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Headlights On At Daytime


coolcar

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Motorcyclists in the Western Province are requested to travel with their headlights switched on even during daytime from tomorrow, police said.

They said according to studies carried motorcycle accidents had been reduced in other countries by adopting this method. Police said it was being introduced here on an experimental basis.

They said If successful, it would be legalised and introduced countrywide.

Meanwhile the police said that from tomorrow the law on heavy vehicles having to use the lane on the left would be strictly implemented.

The lane on the right should only be used when overtaking.

Source: Daily Mirror

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Its a good decision I think. Anyway there can be pros as well as cons of anything. So its good to let it test and implement. Good move. I personally think 3-wheel and motorcycles are the ones that makes the traffic conditions worse. (Not all but mostly and sometimes even cars do the same. :) )

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Much irritated due to a motor cyclist followed me with head lights on , for many kilo meters, today morning. Once I switched my mirror in to night mode. If all the motor cyclist use their headlights what would happen.....? My personal feeling, I don't like this day time running lights and headlights on (motor cycles) in daytime. Sri Lanka is a tropical country which has pretty sun light through out the year. So no poor visibility.

Edited by Sampath Gunasekera
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Much irritated due to a motor cyclist followed me with head lights on , for many kilo meters, today morning. Once I switched my mirror in to night mode. If all the motor cyclist use their headlights what would happen.....? My personal feeling, I don't like this day time running lights and headlights on (motor cycles) in daytime. Sri Lanka is a tropical country which has pretty sun light through out the year. So no poor visibility.

In the newer Japanese bikes you cant switch it off, as far as i know it turns on as soon as you start the bike. maybe the bikers who were following you were on high beams

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They said according to studies carried motorcycle accidents had been reduced in other countries by adopting this method. Police said it was being introduced here on an experimental basis.

In highways and sparsely populated roads, accidents do reduce this way. When I drive on the highway, I always keep the headlight on (low beam) cos I don't have DRL in my car.

However, it will be really annoying in traffic.

Edited by Crosswind
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Much irritated due to a motor cyclist followed me with head lights on , for many kilo meters, today morning. Once I switched my mirror in to night mode. If all the motor cyclist use their headlights what would happen.....? My personal feeling, I don't like this day time running lights and headlights on (motor cycles) in daytime. Sri Lanka is a tropical country which has pretty sun light through out the year. So no poor visibility.

Magnum is right, most (I think all new ones) Japanese bikes don't have switch for the low beams. It just stays on. I think regulations in bigger markets require it. And as far as I know the purpose is to allert other drivers rather than a mere improvement of visibility. Strictly on a safety basis, motorcyclists run a much higher risks on the road. Even if other drivers are at fault, the biker holds the losing end. So anything to improve their chances is fine by me.

But on the other hand, there are way too many halfwits riding like idiots, and a blazing headlamp just add to that bundle of annoyance.

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In the newer Japanese bikes you cant switch it off, as far as i know it turns on as soon as you start the bike. maybe the bikers who were following you were on high beams

Of course, he was on high beams.

Edited by Sampath Gunasekera
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In some countries it is mandatory that motorcyclists keep their head lights on all the time. That's why there is no on-off switch for headlights on bikes made for these markets. You still get a Lo-Hi beam selector on these bikes.

This is not a bad regulation as a head light draws attention (even in broad daylight) much earlier and further than the actual vehicle itself would. It helps even more in spotting the bikes in one's rear view mirrors.

Now while on the subject, does anyone know why (most) drivers and riders in SL turn their headlights off as soon as they can bearly see the road at dawn and also wait until it is pitch black to turn them on at dusk? And why hardly anyone bothers to keep lights on when at poor visibility conditions due to overcast, rain or fog??? And if you try to keep any sort of light on on your vehicle under these conditions you get other drivers and even pedestrians jumping up and down telling you "mahaththaya, head light daala"?

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Now while on the subject, does anyone know why (most) drivers and riders in SL turn their headlights off as soon as they can bearly see the road at dawn and also wait until it is pitch black to turn them on at dusk? And why hardly anyone bothers to keep lights on when at poor visibility conditions due to overcast, rain or fog??? And if you try to keep any sort of light on on your vehicle under these conditions you get other drivers and even pedestrians jumping up and down telling you "mahaththaya, head light daala"?

