Extra lighting on back of helmet

[Hot_Air]

I saw this review on WebBikeWorld of the Smart Brake Light and wondered: won’t this auxiliary light cause rotational injury in the event of a crash? And will it need to comply with the trendy new (ECE 22.06) regulations for our headwear?

This product was also advertised in the last issue of Advanced Driving magazine. But as well as all the pros, I can see a rotational con. Am I mistaken?

[The Spin Doctor]

I saw this review on WebBikeWorld of the Smart Brake Light and wondered: won’t this auxiliary light cause rotational injury in the event of a crash? And will it need to comply with the trendy new (ECE 22.06) regulations for our headwear?

This product was also advertised in the last issue of Advanced Driving magazine. But as well as all the pros, I can see a rotational con. Am I mistaken?

We really do need a 'Hot Air's weirdo posts' section...

Iterations of this idea have been around for ages... there was a sharks fin LED 'brake' light complete with mercury switch twenty odd years ago.

First question, before we even get onto the effects of sticking it on the lid is "what does anyone expect it to achieve?".

[MrLongbeard]

I saw this review on WebBikeWorld of the Smart Brake Light and wondered: won’t this auxiliary light cause rotational injury in the event of a crash?

Meh

And will it need to comply with the trendy new (ECE 22.06) regulations for our headwear?

Obviously yes, it's crystal clear in ECE22.06

No helmet shall be modified from its original specification as manufactured. Accessories must be fitted in accordance with the helmet manufacturer’s instructions. Only accessories approved by the Authority shall be used. In case of any other modification or addition of non approved accessories (helmet cameras, visors, communication devices, etc.) the helmet homologation becomes invalid.

Of course it only matters if you care about these things, I don't personally, but then I strap an illegal visor on and call it good to go.

This product was also advertised in the last issue of Advanced Driving magazine. But as well as all the pros, I can see a rotational con. Am I mistaken?

You believe the 3M tape and teh slide on mechanism will be strong enough to affect the testing result? I don't

[G.P]

My son has a Shark helmet that has a green neon lights front and back. Maybe a different colour to red from the rear will distinguish the bike from the car its following although I suspect Shark had fashion in mind.

[KungFooBob]

I'm not sure what problem this is supposed to be fixing?

Maybe it's for people who just have too much money and nothing better to spend it on.... or for those people who fit extra lights on their GS.

[Horse]

From what I remember of MSF info, about 2% of bike crashes are a rear impact. You'd then be looking a how many of those were due to the following driver / rider not being aware of your brake light.

And why would you need a 120 degree viewing angle???


And, gah ...
"increases your visibility (conspicuity)"

No, it can't increase visibility, you're either visible or not. Conspicuity is something different again.

[The Spin Doctor]

From what I remember of MSF info, about 2% of bike crashes are a rear impact. You'd then be looking a how many of those were due to the following driver / rider not being aware of your brake light.

And why would you need a 120 degree viewing angle???


And, gah ...
"increases your visibility (conspicuity)"

No, it can't increase visibility, you're either visible or not. Conspicuity is something different again.

It's playing on the fear that crashes are always someone else's fault, and that "there was nothing I could do"...

Do you remember TRX850? He had a bad smash when someone rear-ended him as he stopped at a zebra crossing. He never even saw the car that hit him and was quite badly hurt as I recall, and the TRX was a write-off. It took a while but eventually he accepted that if he'd been better aware of what was behind him in the run-up to the collision he could have done something about it.

I suppose it might help those BMW GS owners who insist "I never need to touch the brakes". I had one of them on a course ten years or more ago. He got quite vociferous arguing that slowing down on the throttle was 'highly skilled' and that only beginners (me presumably) used the brakes...

when slowing down on a 70 mph dual carriageway...

300 metres from a red traffic light...

with an artic right behind him.

The truck driver was luckily able to swerve into the other lane and missed flattening him, but his analysis of the near-miss was that it was the truck driver's responsibility to see the slowing vehicle ahead and respond accordingly, not his job to think about how shutting the throttle way back from the stop line might completely confuse the guy at the wheel.

[MrLongbeard]

No helmet shall be modified from its original specification as manufactured. Accessories must be fitted in accordance with the helmet manufacturer’s instructions. Only accessories approved by the Authority shall be used. In case of any other modification or addition of non approved accessories (helmet cameras, visors, communication devices, etc.) the helmet homologation becomes invalid.

I wonder if that'll be used by insurance companies to weasel out of payments?

[Skub]

I suppose it might help those BMW GS owners who insist "I never need to touch the brakes".

Bloody hell,there are some weird afflictions out there! No brakers is a new one on me.

[Hot_Air]

Bloody hell,there are some weird afflictions out there! No brakers is a new one on me.

It’s an exciting sport in which contestants seek to demonstrate their extreme mastery of ‘acceleration sense’ by riding from A to B without touching their brakes. It’s very popular among GS riders, apparently.

[Skub]

Bloody hell,there are some weird afflictions out there! No brakers is a new one on me.

It’s an exciting sport in which contestants seek to demonstrate their extreme mastery of ‘acceleration sense’ by riding from A to B without touching their brakes. It’s very popular among GS riders, apparently.

When Robbie Williams dated Kylie,back in the day,he described the relationship as 'akin to owning a top of the range sportscar,without having the keys'.

That's what this collection of boyos bring to mind. Braking hard is almost as pleasurable to me as accelerating hard.

Mined ewe,I will admit to still being a learner since 1972 and I hope I always am.

[The Spin Doctor]

No helmet shall be modified from its original specification as manufactured. Accessories must be fitted in accordance with the helmet manufacturer’s instructions. Only accessories approved by the Authority shall be used. In case of any other modification or addition of non approved accessories (helmet cameras, visors, communication devices, etc.) the helmet homologation becomes invalid.

