A question about bike headlights

[johnnywb]

i live in London and have to drive quite regularly. This time of year it's often dark and wet which makes London driving just that little bit mroe enjoyable...

I'm noticing more and more bike driving with it would appear, their lights on main beam. Whilst i understand putting headlights on (i even do in the car even when it's not dark), it becomes pretty difficult to tell how far behind you a bike is when the lights are so bright and it's wet etc.

Is this the case, or is it just that because bike headlights are typically higher up, they appear to be brighter?

[Fleegle]

You might want some of these......

[3doorPete]

Some guys do it - I don't agree with it, but I have a friend who commutes who says he does it all the time so he's seen. Personally - I'm with you - harder to judge distance, more like to dazzle and cause an accident etc. etc.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Fleegle said:

You might want some of these......

Feegle................. Is......... That you?

[Fleegle]

It's a left hand drive car, you wizzened old div

[Biker's Nemesis]

You've got me there!










I'll not forget.

[Fleegle]

Forget what? you'll have to remind me

[Chilli]

Biker's Nemesis said:

Fleegle said:

You might want some of these......

Feegle................. Is......... That you?

20 years ago, perhaps.

[AndyDRZ]

Yeah, it's annoying

[road_rager]

They will be using main beam, I've noticed most of the culprits are scooter riders, I find it so annoying when I'm on the bike on a wet evening, as there is enough to contend with with out some pillock going main beam!

[Scraggles]

bikes with main beam behind me ? flip up the rear view mirror so cant see them, if they get in my way tough...

bikes in front on main beam, return the favour and / or shield my eyes from the beam, so cant see them.. simples

or they could use low beam and will notice them and make sure they have sufficient gap to get past me

[toxgobbler]

Ride in London daily, always on dipped beam, but see many scooters that do. Suspect it is partially high light position and there is no adjustment for headlight beam if carrying luggage or pillion so sometimes dipped beam can be aimed higher than it should.

[Wyvern971]

If I'm honest it pisses me off. Riding with dipped is sufficient to be noticed.

It is mostly scooters I notice doing this and I end up riding using my elbows to block the mirrors, which isn't exactly the best idea, but better than being distracted.

[johnnywb]

Ah, glad it's not just me then!

Re: the dipping mirror, my car has autodip side and rear mirrors, it's a choice between being dazzled or, the mirrors dip and it becomes increasingly difficult to judge exactly where the scooter (as these are the normal offenders) are.

[Hooli]

Wyvern971 said:

If I'm honest it pisses me off. Riding with dipped is sufficient to be noticed.

It is mostly scooters I notice doing this and I end up riding using my elbows to block the mirrors, which isn't exactly the best idea, but better than being distracted.

Snap.

I find them irritating dorks & be it in a car or on a bike I won't make any effort to let them past if they catch me as I feel stupidity & selfishness should be met with the same.

[R1 Loon]

Pisses me off no end when they do this. It'll be the "I ride in all weathers and have ridden a gabillion miles on a bike in the snow on slicks, I used to be a courier, oh they were the days......" type.

Stupid thing is it's self defeating as my mirrors in the car dim automatically too, so they are harder to spot.

[John D.]

I'd say at least 50% of the riders I see on the M25/M40 in rush hour use high beam. I find it irritating but I can see why they do it. Being a rider myself I do find it a bit alarming how bikes blend in to the mass of headlights on a busy motorway in the dark, where as in daylight they are much more visible amongst the traffic. Agree it is somewhat self defeating as I'll simply flip the mirror if they hover behind for too long.

I'm in two minds as to whether it is worth doing myself (I never have so far). Pretty much dodged the issue by switching to a car for the winter commute though

[Hooli]

John D. said:

I'm in two minds as to whether it is worth doing myself (I never have so far). Pretty much dodged the issue by switching to a car for the winter commute though

Better off just riding better & allowing for people who may not have seen you, if your relying on others for your safety then your doing it wrong.

[John D.]

Hooli said:

John D. said:

I'm in two minds as to whether it is worth doing myself (I never have so far). Pretty much dodged the issue by switching to a car for the winter commute though

Better off just riding better & allowing for people who may not have seen you, if your relying on others for your safety then your doing it wrong.

Sounds bang on to me.

[Hooli]

John D. said:

Hooli said:

John D. said:

I'm in two minds as to whether it is worth doing myself (I never have so far). Pretty much dodged the issue by switching to a car for the winter commute though

Better off just riding better & allowing for people who may not have seen you, if your relying on others for your safety then your doing it wrong.

Sounds bang on to me.

Works for me & the last time I didn't I crashed into the car, I see it as proof...