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 Discussion Topic  |
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kiddal
 Advanced Member
1561 Posts
[Mentor]
SE, Indiana
USA
Kawasaki
KLR650
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 Posted - 10/03/2005 : 9:49 PM
 
Like
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Poll Question:
Do you ride at night?
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| Results: |
| Never |
[4%] |
6 votes |
| Not if I can help it |
[27%] |
39 votes |
| Every once in a while |
[33%] |
48 votes |
| A fair amount |
[15%] |
22 votes |
| Quite a bit |
[12%] |
18 votes |
| All the time |
[10%] |
14 votes |
| = Guests |
(77
votes) |
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Poll Status:
Closed »» |
Total Votes: 147 counted »» |
Last Vote:
01/03/2006 1:10 PM |
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locopez
New Member
22 Posts
Folsom, Ca
USA
Harley-Davidson
FLHT
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Posted - 10/09/2005 : 1:22 PM
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| It is kinda of funny. I was kinda of thinking about this morning..this topic. Last night coming come with the family. There was this guy on what looked like a GSXR going a pretty good clip on the highway. Splitting lanes, in a very unsafe manner.(made me think of this topic) For the most part I do not like riding in the dark for pleasure. I try to be at my desitnation before dark. Of course on the other hand I rider to work almost everyday in the early morning darkness. Seems a little different since it is only 18 miles. Does that make sense? Oh well ride safe. |
Edited by - locopez on 10/09/2005 1:23 PM |
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larswlvs
Junior Member
55 Posts
Akron, Ohio
USA
Honda
2003 Valkyrie
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Posted - 11/16/2005 : 8:29 PM
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| night is only the darker side of noon |
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TedGamble
Standard Member
214 Posts
Murfreesboro, TN
USA
Honda
GL1800A
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Posted - 11/17/2005 : 7:54 AM
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With automobile quality illumination on the Wing, it's just more time to ride. |
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Lithorien
Junior Member
68 Posts
Bremerton, Washington
USA
Honda
Rebel 250 (CMX)
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Posted - 11/20/2005 : 1:30 PM
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Forced to due to my job - by the time I get off work, the sun's long set.
Not that it's not fun or anything. You just have to be much more aware.  |
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marsam
Advanced Member
510 Posts
[Mentor]
Birkirkara
Malta
Yamaha
Dragstar & Vmax
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Posted - 12/09/2005 : 10:16 AM
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| I am more concerned when blinded by oncoming traffic. The recovery time on the eyes could be more costly when you are on a bike then in your car. |
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timbo
Advanced Member
594 Posts
Uxbridge
United Kingdom
BMW
R1100S
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Posted - 12/09/2005 : 4:36 PM
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I ride home in the dark 25 miles 5 days per week October to March. Whats the problem? I have modern equipment called "headlights" they are electric. Are you guys still using acetylene lamps over there?
Tim |
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Lithorien
Junior Member
68 Posts
Bremerton, Washington
USA
Honda
Rebel 250 (CMX)
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Posted - 12/09/2005 : 8:24 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by timbo
I ride home in the dark 25 miles 5 days per week October to March. Whats the problem? I have modern equipment called "headlights" they are electric. Are you guys still using acetylene lamps over there?
Tim
That's a scary stance to take. When you're driving at night, your visibility is impared, even with a headlight. In addition, you have the lights from the other vehicles on the road, and (at least for me) they can contribute to eye-strain - at times my vision has gone blurry from the lights and I started to weave, which was the 'pull over and take a break for a bit' sign for me. Also, at night, it's harder to see pedestrians and animals who are dark and sillouetted against the dark fairly well - headlights or not.
At night, your senses are lessened and you are more likely to get into trouble, either from other cars, unknown factors in/around the road, or even your own body. |
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timbo
Advanced Member
594 Posts
Uxbridge
United Kingdom
BMW
R1100S
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Posted - 12/10/2005 : 5:52 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Lithorien
quote:
Originally posted by timbo
I ride home in the dark 25 miles 5 days per week October to March. Whats the problem? I have modern equipment called "headlights" they are electric. Are you guys still using acetylene lamps over there?
