Safe Speed Forums

I know where you are coming from with this as I have almost been killed twice by drivers who obviously didn't see me , even with dipped headlights. Both times I was travelling at around 10mph

ok, so I'm driving along, get blinded by your light and slam my brakes on... only to be rear-ended and killed by the semi that was tailgating me... but don't worry, you should still be in one piece.

Ooooo get the drama queen. There is a very good section on tail gating elsewhere on the site, if you take it on board there are strategies that will allow you do an emergency stop and not end up dead.

Ride 100,000 miles in London and then we will talk some more.

Those are the situations i use main beam. Low speed filtering is where the drivers pay least attention. A sudden decision to change lane or let the kids out and then you are in trouble.

Quote:- I am glad you know the spec and state of adjustment of my lamps. I will modify my actions immediatly due to your sage advice and infinite wisdom.

My, my, aren't we tetchy? Caught a raw nerve, did I? I never mentioned the state of your lights, but if the cap fits, wear it!

If a plank on a bike is following me and dazzling me with main beams, I indicate left and pull in quickly and let him f**k off!

What you bikers (not ALL, I admit) forget, is you are wearing dark visors so are already half-blind!

Seeing as you said



And we were talking about me using main beam that rather emplies the lights on my (modern) bike are bright and badly adjusted.

you go on......



Not really. I am a sarchastic bugger at the best of times and when faced with cagers not really knowing what they are on about I find little need for restraint; I deal with stupid cagers for two or three hours a day. Its a shame they appear here too.

As I said I ride a GSF600 and GSX600R to work. Both have their headlights adjusted prefectly (I know because I do it regularly). The Triumph has three projector lights and is less suited to running on main beam.

Actually - have not real problems on this one - when in the Alps we are in and oot of tunnels that often that it's just logical to keep the dips....

Safety benefit? Europe has bettr cycling facilities anyway and a policy over j-walking and abusive cycling in many countries (the one laws I would like to see here )

But if wwe are to have blanket law for car and bikers - then this same law should apply to cyclists

As for the opposite side of the argument - and I think cyclists should think hard before they start criticising

I seem to recall one of the problems Kriss encountered was when she ranted off on one about lights and high viz. The counter argument seemed to be along the lines of



I could direct to some posts in the archives by these people ...

But as for whether 24 hour " dippy" saves lives... we have to remember the debate occurred on one of the worst March days for a long time.. and that the Scandinavian countries have less daylight than we do throughout the year as a whole.

Would people notice cars more? Well :scratchin: there are countless incidents with all emergency vehicles and perhaps we should be asking why why WHY .. with sirens blazing and lights a-flashing ..

[i] some people remain oblivious to the emergency and the risk or hazard they have to deal with when meeting these on the roads - and if they fail to note these vehicles - how likely are they to not all cars using their dippys [/i[]

I think we need more research into all this before we start making laws and criminalising drivers AND cyclists (Per a Swiss tabloid "out to flame" paper ... there are some nasty plans afoot in France... )

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if you're getting tailgated then there is no way of doing an emergency stop without getting hit. If I remember correctly, the strategies mentioned are to avoid the need to do an emergency stop in the first place - something that's not applicable in this case.


I didn't realise this was a pissing contest. I've clocked up plenty of miles riding in both London and Sydney... just not of the motorised variety.

I have always favoured the double time gap approach works well especially when there is no other way to get out the way. Ride or drive with twice the safe gap between you and the vehicle in front then balance your emergency breaking with how much the person behind closes on you. Thats my preferred approach I am sure there are more.



Its not a pissing contest; its a why would you use main beam in traffic and when filtering. I do not think riding an push bike in London and Sydney gives you a valid point to criticise from. Filtering on a motorbike is not the same as riding a push bike through traffic. Doesnt mean you are not entitled to an opinion just means you are going to have to come up with something a lot more intelligent to persaude me I am wrong.

Or maybe you just want a pissing competition and are miffed you are loosing?

That doesn't work if a kid runs in front of you.


