Lights and clutch use.

[StumpyFingers]

The problem with riding with full beam is IT IS ILLEGAL, it DAZZELS car drivers so they DO NOT SEE YOU.

[Bluff]

Surely (just a thought and probably not a good one) full beam in full daylight is striking rather than dazzling SF? I am open to being completely wrong here but......


WRT steveR's IAM instructor - no doubt an extremely competent rider blah blah blah - but a nob for not lighting up in dimpsy visibilty...

[StumpyFingers]

Surely (just a thought and probably not a good one) full beam in full daylight is striking rather than dazzling SF? I am open to being completely wrong here but......


WRT steveR's IAM instructor - no doubt an extremely competent rider blah blah blah - but a nob for not lighting up in dimpsy visibilty...

This was told to us by the police when we did our Bikesafe course.

[BobA]

The problem with riding with full beam is IT IS ILLEGAL, it DAZZELS car drivers so they DO NOT SEE YOU.

I was there when the copper said this, and the reason he said it was because I told him the follwoing, and asked his angle on it...

I always have my headlights on, but when filtering through stationary traffic (on motrways, dual cariageways) I ALWAYS go onto main beam!

I believe this does give the stationary traffic a better chance of seeing me, and I also occasionally give a little weave through the traffic, so the beam of the headlight attracts their attention even more!

There's some places that car drivers that are regular on that spot of road expect bikes to be filtering up the middle (Blackwall Tunnel approach for instance) but it only takes a newbie in the queue, and they're the ones that chop & change lanes, taking out bikers!!


Anyway, our Bikesafe copper was a great bloke, but as Stumpy' says, he wasn't keen on the idea of using full beam when filtering through stationary traffic!!



Bob

[pdsquire]

In Norway cars' headlights are wired to be on all the time, and when I lived in Denmark 20 years ago it was illegal to drive or ride without headlights between October and March. That seems like sense to me.

The problem in Britain is that the amount of light is so changeable. Yesterday in Worcester it was sunny all day but in London it rained hard from midday to 1630. I rode in drizzle at 1800 and combined with cloud cover and shortening days, visibility was remarkably bad. In country like this one, isn't it just wiser to have the headlight on all the time?

As to the instructor who fiddled with his wiring because he didn't like having the headlight on: can that be sensible?! It reminds me of Hog riders in California who like to ride with no helmets: I applaud their free spirits, but I question whether they are making a point worth the risks they take.

[BobA]

As said I always ride with headlights on, but I actually feel any advantage we have of being seen is being taken away or diluted by all these new cars that have "always on" headlamps or "day-running" lamps

BAN THE CAR I say!!!!

[jarl]

As said I always ride with headlights on, but I actually feel any advantage we have of being seen is being taken away or diluted by all these new cars that have "always on" headlamps or "day-running" lamps

BAN THE CAR I say!!!!

I agree- the effectiveness of motorbike DRL's is diminished by car DRL's IMO.

[Dee Duble Yuh]

Bear in mind that the headlamp can be seen only from in front. Hi-viz jackets and waistcoats can been seen from all angles (though not so well from the front if you have a tall tinted screen).

Regarding clutch vs. clutchless changes, I use clutch-light changes, i.e. I pull the clutch lever in only part-way and do this very quickly. It reduces the strain on the gearbox if I don't coordinate the throttle/gear changer quite right, but it's not a full clutch in... change gear... clutch out... like you'd do in a car.

[steveR]

I always have my headlights on, but when filtering through stationary traffic (on motrways, dual cariageways) I ALWAYS go onto main beam!

I believe this does give the stationary traffic a better chance of seeing me, and I also occasionally give a little weave through the traffic, so the beam of the headlight attracts their attention even more!


Anyway, our Bikesafe copper was a great bloke, but as Stumpy' says, he wasn't keen on the idea of using full beam when filtering through stationary traffic!!



Bob

Agree wholeheartedly about little weaves etc to alert drivers by making sure the bikes headlight flashes in their mirrors. I am still not wholly convinced that FB is bad in ths sort of instance, as the argument that the driver cannot judge the distance of the bike from the car is largely irrelevant. My two pennyworth anyway

[steveR]

Surely (just a thought and probably not a good one) full beam in full daylight is striking rather than dazzling SF? I am open to being completely wrong here but......


WRT steveR's IAM instructor - no doubt an extremely competent rider blah blah blah - but a nob for not lighting up in dim visibilty...

His choice, but at odds with his valid argument that too many motorcyclists have a victim mentality when it comes to road behaviour. And you all know the type of rider he means...

"Like yeah, like I was coming down this road like, and this car pulled out in front of me, and like I hit it didn't I, cos like he didn't see me! Yeah, so what if I was doin' 50 in a 30, the geezer should have seen me, like...."

Do I exaggerate?

But yes, i agree, it was not the best call to increase his chances of being seen by another driver I know some riders argue that this approach prevents complacency. Not sure meself! If Mr Pensioner has just a slightly greater chance of seeing me, I reckon it is worth it.