Who else rides by "the force" then?

[Brettus]

I noticed a thread on a regional forum about the moment you are heading toward oncoming traffic at night in the rain and have that lack of vision and have to aim for where you know the truck/car isn't. I assume it must happen to everyone and its just one of the things you get used to and mitigate the risk as much as possible, or are there some magic tips for this?

[yorkie_chris]

Nah just kinda aim to the left a bit and hope you don't die really :-P

[DanAbnormal]

Why would you be heading for oncoming traffic at night in the rain? Personally, I try not to filter when it's dark and there is adverse weather. I like to get the odds on my side a bit. Other than that I guess it's just judgment and a bit of [-o<

[yorkie_chris]

You get the "oh f### where's the road gone" thing on a normal road when there's a bit of a crest, or some tw4t has full beams on.

[Brettus]

Why would you be heading for oncoming traffic at night in the rain? Personally, I try not to filter when it's dark and there is adverse weather. I like to get the odds on my side a bit. Other than that I guess it's just judgment and a bit of [-o<
Wasn't on about filtering, the effect is the same if you are on your own side of the road, just got to aim for the right place. all of a sudden, a lane of a road doesn't seem that wide heh :)

[rictus01]

Hmmmmm, don't think I use "the forces" although it could look that way, blazing headlights, a dip of vision to the nearside curb, so no slowing down or a blind crest, you've previously observed where the road goes, so isn't a problem that kind of thing.

I guess with enough experiance, knowing your own limits and practised forward observation it can come across to others as either "the force" or "blind luck" where as in fact it's neither.

Cheers Mark.

[DanAbnormal]

Wasn't on about filtering, the effect is the same if you are on your own side of the road, just got to aim for the right place. all of a sudden, a lane of a road doesn't seem that wide heh :)

Aha. In that case I generally use the force. Can't quite explain it but you get a feeling for where the road should be. Haven't fallen down a ditch yet (touches wood). :p

[Mr Speirs]

Advice even on my first cage lesson which was in the dark was 'Just don't look at the lights look slightly to the left of them'

So I believe that is how you drive in the dark :)

It sounds dangerous and a bit @rse to the wind but it actually makes a lot of sense.

[Brettus]

Hmmmmm, don't think I use "the forces" although it could look that way, blazing headlights, a dip of vision to the nearside curb, so no slowing down or a blind crest, you've previously observed where the road goes, so isn't a problem that kind of thing.

I guess with enough experiance, knowing your own limits and practised forward observation it can come across to others as either "the force" or "blind luck" where as in fact it's neither.

Cheers Mark.

aww well now you gone and taken all the magic out of it, I suppose next you are going to tell me there's no easter bunny too :P

hehe, nicely explained though :) there is an element of trust/faith in there though, you couldn't for example see if there was something sticking out of the side of an oncoming truck/car but there isn't anything can be done about that anyway but maybe i'm the only one to ponder such disturbing thoughts heh.

[ThEGr33k]

You get the "oh f### where's the road gone" thing on a normal road when there's a bit of a crest, or some tw4t has full beams on.


I had that... I left the road to try some motorcross. Got to say the Falco isnt an enduro! :(

Normally when its not a crest causing the issues I follow the white lines or if its one of the few roads with working cats eye's then I follow those.

Man this is what annoys me... Cats eyes now adays are always knackered. We should pester the government about it! URG

[rictus01]

there is an element of trust/faith in there though, you couldn't for example see if there was something sticking out of the side of an oncoming truck/car but there isn't anything can be done about that anyway but maybe i'm the only one to ponder such disturbing thoughts heh.


once again, you're talking about "dead space", whilst I agree there are times where there is no way to see into a space and a degree of "faith" is needed, you can drastically reduce that by watching the entrance to that space (sometimes even before it happens) and knowing nothing is (or has had the time) to get in it....... voodoo or good observation ?

Cheers Mark.

[Miles]

voodoo or good observation ?


i vote voodoo.

[sinbad]

Anyone wear, or tried, those yellow glasses to combat this sort of thing?
It's not a big issue for me, but if someone told me those yellow lensed glasses do improve things a bit I would be interested.

[Dangerous Dave]

Nah just kinda aim to the left a bit and hope you don't die really :-P
+ 1

[Stu]

When I was going to North/South 08 I was on this country road about 10-11 pm at night it was very undulating so couldn't see over the crests.
I may have relied on the Sat Nav to confirm that the road ahead continued in a straight line or what the bend was like! :shock:

Dan (exWRC63) would be able to tell you what road it was

[chakraist]

I do a lot of riding at night and you sort of develop a sense for where everything is, it's the same route most times so that's not so bad; can be very scary occasionally though, especially with leaf mulch all over the road these days.

[yorkie_chris]

Anyone wear, or tried, those yellow glasses to combat this sort of thing?
It's not a big issue for me, but if someone told me those yellow lensed glasses do improve things a bit I would be interested.

Tried them for shooting, and they did make things stand out a bit more. But I'm not trying to shoot things on the road, and at night you want to make use of all available light don't you?

[sinbad]

Tried them for shooting, and they did make things stand out a bit more. But I'm not trying to shoot things on the road, and at night you want to make use of all available light don't you?

That's what they do, allegedly- Improve visibility in low light situations, whilst they also filter out glare and reduce "starring".

[Grinch]

I have these things called eyes, I use them... I have no need to place a photon torpedo in a hole the size of a dustbin lid.