It's not really an 'emergency' stop if you can ease off the brakes, is it? If you need to do real emergency stop while getting tailgated you're going to get hit.


just how fast are you filtering? If I leave my brain at home I bet I can filter past traffic almost as quickly as you can (legally, that is).


fair enough, it's obviously pointless arguing with anyone stupid enough to think that deliberately blinding other road users is a good thing for road safety. We can only hope that one day the police will be around to convince you a little more forcefully of this.

Hear, hear

Using main beam in traffic is selfish, inconsiderate and arrogant. TBH, it's the kind of behaviour that is likely to get bikers a bad name.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

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Balrog, read it again!

Oscar wrote:
My, my, aren't we tetchy? Caught a raw nerve, did I? I never mentioned the state of YOUR lights, but if the cap fits, wear it!

IAM does advise using dipped lights if the sun is behind you as this has dual function - diffuses the sunlight for the oncoming vehicle and focuses their eyes to your lights. That is the only function - a high beam would defeat the objecitve on this one.



Besides balrog - can appreciate your bike is designed in much the same way as Scandinavian cars - (this was so that drivers would not fall foul of the law when it was introduced in any case) - and as MM says - we do tend to keep the lights on when in the Alps as we are in and out of tunnels where this is also a legal requirement (as is the speed limit and there are speed cams in those tunnels for anyone planning motor trip to these areas)

But most mediium and certainly all red blooded "double the ton" motorbikes (and these asre not toys for middle aged blokes to rediscover their "yoof" ) come equipped with a very powerful quartz-halogen headlight anyway - throws a very intense beam. Tungsten gives an inadequate night beam - so if your bike has tungstens and you feel this is not enough - hence your feeling you "are doing right by using mains" - then perhaps you could consider an upgrade - which means you have a good light which does not blind people.

Oh - you have to check the bike's alternator could cope with the bigger power demand - - but usually you can fit into the existing headlight shells on the lower medium range or older bikes.

Whilst I am on about lights... REAR LIGHTS! Notoriusly poor on motorbikes - very few incorporate fog lights - and perhaps those sold for trailers and caravans are the easiest to fit and adapt for motrocycle use

Always carry spare bulbs (but well wrapped if in a pocket - glass hurts w if you do fall off! ) as bike lights are prone to failure because of vibration - and check all wiring etc before setting off


THINK! P O W E R and then whilst riding ...


C O A S T!

As for the "advantages" - we had all this before when Kriss upset the cyclists over being visible - the argument aas Ted recaps being "if we are all in day -glo etc - we cease to stand out" and as things stand at the moment - people do not seem to see police cars with full lights and woo-woos.

Perhaps more lessons in how to observe... And a realisation that RAIN and GLOOM mean DUSK conditions and THUS DIPPED LIGHTS - whatever season.

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I've never had a problem with a motorbike's light being on full beam during the day time - did you know that the difference between the brightness of a normal day and a moonlit night is 2,000 times? Your eyes not going to be dazzled by a motorbike's headlamp on full beam during the day, because the total amount of light from the rest of the view is equal to so much more than this, and your pupil shrinks accordingly.
I've had drivers come up behind me with full beam on in the middle of the night - I am dazzled if I look in the mirror, so I do two simple things: switch my mirror down so I only see a darkened view of them, and if necessary, move my head forwards so I can no longer see the sods in my side mirrors.
I'll try to find some figures for the relative power of light during the day versus a headlamp.
You can all try this easily at home - just put your car's lights on full beam during the day, walk twenty feet away from it, and crouch down; you are unlikely to be 'dazzled'.

Many people would beg to differ and argue that using main beam headlights in anyone else's field of view is dazzling and causes considerable discomfort and annoyance.

Also illegal under HC Rule 94.

Funny how you're defending this obnoxious, antisocial practice yet strongly condemning "speeding" in other posts. You wouldn't have just shambled out from under a bridge, would you?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Except that you do not need the extra light ....




Please do....



But people walking around and on bikes are not going to be able to crouch....

