No Respect

Twice within two miles yesterday, I'm blazing north up Highway 9 at 70 on my Reflex and cars pull out in front of me (also going north).

I passed the first one in a median, but had to slow to 40 for the second, as there was traffic.

I kind of expected the second one. Even riding with my brights during the day as I aleays do. I think the extra lights, and size of the S Wing give drivers a "bit" more pause. Of course, for safety reasons, I inevitably expect them to infringe and I do prepare for that.

I certainly don't drive in such a manner. It was drilled into my young brain at some point to give motorcycles respect and a wide berth. It is actually part of the study materials you are given to prepare for your licence test IIRC.

Unfortunately, I think many drivers somehow get a licence without truly learning the rules of the road. Or simply ignore them after the test.

Hi, "Dude"... my immediate thought on this aspect of motorcycling reminds me of an incident I had while in my car some fifteen years ago... I had pulled up to an intersection of a busy four lane highway and was ready to pull right on out... thought I had properly checked traffic but then spotted a "flashy" light to my left... there was a motorcycle coming my way that had installed a flashing headlight device (would like to have one of those) and it caught my eye immediately... was very glad for that moment because I was "ready" to go but didn't because of that; could've been disastrous...

I know all this is very "wordy" but just wanted to voice my personal opinion on the value of being seen with one of those flashing units...

I believe that flashing lights on moving vehicles is outlawed over here, apart from emergency vehicles or dangerous loads. Cyclists use them but they are not bound by the laws of the road. Curious!

Yes, "Loosemarbles", I don't know officially but have read somewhere else here on our site that those flashers are allowed on our side of the pond. They are governed by the length of the flash cycles I do believe, to make them legal... anyway, even tho' I never bought one, they certainly impressed me...

They're certainly eye-catching

"Flashing/rotating/pulsing lights are not legal on vehicles when operated on the public roadway in Washington State unless the vehicle is authorized by statute."

Possibly, you can have one on a bicycle only, facing backwards.

Curiously, until relatively recently, cyclists here were allowed to have flashing lights attached to their jackets but not their bicycles, hence the clips supplied with the lights then which are just right for slipping on to a belt.

https://amzn.to/3Jgdql0

An amendment was made to the Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations in 2005 making it legal to use flashing lights on a bicycle in the UK.

If you choose to use flashing light on a pushbike, they must flash at a frequency of  1-4hz which is between one and four flashes a second.

You can buy bike lights that have steady or flashing modes, and they're a feature on a lot of eBikes.

Now my memory has been jogged, I recall there has been topics on here in the past about owners fitting Kisan Headlight Modulators.

2005? How time flies!
I saw a post on Facebook which pointed out that we are nearer to 2069 than 1969.
I, too, recall topics about headlight modulators.
When I fitted an Admore Light Bar to my first Silverwing in Belgium, I ignored the fact that it had brakelight modulation and even the police motorcyclist who followed me then pulled me over on the Embankment in London made no mention of it. That was in 2011.

MikeO wrote:

2005? How time flies!
I saw a post on Facebook which pointed out that we are nearer to 2069 than 1969.
I, too, recall topics about headlight modulators.
When I fitted an Admore Light Bar to my first Silverwing in Belgium, I ignored the fact that it had brakelight modulation and even the police motorcyclist who followed me then pulled me over on the Embankment in London made no mention of it. That was in 2011.

I had a rear Wig Wag brake light unit on my GW, rode all the lower 48 here without question. I never had a headlight modulator but have seen a few about. Those light never shut off only dim so they get by over here without problems, on both I give it to each their own.

MikeO wrote:

2005? How time flies!
I saw a post on Facebook which pointed out that we are nearer to 2069 than 1969.
I, too, recall topics about headlight modulators.
When I fitted an Admore Light Bar to my first Silverwing in Belgium, I ignored the fact that it had brakelight modulation and even the police motorcyclist who followed me then pulled me over on the Embankment in London made no mention of it. That was in 2011.

Tail light modulation is legal here. I just ordered a couple for the SWing top case I have as for $10 it's a good deal, but only works on LED.

Time speeds up as we get older. I remember '69. Well... parts of it anyway.

This one does a simple three fast, three slow strobe then goes solid bright.



Mine is on order.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S9G4WW6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3RND54X0X6PMP&psc=1

Nice piece of kit.
That pattern of flashes is what the Admore Light Bar does with the brake lights.