Daytime running lamps?

[rastuscat]

Maybe I'm going to fit some, ahem, fog lights to the Cherman beast.

I may, um, forget to turn them off during the day.

I'll angle them down, so nobody can accuse me of dazzling anyone. I'm not out to piss people off, just want to be more visible.

How's that sound?

[R650R]

I'd rather it's not defined, keeps it open to judgement, and hard for anyone to argue it's not legal. My big LED lamps consume 72W for the pair at full power. The updated model uses even more. Yep, 10W is low power in my book

Well they recently removed the specific candela requirement so its is nicely undefined mathmatecially speaking now. which is good because it was quite easy to exceed the sum total of 2400 lumens with three light sources. Yet you'd still be less glary than a badly loaded hilux with new lights...

[R650R]

Maybe I'm going to fit some, ahem, fog lights to the Cherman beast.

I may, um, forget to turn them off during the day.

I'll angle them down, so nobody can accuse me of dazzling anyone. I'm not out to piss people off, just want to be more visible.

How's that sound?

We'll with all the buttons you've got a plausible explanation. Was looking at someone elses K1200? and it looked like the switchpanel on a 747...

I've angled mine down generously, 3W mode when just want to be seen an lots of traffic, set to 10W when on a late mission, empty road and use the same as would high beams.

[FJRider]

How's that sound?

Pissed off people NOTICE you ... If you're NOT in their face ... they DON'T ...

[chasio]

I'd rather it's not defined, keeps it open to judgement, and hard for anyone to argue it's not legal. My big LED lamps consume 72W for the pair at full power. The updated model uses even more. Yep, 10W is low power in my book

72W of LED (even if the actual consumption is a wee bit less) must still make a lot of light.

I wasn't being facetious when I said it was helpfully undefined

[chasio]

Pissed off people NOTICE you ... If you're NOT in their face ... they DON'T ...

Not sure I'd agree with you on that and conspicuity is not the same as glare. I want to be conspicuous (be noticed) but I don't want to dazzle (be in their face). I'd rather run dipped beam (ideally plus non-dazzling auxiliary lights) and move around in order to be noticed than to run high beam and dazzle. YMMV.

Incidentally, according to this study, narrowly spaced DRL's are more effective. I would not have guessed that.

[Gremlin]

72W of LED (even if the actual consumption is a wee bit less) must still make a lot of light.

Yep, reckon I can light up reflective boards about 2km away. Full power is only available when I switch on high beam. Otherwise, on low beam they're individually switched and dimmable between 10-85% or something like that. I leave them on minimum as it's still quite effective.

[SuperMac]

Not sure I'd agree with you on that and conspicuity is not the same as glare. I want to be conspicuous (be noticed) but I don't want to dazzle (be in their face). I'd rather run dipped beam (ideally plus non-dazzling auxiliary lights) and move around in order to be noticed than to run high beam and dazzle. YMMV.

Incidentally, according to this study, narrowly spaced DRL's are more effective. I would not have guessed that.

Worth considering how well, or not, they measured 'conspicuity' ie how bright it was compared to the light alongside. You would, surely, expect lights closer together to appear brighter? Of course, a bright(er) light is, according to theory, more likely to attract attention - so, 'yes' they could be said to have tested for one aspect of conspicuity. But . . . attention conspicuity refers to how something attracts your attention, but they were directing people to look at it.

Also, just because 'something' gets a drivers attention doesn't mean that they'll make the right [speed and distance] judgements or even realise it is a bike approaching.

[FJRider]

Not sure I'd agree with you on that and conspicuity is not the same as glare. I want to be conspicuous (be noticed) but I don't want to dazzle (be in their face). I'd rather run dipped beam (ideally plus non-dazzling auxiliary lights) and move around in order to be noticed than to run high beam and dazzle. YMMV.

People "Notice" perceived threats to their own safety and well being ... as any Gold Wing rider (with enough lights to put your average Kenworth B-train to shame) will testify. If your lights aren't bright enough ... that they are able to be ignored ... chances are they (and you) WILL be ...

The Red and Blue flashing lights can "Dazzle" you in the rear vision mirrors at night ... perhaps a complaint to "Officialdom" is in order ... in the interest of public safety ... and all that ...

[Big Dog]

It's the million giga watt white strobes that the moto way cops use that twist my nipples right off. I swear they are are trying to incinerate the eyeballs off all motorway users in both directions.

[rastuscat]

It's the million giga watt white strobes that the moto way cops use that twist my nipples right off. I swear they are are trying to incinerate the eyeballs off all motorway users in both directions.

We have those on our new bikes.

The theory is that in the dark, the red and blues tend to meld into the headlight, making them less noticable. So they place those flashing strobes down on the authority engine bars to make sure folk see us.

First time I used them I had a text from some cosmonaut called Yuri asking me to turn them down. Sadly, they ain't variable.

They comply with the VIRM, but holy shit, are they bright.

[Gremlin]

They comply with the VIRM, but holy shit, are they bright.

Actually, I'm reasonably certain that the flashing lights are not part of the VIRM. They do exist under pieces of law (basically, that law enforcement is allowed to use certain colours for certain duties etc) but the VIRM does exclude flashing beacons (ie, same as the flashing orange I use).

The one curious part however, is still the component about not dazzling or confusing motorists. I've seen some of the motorway units in action (among the first to move to LED) and they are definitely bright and flash seriously quick. I'm all for them being visible (like to see anyone complain they didn't see them), but... there may need to be balance. Same thing for the trucks that work on the motorway... hard to see past some of them at night!

[SuperMac]

Actually, I'm reasonably certain that the flashing lights are not part of the VIRM. They do exist under pieces of law (basically, that law enforcement is allowed to use certain colours for certain duties etc) but the VIRM does exclude flashing beacons (ie, same as the flashing orange I use).

The one curious part however, is still the component about not dazzling or confusing motorists. I've seen some of the motorway units in action (among the first to move to LED) and they are definitely bright and flash seriously quick. I'm all for them being visible (like to see anyone complain they didn't see them), but... there may need to be balance. Same thing for the trucks that work on the motorway... hard to see past some of them at night!

Seeing past (or nearby) is a critical point for anyone working on the road near those vehicles; there's a tempation to think "I'm wearing hi-viz and I'm stood next to this conspicuous vehicle - they must be able to see me!".

[GrayWolf]

Ah but I also have another small pair of LED's fitted as forward facing position lamps, and only 1 pair is allowed.

I do note the requirement is that position lamps are of "low intensity", which is helpfully not defined. So a pair of 10W LED's is fine, then? I am sure they would say not, but without a definition of low intensity, how can we know?

I use a pair of the 10wt Cree spotlamps from fastbikegear..... bloody things are brighter than my dipped beam, hardly need a full beam now.... but then I am fitting a HID unit soon (because the 'projector main' is CRAP on my bike).

[Big Dog]

We have those on our new bikes.

The theory is that in the dark, the red and blues tend to meld into the headlight, making them less noticable. So they place those flashing strobes down on the authority engine bars to make sure folk see us.

First time I used them I had a text from some cosmonaut called Yuri asking me to turn them down. Sadly, they ain't variable.

They comply with the VIRM, but holy shit, are they bright.

On behalf of all epileptics I have a serious question for you, are you able to adjust the phase?
I am what they call a successfully medicated epileptic. Strobes between 45 and 60hz make me feel sick. To the point where a passing patrol car with pulsing LEDs or strobes makes me nearly vomit if they take too long to catch up.
Other non epileptics report similar experiences. Mostly the same people who are affected by poor refresh rates on CRT screens.



Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.