Running without lights

[roger.fellows]

I wonder about the way people's brains work in relation to this. I don't think I rely on brake lights as far as the vehicle in front is concerned.

Brake lights coming on some way ahead on the motorway is something different.

I expect others have noticed the effect on traffic particularly at dusk on a busy motorway of coming over a slight rise and seeing a sea of red lights - usually only tail lights - and a lot of braking being the result.

I can't say for sure that there is no sub-conscious recognition of a brake light immediately in front.

I probably spend more time than I should checking the face behind me when I assess the vehicle as being too close. It makes me drop back so that we both have more time to react. I've no experience of riding with a rear-facing camera - does anybody think it makes a difference - to their own or others' behaviour.

I have not tried to understand the capability of automatic braking systems - I am led to believe that they are a thing. I tend to the view that they are a more dangerous thing than autonomous vehicles - and we shouldn't be allowing those on the road should we??

Is anybody familiar with any research in this area?

[admin]

brake lights are likley one factor, your subconcious mind looks for, to determine whether or not you need to brake too. Others would include the vehicle in front is getting too close, the vehicle in front of him put it's brake lights on, you can see (cos you're higher on a bike) a junction, parked car or other hazard up the road a bit etc etc.

The problem, for us, is that modern vehicles can go from something to nothing pretty fast and the brake light warning gives you extra seconds to react. Like most, if someone cuts in front then I back off to give myself a chance of stopping (and then someone may cut into that gap ..)
I take paul's point that with ariel brakes, your brake light comes on and the subsequent slowing down takes a while, but at least we've given a signal (along with the other factors, i.e. i am slowing and you can probably see in front of me and see why) to the person behind.

[JohnnyBeckett]

HI come and ride around london for a week and you and you will need daytime running lights as well and i know it your fault if you run in the back of someone but in a court of law they will use it against if you have not got light i know all about how they twist things in the high court i had a big accident case that went on for nearly 10 years and they come up with lots things to try and get out that it was not their fault like i was reversing on the M1 motorway but my lawyer had the cctv cameras footage to show i was not lawyers will tell lots of lies to get someone off and not pay out

[Dave.Thomas]

I tend to slowly pump the rear brake on and off just to make the brake light go on and off, so that hopefully drivers notice that ‘something’ is happening.

[admin]

this intrigues me:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ENFITNIX-XLi ... 3968729225

when the time comes, i shall buy on, bodge it into a more in -keeping light fitting and try it

[chris.shearwood]

Hi John,
These smart helmets are supposed to become available soon and would solve your brake light problems!
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/tali ... afety-ces/
Regards, Chris

[john.whiting]

Simple fact is people now expect lights to be so bright as to get their attention away from whatever else is amusing them......not driving,by the way.....the fag end brake lights of a motorbike just dont register in their tiny brains ,and its......"Ive run into this old git on an old motorbike....shouldnt be out on the road ,he shouldnt....get em all off the road ,roads are for cars".

[Eero.Korhonen]

this intrigues me:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ENFITNIX-XLi ... 3968729225

when the time comes, i shall buy on, bodge it into a more in -keeping light fitting and try it

That is so cool, I want one.
Br, Eero

[brenton.roy]

I've always worked on the 'if you can't see them they're not there' principle - and so far it has worked brilliantly.

[fpassmore]

Remember, that the psychology involved in being noticed by most drivers is you have to be a threat bigger than they are. Motorcycles are just not the size of a T-Rex or a bus so the psyche just ignores it!
I have been in a few accidents where I with a red motorcycle, white Windjammer fairing, white bags and a yellow helmet hear the other driver say " oh, I didn't see him coming"

Frank