High beam in fog

[danham]

I just returned from a 3100-mile trip and a portion of it was in dense fog and/or rain. Several times I got partially cut off by trucks that did not see me in their mirrors. It occurred to me that the low beam on our bikes is pretty small and not very visible in that situation. So I switched to high beam when the visibility was poor and did not have any further cutoff incidents.

Anyone else have this experience?

-dan

[PhukDD]

I just returned from a 3100-mile trip and a portion of it was in dense fog and/or rain. Several times I got partially cut off by trucks that did not see me in their mirrors. It occurred to me that the low beam on our bikes is pretty small and not very visible in that situation. So I switched to high beam when the visibility was poor and did not have any further cutoff incidents.

Anyone else have this experience?

-dan

Please explain this stuff you call “fog”...lol ...the lights on the 2018 suck so I could see that happening

[wellcraft]

Anyone add or know of auxiliary lighting for the H2SXSE? A buddy rides a CB1100 and added auxiliary lighting and it definitely makes the bike more visible to oncoming traffic.

[black-k1]

One of my "pet hates" when riding are other riders who insist on using full beam. Either they are dazzling me as they come towards me or are burning my retinas in my mirrors when behind me. There is a very good reason why road users are required to use dipped beam when there is other traffic on the road and to not use dipped beam is simply selfish and ignorant.

[danham]

One of my pet hates is being crushed by a large truck. I am not blinding oncoming traffic because it is not dark out, the fog disperses the light, oh, and there is no oncoming traffic on a divided highway. I do not use high beam on two-way roads or when visibility is not at stake.

[black-k1]

One of my pet hates is being crushed by a large truck. I am not blinding oncoming traffic because it is not dark out, the fog disperses the light, oh, and there is no oncoming traffic on a divided highway. I do not use high beam on two-way roads or when visibility is not at stake.

Having been part of oncomming traffic and followed trafgic, in my car and on my bike, for bikes with full beam on, during daylight, in fog, and in the rain, both in the city and on a (divided) motorway it dazzles making it difficult for me to see, but go ahead and carry on telling me what impact your selfish decisions are having on me!

[danham]

Haters will hate, pet or no. Have a nice day.

[Burmashave]

I just returned from a 3100-mile trip and a portion of it was in dense fog and/or rain. Several times I got partially cut off by trucks that did not see me in their mirrors. It occurred to me that the low beam on our bikes is pretty small and not very visible in that situation. So I switched to high beam when the visibility was poor and did not have any further cutoff incidents.

Anyone else have this experience?

-dan

Dan, I'd hope that you ride with the assumption that you are invisible to all other traffic, or as Lee Parks puts it: On a bike, you are the prey instead of the predator, and you need to adopt the attitude of prey animals (keeping your eyes wide open and avoiding target fixation). I rarely give tractor trailers much chance of cutting me off, but sometimes in tight traffic (as around Boston), I know its unavoidable.

Not that making yourself more visible isn't a worthy goal.

[PhukDD]

I will admit I make myself as annoying as possible during the day and ride with the highs on. Maybe it works, maybe it does not but after 27 years of sport bike riding I am still here. Not conclusive evidence but good enough for me. And yes every place a car could pull in front of me I am geared down ready to brake or hammer the bitch.

[black-k1]

I will admit I make myself as annoying as possible during the day and ride with the highs on. Maybe it works, maybe it does not but after 27 years of sport bike riding I am still here. Not conclusive evidence but good enough for me. And yes every place a car could pull in front of me I am geared down ready to brake or hammer the bitch.

… and the counter argument is that after 41 years (yikes, am I really that old???) of riding, doing up to 18,000 miles a year, commuting and touring, in the city, in the countryside and on motorways/freeways, autobahns, in multiple countries across Europe, I have never ridden during daylight with my high beam on and I'm still here.

All I ask of you is to think a little here. A fellow biker is telling you that actions you take (which are actually illegal) are making their life more difficult/uncomfortable/dangerous. Is getting all "high and mighty" and saying "F**k you, I'll ride how I want" really the best, grown-up response?