High beam question

[sil3nt]

When riding at night do you turn your high beam off for other vehicles? I have noticed that if i turn my high beam off when i see the other vehicles lights around the corner or over the crest they don't do it until i am right next to them and by then i have already been blinded. Leaving the high beams on seems to give the same result but im wondering if my bikes little wee light is blinding other drivers? Can't say i've ever been pissed off by a motorcycles lights at night.

[YellowDog]

People who don't dip their lights are complete bastards. The Police should fine them for it.

I always dip my light with the exception to this being when it is impossible to see the road on dipped lights.

[sil3nt]

Honest to god not one car has dipped their lights for me in the two times i have been out riding at night. I always seem to catch them half way around the bend when i find i can't see anything for a second or two which is a little scary!

[YellowDog]

When people don't dip, you should focus your eyes on a road line and don't look up. That way you can survive the main beam.

When people don't dip or they dip very late, I always go to main beam just before we pass.

[wysper]

Yep, I always dip my lights.
Most times oncoming vehicles dip for me, some don't, but it is the same when I am in the car. Some don't, most do.

[Insanity_rules]

I get high beam all the time listening to the sweet engine note of the mighty termignoni pipes................ Oh you mean headlights not nipples right? Oops!

[p.dath]

Always take my lights off high beam when I see another vehicle. You don't want to blind the driver and cause an accident.

[MotoKuzzi]

I've been driving for 40 years and I would say that in the last 10-15 there's been a marked deterioration in oncoming drivers dipping from High Beam and at the same time an improvement in lighting quality so that the effect on the other driver is more damaging. Some motorbikes with headlights wrongly adjusted or weighted down in the back can be as bad as cars.

[sunhuntin]

thats the main reason i avoid riding at night... the number of ignorant drivers who dont seem to give a rats. as a result, i dont often bother to dip mine unless they do first.

[Vern]

I've been driving for 40 years and I would say that in the last 10-15 there's been a marked deterioration in oncoming drivers dipping from High Beam and at the same time an improvement in lighting quality so that the effect on the other driver is more damaging. Some motorbikes with headlights wrongly adjusted or weighted down in the back can be as bad as cars.

Yeah I have noticed some car headlights that I have thought were on high I have flashed my lights at them then they put there's on high and really dazzle me Vern.

[cave weta]

at the same time an improvement in lighting quality so that the effect on the other driver is more damaging..

What about all those WRXs and Evos and Pulsar GTIs with "park lights" that have 55watt bulbs in them and whacking great reflectors!!!!
They are classed as park lights but they are as bright as headlights and they show all the time- dip or not!

THEY PISS ME OFF

[CookMySock]

When riding at night do you turn your high beam off for other vehicles?

Yes, unless my safety is in question, and mostly it's not. As a test, try leaving them on full - you will be shocked how many people don't care.

Can't say i've ever been pissed off by a motorcycles lights at night.

Thats because motorbike headlights are gutless and no one fears them. People can be really territorial - I don't like it, but we find workarounds for issues in the world we live in.

I have noticed that if i turn my high beam off when i see the other vehicles lights around the corner or over the crest they don't do it until i am right next to them and by then i have already been blinded. Leaving the high beams on seems to give the same result but im wondering if my bikes little wee light is blinding other drivers?

There is a workaround for that. Try it and see if it works for you - if it doesn't then you need a brighter headlight. All you do is leave your headlight on full until they are right in their eyes for one full second ONLY, and then dip them. Yeah, it's a bit cunty, but at least wankers will dip their headlights for you, or else you have to request repeatedly with your pissy lights, and then all you get from people is trouble. Watching someone actually dip their lights seems to trigger them to dip without even realising it.

I've driven commercial vehicles at night for 20 years and 20,000 hours. You have to have bright headlights and be a bit of a jerk with them, or you get trampled, and thats just the way of it. I don't mean zap everyone with them, I just mean let people see you have a weapon and then dip - no problems then.

Steve

[MotoKuzzi]

I can remember having it drummed into me when I was learning to drive that you must dip your lights for oncoming traffic or you risk causing an accident. I was shit scared not to 'cause we knew most of the other drivers on our roads around Atiamuri in those days.

[Winston001]

Yes - reluctantly. The Ducati's headlight is......dim. And on Dip....might as well get off and walk with a candle.

But I have noticed drivers don't dip for bikes as much as we'd expect.

Knew a guy once who had an aircraft landing light clamped to his right front fairing. If an oncoming car forgot to dip, he'd switch on the lamp no worries!

[sil3nt]

I did do a bit of a test. There was a longish straight with about 2 cars and one truck i thought i would not dip my headlights and see if anyone flashed me. They had plenty of time to do this but no one seemed to care. Perhaps i should stand at the end of my driveway and look into the fullbeam. Fairly sure i can't do that with my car!