LIGHTS ON: is it illegal in NZ?

[Monsterbishi]

In todays Timaru Herald re DRL's:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4408970a10.html

[The Stranger:Me]

In todays Timaru Herald re DRL's:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4408970a10.html

Pffft what would he know, Mikkel will be along shortly to refute this amature's position.

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

i guess legally don't have to ride with lights on unless its dull/night

many modern jap bikes you can't even turn the headlight off, opinions are low beam/high beam thats it
turn the key its on/or comes on once thumb the starter

Yep my lights come on automatically as soon as I start the bike and I cannot switch them off. I have always ridden with the front light on anyway.

[Mikkel]

Pffft what would he know, Mikkel will be along shortly to refute this amature's position.

Fuck yes, with comments like this I think one needs to be rather critical of the contents of such a report:

(And what is a post graduate diploma in this case? A doctorate, a masters or just someone who needed a break from their career?)

However, Mr Piercy said these countries had lower latitudes and lower ambient light levels than New Zealand.

...

"It is apparent that those supporting the use of DRL's predominately refer to studies carried out in countries at lower latitudes which have significantly lower ambient light levels.

We're talking about Scandinavia >50° North Latitude.
New Zealand ~47°-34.5° South Latitude.

Now, which is the lower latitude?

If you mess up something that basic it doesn't lend a lot of credibility to the study.

Mr Piercy said as well as light levels there were also issues relating to increased fuel usage, monetary and environmental costs.

He said using DRLs potentially increased fuel usage by two per cent per vehicle per year.

I could be wrong - but I don't believe there's an automatic clutch for the alternator. If so the alternator will be running at all times and the load of running the alternator doesn't change with the amount of current being drawn from the electrical system.

As such I'm very tempted to dismiss that claim as bullshit.


Besides there's more to it than ambient light levels - rapidly changing conditions (sometimes and issue in NZ btw.) where DRLs would be of even more benefit but may be neglected due to the fact that the road user doesn't think of it.

I'd like to read the report. I am sure that Mr. Piercy has done a good job - but as always you can not rely on media to relate any scientific findings. I'm guessing that the conclusion of the report is more along the lines that: The benefit of DRLs in countries with high ambient light levels is comparatively lower than for countries with low ambient light levels -QED.

[Ixion]

He means higher latitudes. Lower down on the globe.

EDIT: I agree with him. Lights off for cages please.

[Mikkel]

He means higher latitudes. Lower down on the globe.

...or higher up for that matter!

That was of course my point. I just hope it was the media getting it wrong - if it's in his report then it's truly hare-racing (sic).

If the media got that bit wrong what else could they have gotten wrong?

Also, statements like:

However, for countries with high ambient light levels, such as New Zealand and Australia, using headlights during the daytime is not as effective as people think.

makes me want to cry.

"...is not as effective as people think." doesn't say a whole lot now does it? It should be apparent from this thread that what people think varies quite a lot and taking an average on an opinion doesn't actually provide any factual results.

There's enough pseudo-science out there as it is - and the media isn't help the situation!

[biggerbud]

Notice the word 'former' ! what a pillock! No, headlights during the day are not the perfect answer but then nothing is, but every little bit helps.
Glare, high ambient light levels are a moot point as if they don't see the headlights when they are on, they certianly won't see them when they are off now will they. The headlights come on with the key on my 1996 Triumph
and if they didn't, I would turn them on anyway. I do a shit load of open road traveling in a cage and I can catagorically state that headlights being on on a bike is a definite advantage at a bike being seen.

[biggerbud]

I would suspect there has never been an actual study to say that having your headlights on at night prevents accidents. Maybe every one should travel at night without their headlights on untill this is confirmed....but then maybe common sense will continue to prevail even though headlights are designed for us to see, not be seen.

[BiK3RChiK]

I would suspect there has never been an actual study to say that having your headlights on at night prevents accidents. Maybe every one should travel at night without their headlights on untill this is confirmed....but then maybe common sense will continue to prevail even though headlights are designed for us to see, not be seen.

Yeah, like in Egypt where they drive with their lights off 'to save the battery' and turn them on when they see something coming!!!!!... or NOT!!

[Ixion]

Yeah, like in Egypt where they drive with their lights off 'to save the battery' and turn them on when they see something coming!!!!!... or NOT!!

FRiidng without headlights at night was a common practice when I was young. For bikes and trucks (cars were rare on the open road at night).

With the headlamp off, ones eyes accomodate to the natural light, and one could see further and better than by Joe Lucas's feeble candles (acetylene was brighter, but erratic)

One detected oncoming either by their sidelights (which then were often literally at the side), or the glow of the taillamp.

Riidng by moonlight or starlight is even now , if a lonely enough road can be found, a most pleasant experience. But the light pollution of cities and towns is such that it is hard to find anywhere sufficiently rmeote for moonlight , let alone starlight.

If you youff would eschew electric light for the more pleasant illumination of candlelight, the night would be a nicer place.

[pete376403]

I could be wrong - but I don't believe there's an automatic clutch for the alternator. If so the alternator will be running at all times and the load of running the alternator doesn't change with the amount of current being drawn from the electrical system.

yes it does - otherwise we could all have lawn mower engines out in the backyard driving big fuck-off alternators that power the whole house, including the spa pool heater and a kiln for pottery.
You can't get more watts out of the alternator than you put in so you add another 200 or so watts of lights (thinking car here, 2 headlights, 2 sidelights, tail lights, etc) thats 200+ (approx 1/4 hp) more watts that the engine has to provide - and that means more fuel consumed

[biggerbud]

yes it does - otherwise we could all have lawn mower engines out in the backyard driving big fuck-off alternators that power the whole house, including the spa pool heater and a kiln for pottery.
You can't get more watts out of the alternator than you put in so you add another 200 or so watts of lights (thinking car here, 2 headlights, 2 sidelights, tail lights, etc) thats 200+ (approx 1/4 hp) more watts that the engine has to provide - and that means more fuel consumed

would the increase in fuel usage warrent the use of headlights during the day due to alternator loading is an interesting point so I did a quick calc on your figures just to see the outcome as I have never considered it before.

1/4 horsepower/200 watts more load for my bike would mean an economy loss of about .4725 miles per gallon or about 56c for a full tank of riding.

[TimeOut]

yes it does - otherwise we could all have lawn mower engines out in the backyard driving big fuck-off alternators that power the whole house, including the spa pool heater and a kiln for pottery.
You can't get more watts out of the alternator than you put in so you add another 200 or so watts of lights (thinking car here, 2 headlights, 2 sidelights, tail lights, etc) thats 200+ (approx 1/4 hp) more watts that the engine has to provide - and that means more fuel consumed

Cages alternators will increase output to suit demand, but most motorbikes generate at maximum all the time. If you don't use the power it's dissapated as heat through the thingie with the finns (someone will know the proper name) So you don't save anything by turning your light off.

[Mountlocal1]

Im in the process of modifyn the front of my bike. Before I pulled the lights etc off I contacted the LTSA etc and spoke to half doz people who all said that I must have legal lights working at all times on my bike....

Whoever they are a government agency so may be wrong....

[Ixion]

Different question. All motor vehicles, bikes cars trucks, whatever, must , at all times, be of WoF standard (this even applies to mopeds).

Since the WoF requires lights, you need to have them to meet that test. But there is nothing says that you can't turn them on and off.

So you must have the ability to have your lights on, always. But you only need to turn them on at night.

(There are special provisions for vintage vehciles that never had lights)