daylight running lights

[Poohbear]

I always rode defencley with head light on .. yet still got knocked off my GoldWing by a Co-op delivery driver who looked me at me directly before he did .. !!

He was more shook up than me .. and kept saying that .. he did see me and could not understand why he had not seen me when he had seen me .....

I had to take .. him into his depot for a strong cuppa tea ..!!

And a Gold Wing's as big as a car anyway!

[weebrian]

Assuming that a proportion of people do look then it goes without saying that some will avoid, not hit or stop when they see your lights/ hi viz clothing. Therefore if it is one of this proportion, no matter how small, that doesn't end up killing me, a few pounds spent will be well worth the investment.

[Poohbear]

Assuming that a proportion of people do look then it goes without saying that some will avoid, not hit or stop when they see your lights/ hi viz clothing. Therefore if it is one of this proportion, no matter how small, that doesn't end up killing me, a few pounds spent will be well worth the investment.

You're missing the point. In daylight, if they look they will see, whatever you happen to be wearing or how well you are lit up. If they don't look they won't see you. In the case of motorcycles, a high percentage of car drivers don't look for motorcycles. They look for other cars or bigger vehicles. Hence the "Think Bike" campaign.

[helen&tony]

Assuming that a proportion of people do look then it goes without saying that some will avoid, not hit or stop when they see your lights/ hi viz clothing. Therefore if it is one of this proportion, no matter how small, that doesn't end up killing me, a few pounds spent will be well worth the investment.

Hi weebrian...
Those are my sentiments!....and a very high proportion of drivers over here are over the drink drive limit, and you have to be B...... careful, and preferably not drive at night
Cheers
Helen

[khisanth]

thanks

[weebrian]

I drive, ride a motorbike and also a pedal cycle. When on two wheels I always ride defensively and do anything that might give me the edge. That includes riding my Honda with dipped headlamps and a hi viz jacket, my pedal cycle with lights front and back even in the daytime as well as light coloured clothing, reflective at night. I admit that when on two wheels, you are invisible to many car drivers but if by making myself more visible a few more will notice me, I'll go for that every time.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Klisanth
Here are the photos...sorry, the Bongo is filthy!...




Here are the DRLs:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PHILIPS-UNIVE ... 19c9defa6f
I use Xenon, as they are prompt and efficient, and answer any questions almost in minutes. They are based in Latvia, and can get parts to me in 2 days from Latvia to Bulgaria!!!! Specify that you want TNT and not Parcelforce, as Parcelforce are indescribably bad...almost every parcel I've ever had both here, and back in the UK has been damaged!...and the service is unbelievably poor...but that's your choice!
I bought an extra kit elsewhere to switch the DRLs on with the ignition, and dim them....only a simple inexpensive kit!
Good Luck
Cheers
Helen

[khisanth]

Hi helen thanks they look great. Will look at getting a set. Ur bongo is no dirtier than mine lol

[Tony x]

Just a quick one on DRLs and safety.
The research I read a while back showed that lights on motorcycles made you more likely to be seen but the riders distance would be estimated as being further away.
This means you now have a choice of being hit either because "I didn't see you mate" or "I thought you were further away"
I realize a bike is not a Bongo.

However, there's an important bit of information missing here and it's called the looming effect. Bunny rabbits get this a lot apparently.
This again is an old bit of research but it's about explaining how (for example) a driver can appear to look directly at you coming towards them and yet still pull out in front of you.
What happens is, as a vehicle approaches, rather than your brain registering something is approaching, it registers it as staying in the same place but growing bigger. Of course, this isn't a conscious process but part of the way we all filter information without being aware. Thus, no alert is triggered in your brain and it feels safe to pull out.
Whilst this idea of the looming effect may or may not be true, it doesn't really matter as the way around it is very simple. What you do if you find yourself driving towards a particular hazard is do a little wiggle - nothing dramatic. This apparently destroys the looming effect and the 'hazard' becomes aware you are approaching rather than growing.

[khisanth]

Very interesting next time i wiggle my bum in my car or bongo i will tell them its to break this effect.

This must also apply to driving at night aswell

[Poohbear]

Just a quick one on DRLs and safety.
The research I read a while back showed that lights on motorcycles made you more likely to be seen but the riders distance would be estimated as being further away.
This means you now have a choice of being hit either because "I didn't see you mate" or "I thought you were further away"
I realize a bike is not a Bongo.

However, there's an important bit of information missing here and it's called the looming effect. Bunny rabbits get this a lot apparently.
This again is an old bit of research but it's about explaining how (for example) a driver can appear to look directly at you coming towards them and yet still pull out in front of you.
What happens is, as a vehicle approaches, rather than your brain registering something is approaching, it registers it as staying in the same place but growing bigger. Of course, this isn't a conscious process but part of the way we all filter information without being aware. Thus, no alert is triggered in your brain and it feels safe to pull out.
Whilst this idea of the looming effect may or may not be true, it doesn't really matter as the way around it is very simple. What you do if you find yourself driving towards a particular hazard is do a little wiggle - nothing dramatic. This apparently destroys the looming effect and the 'hazard' becomes aware you are approaching rather than growing.

I too have read about this and it does appear to work on the bike, basically it is a slight weaving motion rather than riding in a straight line. Sometimes when you do it you can see the driver suddenly react as if they hadn't seen you until you started to weave.

[mikexgough]

Whatever people think about the merits and drawbacks of DRL's, I personally think the idea is a good one. It is such a pity that the powers that be have allowed a multitude of interpretations of the regulations. There are the led ones,the dimmed headlight types and the dual filament 20w /5w sidelight types, if only there were one type in use.
Each has differing results as to their brightness and some are more effective and look more pleasing on certain vehicle designs.

As I like them on the safety side of things, I decided to fit some and tried the round led type but they were not very good in respect that they got waterlogged and suffered condensation. They were not cheap chinese units but a so called quality brand, got a refund as I didn't want another set.
Having ditched them I got an aftermarket module,really a box with 2 relays one to switch the other one which was bearing the load, from Germany for a few pounds,they fit them to save fines when crossing nearby borders where DRL or dipped headlights are compulsory.
Initially I wired it as per the instructions, to allow just the dipped headlights to be on when the ignition was switched although it could be cancelled with a switch.
When the sidelights are switched on, the "module"cancelled out the headlights for normal operations as per the legal requirements for these type of lights, to cancel or dim.
After using this set up for a while found a couple of niggles. One being that it would increase bulb life...for the dipped beams and the other was, when dropping people off or parked with the engine running,other drivers misunderstood what you were doing.

After some research,I decided to adopt the dimmed headlight option.....so asked some Canadians & swedes I know...and decided to do as they do....use the main beam but use a ballast resistor (as the old UK dim dip systems used to do)
The ballast resistor I used, dims the main beam to 30% brightness around 20w like the oem ones and obviously the dazzle which would have been usual on full power doesn't exist.
The resulting light is "high" but not illegally and as such gives you the "edge" that driver's can see you and not so bright the issues raised by motorcyclists are negated.Another problem solved was the one I raised about other drivers not understanding what your actions were when the DRL were on the full dipped beam. I now prefer the dimmed headlight option as to me it suits the Bongo better.