California Commuter Chronicles

[James Burleigh]

I'm pretty sure my double-headlamps on high beam pretty much burn up the cornea of the drivers ahead of me on the freeway during my commute. (Sometimes I really hope that's what they do, like when someone jumps into my lane without signalling.) So normally I'm pretty good about dimming the high beams when I close up on cars or cruise behind them (see former noted exception).

The brights pretty much go back on when traffic slows to the point where I break formation and go up the middle--what we call lane shaaaaaaaaaring :graduated: --in order that asleep-at-the-wheel cagers get a glimmer in the corner of their eye that something is, gosh, somehow different.

I'm also sensitive to the relative brightness of the brights in low-light conditions: obviously at night, but also on overcast days and when in a tunnel. In other words, during those times I'll dim them more often / sooner.

But I notice some bikes leave their lights on all the time, and in fact the CHP in their endorsement of the MSF Basic Rider Course say that's okay. One concern I have, apart from the courtesy thing, is that I will actually piss people off, and turn the brights from a benefit (increased visibility) to an incremental additional hazard through people saying, "F**k you!" and brake or turn into me.

What do y'all do with regard to your brights when commuting, especially down there in the L.A. jungle?

Jb

P.S. When on two-lane roads with on-coming traffic, I will dim my brights out of courtesy, but also as another sensory input to the on-coming car of my presence.

 

[Silent]

I never use my brights in traffic (day or night). Only time I use em is when I can't see, and there's no oncoming traffic, or some ****** cuts me off.

 

[madmike2]

I normally travel with mine in the LOW position. When approaching an intersection or driveway where it looks like someone would make a bad decision and pull out on me, THEY get the brights AND the driving lights....

On the rare occaision that I am driving with the headlamps on bright, I will dim them once stayin behind a vehicle. Like you stated, there is no use to blind someone or get the PO'd enough to be aggresive toward me....and I think its polite.

 

[twowheelnut]

what we call lane shaaaaaaaaaring :graduated:

Keep it up, yuk-yuk, boy. But don't come whining when the practice is abolished. :grin:

What do y'all do with regard to your brights when commuting, especially down there in the L.A. jungle?

Never use brights in traffic. Only in very light traffic on interstate or two lane - dim within 500' when following and when oncoming lights are first noticed. One nice feature about my 'cute' Zook is the Euro passing button. Sends a message without being distracting or obnoxious.

 

[NightShine]

Never use brights in traffic. Only in very light traffic on interstate or two lane - dim within 500' when following and when oncoming lights are first noticed.

Really, JB! Please support your fellow riders by adjusting your traffic attitude! And in California anyway, I seem to remember the motor vehicle code requiring dimming headlights 500' when following, 1000' when oncoming. Or do you consider that just a "guideline"?

 

[Toecutter]

Get ya some of these and melt the *******s!

 

[FLHX]

I agree with the CHP and also many motorcycle articles I've read over the years. Mine are on all the time during the day except maybe in a traffic jam where I'm stuck behind a car real close. I think my life is worth more than the little inconvenience that it might cause another driver from seeing my brights. At night time I use them as you would in a car.

 

[JimLor]

I've been using my brights all the time here in VA (during the day). Now that I have the super duper stator, I leave my HH50s on too. In 23 months I've had 1 person flash their brights at me and I switched to low beam, then back to high when they passed. Like some above, in slow moving traffic or like situations I'll go to low beam, but barring special situations my highs are on.

That said, there's one aspect of riding that scares the crap outta me because I did it once. Years ago I was waiting at a stop sign to pull onto a fairly busy road. I looked left and "saw" a motorcycle coming - I started to pull out! Luckily I stopped myself immediately. I posit that at times folks will look, "see" a bike, but it doesn't actually register because they're not "expecting" to see a bike, they naturally expect to see a car. That happened to me 10 years or so before I started riding because of it I believe I try a little harder to see and actually register what I see (if that makes any sense). BOttom line, I think there's a fair chance that even if people see you, they may not actually "see" you. I do my best to act like folks don't see me - even if I see them point their beady cage drivin' eyes at me, I do my best to watch them and their tires for movement, and I always have a plan on what to do if they start moving.

