On being safe, and visible - and a PLONKER!

**vifferman** · 19th November 2008, 07:39

How many of you ride with your headlamp(s) on high-beam, to make yourselves more visible and safer?
Well, you're plonkers. And you're breaking the law.
I had this misfortune to be followed by someone riding a CBR400 (???) into Albany and Triton Drive this morning, with his/her headlight on high. If it was you, then you're lucky I didn't succumb to my instincts to stop, follow you to where you're going, and... I dunno... swear at you at the least. My eyes are still blurry and dazzled.
Unlike many bikes, my mirrors work well, so while you were following closely behind me, I was being dazzled, even though I was wearing a dark-tint visor.

Does it make you more visible? Well, maybe from a distance. Closer at hand, it just makes you fucking annoying. DON'T DO IT!!

**Skunk** · 19th November 2008, 07:43

Got to agree with you there...

**Hitcher** · 19th November 2008, 07:48

Vifferman for President!

The practice described irks me as much as cage drivers who insist on nerdling around with their park lights on. You'd think that the name of that fixture would provide a clue as to its purpose. I blame car manufacturers for putting the switch for these on the same unit that operates the main lights, when really it should be hidden in the bottom of the glove compartment.

**CB ARGH** · 19th November 2008, 07:50

I've got to re-align my headlights, my low beam seems like highbeam according to my mate infront, even though it passed the WOF three months ago.

Could be because I'm running two 55/60's though

But yes, high beamers are bloody annoying, I only ever do it when on country roads at night when there is nobody infront of me.

**davebullet** · 19th November 2008, 08:09

Agreed. In addition, high beam is actually less safe as it is more likely to make all other riders / drivers look away from you due to the glare. Don't do it in any vehicle.

**vifferman** · 19th November 2008, 08:11

Well, it may have been that the headlights were just badly aligned. It's not like I could tell because all I could see was this annoying glare.
Besides - if you ride with your headlights on high all the time, you're left with one less method of indicating to motorists that you're pissed off. (Plus they won't be able to see your hand gestures etc.) When someone cuts me off, I usually squeeze the pass flasher and horn button at the same time.
[Reminds me - must check my electrics: the bike seems to slow down when I press the horn button...]

**vifferman** · 19th November 2008, 08:15

Originally Posted by Hitcher

The practice described irks me as much as cage drivers who insist on nerdling around with their park lights on. You'd think that the name of that fixture would provide a clue as to its purpose.

Plonkers who drive around with their fog lights or driving lights on all the time piss me off. Maybe that "name of the fixture" is the problem?
"Ur...yeah...wull I'm drivin' around, so I better turn me drivin' loits on, eh?"
"Durr... my brain's a bit foggy from all the bourbon and coke I slurped... fog lights'll fix that, fer sher!"

**snuffles** · 19th November 2008, 08:17

Always ride with High beam on, always going to, until I am allowed to fit one of the alternating light units to the front of my bike.

**racerhead** · 19th November 2008, 08:18

One of the other down sides of having high beams on is that other road users find it harder to judge your distance from them them at junctions which will cause accidents or near misses at the least

**PirateJafa** · 19th November 2008, 08:19

Originally Posted by PirateJafa

IMO anyone who drives or rides with their highbeams on during the day, or fail to dip at night, are inconsiderate bastards - unless your bike is dang old, your highbeams WILL blind and piss off other motorists.

There's a GT250R rider up here on the North Shore who constantly rides with his high beam on, day and night, and it is frikken' bright. I've been sorely tempted to ram the blighter. Luckily for him he's always been going the opposite way to me, otherwise I'd give him a right fucking earful at the lights.

Luckily for him I no longer live on the 'shore.

**vifferman** · 19th November 2008, 08:19

Originally Posted by snuffles

Always ride with High beam on, always going to, until I am allowed to fit one of the alternating light units to the front of my bike.

But you've (allegedly) got a big willy! Why not just ride with that flapping around in the breeze - people are sure to notice you!

