Car Drivers: Please Read

[parallelepipete]

@ bikergrrl

It's probably overcompensation for being a fuckwit behind the wheel for the first year or so after I passed my driving test

 

[moose]

I agree that it's easier to see the vehicle in front of you if it has lights on, but it's far more difficult to judge the distances of cars coming up behind you if they have lights on.

 

[newbie]

<boffin>

New Scientist article 'Turned off by daytime driving lights'

Bikergrrl, you might find this odd, but the article says:

Originally Posted by NS
Cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrian organisations are joining the fray, concerned about becoming vulnerable shadows in a sea of dazzling lights.

Shame the whole article isn't accessible to non-subscribers. As an ex-biker I've always thought that only bikes should have lights on during the day, to aid their visibility. They're much less obvious at night when everyone has lights on.

IME lights star on every raindrop on a visor. I'm not convinced daytime lights will help. But I don't ride anymore and I'm quite prepared to listen to those that do.

 

[newbie]

its the law, if your wipers are in use, you should have your side lights on

so im affraid to say your all nicked

Can you reference this please. All I can find in the Highway Code is

201: You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet).

 

[Pingu]

also dot put high intensity lights in your stop\tail light

it fuckin blinds people

 

[Spymaster]

I always use my side lights in rain or bad day light.

Why?

I've never understood why people drive on sidelights. Do they think they're saving electricity?

Surely if the weather is such that extra visibility is required, dipped beam should be used.

 

[Major Tom]

I sometimes find it difficult to see the car in front of me through the water on my visor. As you know, helmet visors don't have wipers and its not practical to keep wiping the rain off every couple of seconds...

Fuck me! If you have trouble seeing cars, then how difficult is it to see cyclists and pedestrians?

Are you sure its really safe to be motorbiking round the city when its raining?

 

[bikergrrl]

Fuck me! If you have trouble seeing cars, then how difficult is it to see cyclists and pedestrians?

Are you sure its really safe to be motorbiking round the city when its raining?

You generally go abit slower when you're riding in a city Major Tom, therefore the rain is hitting your visor slower. And if any pedestrian is dumb enough to make a dive into the road without looking to see if its clear, then they deserve to get run over (barring children who may not neccessarily understand the dangers of a road, or how to cross a road safely. But said children should have a parent holding their hand and keeping an eye on them).

On my route to work, I don't have to ride through any city centres, or areas where there are likely to be pedestrains, hence they are pretty fast roads. When the rain is coming down hard, you can't turn your visor-wipers on, we have to look through the rain. And it does make it that bit easier if drivers have their lights on...

 

[Spymaster]

I just keep the visor half open in town if it's raining.

Riding slowly in the rain is a pain in the arse if you've got the visor down.

 

[tobyjug]

I sometimes find it difficult to see the car in front of me through the water on my visor. As you know, helmet visors don't have wipers and its not practical to keep wiping the rain off every couple of seconds...
.

A little tip, tie a bit of rag or sponge to the back of your left hand glove and you can wipe your visor whenever it needs it. If your visor keeps losing visibility that quick you are riding far too fast for the conditions.

 

[bikergrrl]

Riding slowly in the rain is a pain in the arse if you've got the visor down.

I agree. And if I could ride with my visor up when doing higher speeds I probably would. But the wind dries my eyes out (which hurts) and rain hitting your face at anything above 40mph can be quite painful.

A little tip, tie a bit of rag or sponge to the back of your left hand glove and you can wipe your visor whenever it needs it. If your visor keeps losing visibility that quick you are riding far too fast for the conditions.

My left glove has a suede visor wipe on the forefinger, but riding at 30mph down a dual carriageway A-road is stupid. Especially considering the distance I have to ride to work.

 

[tobyjug]

My left glove has a suede visor wipe on the forefinger, but riding at 30mph down a dual carriageway A-road is stupid. Especially considering the distance I have to ride to work.

Dying because you park yourself under a lorry you did not see, or killing a pedestrian or cyclist because you did not see them is stupid as well.
If you can't see for whatever reason slow down until you can or get off of the road and stop.
I have had to stop in car because it was pissing down so hard I could not see.

 

[Spymaster]

.... but riding at 30mph down a dual carriageway A-road is stupid......

Not if you can't see where you're going!

I've lost count of the number of times I've stopped under motorway bridges because the rain's too heavy to ride safely.

May I ask how long you've been riding?

 

[Pingu]

Dying because you park yourself under a lorry you did not see, or killing a pedestrian or cyclist because you did not see them is stupid as well.
If you can't see for whatever reason slow down until you can or get off of the road and stop.
I have had to stop in car because it was pissing down so hard I could not see.

kin ell twice in a day! (sory tobes just a bit of light hearted joshing)
he right on that too.

if its raining so bad you cant see its only common sense to slow down or stop.
i would rather be late for work than not get there (..actually not getting there is cool too , but not for the reasons that would result from riding too fast when you cant see properly)

(before you ask I have been riding for 18 years now - and I am not some bumble along merchant, I take risks (like all bikers do) .. but only when I have weighed it up and decided that the risk is managble)

 

[loud 1]

get sum shine off spray,it dispersise the rain quicker

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

Fully agree & it has also been a legal requirement to use at least sidelights in even slightly impared visability for some time now.

Genuinely was unaware of this, only passed my test 3 years ago and I don't remember anything about this at the time

 

[bikergrrl]

Not if you can't see where you're going!

I've lost count of the number of times I've stopped under motorway bridges because the rain's too heavy to ride safely.

May I ask how long you've been riding?

A relatively short time. I have held my full license for just over two years, and I was riding bikes with L plates for nearly 4 years.

And I wasn't saying I couldn't see where I was going, I was trying to make other drivers aware that its easier for bikers and car users if they turn thier lights on.

Also, a worryingly high number weren't aware that this was a legal requirement.

 

[dessiato]

Fully agree & it has also been a legal requirement to use at least sidelights in even slightly impared visability for some time now.

Didn't know that, I never use less than dipped when the lights are on. I tend to think of sidelights as parking lights. I hadn't really thought about things from the point of view of the biker, glad you brought this to my attention, I'll try to remember as 'wipers on=lights on'