Riding in the dark

ROFL
I was refering to the indicators, I completly forgot about the pass trigger.

ME


But +1 why would flashing someone so they cant see anything cos you blinded them from their mirror be a good idea as you ride past. It would make more sense if it temporally dimmed your lights so they could see your indicators clearly in their mirrors.

Generally, I think its safer riding at night as cars do see the headlights where they might miss seeing the bike.

Originally Posted by Daimo

Night tip riding -

Ride Faster, the roads are clearer!!!!!

tbh, I think people are vastly over complicating things. Do this, do that, don't do this....

Just get on the bike, and ride. Its no different from daylight riding, expect its dark.......... I've made most of my records in the dark.


Now dark AND raining AND traffic AND dirty visor, thats another story....

Been there done that...got the T-Shirt...used it to wipe my visor

But yeah...just take it easy...ride at your own pace...above all RELAX...because if you are tense you won't be focussing properly...

That being said, I pulled a super nutcase move...first time I ever rode a bike on the street it was at night at highway speeds...The SV was my first bike...it ROCKS!!!

[Mark_h]

Beware of deer!

Don't try and avoid small stuff like rabbits as you'll usually do more harm avoiding it than you would hitting it and you're pretty unlikely to actually hit it anyway. but definitely try to avoid Deer. And they usually come in two's.

On my most deer infested bits I tend to catch a car and sit behind it for a while so it acts as a buffer.

A bit of animal advice I got a while back was "If you wouldn't eat it in one sitting, try to avoid hitting it"

Apart form that, pretty much what everyone else said. Clean your visor and ride like you would do normally.

Night rides are the best, the road is yours, your right hand is in control and there are hardly any risks of been run off the road by a cager. Many of my most memorable rides were night rides.

Wear your hi-vis it's a good idea, clean your lights, make sure you stop if you feel tired at all, if your doing the A1, get some music to keep you going.

Most of all, enjoy...

Originally Posted by ophic

ok i'll bite, what are passing lights and how should you use them?

As you are approaching a car to overtake, as you cross the hazard lines/centre line and you are directly in line the drivers’ door mirror (about 2-3 car lengths back) you flick the yellow front switch on your left switchgear quickly and it flashes your high beam.

What this does is make a flash in the mirror so the driver notices you, but doesn't blind them; you see them do it in cars on top gear from time-to-time. This makes a huge difference to the number of drivers who actually see you and give you space.

They don’t mention it on tests now a days, but it is good practice for safe, fast riding.

Headlights are good, seeing the road, even an unlit backroad on the darkest of nights, isn't an issue. The main difference is that a bike is much less noticeable, and that as a rider you cannot make that comforting eye-contact with a driver at a side junction so easily (if at all). You have to be much more cautious when it comes to other traffic, and assume you have not been seen much more often than you would in the daylight.

I used to be worried about riding in the dark when i first started. There's really nothing to worry about.
I go for pleasure rides in the evenings a few times during the week, and usually wear my high visibility waistcoat to be seen more easily, and for peace of mind.

Just watch out on the lanes because potholes are harder to see. I find myself usually doing 30mph in 60mph limits, but in 30mph limits its not any different.

Try not to overthink things. I made this mistake by getting myself worked up about riding on a dual carriageway for the first time. It caused me to be very tense, and before i got to the DC, i pulled out on a car at a mini roundabout because my head wasnt in the right place. I then pulled over for a few mins to sort myself out, then went ahead on the A12 and wondered what on earth i was worrying about in the first place!

[ophic]

Thanks Gavin. That was the information I was after, as you're right, they don't teach it nowadays. Or even back in the dim mists of time when they taught me.

Originally Posted by GavinD

As you are approaching a car to overtake, as you cross the hazard lines/centre line and you are directly in line the drivers’ door mirror (about 2-3 car lengths back) you flick the yellow front switch on your left switchgear quickly and it flashes your high beam.

What this does is make a flash in the mirror so the driver notices you, but doesn't blind them; you see them do it in cars on top gear from time-to-time. This makes a huge difference to the number of drivers who actually see you and give you space.

They don’t mention it on tests now a days, but it is good practice for safe, fast riding.

Originally Posted by GavinD

As you are approaching a car to overtake, as you cross the hazard lines/centre line and you are directly in line the drivers’ door mirror (about 2-3 car lengths back) you flick the yellow front switch on your left switchgear quickly and it flashes your high beam.

What this does is make a flash in the mirror so the driver notices you, but doesn't blind them; you see them do it in cars on top gear from time-to-time. This makes a huge difference to the number of drivers who actually see you and give you space.

They don’t mention it on tests now a days, but it is good practice for safe, fast riding.

Thats totally new to me, but perfectly understandable.