Too bright can be bad

[R-RatedCustoms]

Ok this is going to get really technical at some point. The topic is really a safety issue. Some folks think that running a high beam during the day is a good thing. I am going to show it is not.

We all know (or should know) that you do not aim a flashlight at someone's eyes at night because you will mess up their night vision. This is because of the light leaving an imprint on the nerves of the retina inside the eye.

Well, the same happens during the day. When the Doctor checks your eyes and aims that little light in there, you still the see light after it is gone right? What about a camera flash?

Some of the cagers out there have a tendency to look right into the headlight and then look away. If their eye still has the imprint, they cannot judge if the light is closer or not. Inpatience takes over and out they go into traffic and you.

Worse yet, they avoid looking again due to the brightness and pull out becuase they guessed your traveling speed because they did not look twice.

Heck, when I am on bike and someone comes at me or behind me with brights on, it screws up my vision and I have some really good sunglasses. I have heard other riders complain as well. There was this one fellow riding a Goldwing 1800 with his on bright and finally we all explained that it was safety problem. We demonstrated to him what he was doing and he now runs with them on low.

If you really want to have some kind of light warning, then go with a pulsing unit. It will strike fear into motorists thinking there is a cop around even when they know there is not. It is just a gut reaction and save the bright lights for the open road at night for the critters.

If you don't believe it is a problem, then park you bike on bright and set in your car facing it. Look over to your bike and then try to read something like the paper. The time it takes you to make out the words is the time another driver will figure out how much closer you are, by then it may be too late.

Anthony

[Ken R]

The official State of Texas motorcycle driving handbook (or whatever it's called) says that motorcyclists should ride with the bright lights on during the day. I'm going to do everything I can to be seen, including riding with my brights on during daylight hours. The extra brightness may be the thing that keeps me out of the hospital or grave. May already have and I just don't know it.

If I'm in a group, I'll go to low beams unless leading.

Getting a little technical, your eyes' pupils are closed down to pinpoints during the day due to ambient light. They open up when in darker conditions to allow more light in.

Ken

[trooper113]

Originally Posted by Ken R

The official State of Texas motorcycle driving handbook (or whatever it's called) says that motorcyclists should ride with the bright lights on during the day. I'm going to do everything I can to be seen, including riding with my brights on during daylight hours. The extra brightness may be the thing that keeps me out of the hospital or grave. May already have and I just don't know it.

If I'm in a group, I'll go to low beams unless leading.

Getting a little technical, your eyes' pupils are closed down to pinpoints during the day due to ambient light. They open up when in darker conditions to allow more light in.

Ken

............

Except if we're group riding, most still use their high beams. Most don't find it annoying and it's much easier for the leader to see if the other folks are all back there. Some low beams really wash out in the bright day and aren't much better than nothing.

[R-RatedCustoms]

Here in TN the no brights within 500 feet is a law. I guess it is because we have trees that shade and it is only sunny 3/4 of the year.

I checked the TX MC handbook and only suggests the use of the highbeam during the day on page 21, does not say it is mandatory.

I know that the driver will see a bright light at first (but not quicker than a low beam), it is after that initial exposure that there are problems as I pointed out.

As far as pupil reaction, that is only partial. If the reason behind using the bright light is because it is not "washed out" from the brightness outside then you are saying that the light is greater than the ambient light. So it will still imprint like when someone uses a flash on a camera like to equal out the exposure.

The best way to test it is to do the car test as I suggested.

Finally, in TN the cops have to learn to visiually track a vehicle to determine speed. Part of the training is to look at the vehicle about 3-5 seconds. So if a cager is not going to look at you for that long, then what is the point? They know you are there either way - they just do not figure out how fast you are coming at them.



Also, it seems the auto companies for a while were in a competition with bikers for headlight use. So now some of us think the highbeam is the way to go, but how long before the cars do this? After all brighter is better right? Then where do we go - using flares?

It is far better for the states to educate cagers to watch for us.

[gdkenoyer]

If a headlight, even a high beam, caused that much distress during the daytime I would be suspicious that it was not adjusted correctly...