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Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

I hope you are not suggesting modern sports bike are dangerous or should be banned? And FWIW there are NO double ton bikes. The best you will do is a Hayabusa which in the correct atmospheric conditions can just about touch 190. So thats all right then

And you are right about people recapturing their youth, I was lucky enough to ride the new GSXR1000 a few weeks ago. I am used to 1000s, I ride one often but this has the power of a 1300cc 'busa, and the weight of a 400. Just because you rode a 1000 in 1960 does not mean you want a 1000 today. In fact if you rode a 1000 in 1960, try a 400 today.



I am happy with the tungestons on the GSF and the GSX but they are not as good as those on the triumph. I think its more a case of the whole package. My Triumphs dipped lights are many times brighter than either that of my GSX of GSF on main beam. However the Triumph has a 'hard' edge to the light where as the GSX and GSF have a fading edge.

Another thing to bear in mind is the attitude of a bike varies much more than that of a car. I can lift the nose of the Triumph by around 4 inches (very easily done on hard acceleration)before the front looses all grip effectively this rises the pair of dipped headlights to the same level of the main beam.



Usually you get the new headlamp cluster from the latest version of your model. I have a friend with a Pan E who has fitted front spotlights. He can run about 30 minutes until he needs a bump start or to call the AA.



No bikes I am aware of have rear fog lights. Rear LED lights really help. After a quick survey of the back of my bikes there is nowhere to mount a fog light. Some top boxes have LED arrays in (mine do) which are a good addition.



Modern (Jap) bikes do not have the barbaric criminal wiring of old british bikes, they start in the wet and the electrics 'just work'.

Not much point carrying front bulbs for any of mine, its a 30 minute job to swap the bulbs at best. Not fun in the dark on a hard shoulder. Its what the AA are for! On the plus side modern (japanesse) bikes seem to manage ok. In the last 6 years I have had two indicator bulbs go and that was due to faulty aftermarket indicators.



If you see lots of hi vi then you see lots of hazard. Frankly if you want my hi vi jacket then you will have the fight of you life on your hands, its one of my core pieces of kit.



If you promised me all drivers were making some effort at observing I would rethink my position. However I have learnt the hard way that most dont and expecting them not to even try to observe increases my life expectancy.

I do not think you know quite how many bikers do this. On Friday a client popped in to see me on his BMW K1200, he uses main beam in a simillar way to me. A quick straw pole of 6 friends and they will use main beam when they feel the need. I checked all the one coming bikes on my ride today and 9 from about 19 were on main beam.

I am not sure drivers of cars can tell a bike on main beam during day light. I am flashed by oncoming cars on my triumph when dipped but have never been flashed while on main beam on the GSX or GSF

I'll try to find some figures to prove this is all a load of twaddle. I've just gone out and tested this with my own car. No 'dazzle' whatsoever. Full beam. Standing 20 feet away. (Crouching, actually).


This isn't an "obnoxious, antisocial practice", unless it's done at night. I condemn SPEEDING in my other posts - why did you put it in quotes - you wouldn't happen to be one of those angry, aggressive speeders I'm complaining about, would you?

Nope - but just do not want these middle aged "Peter Pan chasers" causing chaos up in Weardale and Teesdale...



I think a lot of these underestimate the advances in technology when they go to buy a bike... they certainly do not realise that like cars and racing bikes - things have moved on...



It is a case of "knowing your bike and style to a greater extent.



True - very few models have a fog lamp - there are a couple top of the ranges which do...but majority - you have to look around and sometimes it is possible to adapt a "bulkhead fitting" to some makes - but not necessarily all.



Never fun on any hard shoulder. Hope you keep yourself safely behind the barrier in case...




Glad to hear this ... I wear mine... I even wear bright yellow leggings on my bike.




Why we mention COAST rather a lot... And if you are pulled in our patch - you are given a COAST blast - and we do keep it friendly as people take note if spoken to in a freindly and polite way as opposed to " knows best"

We reserve the acid for the truly dangerous...

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.