My point is to always ride like folks don't see you - 'cause they may look at you and still not "see" you.

 

[Glenn]

It is my understanding that the low beam is actually more visable during the day than the brights. I rarely use the brights even at night unless it is some open road and little or no traffic. Particularly looking for the beady eyes on the side of the road.

 

[gypsy]

I am a high beams all the time during daylight hours and as appropriate at night. I figure if they are bothering someone at least they know I am there. If someone flashes me I dim them until past. Bear in mind that I live somewhere that there is not much road rage.

gypsy

 

[Inlaw1]

MSF here in TX also recommends high beams during the day. Mine are on from dawn to dusk and have been for over 10 years. You ARE more visible than with just low beams. The high beams are on except mayhbe for a really overcast day or stuck in traffic behind someone.

 

[red2kcbr]

Low beams during the day. I'll give 'em a high beam flash at intersections, and at traffic waiting on a side street. But I don't expect to see me, or stop, or not run me over. Don't trust any of 'em.

 

[user 213]

I'm another low beam guy. Highs on all the time just pisses people off. What, you never heard of Road Rage?

People notice change a lot more than brights or lows alone. You flash 'em when they are about to do something stupid and it's usually effective.

All you guys that ride with the high beams on "so people will see you" don't get it yet. People see you, you're just not a threat to them in their multi-ton cage of steel. Besides, it's not up to them to see you, it's up to you to see them. At least if you want to live.

One more thing, several studies have shown that people have greater difficulty judging distance of a closing object when bright lights are on it. Often causing them to think it's farther away than it is.

 

[JimLor]

I agree with you OCfjr that people notice change. I don't agree that hi-beams piss people off (as a general rule), at least that has not been my experience. I agree that it's up to you to see them - but I also believe that you need to do everything you reasonably can to try and get them to see you. The whole "keeping your ass from getting squished" exercise is much easier (safer) when all involved are, well, involved. BUT, you can't ever hand your safety over to anyone else.

Interesting points and well worth mulling over - thanks!

 

[NoCage]

It doesn't matter what I do... I'm gone by the time they see my lights anyway.

 

[cougar8000]

Get ya some of these and melt the *******s!

And what are these?

Here in IL I personally do and teach during MSF Brights on during day, dim at night. One simple reason. When night comes and my low beam burned down because it was on all day long I am a bit SOL. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[exskibum]

I ride with low beams on during the day. When I anticipate that someone might not see me (e.g., when about to turn or pull into my right of way), I set myself up in the best defensive position for evasive action that I can and sometimes toggle the high beam switch on and off to get their attention.

Mostly, I avoid the biggest part of the problem by seldom riding in anything that might be considered urban or commute traffic -- most of my riding is in the foothills and mountains and I always try to avoid congested areas.

 

[radman]

If I could, during the day I'd shut them off altogether. All these bikes with lights on, reflective gear, loud pipes, what have you-the brain dead ***** still kill with reckless abandon. I'm of the belief that staying alive and not getting run over sits squarely on my shoulders-all the mandates and useless regulating on the planet isn't gonna make any difference at all to the meth head cell phone worshipping makeup applying laptop internet surfing fuckwads I have to ride amongst on a daily basis. I feel the minute one thinks some safety related add-on is gonna make a difference, is the minute the count down to the inevitable wreck begins. Yeah, strong feelings on this one. Depend on your own wits and abilities, or drive a cage.

 

[exskibum]

. . . all the mandates and useless regulating on the planet isn't gonna make any difference at all to the meth head cell phone worshipping makeup applying laptop internet surfing fuckwads I have to ride amongst on a daily basis.

****, Rad -- you left out "latte-sipping". Kinda makes all us Californicators feel left out.

I'm with you on turning it off entirely, though, and when I get around to it on my Blackbird, I'm going to install the European right bar pod that includes a switch to turn that light off. (And then install the two H-7 HIDs I got in a group buy over a year ago.)