Who else rides by "the force" then?

Originally Posted by rictus01

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.

Originally Posted by DanAbnormal

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).

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

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

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"

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

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.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

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

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.

Originally Posted by Lozzo

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.

Originally Posted by Dirty Harry

Do you feel lucky, Punk?

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 - I am no longer looking where I am going after all!!