Logical answer is that they know the incandescent lamps have a limited service life and they also know that more lights you switch on, higher the alternator load, and hence higher the fuel consumption. In some parts of India if the street is well lit they just switch of the headlights and drive. SL is not very far from India. These are the people who are so much concerned on the environment that they put their seat belts before they start the engine to reduce greenhouse emissions. This list is endless mind you!

BTW I see at least 90% of the bikes on road today around Galle road with their headlights on!

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BTW I see at least 90% of the bikes on road today around Galle road with their headlights on!

While I'm for the head light rule, I would like to see at least 50% of the bikes with tail lights (or some sort of illumination at rear) on at night.

It's no fun when you have to drive on low beam on an unlit road due to oncoming traffic, only to suddenly find a bike 15ft in front of you, riding with no illumination whatsoever at the rear and probably carrying a family of four.

Edited by HardHat
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The fact is Motor cyclist have a higher chance of death or injury on the road than any other road users. Not all users wear high visibility clothing and not all motor cycles are brightly coloured nor does the colour matter when you are looking at one using or side mirrors.

And light during the day changes. For example at dusk and dawn the visibility isn't as good and neither is it on rainy days.

Since its complicated to set rules as to when you should turn on your head lights particularly in the situations above, the laws in countries have changed to introduce daytime running lights for all vehicles. But in a lot of countries the head lights staying on all the time for motor cycles was introduced a long time before that.

Clearly you should not use a high beam for this purpose, but I think anything that makes you more visible on the road will save lives.

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It's definitely a good move as it would increase the visibility of the motorcyclist.

I once failed to notice an oncoming black sportage while I was doing a tight manure -( I only noticed it only when it was close although I could see the road). I've read somewhere that black cars has a high probability of facing an accident compared to lighter colored ones - so I think even the DRL s are a good thing even for out country.

On the subject of not turning on the lights in the dark, I think they think they are a sort of a "pora" to drive without the lights. Once our office driver did 110 on the Galle road 12 at night pouring rain without turning on the wipers and he was like - I can see the road why use wipers! .

I turn on the lights if it makes even a little bit of difference to visibility. My xtreme visions have a very low life span even the manufacturer recommends to keep an extra pair, but I don't worry about it. Seeing the road is more important :)

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The fact is Motor cyclist have a higher chance of death or injury on the road than any other road users. Not all users wear high visibility clothing and not all motor cycles are brightly coloured nor does the colour matter when you are looking at one using or side mirrors.

And light during the day changes. For example at dusk and dawn the visibility isn't as good and neither is it on rainy days.

Since its complicated to set rules as to when you should turn on your head lights particularly in the situations above, the laws in countries have changed to introduce daytime running lights for all vehicles. But in a lot of countries the head lights staying on all the time for motor cycles was introduced a long time before that.

Clearly you should not use a high beam for this purpose, but I think anything that makes you more visible on the road will save lives.

Now I see the importance of headlights on daytime. But media should clearly pass the message, not just Headlight, it should be Headlight with low beam.

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While I'm for the head light rule, I would like to see at least 50% of the bikes with tail lights (or some sort of illumination at rear) on at night.

It's no fun when you have to drive on low beam on an unlit road due to oncoming traffic, only to suddenly find a bike 15ft in front of you, riding with no illumination whatsoever at the rear and probably carrying a family of four.

Tell me about it. I wonder what the deal about this anyway. Because 9 out of 10 bikes I see at night doesnt seem to have the taillight on. Is the taillight on bikes made out of substandard material? It sure seem to have a higher chance of failure than other parts..

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I don't see how this law can be that effective in SL due to two reasons.

1) throughout the year it s very bright during the day time

2) throughout the year sun sets at a constant time period (between 5:30 - 6:30?)

Saying that, people over here wear helmets and seat belts because its the law not because it save their OWN life. Hence i somewhat have to agree with Don, How many of us use running lights during low visibility times i.e. during monsoon rain, early mornings etc?

