Dodgy69 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 6:29 pm
As someone mentioned earlier, maybe all bikes should have a different coloured headlight to cars.
Might have been Science Of Being Seen
YELLOW DAYTIME LIGHTS: Given the growing conflict between new cars with day running lights, yellow lights offer an opportunity for motorcycle DRLs to be visually distinct again. As long ago as 1981, Olson et al looked at permanently illuminating the turn indicators when they were not flashing to signal a manoeuvre. There is some debate about whether a standard 21w bulb behind a yellow lens is bright enough to function effectively as a DRL but Olson et al found always-on amber ‘running lights’ increased the size of gap that drivers would leave when turning ahead of a motorcycle.
Given the growing conflict between new cars with day running lights, yellow lights offer an opportunity for motorcycle DRLs to be visually distinct again. Paine et al (2005) argue that: “all that is required is the replacement of normal motorcycle turn signals”. 64th session of the United Nations Working Party on Lighting and Light-Signalling in 2011 a motion called for amber position lamps (APL) to be made mandatory on motorcycles. Espie et al (2014) concluded that:
“…results indicate that headlight configurations comprising additional yellow lights on the fork and on the motorcyclist’s helmet significantly improve motorcycle perceptibility by other vehicle drivers.”
Pintoa et al (2014) tested:
“…three conspicuity enhancements designed to improve motorcycle detectability in a car-DRL environment: a triangle configuration (a central headlight plus two lights located on the rearview mirrors), a helmet configuration (a light located on the motorcyclist’s helmet in addition to the central headlight), and a single central yellow headlight. These three front-light configurations were evaluated in comparison to the standard configuration (a single central white headlight)… The results revealed better motorcycle-detection performance for both the yellow headlight and the helmet configuration than for the standard configuration.”
Even though we have to be a little cautious in accepting the results without question – the study was laboratory-based, and involved “photographs representing complex urban traffic scenes [which] were presented briefly (for 250 ms)” – the results are in agreement with Espie et al (2014).
However, the benefits of yellow lights appear not to be confined to position lights alone. Espie et al (2014) also concluded that a SINGLE YELLOW HEADLIGHT had a significant positive effect, particularly in an environment full of white car DRLs. So why did they NOT suggest yellow headlights?
“In terms of application, it is probably not realistic to assume that [motorcycles] could be equipped with yellow frontal headlights, because they are less efficient for lighting the street.”
It’s true yellow lights are less effective in their primary role, which serves to confirm the point I made earlier about the essential conflict between the use of a headlight as a DRL with its main role of lighting the way at night. On the other hand, the paper did not consider:
* that the majority of junction collisions happen in daylight
* that of those collisions that do happen at night, most occur under urban street lighting, where the headlight’s role of illuminating the roadway is arguably relatively less important than conspicuity
* that a yellow headlight is a simple modification that can be easily retro-fitted to the existing motorcycle fleet
* that a yellow daytime headlight is not necessarily something that cannot be switched back to a white light for night-time use on unlit roads
The big plus is that compared with installing amber turn signal running lights which would require modification of the motorcycle’s wiring to carry both circuits, it’s an incredibly simple modification. There are two options:
if the machine is fitted with incandescent bulbs, a bulb replacement is a five minute job on most motorcycles. If you ride exclusively in built-up areas with street lighting, this may all that you need to do. No alterations to the wiring are needed. It can be carried out by nearly any bike owner.
if a bulb swap is not possible (for example, new machines are being fitted with LED bulbs), it may be possible to fit a yellow headlight cover secured by hook-and-loop fastenings. They are available as aftermarket parts for most popular bikes, protect the lens from stone chips and can be removed for night riding on unlit roads
In either case – and possibly a decisive factor in rider take-up – neither bulbs nor headlight covers are expensive. In my opinion, Espie et al (2014) based their recommendation on an incomplete understanding of what can be done to modify an existing PTW.
what I saw the other week. Proper contrasting light affair. Definitely stood out from the crowd. 