Driving at night, Hi or Lo beam?

[Pudge Ate Me]

I am aware that Lo beam is 1 light, Hi beam is 2 lights. At night of course I drive with my Hi beams on, but when a car is coming in the other direction do I need to go to Lo beams or should I always leave the Hi beams on at night? I'm not sure how blinding they truly are, opinions anyone?

I do have 35w 6000k HID's

[mholme]

You can get a failure to dim ticket, the same as in a car, if you ride with your high beam on while other vehicles are in your line of sight.

[ninja_sleeper]

^^Is this valid everywhere? Especially for a motorcycle, considering that they are not as visible as cagers to begin with? Cite your sources.

Well since low beam is automatic, one would assume that high beam is for night. I always always use high beam as soon as sun down. It increases your visibility. I have passed cops with my highs on and never ever had an issue, and I am sure if you did get a ticket and took it to court it would be thrown out because that just seems absurd. At least I would fight it because that's like getting a ticket for being safe. My BRT class taught me to use the high beam when your visibility is low, which would mean night time. Also, check out other riders at night that have low/hi. I guarantee they are using their highs.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I have rode with people that only use the high beam.

[Malicious Logic]

I would always dim them to be courteous, regardless of how truly blinding they might be. On regular city streets, I don't really see the need for high beams unless your city sucks in terms of lighting. On country/back roads, that's a different story but I'd still switch to low beams until it's just me again.

[Pudge Ate Me]

valid input from both side so far, wonder how other peopls feel as well.

[ninja_sleeper]

Originally Posted by Malicious Logic

I would always dim them to be courteous, regardless of how truly blinding they might be. On regular city streets, I don't really see the need for high beams unless your city sucks in terms of lighting. On country/back roads, that's a different story but I'd still switch to low beams until it's just me again.

That is pretty courteous. IDK I just don't know if it's bright enough to be worried about. I see big ol trucks with their super fancy bright lights blazing into the night and it's cool with me. Those beat little 250 light-ies

[noni47]

I always have my brights on at night. Only time I turn it off is if the car in the oncoming lane flashes their light.

[ForceofWill]

Do you have projectors for your HiDs? If not you're already blinding people with your lows. I'd be surprised if someone didn't run you off the road if you ran around with the highs on in the stock housing.

[thurt88]

I dont think I've ever even hit the switch to turn my brights on. I know you are doing it for visibility but I would check with your local CLEO to find out if its legal. I wouldnt do it for exactly the opposite reason you are. I'd be more terrified of blinding the oncoming car in the other lane and them hitting me I've been the guy blinded b4.

On another note: Don't assume its legal just because 1 cop didnt cite you. I was ~100 mph on the freeway (5am no traffic, i know careless, right ?) and a 'busa just rips by me at some insane speed. Like maybe 1 minute later a sheriffs deputy flys by me as well, with NO lights on, after that guy I would presume. My moral of the story is, just because that cop blew past me, I was well over the max speed and he could have gotten me good but I think he was after the bigger payoff with that Suzuki.

[nakedhunter]

In Colorado... The state DMV recommends using high beams during the day and at night when other vehicles aren't around.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite...&ssbinary=true

HEADLIGHT: The best way to help others on the road
see your motorcycle is to keep the headlight on at
all times. Use of the high beam in daylight increases
the likelihood that you will be seen by oncoming
drivers

9. RIDING AT NIGHT
...
USE YOUR HIGH BEAM: Get all the light you can.
Use your high beam whenever you are not following
or meeting a car.
...

[Toly]

High beams in daytime will help you with being more visible. At night, they are annyoing and distracting to other drivers, esp in reasonably populated areas.

If you're riding at night in a rural area, that's a different story.

[Whiskey]

Originally Posted by Toly

High beams in daytime will help you with being more visible. At night, they are annyoing and distracting to other drivers, esp in reasonably populated areas.

If you're riding at night in a rural area, that's a different story.

Hi beams on unlit roads at night only, dip them when someone approaches/ you catch up with someone else, otherwise low beam only

BTW I have a HID low beam & upgraded high bulb, and a set of extra running lights under the nose cone.

The high beam is there to light up further ahead of you in the dark, not to make you more visible, it just pisses off other drivers & makes it harder for them to accurately judge your speed & location, you become an annoyance in a general direction rather than a bike in an exact position.

