Do auxiliary lights help you be seen?

[Mr Moofo]

I have some I am about to add the the Scrambler.
Are they worth fitting - or just a bit too Charlie and Ewan?

[Mr. Dazzle]

As someone who commutes a lot on unlit roads, just IMO like...

They help you be seen from a distance.

They make it really hard to tell how big/far away you are.

Times that by a factor of 2 when it's not quite dark, heavy traffic, bike is in your mirrors and it's wet.

[The Spin Doctor]

I have some I am about to add the the Scrambler.
Are they worth fitting - or just a bit too Charlie and Ewan?

Have some Science Of Being Seen...

https://scienceofbeingseen.org/17-strat ... tive-drls/

"My conclusion is that from a practical point-of-view, DRLs of any sort – like hi-vis clothing – are not a ‘fit and forget’ measure. We need to assume that we are NOT seen rather than anticipate that DRLS will have any significant impact on our conspicuity, and be ready to take pro-active action. As Owen Morris, a regular contributor on my Facebook page put it:

“We need to act smarter, not appear brighter” "

But if you think they look cool, rather than 'more conspicuous' go ahead.

If you want a pointer at what could work:

https://scienceofbeingseen.org/conclusi ... ould-work/

[Skub]

I'd perhaps fit extra lights if I needed to see where I was going. As for being seen,I wouldn't like to take that one for granted.

Bikes decked out like an Xmas tree are hyper annoying for other road users,I don't see that as a positive.

[Cousin Jack]

My Honda 500 has LED lights, quite small and IMO easier to miss than the old VFR 2/4 halogens under a single cover.

I have fitted a couple of el cheapo spots on the crash bars. Standing back and viewing the front of the bike from 25 yards they seem to me to be more noticeable. I also have a couple of ultra-cheap push bike front lights that flash brightly. I use them when filtering. They seem to work in a parting the Red Sea sort of way.

So yes, I think they are worth having, but I have no scientific evidence for this.

[Demannu]

There are people out there who cannot see 2 tons of bright flouro with mahoosive blue flashing strobe lights and going weeee- waaaaaaar.
Apart from 'look at that wanker, whudythinkur? Charlie Macgregor' unlikely to make much of a difference!

[Rockburner]

I have some I am about to add the the Scrambler.
Are they worth fitting - or just a bit too Charlie and Ewan?

Depends what you want to be seen "as".

I've been followed by a GS with no less than 3 different sets of "auxilliary" lights fitted... it was blinding.

I had no idea what was behind me: car? truck? spaceship??

I had no idea where it was: long way behind? right up my arse? to the left? to the right???

I also couldn't see anything at all beyond the lights: any bikes coming up outside the line of traffic??

I had absolutely no fucking clue whatsoever what it was doing, so it took me completely by surprise when he overtook (his indicators were utterly hidden by the wash of white light*). That's when I discovered what it was, prior to that I had no clue.


I have aux lights on the Rockster, but they're only lit when the full-beam is lit and they're for improving my ability to see. I'll take responsibility for riding around the myopicness of the average road user, thanks.



* re indicators being hidden: I'm seeing this more and more on modern cars, especially the ones with smaller LED lights: both front and rear indicators are virtually invisible, especially when the DRLs are particularly bright and right next to the indicator lens.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Most of them turn the DRLs off to do the indicators? They're the same 'bulb' on my car.

[dern]

Unless you can't see where you're going I can't see the point of them.

If someone is approaching you and you're both in your own lanes then you'll be fine whatever lights you have as long as you can see.

If they're in your lane coming towards you and they're overtaking and you're the only thing there then there's something seriously wrong with your headlight. If additional lights make you standout from cars behind you then it's difficult to see what the point of that is unless the guy in your lane is suicidal and like driving at traffic.

If you're in their lane and you're expecting them to do something about that then you're in the wrong anyway and you're going to get hit sooner or later.

On the other hand if you're behind someone and you want to be visible because you're expecting them to do something about that (or not do something) then you're going to be disappointed at some point and on your arse.

On the other hand, any vehicle with overly bright and/or poorly aimed is going to annoy the shit out of everyone.

[Noggin]

For me, in traffic, they make no difference, especially in the dark. They are just more lights that most people don't know what to make of. This is from various encounters on bikes and in cars in traffic in a city when I just can't work out what, where or how close the lights are!

