Land Transport Rule: Omnibus Amendment 2013 (Rule 10009)

[MrKiwi]

Had to peruse this proposed rule amendment for my day job. Buried deep within it is this little gem, which may be of interest to you. I'm intending to support the change, I like the idea of permissive rules, gives me the chance to decide if I want to change my lighting as opposed to be told I must...

proposal number 26
OA Rule Reference 9.1(3)
Clause 10.3(3)
Proposed change - Remove the current restriction on the number of daytime running lamps that may be fitted to a Group L motor vehicle (motorcycles)
Issue/Reason for change - The current restriction on the number of daytime running lamps that may be fitted to a motorcycle (one or two) prevents lighting shapes that some evidence suggests could improve safety. The increased use of daytime lights by cars is raising concerns about 'masking', (for example, reducing the safety benefit of motorcycle daytime running lights). There are motorcycle lights being designed to be distinctive, such as in a V or T configuration that overcome masking issues. The proposed amendment would allow for these possible new road safety developments for motorcycles.

The NZTA advise the following:
Making a submission
Information about making a submission can be found in the consultation material. Please note the deadline for submissions, which is 29 July 2013.

A hard copy of the consultation material can be obtained by calling the NZ Transport Agency Contact Centre on freephone 0800 699 000. The consultation material (together with Questions and Answers and an online submission form) is available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website at http://www.nzta.govt.nz/consultation/omnibus-amendment-2013/index.html

[Devil]

I would be for this change as well. I'm glad someone has picked up on the issue of more cars running with daylamps making motorcycles that little bit less conspicuous.

[bogan]

Very good.

[Scuba_Steve]

I'm beginning to wonder if the NZTA have in the past couple years actually hired someone that knows something about using the road? Their offices used to be filled with motorphobia

[Gremlin]

I think ratuscat was trying to get the changes through, quite possibly his effort is paying off.

As a uh... lover of lights, I'm pleased to finally see this change... I tried with NZTA probably 1.5 years ago and got hit with a brick wall and "read the rules".

edit: MrKiwi, your link in your post doesn't work.

How to make a submission: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/rules/about/sub.html

[Bassmatt]

Wait a minute, thsi is the sort of thing I expected motonz to come up with. Seeing they haven't been mentioned in the op I'm gonna assume they had nothing to do with this.
Gotta give them another $30 bucks soon

[Scuba_Steve]

edit: MrKiwi, your link in your post doesn't work.

Yea there's an extra space @ the end defined in the URL as '%20' so anyone wanting to follow MrKiwi's link just remove the trailing '%20' in the address bar

[98tls]

I would be for this change as well. I'm glad someone has picked up on the issue of more cars running with daylamps making motorcycles that little bit less conspicuous.

Dont get this bit,if its got lights on lets assume its visible so how are motorcycles lights less visible than cars running daylamps?

[bogan]

Dont get this bit,if its got lights on lets assume its visible so how are motorcycles lights less visible than cars running daylamps?

Makes them less distinct, so car drivers see the bike lights and think its a car, and may assume it is further away than they would have had they realised it was a bike.

I currently use running lights and the headlight anyway, as smokeu would say, FTP

[Gremlin]

Dont get this bit,if its got lights on lets assume its visible so how are motorcycles lights less visible than cars running daylamps?

Motorcycles stand out if they're the only ones with lights on. With the introduction of daylamps on cars (and the increasing use) motorcycle lights no longer stand out. Running a different pattern to cars is one way to help.

It's like picking out a high viz vest. Easy when there is only one. Now try picking one out when the whole group of people are wearing them.

[Paul Searancke]

Wait a minute, thsi is the sort of thing I expected motonz to come up with. Seeing they haven't been mentioned in the op I'm gonna assume they had nothing to do with this.
Gotta give them another $30 bucks soon

You would be making the wrong assumption.

[MrKiwi]

Wait a minute, thsi is the sort of thing I expected motonz to come up with. Seeing they haven't been mentioned in the op I'm gonna assume they had nothing to do with this.
Gotta give them another $30 bucks soon

Not so...

This initiative has come from the work the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council is doing on conspicuity. The Council is currently carrying out some trials on lighting configurations and conspicuity, of which I am a strong advocate. The trials are being undertaken by a UK based research firm and is leading edge research. No one else has attempted to quantity the benefits of additional front LED daytime running lights in addition to headlights in terms of conspicuity outcomes.

When I led the work on the rule to make it compulsory for headlights to be on for motorbikes about 6-7 years ago (when I was an official) we officials simply overlooked the issue of daytime running lights in addition to headlights. It was not an issue back then, but is now.

I currently run two additional LED daytime running lights on my Triumph Tiger 955i, fixed onto the crash bars so creates a wide lighting pattern. I run these permanently with my headlights.

Technically this is in contravention to the law which is written for cars and trucks but captures motorbikes which says daytime running lights must not be run in conjunction with headlights. However, the Police simply have not enforced this for motorbikes on the basis that it adds to a safer outcome. The rule change is to correct this technicality for motorbikes while leaving the Rule unchanged for cars and trucks.

[MrKiwi]

Thanks MODs for separating the thread. The discussion on high vs dipped beams is raging on elsewhere...

[sootie]

I guess I will be able to carry on doing what made sense to me.
Hopefully it will now be OK with the law as well.

Thanks for the update.

[MrKiwi]

I've been getting my head around what this Omnibus Rule change is actually going to allow for and it is not enough in my view.

Currently the lighting rule allows you run either your head lights or two daytime running lights. The proposed change is only adjusting how many day time running lights you can have on for Group L motor vehicles (motorbikes).

That is, once this change goes through, if unaltered, it means you can run either your headlights or multiple daytime running lights (ie more than two) but not both headlights and daytime running lights. I would like the ability to run both head lights and daytime running lights.

I think it is essential we motor cyclists should be able to run with daytime running lights in tandem with head lights (dipped).

Cheers...