It's not that the other drivers don't see you, it's that their brain doesn't process you because they don't expect to see a motorbike.

Having a HID aimed at someone's face is not a good idea, it will incite road rage

[massacremasses]

turn your hi's off in the dark when there are other cars coming or your behind someone, just like in a car. Its dark. They can see your lows.

Keeps your hi's on all the time only in the day.

[Mocha Man]

I have always been told to ride with my Hi Beams on if I'm on a bike at night, even if it's just the slightest bit dark.

[leed]

Here is our local MCY Handbook information on Hi/Lo:

Originally Posted by NCDot.gov

The best way to help others see your motorcycle is to keep the headlight on — at all times (although motorcycles sold in the USA since
1978 automatically have the headlights on when running). Studies show that, during the day, a motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed. Use of the high beam during the day increases the likelihood that oncoming drivers will see you. Use low beam at night and in cloudy weather.

Vehicles within 500 feet is the limit with which high beams must be off, if I am not mistaken. I will look for the resource.

However, if you leave them on at night (or dusk/dawn), you will irritate other drivers and put yourself at risk. You chance A. irritating a driver enough they will do something stupid, or B. temporarily blind someone (low chance, but still) and they lose control or veer into your path or something else ridiculous.

If I recall, you are in the Winston-Salem area.. So here is the local code of ordinance for "headlights":

Originally Posted by City of Winston-Salem Code of Ordinance, Sec. 42-81. - Dimming headlights.

Any person operating a motor vehicle, when meeting another vehicle, shall so control the lights of the vehicle operated by him that the headlight beams shall not project a glaring or dazzling light to persons in front of such headlamp, in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 20-131.

http://library.municode.com/HTML/100...1GE_S42-81DIHE

[ninja_sleeper]

Originally Posted by thurt88

On another note: Don't assume its legal just because 1 cop didnt cite you.

Not just ONE cop, it's all cops.

[Jiggles]

Lo beam, don't be an asshole. Driving at night with your highbeams on is a douchey move and when people do it to me it pisses me off. I will either get behind them and put my highbeams on to show them just how distracting and annoying they are or speed off so that I am not blinded by their stupidity.

[mustang5.0]

while i would love a brighter head light..its urban here, so high-beams aren't needed

[ninja_sleeper]

I guess I need to be more weary about my high beam.

[choneofakind]

At night, use your high beams just like you would use your high beams in your car. Don't blind on coming traffic because it's dangerous and they get cranky when they get blinded.

Especially if you have an HID setup, be courteous to the other people on the road

[etiainen]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Lo beam, don't be an asshole. Driving at night with your highbeams on is a douchey move and when people do it to me it pisses me off. I will either get behind them and put my highbeams on to show them just how distracting and annoying they are or speed off so that I am not blinded by their stupidity.

@Jiggles is 100% right here.

Haven't you had someone in a car with their high beams blasting in your face before? Didn't you think that was extremely distracting?

Unless you are on an empty road keep your high beams off at night.

[Pudge Ate Me]

Well I guess I'll start riding with Hi on 24/7 unless it's dark and I'm following a car or a car is coming towards me. Thanks for the input everyone.

[Boom King]

Originally Posted by ninja_sleeper

^^Is this valid everywhere? Especially for a motorcycle, considering that they are not as visible as cagers to begin with? Cite your sources

There's an old thread on this forum somewhere where one of our members got a ticket for riding with the high beam on his Ninjette. Any ways, threads like these are full of personal opinions but to the OP, really the responsibility lies with you to check your local traffic laws before you hit the road.

[ninja_sleeper]

Maybe just replace the oem lights with a big ol harley light. mmm. tuff.

[Whiskey]

Originally Posted by ninja_sleeper

Maybe just replace the oem lights with a big ol harley light. mmm. tuff.

HIDs for low beam, high output bulb on high (Osram nightracer or Phillips XtremeVision Moto) as the HIDs take a couple of seconds or so to come up to power

[Liist]

Only on a rural road with no street lights.

