Signing his own death warrant

[scumdog]

I used to be firmly of the opinion that lights on at all times was the only way to go.
Then one (very quiet ) day I sat in the yard and watched bikes and cars aproaching up the hill. I noticed something that has made me do a bit of a rethink.
All the bikes with headlights on were really hard to judge speed and distance on.
Im all for apropriate lighting for the conditions but I think permanent lights on is counter productive

That's why I've always fitted two hi-intensity spots-lights to the front of every bike I've had, they're always on during the day and with a 37 degree dispersion it means cars way out to each side still see me in daylight, i.e. on side toads or when coming up from behind, amazing how many more pull to the left to let me past nowadays with those lights.

They go off at night and the headlight is on all the time anyway.

[Lou Girardin]

Do we need yet ANOTHER law? Let Darwinian theory take it's course.
The downside of all vehicles running with lights on, is that we become less noticable.
BTW it's not Bosch electrics that are averse to water, it's Lucas (The Prince of Darkness) and Ducati by legend.

[Squeak the Rat]

I was in the car yesterday evening when it was getting dark and started driving without my lights on. What an idiiiiiiot...... Only got about 20m and was just about to check when a cop came around the corner so i did the old brake just in case you are doing 2kph over the speed limit and glanced at the speedo to see that i in fact could not see. On came my lights, arm up in a friendly wave to my policeman, best sheepish d'oh! oops, innocent silly me smile, got around the corner and pulled a nice sideways drift. Sometimes even the best of us forget.

But - I agree with Frosty, some times lights on makes it harder to judge speed. When it is pitch black and all you can see is the lights - very difficult. You need to see something solid "around" the light, which makes me very dubious of the headlights-on-full school of thought.

I picked the wrong week to give up the coffee.

[Qkkid]

Well i do ride with lights on full during the day, "My Reasons why" 1/ people daydream driving in cars i see it all the time as in they dont realise you are there 2/ Id rather be seen than not seen. Just be aware some lights are brighter/stronger than others, So Mr Hxc so if ya wanna be here for a long time not a short time and enjoy riding and knowing that they are aware of you behind them keep doing it.

[Lou Girardin]

I've seen enough people start to pull out in front of me, then stop when their feeble brains worked out that the bright light in their eyes is a motorsickle, that I wouldn't ride without lights on.

[Ixion]

Lights on is doubtless a wise and providential thing to do. Thouigh if everyone did it, its effect would be much lessened.

But it is each person's choice. An R80 is not likely to be a novice rider. So presumably he has survived so far, and maybe knows what he is doing?

I would not go so far as to suggest that not having a headlamp on in the daytime is "signing ones death warrant".

It is in the same category as fluoro vests, white helmets and such. All Good Things and conducive of safety. But few use all of them for various reasons.

[dnos]

Im thinking of mounting a mind control device to make all other drivers on the road pull over and let me past on my bike because obviously lights on/full/off just don't cut it.

[Qkchk:Me]

I would not go so far as to suggest that not having a headlamp on in the daytime is "signing ones death warrant".

The conditions that I saw this fella in was warrantable for him to have his lights on. It was that drizzly and dark it would of been classified under "headlights on if you cannot see 100 meters in front of you clearly - otherwise know as the 1 hour before Dusk to 1 hour after dawn" rule. In fact the other cars around this guy were more "switched" on than him.


BTW I was not claiming that ALL vehicles should be putting lights on during the day, just bikers. I dont know where or how the subject changed to that. I only mentioned that I drive defensively in my truck (because I bloody well have to!) and so choose to drive with lights on.

One thing I have noticed with my R1 is the headlights "move/flash" and I have noticed that more road users are aware of my presence (specially while behind them) I think having those 'blue light' bulbs are a good idea, they stick out like dogs bollix. If I do see lights in the distance, I take more notice of it....(in case it is a bike - me being nosey.... if you know what I mean)

[Ixion]

This is probably not the place to remember that back in the day, on moonlit nights, we commonly used to ride without headlamps. Cos once your eyes adapted, you could see better by moonlight than by the feeble light of a 6 volt bulb. 'twas common practcie for long distance truckies to do the same.

[Qkchk:Me]

This is probably not the place to remember that back in the day, on moonlit nights, we commonly used to ride without headlamps. Cos once your eyes adapted, you could see better by moonlight than by the feeble light of a 6 volt bulb. 'twas common practcie for long distance truckies to do the same.

Your not starting to show your age eh?

[Ixion]

No, that would be recalling what a nuisnce it was when the wind blew the acetylene flame out, and how hard it is to relight on of those things on a wet night.