I like the look of them, really dislike them when they are in use - especially following me as generally they just blind whoever is in front of them.


But then, back when fitting HID lights was very popular, I could never understand why anyone would fit them in their dip light (and MANY people did). On dip they just piss of any other vehicle and take away what distance judgement other drivers have - and make the full beam switch redundant

Old before my time!!

[Cousin Jack]

I agree that in the dark they can be a PITA. Mine are all switched separately so I can turn them off. I rarely ride in the dark, as a FWB I try to stick to warm dry days.

[Rockburner]

Most of them turn the DRLs off to do the indicators? They're the same 'bulb' on my car.

Not all, and the bright tail lights are even worse.

[Horse]

Most of them turn the DRLs off to do the indicators? They're the same 'bulb' on my car.

Not all, and the bright tail lights are even worse.

I saw a 'Transit' sized van yesterday that had front indicators alongside the DRLs which were 3x as long. Also, indicators were inboard (ie towards the centre) so would have been difficult to see from an angle.

[Bigyin]

My Ducati comes fitted with Aux/fog lights under the main part of the fairing and sit beside the top of the radiator. I have seen many "adventure" style bikes covered in these things with the lot always switched on and look like mobile xmas trees blinding all and sundry coming towards them due to the rise and fall of bike suspension.

I rarely ever switch mine on for many of the reasons already covered in previous posts but have found them to be ideal when filtering on dual carriageways in heavy traffic as they are around car mirror height so switching them on acts like the parting of the red sea in most cases and once the filtering is over i turn them off again

[The Spin Doctor]

I've been followed by a GS with no less than 3 different sets of "auxilliary" lights fitted... it was blinding.

When I was based in Kent, a BMW GS (what else ) used to come down the road on an almost daily basis... he'd fitted an aftermarket HID kit in the headlight and some of the first LED spot lights I'd seen... and they were all set on stun. He nearly ran me over one day when I parked the car and started to cross the road not realising he was almost on me (he was over the speed limit too by some margin)... I saw the lights - but the dazzle made me misjudge his speed and distance.

[The Spin Doctor]

I saw a 'Transit' sized van yesterday that had front indicators alongside the DRLs which were 3x as long. Also, indicators were inboard (ie towards the centre) so would have been difficult to see from an angle.

I'm wondering how some of these designs ever pass the homologation tests.

[Horse]

I saw a 'Transit' sized van yesterday that had front indicators alongside the DRLs which were 3x as long. Also, indicators were inboard (ie towards the centre) so would have been difficult to see from an angle.

I'm wondering how some of these designs ever pass the homologation tests.

I wonder whether the stylists ever actually view prototypes under 'real' conditions. For example, Filly had an Altea which had circular rear light clusters, with the indicator as the 'dot' inside the side/brake ring. As soon as the brakes were used, the indicator was near impossible to see.

Could it be that, very simply, the lighting has to be fitted and working, but nothing says it has to be any good? Think about how many bikes have appalling headlamps, when things like the Cibie 'Z Beam'* was available 40+ years ago.

* For the youngsters: at the time, halogen wasn't standard, let alone LED. One of the magazines did a comparison test and the 'Z' (which was an H4) dip beam shone brighter and further than a Yamaha XS750's main beam.

[demographic]

I like good lights on vehicles but I really cant stand the often badly setup aux lights that seem to be mostly fitted to Ewan and Charlie wannabees BMWs.
Usually setup to work on the dip position as well and they'll (depending on just how bloody irritating they are) sometimes get a few seconds of van mainbeam from me.

There are very few road users who I actually feel an active dislike for but...

[Horse]

I often badly setup aux lights that seem to be mostly fitted to Ewan and Charlie wannabees BMWs.
Usually setup to work on the dip position as well

Yup, using / abusing lighting for the wrong purpose. DRLs need low intensity, diffuse/scatter pattern. But those riders are using fog lamps (which should instead be aimed down) or driving lamps intended to supplement main beam.

[Horse]

Is this a good point to mention that, if anyone wants proper DRLs, I have a couple of sets going?

Both Bosch, 1 pair circular, 1 pair 'strip'.

PM if interested. You'll need to sort brackets. Some wiring, but that will need sorting too. They're not 'kits' or model-specific.