Peoples opinoins on this biking discussion.......

Originally Posted by graemepaterson

I have noticed a few people saying this.....Are dipped not on all the time anyway, you cant switch them off?

All bikes manufactured after a certain year (1999 I think) have only a high beam switch, the lights come on with the ignition. Before that you used to have a headlight on/off switch as well.

[G]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

All bikes manufactured after a certain year (1999 I think) have only a high beam switch, the lights come on with the ignition. Before that you used to have a headlight on/off switch as well.

ahhh cheers my biking knowledge is still completely amature

..

[northwind]

I have atomic headlights, so I dip 'em. But I've made use of main beam while filtering in what I think of as "bad traffic", where there's more movement across lanes etc, and where drivers are starting to get frustrated.

I wouldn't do it all the time, a glared driver is not a safe driver and some people aren't capable of looking in their wing mirrors without wandering all over the road. When filtering I always work on the assumption that nobody's going to see me anyway... It's your job to filter as safely as possible after all, the drivers should be looking out for you but we live in the real world, it doesn't always happen.

I pretty much think that it increases the risk that people who actually check their mirrors wil misjudge your distance, since all they can see is a big glare, they won't even know it's a bike- it could easily be a car changing lanes. And people who don't bother to look will probably pull across, glare or no glare.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Lol, guess that makes me a wankar then.

I use them during the day in traffic where the dips won't really be spotted, doesn't blind anyone in daylight.

Rest of the time I just try to be defensive and make a lot of noise.

So in fact, you're a wankar for making sweeping statements

Same as me. Daytime only, soon as the light starts to fade I drop to dipped. If at any time I'm following a vehicle I drop to dipped too.
And no one who's ever been on a rideout with me has ever asked me to dip.

"Flashing" headlights briefly is a different matter, it has no meaning - and at the same time can have many meanings. If used there is a risk that others will misinterpret.

Of course, when the EU directive for all new cars to have daytime running lights comes in we'll all be invisible again.

[Balky001]

Yep, rarely use highbeam but sometimes do (whilst riding dfensively of course!) - daytime only, no oncoming traffic, and not when you are sat behind anyone for period of time (more than a couple of seconds). There is no way you'll blind someone like this so if any pious little cretin blocks me because they think they are upholding some moral high ground we are both going to end up very unhappy.

I have a mate that rides constantly with high beam, signle carriageway and at night as well, this causes more frustration and near misses than ever but he wont change. If you see he full beam at night from a distance he looks like a car very far away, even if he's only 100 meters - he's caught me out a couple of times and I can see why accidents can be caused.