Tim
That's a scary stance to take. When you're driving at night, your visibility is impared, even with a headlight. In addition, you have the lights from the other vehicles on the road, and (at least for me) they can contribute to eye-strain - at times my vision has gone blurry from the lights and I started to weave, which was the 'pull over and take a break for a bit' sign for me. Also, at night, it's harder to see pedestrians and animals who are dark and sillouetted against the dark fairly well - headlights or not.
At night, your senses are lessened and you are more likely to get into trouble, either from other cars, unknown factors in/around the road, or even your own body.
Scary Stance? Why? It sounds to me like you have a vision problem - night myopia perhaps?
Please explain further. For example do you drive your car at night? Or do you never venture out after dark at all?
My point (trying to make a bit of a joke of it) is that it is "night" for 50% of our lives. We have to deal with it. We can't close our eyes and hope it goes away.- it won't.
Tim |
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Lithorien
Junior Member
68 Posts
Bremerton, Washington
USA
Honda
Rebel 250 (CMX)
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Posted - 12/10/2005 : 10:46 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by timbo
Scary Stance? Why? It sounds to me like you have a vision problem - night myopia perhaps?
Please explain further. For example do you drive your car at night? Or do you never venture out after dark at all?
My point (trying to make a bit of a joke of it) is that it is "night" for 50% of our lives. We have to deal with it. We can't close our eyes and hope it goes away.- it won't.
Tim
It's a scary stance to take because if you flippantly ignore the dangers of night riding, which I probally incorrectly assumed you were doing, then you're liable to get hurt. If you were just making a joke of it and you're aware, then you're perfectly fine. That's all I meant.  |
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timbo
Advanced Member
594 Posts
Uxbridge
United Kingdom
BMW
R1100S
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Posted - 12/10/2005 : 2:35 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Lithorien
It's a scary stance to take because if you flippantly ignore the dangers of night riding, which I probally incorrectly assumed you were doing, then you're liable to get hurt. If you were just making a joke of it and you're aware, then you're perfectly fine. That's all I meant.
I do ride at night, and I am aware of the dangers. I suspect the main issue is that I live in suburban London, where 98% of the roads have streetlights, plenty of traffic, and deer are not that common. I calculate that I do 2000+ miles in the dark but they are in the conditions listed above. So I guess we are not arguing from the same perspective.
I still maintain that night is simply something we have to cope with and we just have to get on with it. Best of luck with the deer - they are out to get you
Tim |
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Lithorien
Junior Member
68 Posts
Bremerton, Washington
USA
Honda
Rebel 250 (CMX)
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Posted - 12/10/2005 : 3:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by timbo
I do ride at night, and I am aware of the dangers. I suspect the main issue is that I live in suburban London, where 98% of the roads have streetlights, plenty of traffic, and deer are not that common. I calculate that I do 2000+ miles in the dark but they are in the conditions listed above. So I guess we are not arguing from the same perspective.
I still maintain that night is simply something we have to cope with and we just have to get on with it. Best of luck with the deer - they are out to get you
Tim
Haha! Yeah, we're talking at each other from -completely- different perspectives. I drive home on roads that are not lit, with pedestrians and animals common on the roads, and maybe one out of ten will actually be reflective or carry a flashlight.
You're right that night is something to cope with. Just like any other danger - we cope with it, adjust to it, and move on. And thanks for the well wishes.. I've already met one deer, I don't wanna meet another.  |
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qball
New Member
18 Posts
Los Angeles, CA
USA
Honda
CBR600RR
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Posted - 12/20/2005 : 6:15 PM
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I fall in to the group that has to ride in the dark during the fall and winter months in order to get home from work; I certainly don't do it out of preference.
Yeah, riding in the very well lit city that has streetlights and other drivers everywhere is completely different than driving through an unlit country road where animals frequently cross the street. I fortunately only have to do the former. |
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FRE
Standard Member
219 Posts
Albuquerque, NM
USA
Kawasaki
Ninja 500
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Posted - 12/25/2005 : 12:58 AM
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quote:
I ride home in the dark 25 miles 5 days per week October to March. Whats the problem? I have modern equipment called "headlights" they are electric. Are you guys still using acetylene lamps over there?
Actually, acetylene lamps put out plenty of light. One of the problems was that they blinded other drivers.
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Niebor
Ex-Member
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Posted - 12/25/2005 : 12:40 PM
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quote:
... with pedestrians and animals common on the roads, and maybe one out of ten will actually be reflective or carry a flashlight.