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I was copped once for having DRL on my bike :) cop took the time to explain the law about how once cant power up their headbeams until sunset :P

Great to see some sanity returning...

The ban on full face helmets been lifted and now the DRL

As a rider i really didn't notice anything with the DRL...it just was there from the factory

But as a driver i certainly feel bikers with DRL's do get noticed...especially when going and out of your blind spot.

The bright light does register more even in sunny sl

There is science and research behind manufacturers adding on DRL's in the first place

I see a lot of people slamming bikers, gosl and generally cribbing about this whole thing though :)

I feel, recklessness and poor road skills isn't limited to bikers alone and the two issues are seperate.

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I don't see how this law can be that effective in SL due to two reasons.

1) throughout the year it s very bright during the day time

2) throughout the year sun sets at a constant time period (between 5:30 - 6:30?)

Mate, this law is not for the bikers to see the road, but for other drivers to see the bikes. I've driven in some parts of the world where it is much more bright and sunny than SL and to my experience a bike (or any other vehicle for that matter) with lights on is surprisingly more visible to others even under the brightest of conditions.

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Mate, this law is not for the bikers to see the road, but for other drivers to see the bikes. I've driven in some parts of the world where it is much more bright and sunny than SL and to my experience a bike (or any other vehicle for that matter) with lights on is surprisingly more visible to others even under the brightest of conditions.

Dude i know the lights are used to warn/notify others about your presences. My point was most of the western countries use DLR due to the different climate conditions they face in a 12 month cycle where as over here in SL we don't see that much of a drastic difference.

Since it doesn't cost much to have DRLs on i guess why not. Motorcyclist have nothing to loose by adopting this but everything to gain.

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Dude i know the lights are used to warn/notify others about your presences. My point was most of the western countries use DLR due to the different climate conditions they face in a 12 month cycle where as over here in SL we don't see that much of a drastic difference.

Since it doesn't cost much to have DRLs on i guess why not. Motorcyclist have nothing to loose by adopting this but everything to gain.

Well Singapore has more of less the same climate and sunlight as Sri Lanka and its mandatory to have your headlight (on low beam). And I agree with the notion that you DO see a motorcycle more clearly when they have their headlight on.

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Well Singapore has more of less the same climate and sunlight as Sri Lanka and its mandatory to have your headlight (on low beam). And I agree with the notion that you DO see a motorcycle more clearly when they have their headlight on.

If two avid moto riders (ripper and you) agree with the concept of DRL enhancing rider safety who am i to come up with theories. Out of curiosity in Singapore is DRL mandatory for cars as well?

When i first read about this i assumed this was another bright idea that came out from the backside of a police big wig, like the full face helmet fiasco.

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If two avid moto riders (ripper and you) agree with the concept of DRL enhancing rider safety who am i to come up with theories. Out of curiosity in Singapore is DRL mandatory for cars as well?

When i first read about this i assumed this was another bright idea that came out from the backside of a police big wig, like the full face helmet fiasco.

It's not required by law for cars, but like in Sri Lanka, some of the newer cars do seem to be using them. Mostly on continental cars. Maybe there's no switch to turn them off.

And in fact I've noticed that quite a few bikes don't have a headlight on/off switch either. Just a high/low beam switch. I have overridden it with an additional on/of switch, cos I don't wanna strain the battery when cold starting.

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Tell me about it. I wonder what the deal about this anyway. Because 9 out of 10 bikes I see at night doesnt seem to have the taillight on. Is the taillight on bikes made out of substandard material? It sure seem to have a higher chance of failure than other parts..

The reason for this is because once their battery is down they do not bother to replace for the bike can be started and run (Not applicable to self-start though). They seem to think that it only results in flickering lights at low RPM but they are wrong. Without the battery what happens is that the charging system goes out of balance and the excess power ends up in a load resistor. The load resistor is not rated to dissipate this additional power and after sometime it burns up. Then the system voltage goes up particularly during the day and the brake light and the tail light fails. Headlight is not affected to the same extent for it provides somewhat a higher load load sufficient to bring the system voltage down. This is why as you say you do not see tail lights and even brake lights in a majority of bikes.

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