[R-RatedCustoms]

Originally Posted by gdkenoyer

If a headlight, even a high beam, caused that much distress during the daytime I would be suspicious that it was not adjusted correctly...

I agree, I have seen some folks adjusting their lights to be as high as possible. A properly adjusted low beam works nicely for me the past 18 years of riding around this country of ours.

I recall a few months back there was a group of motorcyclists riding in Australia nude to promote folks watching out for bikers there. They got noticed.

The best thing for seeing a light are the modulators, that is why cops have them in their headlights for the distance to get noticed.

I am all for being seen, but not for blinding folks.

[BryanL]

Modulators can cause problems too. I was riding with a guy that had one. We came up behind a stupid person on a section of highway that had barriers on both sides and no shoulder. She panicked and came to a complete stop in the middle of the lane and left us no where to go when the cars behind us started screeching tires trying to stop. We didn't get hit, but I definitely need tp afterwards.

[R-RatedCustoms]

I guess she thought you all were Ponch and John. Just shows the mental capacity of some of the cagers out there.

It reminds me of deer in the headlights, but only they are driving.

[dmax]

I think you'll find most folks run the highbeam during the day, dimming to low at night. However, the best seems to be touring bikes with the passing lights on giving others the chance to judge your width and approach speed. But I can't imagine a high beam blinding you in daylight, especially with only one bulb.

When trucks signal each other (flash to pass) we use high beams because lows are hard to make out in daylight even when you're starring right at the guy's front end in your mirror. That's with 2 lights instead of 1. Of course, at night time we do not flash the highs, but instead turn off the low beams completely for a second or two. This avoids blinding the other driver and allows him to judge your position based on your clearance lights.

[Jeffytune]

Since I ride a E-glicde, I use the low bean with the two passing lights on.

When you hit the high beam, it turns off the passing lights.

I figaured 3 lights would be better then 1 bright one.

I also have changed the bulb to a PIAA HID super plazma, it throughs out 3800 kell on low beam and 5000 kell on hight.

The stock bulb does 2000/ 3800 kell.

[R-RatedCustoms]

I agree with the passing lamps being a good way to judge distance. Back when I learned to night drive in black out conditions for Uncle Sam the rear of the vehicle had two lights (one on each side). If they were apart, you were close and if they were showing as one, they were too far away.

Now for the highbeam during the day, some bikes are worse than others. GL1800 goldwings are by far the brightest beams on high. But some folks are running higher wattage bulbs and such to be "more noticed". That is where the problem is. The imprint on the other person's retina. If you do not think so, then try the car test.

Honestly, I think if we look at the numbers of high vs low and cager pull outs we will see it makes little difference. If the cager is not paying attention, then a bright light will not wake them up since most are lost anyway like the one who stopped dead in front of a bike with a modulator headlight.

[cwo2lt]

First of all no one should be looking directly into a light when they are driving, to do so is foolish.

Next, riding with a high beam on makes you look closer than you are. I have seen it time and again where having low beam on cars pull out in front of me and don't when my high beam is on. Many times I have felt I had a bullseye on my chest only to notice I'm running on low beam, shift to high beam and the whole day changes instantly. Run on low beam if you want but don't come in here complaining about the guy who turned left in front of you.

BTW, I've riden for just about 30 yrs and used to be a MSF instructor. I and many other instructors I know preach running high beams in the daytime.

I'm on a Road King, so I go with the passing lights as well.

However, for a motor with a single light, do this. Have someone go with your motor 150 yards away, and look at it with the low beam and then with the high beam. Then have them turn the bars back and forth. If you still want to ride with the low beam in the daytime, be my guest. I think you're nuts, but who cares what I think? Make your own decision. But please make it on reality, not theory.

Harris

[tireater]

I seem to get alot of people doing the left turn on me...never heard of driving with high beams - I'll try it...THANKS!

[gdkenoyer]

Originally Posted by cwo2lt

I and many other instructors I know preach running high beams in the daytime.

and what do you & they say about headlight (and possibly taillight) modulators...?