Compulsory daylight headlight use in NZ

[Griffin]

Is it just me? Or is anyone else finding that each week that passes brings us closer to being a Police State.

We're going to get to the stage that we will all be informed of what time we are allowed to get up in the morning, what to have for breakfast and when to leave the house... what car / bike we can drive, whether we must have lights on or not and where we are allowed to travel to. Its just getting ridiculous.

Not that I have a choice on my particular bike... but if I did and its daytime and if I want my lights on - I would turn them on, if I want them off - I would leave them off.

Why should some beaurocrat sitting in some boring office tell me what choices I must make?

[Headbanger]

Yeah, correct.

Except it's not the point.

I think you meant to say that's not your point, It is most definitely my point.

I'm going to make a submission in support for enforced headlights and request that bikes not capable of running a headlight at idle be deemed not road worthy.

All in the name of looking out for my fellow bikers, I amazed some people are getting round on gear that can't power a headlight.

No worries though, I know whats good for ya, You can all thank me later.

[CDFloss]

That is a surprise. I would have thought they might order it off the road and maybe give you a lift home.

Ok, I should add this didn't happen in New Zealand, but it did happen. My point is that most cops are human and would/should show a little understanding regarding genuine faults while out and about.

Cheers

[Conquiztador]

And of course, a Harley would NEVER break down or need to be taken out the back and shot. Only its rider perhaps.

You are totally missing the point. Most of the bikes you see on the open road WITHOUT headlights on are bloody Harleys.

But then to own a classic bike you need a bit of class and you're obviously lacking that.

Nope, U are wrong. And not sure what this has to do with a certain make of bike?

[Conquiztador]

Meh, If your bike can't power the damn headlight it should be taken out back and shot.

Get the piles of crap off the road, Put em in a museum if they are worthy or send em to the scrap dealer.

Fully support your thinking. I lived in a country that has one of the lowest road accident statistics (Sweden). All vehicles had to have daytime lights on. No matter what car/bike. My old 48 Panny had no problems running with lights on 24/7. And nor did any other bike, be that a old pommy, Indian, or anything else. We just knew that to get the thingy through WOF we had to sort the lights. And their motorways allow 120K/h.

I say: Let's get anything moving on the road to have lights on! If it saves one life it is worth it!

Or perhaps we want to go back to the "let the rider decide" and make helmets up to the rider too??? Said that, I loved the times when I could ride w/o helmet. But the problem was that I could hear all the noises and I was expecting the motor to blow...

[Brett]

Well, it has my vote! I also read a study based on Sweden when they implemented this law. Dropped the amount of crashes significantly. Whether it be in a cage or on my bike, day or night, I always have my lights on. Two thumbs up from Moi.

[maybe]

Me thinks its time the Government started running the Country and stopped running the people???

[BiK3RChiK]

We had no less than 3 cars pull directly out in front of us yesterday in town with the headlights blazing! To me, that says its nothing about the 'being seen' and more driver education needs to take place. One was an obviously tired mum who looked like she'd rather be asleep than behind the wheel. Another, was a cheeky bitch who grinned and kept on going anyways. These two incidents were at roundabouts. We had our high beam on, and they all saw us. The mum actually apologised! And the third actually did stop before cutting us off completely.

Legislation like this is just an excuse to make another law and won't stop the 'Oh, I didn't see you' stories...

[FJRider]

Thanks for posting that, My CB750 cant run with the lights on around town, An exemption for older bike would be good.

There must be something wrong with your electrics... I had a 76 CB750, and ran with lights on, all the time.... no problem at all. get it checked out...

[CookMySock]

Most of the bikes you see on the open road WITHOUT headlights on are bloody Harleys.

They are struggling enough to keep their back wheel turning without having to power the fucking headlight too..

DB

[Grahameeboy]

BRONZ supports bikers using headlamps , or other lamps in daytime. BRPONZ is opposed however to making such use compulsory.

Because it is something they did not think of I guess

Firstly, because it transfers the responsibility from the cager to keep a good look out , to the biker. The effect of it will be that it will be up to the rider to make himself seen. So "Sorry mate didn't see you, so that means it's your fault"

Surely as Bikers riding vehicles significantly faster that most cars on the road the onus is on us to keep a good look out?

Secondly because it should be a matter left to the riders discretion.

So back to point one, if it is down to the riders discretion, said rider does not have lights one and a care driver does not see him, said rider should accept partial responsibility?

Thirdly because it is impractical for older (and some small newer) bikes.

Is it...we can send a space thing to Mars...so why can't we wire up bikes....although like most Laws it will not be retrospective?

Fourthly because the evidence of benefit is at best ambiguous.

What evidence...sure it is obvious...lights on, more visible...I ride on high beam and a lot less problems

Fifthly becaus ein some situations it could make a rider less safe. F'instance in fog, where fog lamps are better than headlamps.

I think fog is an extreme example but hey if you are right, it must be safer not to have headlights on when foggy...figures based on your argument.

BRONZ has made a detailed submission to that effect.

Which probably got thrown in the bin having seen other efforts by BRONZ...

I will post it up later, it is quite long. Please don't just copy it, because that devalues it in the eyes of the Sheeple. But excerpt is you wish .

....................

[FJRider]

I ride with lights on because anything that helps me being seen/noticed by all other motorists (including other motorcyclists), has got to be good.

[Kickaha]

So everyone here who is advocating "lights on" and rides with lights on has ever had a vehicle pull out in front of them or had any kind of 'sorry I didn't see you moments or been knocked off their bike?

I ride with lights off, always have, always will, I don't believe they will see you either way and ride accordingly

[davereid]

I always used to ride with lights off.

I found that a quick flash of the lights if I saw a car who may not have noticed me was vey effective.

Both my last two bikes turn the lights on themselves, so I can't do this anymore.

I have noticed no reduction at all in the number of drivers who didnt see me, indeed as I now can't "flash" em, I think its got worse.

I have also noticed that I find it much harder to judge a vehicles speed and distance when it has its lights on. Bikes are worse than cars in this regard. I can only assume my experience is the same as other drivers.

I am also concerned that with my lights on, my tail light operates.

It's combined with my brake light. I'm absolutely sure that the change from OFF to BRAKE is much more noticeable than the change from TAIL to BRAKE.

At highway speeds, a 1-second delay in noticing my brake light costs the motorist behind me 27 meters of stopping distance.

That 27 meters might be important to my survival, as I might be stopped there !

I'd suggest that motorcyclists choose for themselves.

There are some on this site who think that its good to impose safety rules on others.

They justify it with statements like "you cost us all money if you have an accident" and endless arguements about how "Its safer to do it this way, therefore its OK for me to compel you to do it"

Sadly they usually win.

The trouble is, these are exacly the arguements that will be used to take our motorcycles off us.

Cars continue to get safer. Bikes don't. The day when its virtually impossible to die in a car are approaching. Soon the only motorists to die in road crashes will be bikers.

So, the safety Nazis will focus on us.

Indeed, many bikers appear to be safety nazis - they just havent noticed the bigger nazis watching them.

[MSTRS:Me]

Whilst I agree with the intent behind having headlight on, obviously only a motorcyclist can know whether this makes any difference. Having ridden motorcycles for some 35 years, it is my observation that to make any difference to being visible, the headlight must be on high beam. With the poor statistics of car drivers not seeing motorcyclists, and the often poor headlights on motorcycles (particularly older models), then I suggest that if fulltime use of headlights is to be made compulsory, then daytime use of the highbeam is the only realistic measure.