I'm picturing this reflective deer carrying a flashlight  |
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Edster
Starting Member
5 Posts
Norfolk, Virginia
USA
Harley-Davidson
XL1200S
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Posted - 01/18/2006 : 5:32 PM
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| Sometimes I'll ride at night for pleasure. Usually in the warmer months. Recently though it is because of my commute. Its dark when I get up and near dark when I get home. I think that refusing to ride in any condition other than "bright sunny days" is a set up for failure. It would seem if one were caught in bad weather or night time or any combo of bad weather would be more nervous and more apt to have an accident. |
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biggunbob
Standard Member
139 Posts
parma, OH
USA
Harley-Davidson
electraglide classic
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Posted - 01/01/2008 : 6:09 PM
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| I ride at night and enjoy it. I don't have sight impairment and generally stay to city street under 40mph. However the first thing I did when I got my scoot was to swap out the headlight and passing lamps to brighter halogen lamps because stock sealed beams on older bikes were marginal at best. There are lots of aux. lights available for almost all bikes sold, get some good ones and see the light! |
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Speedmaster07
Senior Member
287 Posts
Los Angeles, CA
USA
Triumph
Speedmaster
Peer Review:
Blocked
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Posted - 04/26/2008 : 2:25 AM
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| I did a great deal of my early riding at night, when local streets had little traffic on them. I have no issue with it, and I've seen no stats that indicate that riding in the dark is particularly risky. |
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2273 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 04/26/2008 : 3:28 AM
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Almost exclusively for 2 years, I only rode at night to work on the midnight shift and home in the morning... 1030 pm - 0630 am. My personal best (temperature) was 17 degrees in February one night but only a 4.5 mile commute. I had an old bike and took city side streets. I thought it might fall apart at any moment so I figured I'd never drive it faster than I wanted to fall off it. The potential for DUI drivers is huge after dark and this is likely universal around the country,. That would be my only reservation. Traffic is lighter and I feel I can judge speed of traffic easier with their headlights on and less traffic or other distractions as in daytime, with more rush- hour mentality. It may well be one of the best times to go out and ride when you are in near zero traffic parts of town, townships or neighborhoods and in need of riding time beyond the Parking Lot Practice. I still work midnights and now have a bike that is less likely to fly apart. I have been riding on/off through winter at night but had to back down due to an old front tire that is beyond safe operation. I'll have it back in good order soon and start clocking some real miles. I'm most alert at night due to my work schedule so I have to feel 110% if I ride in the daytime ... not very often presently since I'm working p/t during days, 3 days / week.
~brian |
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gdickelman
Advanced Member
1205 Posts
[Mentor]
Annandale, VA
USA
Moto Guzzi
California Vintage
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Posted - 05/06/2008 : 1:01 AM
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I was riding tonight. Stopped at a traffic light. The guy in the car in front of me yelled something out his window. Then he got out of his car and apparently wanted to assault me. My fog lights - which I keep on at night - were bothering him.
Perhaps I'll turn them off while stopped at traffic lights from now on.
Generally, I like driving at night...as folks said above, lighter traffic, peaceful. There is an extra set of strategies, to be sure. |
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Speedmaster07
Senior Member
287 Posts
Los Angeles, CA
USA
Triumph
Speedmaster
Peer Review:
Blocked
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Posted - 05/06/2008 : 2:31 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by gdickelman
I was riding tonight. Stopped at a traffic light. The guy in the car in front of me yelled something out his window. Then he got out of his car and apparently wanted to assault me. My fog lights - which I keep on at night - were bothering him.
Perhaps I'll turn them off while stopped at traffic lights from now on.
Generally, I like driving at night...as folks said above, lighter traffic, peaceful. There is an extra set of strategies, to be sure.
In some cities in Asia, it's customary to turn one's headlamps off when stopped at an intersection, for the comfort of oncoming traffic stopped on the other side of the intersection.
I don't go that far; I just adjusted the aim of my spots so they aren't pointed directly ahead and into the eyes and mirrors of those around me.
I also changed the bulbs to from white to yellow this evening... I'm looking forward to seeing how that affects the the behavior of other drivers. |
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Discussion Topic |
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Night riding