[mholme]

Originally Posted by ninja_sleeper

^^Is this valid everywhere? Especially for a motorcycle, considering that they are not as visible as cagers to begin with? Cite your sources.

http://www.mva.maryland.gov/Resources/DL-001.pdf

Page 22 under night riding. It's also taught in the MSF course, or it was in mine. You have a few liberties on a motorcycle, blinding oncoming or direct traffic you're following is not one of them. I always ride during daylight hours with both lights on. At night, I dim the hi beam when needed, the same way I do in my car.

[akshay11]

+1 @Jiggles

If there's an asshole behind me with their highs on I'll just stop at the next stopsign/light and won't move until they go around me.. then put mine up for a second.

[cuong-nutz]

I only high beam when I'm out in the backroads or when it's really dark and I need to see that far up ahead.

[bud_44]

If a car is coming towards you I would put my low beam on. Otherwise I always leave my high beams on at night. I seldom ride at night because I worry about the dear. I have riding friends that have hit a dear. I haven't yet.

[Toly]

I, too, worry about the dear, so I try to sit further back from the tank

Ok, hi-beams at night-time is douchy... but how about hi-beams in daytime? I still think it improves Ur visibility without being annoying.

[Jiggles]

I don't think it makes a difference during the day

[Liist]

Usually the sun is more bright and people are wearing sunglasses, and it doesn't look you have a broken light.

[adouglas]

People coming at me (or coming up behind) with high beams on PISS ME OFF MASSIVELY. The only time I use high beams is when there is nobody approaching, or I'm 500 feet or more behind the car in front.

On a 2-lane, blinding the guy coming at you is STUPID. If he can't see the lines in the road because of glare from your light, does it not make sense that he might wander onto your side?

A high beam does not make you more visible. It makes you more annoying. If a cager doesn't see your low beam, he's not going to see your high beam either.

[Whiskey]

It's not that the cager can't see you, it's that they aren't expecting to see you so their brain doesn't process what their eyes are telling it.

Do the awareness test in this vid if you don't believe me

Link to original page on YouTube.

There was a study done into cagers who crashed into parked police cars on the motorway, the cop cars have high vis squares on the sides, hi vis chevrons on the back & flashing lights, but cagers still crashed into them (and claimed not to have seen them)

Originally Posted by adouglas

People coming at me (or coming up behind) with high beams on PISS ME OFF MASSIVELY. The only time I use high beams is when there is nobody approaching, or I'm 500 feet or more behind the car in front.

On a 2-lane, blinding the guy coming at you is STUPID. If he can't see the lines in the road because of glare from your light, does it not make sense that he might wander onto your side?

A high beam does not make you more visible. It makes you more annoying. If a cager doesn't see your low beam, he's not going to see your high beam either.

[Malicious Logic]

Originally Posted by trixter

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=73391

Yes! Lol, I was looking for that thread back when this one first came up.

I think it really all boils down to where you are riding. We've got members here saying watch out for deer when myself, and probably a few others, live in the city and deer aren't really a hazard. I think in the end, it all comes down to some common sense. If you want to use your highbeam during the day, go for it. The sun is brighter though, so I'm not sure you'll be any more visible than you were with just a low beam on but more power to you. At night, if you're around other vehicles or in the city, just use the low beam. Most city streets are pretty well lit. If you happen to come across a darker area where you really can't see/need your high beams, then use them. This also counts for those of you living in the more rural areas and there's a lot of darker areas. Just make sure to turn them off when another vehicle approaches.

[outasight20]

High beams on at all times during the day, when needed at night.

Don't be a dick and leave your highs on all the time at night because you think it makes you more visible. All it does is blind oncoming drivers.

[ninja_sleeper]

Originally Posted by Xoulrath

There are a lot of good officers out there, but these types of tickets are pure revenue generation, just like most speeding tickets.

Personally, I have never had anyone flash their lights at me or display any road rage toward me for having my high beams on. I don't think the highs are "blinding", however am going to check this out tonight with some friends and see what they think. I agree with this quote from @Xoulrath in the aforementioned post.

[ninja_sleeper]

lol. Nice vid.

I am going out of my way to be rude or impolite. I am also not attempting to instigate a road rage battle by any means. I am just unsure if the high beams on a ninja are as bright as two headlights on a car. I am pretty positive they aren't as bright as the H.I.D's some people have. I did keep my low beams on when I was riding back from the gym last night.