,you can do anything you fucking like on a bike and as long as you live,you win anyway because it's always somebody elses fault.
So sorry but there's no sympathy for the increase in ACC fees,no sympathy toward the sportbike riders that still go past my front gate just like the dumb fuck that ruined his and his familys life outside my front gate did.
So while I know it's not you as such,thanks for the reminder anyway.