I wonder if that'll be used by insurance companies to weasel out of payments?

Possibly, if you've landed on your bonce and someone happens to notice.

OTOH it may put paid to the recent London fashion for mounting a Go-Pro on top of the helmet then riding a scooter / 125 like a twat, seemingly in the hope that everyone else will be so terrified of appearing on YouTube they'll stay out the way.

[The Spin Doctor]

Bloody hell,there are some weird afflictions out there! No brakers is a new one on me.

The argument is an old one and based on the police Roadcraft manual. The idea is that 'skilled' riders will correctly judge speed / distance and be able to decelerate without touching the brakes, which in itself isn't such a bad thing, but it creates three problems:

- it becomes a badge of honour - riders start going to outlandish lengths to avoid using the brakes, like the guy who throttled off in front of the truck.

- assessment of cornering can be reduced to "did the trainee brake - if he / she did, they couldn't have read the corner correctly". I got into a circular argument with my IAM assessor year ago on that point. He had to confess that there was nothing wrong with my entry speed, my line, my throttle use or anything else ROUND the corner but he was insistent that even though my cornering was spot on, I must be misreading corners because I was braking.

- when 'no brakes' riders DO need the brakes approaching a tight corner, they are out of practice at using them and when they do, they tend to be last minute 'ohmigodImgonnadie' applications which cock up the rest of the corner. It can be quite fun watching them tackle downhill hairpins

It was always meant to be a training exercise, NOT a way of life. My take's always been that the proof of the pudding is the eating - that whatever method of slowing down gets the speed adjusted for whatever's ahead is the right way.

[The Spin Doctor]

Braking hard is almost as pleasurable to me as accelerating hard.

Mined ewe,I will admit to still being a learner since 1972 and I hope I always am.

Ditto and ditto.

When Robbie Williams dated Kylie,back in the day,he described the relationship as 'akin to owning a top of the range sportscar,without having the keys'.

Stop it. I'm agog now to know exactly what it was she had locked up

[Hot_Air]

It was always meant to be a training exercise, NOT a way of life. My take's always been that the proof of the pudding is the eating - that whatever method of slowing down gets the speed adjusted for whatever's ahead is the right way.

^ this. And I'd bet that police riders make full use of their brakes in high-speed pursuits!

Incidentally, California Superbike School used 'acceleration sense' as a training exercise too. Roadcraft doesn't have exclusive rights over 'no brakes' exercises LOL. I found it was useful training (just not a way of life ) to improve my judgement of speed, distance and throttle control.

[The Spin Doctor]

It was always meant to be a training exercise, NOT a way of life. My take's always been that the proof of the pudding is the eating - that whatever method of slowing down gets the speed adjusted for whatever's ahead is the right way.

^ this. Also, a lot depends on the bike. As we all know, deceleration from a big V-twin isn't the same as a small 4-cylinder. (Incidentally, California Superbike School used 'acceleration sense' as a training exercise too. But brakes were fully applied as speeds went up!)

Even though I was in a middling gear on the XJ, I had to keep braking behind y'day's trainee on a Tiger. No way could I generate anything like the same amount of engine braking.

Years ago, back in the days of Compuserve, I had a discussion with (well, more of a lecture from) a senior RoSPA examiner from the Scottish Highlands region, who told me my article on how to brake for corners was wrong and that a good rider didn't need to touch the brakes, and that I should try it and I'd find I'd be "faster too" *.

So I did. I had a returning rider out for a one day course at Cinque Ports, so perfect opportunity. We spent the morning getting him used to riding again on a CG125, a few exercises in the car park then out for a nice ride. He turned out to be perfectly competent, so if I remember right, we went from Lydd out in a big loop towards Bodiam, Benenden and Tenterden and back towards Rye. I do remember I used the brakes just twice on the entire ride, both times on steep downhill corners, but I also remember how early I was having to roll off for the tight bends, and how hard I had to work the throttle to stay with a well ridden CG on the way out again. I was on a GSX600 teapot.

And you should try 'no brakes' on a two stroke. That's fun

* Someone should remind Rossi - he needs a win!

[Horse]

It was always meant to be a training exercise, NOT a way of life. My take's always been that the proof of the pudding is the eating - that whatever method of slowing down gets the speed adjusted for whatever's ahead is the right way.

^ this. And I'd bet that police riders make full use of their brakes in high-speed pursuits!

Incidentally, California Superbike School used 'acceleration sense' as a training exercise too. Roadcraft doesn't have exclusive rights over 'no brakes' exercises LOL. I found it was useful training (just not a way of life ) to improve my judgement of speed, distance and throttle control.

Potkscratchin (him off the telly) back on Vd, said that he would definitely be using the brakes when getting a shift on.

[KungFooBob]

Potkscratchin (him off the telly) back on Vd, said that he would definitely be using the brakes when getting a shift on.

Del is retired now, spends all his time building model aircraft, does a bloody good job of them.

[Skub]

Thinking about it more,sometimes in the car I play a similar game to the 'no braker loons',but I call it 'the cruise control game'. I dial in a speed and see if I can maintain that for as long as possible. Mrs.Skub doesn't like this game.

There are also times on the bike,nice empty roads and I'm feeling relaxed,I may not touch the brakes for miles. It's cool to get that flow going. This is only one of many mood swings while riding,but I'd hate to be confined to a single method regardless of mood,just because of a mindset of what's the right way to ride. Choice is a tool.

These chaps need to take a breath and remember fun.

[G.P]

I use the brake when I don't need to when riding in a group, particularly when I'm leading. My Ducati has massive engine braking compared to smaller IL4s and I always dab the brake to let the rider behind know I'm properly slowing for a bend or hazard when actually the deceleration is being taking care off by the engine..