[simesb]

Not I, guess conservative I am.

Same in car and on bike - don't care if I arrive late. Better late than you know....

[Ceri JC]

once again, you're talking about "dead space", whilst I agree there are times where there is no way to see into a space and a degree of "faith" is needed, you can drastically reduce that by watching the entrance to that space (sometimes even before it happens) and knowing nothing is (or has had the time) to get in it....... voodoo or good observation ?

Cheers Mark.

There's an trick to riding on winding roads with one high and one low side (side of a steep hill/mountain) like this. I find it hard enough to describe face to face with someone in front of a mountain road and the consequences of getting it wrong can be spectacular, so I won't try to explain the subtle nuances of it here, but it allows you to safely overtake when it would appear almost suicidal to a casual observer. I'd say good obs, but it can look like voodoo. :)

[thor]

Aha. In that case I generally use the force. Can't quite explain it but you get a feeling for where the road should be. Haven't fallen down a ditch yet (touches wood). :p

I ran off the road once. It narrowed suddenly and I was on the grass!

:rolleyes:

[MiniMatt]

My dog just barks once for left, twice for right...

[Alpinestarhero]

Interesting thread. The other day (monday night was it?) it was absolutly pouring down with rain, and the wind was pretty gusty and strong. I decided that I was just going to get home that night. Not get home within an hour. Just get home. I rode at 45 mph where I normaly do 60mph, filtered in first gear at 10 mph instead of 2nd at 20 mph. Didn't force through gaps, didn't make any quick lane changes. If i had to sit behind a lorry at 30mph when everyone else was going past at 45, then thats ok. I just wanted to get home.

Its odd when you can't see well, like at night in the rain, you do have to use a bit of informed-judgement based on what you have done previously.

There is a part of the north circ road in london (between the turn-off for finchley and the turn-off for broomfield park) that dosn't drain at all well in the wet. I dont use the middle lane then, I judge where I am on the road by the armco in the outer lane. I cant see the white lines dividing the lanes, so here is where I use "the force"

[Stig]

Anyone wear, or tried, those yellow glasses to combat this sort of thing?
It's not a big issue for me, but if someone told me those yellow lensed glasses do improve things a bit I would be interested.

I wear a yellow pinlock visor and it I can tell you it makes the world of difference. Quite simply even when the oncoming car has been a tw.t and not turned his main beam off, I can still see the road ahead. There are no blind spots and it helps massively with not losing your night vision.

However there are a couple of negatives. Your headlight becomes less effective in the same manor as diffusing the on coming headlights. The other is that it states for daytime use only. Probably for that very reason.

I wear it all the time now. It also helps with 'making progress' in the wet. You can clearly define where standing water is on the road, helping you to make decisions on speed, positioning and possible lean angle before you get to the corner.

So in answer to the question asked. No I don't ride by the force. I can see through the light.

[PsychoCannon]

My dog just barks once for left, twice for right...

What if you have two really quick lefts?

Yeah I get this a lot especially going up to Bedford where the lights are out from road works and the cats eyes are dead, at times I've been saved when an on-coming traffic shows me the road is bending and at the same time blinds me so you end up having to steer at them and try to "just miss them" to stay on the road, good fun =p.

[Lozzo]

Nah just kinda aim to the left a bit and hope you don't die really :-P

You try doing that when you suffer with mild double vision, as I do when I'm tired and there's lots of lights shining in my face. It certainly makes the ride home at night a bit interesting, especially when it's raining.

[yorkie_chris]

Sounds slightly more than interesting that.

[Brettus]

You try doing that when you suffer with mild double vision, as I do when I'm tired and there's lots of lights shining in my face. It certainly makes the ride home at night a bit interesting, especially when it's raining.

:eek:

Do you feel lucky, Punk?

[Blue_SV650S]

Yep, at night with oncoming headlights on a pitch black backroad, you just have to look down at the kerb/ditch side of the road and ride on auto pilot ... I don't like that feeling at all ... especially when the roads don't have any white lines on the outsides and the ones in the middle are faded/hard to see.

So yep, just pinch my behind and hope for the best :D - I am no longer looking where I am going after all!! :shock:

[bris]

I see what you guys mean , driving home last week in the pitch dark and pouring rain it was very scary, could'nt see **** so had to keep opening the visor, and that was'nt much fun I can tell you. lucky most of the way I followed the car in fronts tail lights but for the 10 minutes I was on my own it got that bad at one point I wanted to pull over and stop, could'nt even do that because of the car behind so plodded along. need to find some products to make it safer so off to Saltire on Monday to see what they recommend.

[Lozzo]

Sounds slightly more than interesting that.

It gets to a point when I daren't overtake anything, because with double vision I don't know which of the vehicles in front is the one I want to overtake. I could end up in the path of oncoming vehicles if I overtake the right side one, or running up the ar5e of the car in front if I overtake the left one.

Some days if I'm in a hurry I lane split the two cars I'm seeing and hope for the best. I haven't to my knowledge died yet.

[fizzwheel]

Like Bigape I'm a big fan of the Yellow Pinlock when its raining or dark / overcast wintery days. Makes a huge difference in visability.

I remember riding the SV at night in the rain or during winter and sometimes it was just scarey, I used to follow cars and use their headilghts to see where I was going.

Now I've got the GSXR its not a problem anymore, headilght is awesome on it.

[K]

I don't ride using the force, but I do navigate by using Zen and the Art of the Homing Pigeon. ;)