"Driver didn't see bike" x2

[Naki Rat]

Not a good weekend for some riders in the Naki but good to see blame apportioned to where it seems to fit. Bike Crashes Prompt Appeal

Taranaki certainly turned on a brilliant day for the BRONZ Round Mt. Egmont toy run

[Swoop]

Every year, around this time...............

[pritch]

I'm not totally happy with the way the idiots who pulled out in front of a bike or did a u turn are repeatedly referred to as "the gentleman".

They aren't gentlemen, they are dopey bastards. Dangerous dopey bastards at that.

[CookMySock]

So do something about the problem and fit a brighter headlight, and use the bitch like a weapon.

http://www.ssyso.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=406

Steve

[Sparrowhawk]

So do something about the problem and fit a brighter headlight, and use the bitch like a weapon.

I hear what you're saying DB, but if they don't look, it doesn't matter how bright your high beams are, or what colour gear/helmet you're wearing etc.

The dumb buggers just think that their mirrors are there to be shiny, and cbf looking over their shoulders.

[CookMySock]

I hear what you're saying DB, but if they don't look, it doesn't matter how bright your high beams are, or what colour gear/helmet you're wearing etc.

Nah it doesn't work like that. HIDs are mad fucking bright, and are well into the "what the fuck is that?" category. They stab ya in the eye, and turn a peripheral vision detect into a concious detect. They are abundantly clear to all and sundry to GTFO the way. Works good! Get some! Dip them when riding with ya mates, or else go up front and literally blaze a clear path.

Steve

[Squiggles]

Nah it doesn't work like that. HIDs are mad fucking bright, and are well into the "what the fuck is that?" category. They stab ya in the eye, and turn a peripheral vision detect into a concious detect. They are abundantly clear to all and sundry to GTFO the way. Works good! Get some! Dip them when riding with ya mates, or else go up front and literally blaze a clear path.

Wont do sfa for the drivers who rock up to make a Right turn across your path and only look left...

Are you excusing their lack of vision & skill by saying we should have brighter lights?

[Duke girl]

What is it with cage drivers not seeing motorcyclists coming towards them when most of us drive with our headlights on. It seems of late that cage drivers have been the cause of motorcycle accidents in the last couple of weeks, with doing u turns in front of them. Maybe the should think about making cage drivers do a course on driving with motorcyclists around them so that they get it into their heads that the roads are not only made for them to use but also for motorcyclists as well. Every weekend seems to be the same: Motorcyclist hit by car driver who didnt seem them!!!!!!!!!!!!.

[madbikeboy]

I'm a self obsessed c*nt who rides around everywhere with fulls (and better bulbs than stock).

Each time I get stopped, the conversation goes something like:

"Did you know that you're on fullbeams?"

"Really officer, maybe that's why less numpties in cars are pulling out in front of me?"

"Well, it's a distraction to other drivers"

"Okay, so long as the car drivers aren't endangered in any way, I'll just turn them down to normal and wait for the next idiot who didn't see me"...

[MyGSXF:Me]

Two things are going on here..

"Motion Camouflage".. & "The Looming Effect"

Motion Camouflage: When a bike can effectively become invisible to the driver waiting to pull out. The drivers eyes are fooled into believing a moving object is stationary! When a rider travels down a line that extends from a fixed point behind the bike directly to the eye of a driver waiting at the junction ahead. The rider's size does not appear to increase as they travel down this line & so they blend in to the background! As a result, the driver is not alerted to the presence of the bike because his brain is scanning for movement. Finally as the bike nears the car, an effect called "looming" occurs - which is where the bike suddenly grows in size, destroying the motion camouflage and becoming visible to the driver. But a natural response to looming means the drivers are momentarily frozen the the spot

Looming Effect: is the perceived rapid increase in the size of an object as it gets closer to an observer. It is our primary method for assessing whether something will collide with us or not. Looming works on the part of the brain's visual cortex that uses 'edge detection' to alert it to the presence of movement. If the edges of an object - such as a bike moving down a street - cannot be detected, then no alert is triggered.

Looming is a key factor in the 'flight or fight' response mechanism of animals. The decision to flight or flee is preceded by a momentary 'freeze' phase, while the brain flips a coin and prepares the body for whichever action it will take.

It is looming that suddenly reveals the bike to a motorists stunned eyes, as it grows in size and triggers the alarms in the visual cortex.

The looming effect is probably what freezes them to the spot with a rabbit-in-the-headlights look of horror once they spot the bike!

Comes from notes given at an advanced rider training course!

[Goblin]

So do something about the problem and fit a brighter headlight, and use the bitch like a weapon.
Steve

Doesn't matter how big or bright your light is, some people just DONT LOOK! Dopey drivers will pull out into the path of trucks and even trains! Blinding all other motorists is NOT going to make you safer!

[Squiggles]

Motion Camouflage: When a bike can effectively become invisible to the driver waiting to pull out. The drivers eyes are fooled into believing a moving object is stationary! When a rider travels down a line that extends from a fixed point behind the bike directly to the eye of a driver waiting at the junction ahead. The rider's size does not appear to increase as they travel down this line & so the blend in to the background! As a result, the driver is not alerted to the presence of the bike because his brain is scanning for movement

Ill blame that for why i can never seem to hold my line on a straight road... (not because im a muppet )

[MyGSXF:Me]

it doesn't matter how bright your high beams are, or what colour gear/helmet you're wearing etc.

I have learned from all the rider training courses I have done, that we need to make ourselves as VISIBLE as possible!! Wear a brightly coloured helmet, put some reflective stickers on it for extra night time visibility. Ride with headlight on. Wear coloured gear.. & better yet, a brightly coloured vest! All these things add together to break that motion camouflage effect! They will draw the drivers eyes to us like a magnet!!

Biking is about riding.. enjoying the ride.. & staying ALIVE!! Anything we can do to promote that.. is all good!

[Swoop]

A seriously "nuclear explosion bright" light/high beam might alert a cager, but then leave them dazzled enough to "not see" the other bike/s coming along behind the lead bike of the group...

[MyGSXF:Me]

Ill blame that for why i can never seem to hold my line on a straight road.

Where are you looking...?? If you are looking all over the place, then you will go all over the place!

Your eyes need to be constantly seeking the vanishing point, sweeping back down the road surface then back to the vanishing point again! Eyes UP is the most important part of biking!!

You control your bike! It does what you tell it to