61 replies to this topic

[wicklamulla]

i'd imagine plod over here in the good ole UK would frown upon such a device and issue a fine.

[tdm850rider]

i'd imagine plod over here in the good ole UK would frown upon such a device and issue a fine.

Some police depts here still don't realize they are legal but getting a dismissal after showing the paperwork is pretty easy.
(I would keep it on the bike to avoid the ticket in the first place.)

Don't you have a motorcycle rights group to propose legality on these?
They are legal in all 50 states and canada.... perhaps other countries.

[Pict]

i'd imagine plod over here in the good ole UK would frown upon such a device and issue a fine.

Could be argued no worse than using the existing headlamp flash option? Which also raises the point that some daft b***** would interpret it as "OK to pull out"?

[tdm850rider]

It is NOT legal here to have 'flashing headlamps' - emergency vehicle only.
Modulators do not flash, they modulate the power... low power, high power, low, high, low, high...
240 times a minute +/- 40. (approx 4 times a second.)

[Sparky]

Low-high-low still counts as flashing, IMHO. Not a great idea here in the UK, where we have a culture of using headlight flashing as a courtesy signal, e.g. to invite another vehicle to join from a side road or change lanes.

[GIBBO]

Hi viz stuff each to hi/her own. I wear a HV jacket, its made of the same stuff the vests are made of.

When do I wear it?
#1 On my daily commute. And whenever I have to ride on a motorway
#2 When the light is poor i.e morning late aftenoon.
Why?
#1 Obvious... hopefully make other road users aware
#2 I find car drivers suddenly change lane when I'm behind them and/or drop phones, especially those who sit in the outside lane while the inside lane is empty. (I've tried 'wiggling' thinking the driver has forgotten to check the rear view mirror, but now I place myself in line with their offside door mirror. Hey presto no need to wiggle).

When do I not wear it? When out for bumble. Indoors...

Does wearing a HV alter my ridng style? No

What's my riding style? Let's just say I'm a relative of Captain Slow

[JollyGiant]

I find car drivers suddenly change lane when I'm behind them and/or drop phones,

Best way to do this is to tap on their window with the carbon knuckle gaurds on your gloves

[TonyDevil]

or loosen the wingmirror with your knee armour when the bassid taxi driver trys to knock you off by pulling out of stationary traffic

(and yes i had my lights and my HV on)

[danceswithmopeds]

Old spark plugs; used right will go in one window and out the other

[JollyGiant]

A swift toe punt in rear light is good too

It's more fun to take revenge on stoopud car drivers than try and prevent their stupidity by wearing a hi-viz in the first place

Only kidding best to try and read their action before they do it. Is the responsable and mature answer

[stu]

hello,

i'd permanently wear a hi viz vest, if it were black

http://www.redoakdir...Vests.html#a413

[TonyDevil]

http://www.redoakdir...Vests.html#a413

looks good, think i'll get me one of those







...and this is perfect for the 900 riders

[E-njoy]

Could be argued no worse than using the existing headlamp flash option? Which also raises the point that some daft b***** would interpret it as "OK to pull out"?

A related accident happened years ago in the Lake District, when a motorcyclist was riding on a road with a bit of wave in it or bumps, dipping and rising the headlight which made it look more bright, then more dim, more bright etc. A girl / woman (who just recently got her license then) interpreted the unmeant "flashing / modulating" as a signal to enter the road (ok to pull out) in front of him, killing the biker.

So that's one good reason not to have modulators in Europe at least. The other meaning of it here is usually one that means "get out of my way, you slow fart!" (on the German Autobahn it's interpreted as a more polite "fast Beemer 7 series approaching you from behind, out of the way bitte"), causing unneeded aggression (also not very good safetywise). So modulators here would have quite the opposite effect as in the US I guess...

I personally don't like those silly reflective vests which every English rider seems to wear. When they're dirty it doesn't matter a thing in visibility anyway. But they do have a nice version for sale at the Dutch motoports now, which isn't flappy (it's made of an elastic material), so it doesn't shred that easily and looks a lot better too (not cheap though at 39 euro):



I'm still not gonna wear one, as I'm more worried about drivers cutting or pulling out in front of me, who don't see the vest through the screen and HID light anyway. Statistically that's the biggest risk anyway, not drivers hitting you from behind (which is the only location where they could see it reflected, if not hidden by a topbox anyway). I might go for a unit that enables running lights, to enhance the depth perception for observers.

Edited by E-njoy, 23 February 2008 - 09:50 pm.

[Geordie Guy]

I find that when the motorway gets clogged up by an accident or road works.

Drivers, think I'm Plod in his Hi-vis going to the front of the que.

They just part like the Red Sea in front of me,

Flashing my main-beam, might Help a bit with the deception.......

Either way... better have every chance of being seen.

I'd hate not to wear mine and that would be the day I herd.

"Sorry Mate, din't see you. "

[tdm850rider]

a motorcyclist was riding on a road with a bit of wave in it or bumps, dipping and rising the headlight which made it look more bright, then more dim, more bright etc. A girl / woman (who just recently got her license then) interpreted the unmeant "flashing / modulating" as a signal to enter the road (ok to pull out) in front of him, killing the biker.

IMHO that may have been avoided with headlight modulators... the hi-lo you refer to was obviously misinterpreted as a signal to go but modulators run hi-lo at 4 times per second, distictly faster than anyone could click from low beam to high beam.

I have seen a number of motorcycles over here with modulators and there is no way you would confuse them with a 'signal'
They can be overridden with a simple flick to low beam then back to high within 1 second (thats if the modulator is connected to the high beam (preferred) it's the opposite if you have them connected to the low beam)
There is also a daylight sensor that disables them at dusk/night.

Like hi-viz vests its all in the riders choice.

[Guinness]

tony,
when will you be getting a 900? i think approximaely a week before you receive that nice pinky vest in the post.
that was your job adress right? kekekeke

There's a hardware shop in my village that will personalize them with your name..

I spoke to the guy this morning in the paper shop, and he said that he would be able to make one up with www.carpe-tdm.net but would have to see if there was room on the vest for all the letters to go in one line.

only text or also graphics?

-// it's that fact that hi-viz clothing bears an association with the emergency services, and this, I believe, is what makes other road-users more alert to one's presence.-//-

long time ago i had spray painted my crash helmet fluo red, the same as the biker police here in Belgium have. MOST EXCELLENT
you get noticed, drivers pay attention. its very visible!

the hiviz is also handy when you are at a standstill next to the bike or if you are pulling out of a street where you beams arent shining towards the traffic.

i ride with a hiviz vest. it also shows that you care enuf to wear it. that you realise the dangers of riding a bike. that you are trying to eliminate mistakes your own and other drivers mistakes.
and they"ll have to come up with a better excuse then "i didnt see you".

[stu]

only text or also graphics?

Seen some of these and they look well made
http://www.tinwolf.co.uk/

[Guinness]

but but... they are black !
not xactly HIviz ?

ill check that site out some more