Being seen at intersections

[sootie]

When I changed to my present style of bike, I noticed a big increase in the number of drivers who crawled off giveways & in to intersections directly in front of me. Apparently my older style of naked bike with the bouncy circular headlight was much more visible than a fully faired one with a longer focus unit intended to light the road far ahead and splatter as little light sideways as possible. (About one in six males has red/green colour impairment. Maybe this is a factor. Whatever; I want to be seen!)

I tried riding on full beam. That helped, but under some lighting conditions it did upset other motorists. I looked at fitting some LED strips. Am sure they work well, but on a streamlined full fairing it is hard to see how they may be mounted without looking a bit tacky. I now wear a high viz yellow vest. These are good, but something further seemed to be called for.

I now have a bit of electronic kit from "Visi" mounted, and a high viz strip across the bottom of the windsreen. The electronics leaves the two front 21Watt indicator bulbs permanently lit when no turning indication is being given. (Interestingly, many 1960s & 70s motorcycles had this designed in to their lighting circuitry.) The high viz strip makes me look like the law for maybe 100mS. Anyway, I can produce no figures, but I have to commend this approach to anyone who thinks cages pull out in front of them too often. I really only get the occasional smart arse trying to beat me now; and he has definitely seen me!

Maybe these ideas will be helpful to someone else,
Sootie

[Maha]

Some people don't even recognise lights and sirens...just have to live/survive with the fact that you have the superior road skills, and get on with it.
Being vigilant is the key phrase.

[sootie]

Some people don't even recognise lights and sirens...just have to live/survive with the fact that you have the superior road skills, and get on with it.
Being vigilant is the key phrase.

I guess that has to be most of it, but I can use a little help! ... t

[CookMySock]

The wide beamwidth projector lamps have a similar effect - that is they spread light around in a particularly inefficient manner as far as "seeing ahead" goes, but they are plainly and painfully evident from the front, even from a 45 degree angle, especially with a 6000K HID fitted hehehe.

Strongly agree that any high-colour-temperature on the front of a bike is a damn good thing, even if it's just LEDs. Slap a loud zorst on it to add sound to the mobile light show.

[Gremlin]

Cars pull out in front of trucks, hell they pull out in front of cops (and worse) fire trucks.

Yes, I have extra lighting and I feel it makes a big difference, but given the above, assume nothing.

[iYRe]

I have a 100/90 headlight, and try and put myself in the road in positions I will be seen the most, and try to occupy no spot on the road longer than I need to (and for as long as I need to).

But.. the single biggest factor in being seen.. intimidate the hell out of people in cars. Cars get out of the way... literally..

[f2dz]

All great ideas to increase bike visibility. Not a fan of those LED strips myself though, but still, would make you stand out a lot more.

I ride with a hi vis on in the morning. I don't trust drivers as it is let alone when they've only just rolled outta bed and onto the motorway. I also ride with my high beam on the whole time too. Haven't had any complaints there yet as it's quite light out in the morning now and that negates a lot of its harsh brightness.

Kinda sucks that you have to take such measures in order to account for other road users ignorance and inability but thems the breaks as a motorcyclist eh!

[FJRider]

Cars pull out in front of trucks, hell they pull out in front of cops (and worse) fire trucks.

People turn in front of Police cars with "Lights and Sirens" ON ... whats the worry with another motorcycle ...

It's the effort ... and risk many are willing to make ... to reduce their journey by another twenty seconds ...

[wasiler]

I agree, I had a truck pull out in front of me once because they guy never saw me coming.
If you are really paranoid about people seeing you in intersections, you might want to look at a headlight modulator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0-k8twgH0

[iYRe]

I agree, I had a truck pull out in front of me once because they guy never saw me coming.
If you are really paranoid about people seeing you in intersections, you might want to look at a headlight modulator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0-k8twgH0

And bicyclists with flashing lights get abused because their lights are too bright (ie.. people saw it.. DOH!)

All great ideas to increase bike visibility. Not a fan of those LED strips myself though, but still, would make you stand out a lot more.

I ride with a hi vis on in the morning. I don't trust drivers as it is let alone when they've only just rolled outta bed and onto the motorway. I also ride with my high beam on the whole time too. Haven't had any complaints there yet as it's quite light out in the morning now and that negates a lot of its harsh brightness.

Kinda sucks that you have to take such measures in order to account for other road users ignorance and inability but thems the breaks as a motorcyclist eh!

I find them not to bad in the morning, its on the way home after a long day at work, when they are tired and thinking of nothing but dinner and a beer.. that's when they get real scary.

[Berries]

In the end you can be dressed in hi-viz from head to toe with a strobe effect helmet and pulsating 5,000 megagigawatt lighthouse lamp nailed to the front of your bike combined with a tsunami warning siren going at full tit whenever you exceed walking pace. People will still pull out on you. Best to ride accordingly. Wear all the safety gear you want but in the end it is what is between the ears that will save you, not the quality of your fluorescence.

[slofox]

Some people don't even recognise lights and sirens....

I watched two fire engines come wailing up the road last week, sirens on, flashing lights all over the place. Did the traffic get off the road to let them through? Did they shit! Just fucking carried on without the twitch of an eyelid. Fucking morons. If I'd been driving the appliance I would have been hard pressed not to ram the bastards.

[sootie]

I agree, I had a truck pull out in front of me once because they guy never saw me coming.
If you are really paranoid about people seeing you in intersections, you might want to look at a headlight modulator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0-k8twgH0

Actually I designed one of these once, and a friend made a 100 or so of them and sold them locally. At that time (maybe early 80s) you could not buy them in NZ & my friend had seen them in the US. He gave me one which I still have. Once again, fully faired bikes don't throw a lot of light out the side, and it was not particularly effective when tried on my present bike. They probably sell better units now; my design pre-dated power FETs. (Starting to feel old here!)

[sootie]

In the end you can be dressed in hi-viz from head to toe with a strobe effect helmet and pulsating 5,000 megagigawatt lighthouse lamp nailed to the front of your bike combined with a tsunami warning siren going at full tit whenever you exceed walking pace. People will still pull out on you. Best to ride accordingly. Wear all the safety gear you want but in the end it is what is between the ears that will save you, not the quality of your fluorescence.

It does seem to help if they think it might be a cop bike for a fraction of a second or so though - Eh?

[awayatc]

for what it's worth...............
I have got 3 headlights on my Harley, and only one on my Aprilia...........
I definitely get a lot less hassle on the Harley...
(dressed in low vis black....)