Bikers and Main Beam
Discussion
I was under the impression that bikers that ride around on main beam are generally too busy concentrating on the road to notice the little blue light on the dash telling them they've left them on by mistake.
However, a chat with a workmate today revealed that some people (like him) ride around with their lights on main beam on purpose to "make me more obvious". His argument was that a bike on main beam is more obvious than one with just dipped beam on.
My argument that a bike sitting in your rear view mirror with lights on full doesn't half dazzle you and could actually cause an accident fell on deaf ears.
Who's right?
However, a chat with a workmate today revealed that some people (like him) ride around with their lights on main beam on purpose to "make me more obvious". His argument was that a bike on main beam is more obvious than one with just dipped beam on.
My argument that a bike sitting in your rear view mirror with lights on full doesn't half dazzle you and could actually cause an accident fell on deaf ears.
Who's right?
Rawwr said:
Can't see the point in riding with main beam on. If someone isn't going to notice a bike with dipped beam, they're not going to notice it with full beam. All it serves to do is irritate people.
YMMV.
gotta agree there. YMMV.
if they are not getting noticed or THINK they arent getting noticed that much then maybe they should look at their riding. i ride my T140 without lights & never have a problem being seen. oddly i always ride with the lights on (dipped) on the 14 though & it feels wrong to be without them on that.
I agree! All it does is p1ss people off!Muffles said:
Can't turn my lights off on one of my bikes, so always have them on dipped, but I wouldn't ride around with main beam as it just irritates people.
Inconsiderate in my view, I know how vexed I get when people ride/drive with full beams on, modern lights are extremely bright. I know the ones in my car need a small nucleur power station to power them.As per Muffles my present bike and the Tuono before had automatic lights.
Main (high) beam is only to be used when it's dark and there's nothing in front of you.
I use dipped beam all of the time. Always have done and always will do. It gives you an advantage in being seen without annoying anyone.
Riders who use main beam are t
ts and need to be dazzled by an oncoming truck on main beam to see how they like it. There's no need for it whatsoever.
I use dipped beam all of the time. Always have done and always will do. It gives you an advantage in being seen without annoying anyone.
Riders who use main beam are t
ts and need to be dazzled by an oncoming truck on main beam to see how they like it. There's no need for it whatsoever.My Fazer has DRLs so I have no choice about the lights being on as such, but I really don't see how it helps you to have main beam on. It gives a false idea of your speed and position to oncoming traffic, and merely annoys anyone ahead of you in your own lane.. ergo - why do it? <shrugs>
I never use it unless it's dark and there's no oncoming traffic. I think it's inconsiderate and unhelpful. I want people to be able to see where I am when I'm filtering and a mirror full of light doesn't help that. I also rely on people realising that I'm going a lot quicker than they are and therefore moving to one side and I think that this goodwill is eroded by blinding them.
Johnny said:
Only use main beam when i'm filtering... helps to alert all those dozy feckers listening t'radio, and not much else, to my presence. My lovely loud zorst at 10k in 1st helps too...
I can see where you're coming from but I still don't know if full beam is a good idea - I would expect it to actually make drivers more unpredictable as they could be blinded by the light.Johnny said:
Only use main beam when i'm filtering... helps to alert all those dozy feckers listening t'radio, and not much else, to my presence. My lovely loud zorst at 10k in 1st helps too...
It's very hard to tell closing distance with main beams on. They'll see you but will struggle to tell if you're 3 or 10 cars behind them.Muffles said:
Johnny said:
Only use main beam when i'm filtering... helps to alert all those dozy feckers listening t'radio, and not much else, to my presence. My lovely loud zorst at 10k in 1st helps too...
I can see where you're coming from but I still don't know if full beam is a good idea - I would expect it to actually make drivers more unpredictable as they could be blinded by the light.There is NO need for main beam other than to see in the dark or to p1$$ someone off.
Johnny said:
Only use main beam when i'm filtering... helps to alert all those dozy feckers listening t'radio, and not much else, to my presence. My lovely loud zorst at 10k in 1st helps too...
if you filter up to me with mainbeam on i'll make much much less effort to make space for you than i will other bikers. you want to be annoying & try to dazzle people then i'll be as small minded back. thats from someone who rides to work everyday btw, so grow up.the noisey zorst however i agree with, that works & isnt annoying.
Hooli said:
Johnny said:
Only use main beam when i'm filtering... helps to alert all those dozy feckers listening t'radio, and not much else, to my presence. My lovely loud zorst at 10k in 1st helps too...
if you filter up to me with mainbeam on i'll make much much less effort to make space for you than i will other bikers. you want to be annoying & try to dazzle people then i'll be as small minded back. thats from someone who rides to work everyday btw, so grow up.the noisey zorst however i agree with, that works & isnt annoying.
I'll actually close the gap and make you wait. Maybe the message will sink in if it has a negative effect
I don't do it to be annoying and dazzle people. I do it when i feel it's necessary, if it's particularly busy and i can see a lot of lane changing going on ahead...
Certainly not trying to piss people off. Maybe if less people tried to kill me I wouldn't feel the need... but point taken.
As for those of you who would block me on purpose...
Certainly not trying to piss people off. Maybe if less people tried to kill me I wouldn't feel the need... but point taken.
As for those of you who would block me on purpose...
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