I'm not one to backtrack, but there is a possibility that Mr/Ms CBR Rider this morning just had bright headlights, slim though it is. The last time a biker followed me and I was getting pissed off to the point of stopping him and complaining about his headlight, he turned left just in time.
It was a bike cop on a BMW.

**snuffles** · 19th November 2008, 08:22

Originally Posted by vifferman

But you've (allegedly) got a big willy! Why not just ride with that flapping around in the breeze - people are sure to notice you!

Got sick of it dragging on the tar seal, gravel rash to the general is not good.

**Tank** · 19th November 2008, 08:22

It is a pain - but will always be an issue when there are selfish riders on the road. People that actually believe that their passage is more important than that of other road users.

Take db for example - he takes pride in that he installed HIDS and leaves them on full beam all the time - ignoring the fact that the blinds the bejezus out of other bikers.

I'm more pissed with this kind of behaviour after coming around a tightish corner (with some loose stone) late one night only to have a car with HIDS come around the bend and blind me - it was only good luck that I made it around the corner as I could hardly see a fucken thing.

Still - as long as he made it around OK huh.

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

I put mine on highbeam and never put it on low unless I'm following a cop or something. Yep, fullbeam HID everywhere - stands out like dogs balls a kilometer away. edit: I'll dip it if someone flashes me, but that happens prolly once a month.

Steve

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Like you would know. The safe passage of my arse is vastly more important to me than some complaining motorist who regularly "doesn't see me." They see me now, thats for sure, and I am behind no one for more than 15 seconds anyway - different story on your cruiser for sure.

Yes it is spooky putting my lights from low to high beam, as there is a full second before the lamp begins is magical transition through the colour spectrum. Awesome! Yeah mock the conventional +50 being the piece of crap it is..

For dipped beam ? Yes, this is the legal/WOF issue, and partly the reason why I didn't mod my dip beam. The other reason was I never use the dip beam.

There IS one safety issue with HIDs on fullbeam everywhere, and that is I am unable to flash anyone. Not sure if I like this. I have to dip before I can flash. However, flashing with pre-heated HIDs is fucking awesome! They go off real baaaad, and fire a really harrrrd and short "BLINK" off everything, lightning strike stylez. You can actually see everyone look around like "WTF was that?" Funny thing is, they all look in different directions..

HIDs are worth it just for the entertainment value, and then theres the safety value, and then theres the "look shithot" value.

Steve

**Finn** · 19th November 2008, 08:28

Guilty as charged. But only when on the motorway in the right lane and some brainless moron is half asleep wondering what ever happened to milk bottles.

Keep left cunts!

**vifferman** · 19th November 2008, 08:33

Originally Posted by Tank

It is a pain - but will always be an issue when there are selfish riders on the road. People that actually believe that their passage is more important than that of other road users.

Well.... I am guilty of that at times, but it's only when people are being fuckwits AND impede my progress that I get pissed off. Like sitting in the right-hand lane on the motorway at 90km/h. EVERY day I have to use all three lanes to manouevre through the flotsam and jetsam of fuckwit drivers to be able to utilise the superior manoueverability and acceleration of my bike. (I suppse I should thank them that they make the ride more interesting, ha ha...)
Or driving down the left-hand lane of Onewa Road, knowing full well that they really need to be in the right-hand lane because they're headed south, but also knowing that some other sap will let them queue-hop. Why do they do this?!? Would they do it in a supermarket, or bank queue?
And the fuckers invariably end up half in each lane because the traffic's not moving, and obstruct BOTH lanes. Or they are over to the left of the left-hand lane, with no-one ahead of them, and I'm sitting there waiting because I can't get past on the left, and can't pass on the right in case they squish me. That's how I found out blasting my three horns makes my engine go "blahhhh....." Oops...

Originally Posted by Tank

Take db for example - he takes pride in that he installed HIDS and leaves them on full beam all the time - ignoring the fact that the blinds the bejezus out of other bikers.

DB + Misuse of HIDs = Plonker