Matt Kulka wrote:
> Agreed, Jay. This is also my argument against the new cars whose
> headlights stay on all the time. As a motorcyclist, my front or rear
> silhouette is much smaller than a car (yes, even an MG - but not by
> much). The thing that addes to my visibility is that my head and
> taillight is on in the daytime.
In Canada, we have had mandatory daytime running lights in new
cars for a long time. I really do think it's a good thing.
It's noticeable, because it's not law to retrofit old cars. When
driving along a highway, you are used to seeing headlights coming
at you. You notice EVERY car because headlights stand out.
You really notice when you try to change lines, and see a car
coming with no DRL in the other lane. They don't stand out nearly
as well outside of a km or two. And with an LBC, we need a kilometer
or so to be sure to pass somebody who's doing 110km/h.
> daytime, I'll once again become transparent. (A consideration which
> seems to have slipped by the students of this safety feature. Once
> everyone's doing it, it will no longer be effective even on 4-wheelers.)
Hehehe, I think there is some faulty logic going on there. What
you seem to be saying is that because of your lights, you
stand out really well, but if everybody does it, you'll just
blend in.
I think that logic is only valid if the trees, signposts, cows,
and roadside outhouses all turn on headlights as well.
You might blend into the other cars and nobody will know it's
you, but people will still know it's a high speed moving object
and they can't be in your lane.
After all, your lights being on are succesful in making you
stand out, but really you aren't competing with other cars,
you are competing with the backdrop and empty space. People
will hit you thinking they are turning into "empty space",
they won't hit you thinking "it's ok, I don't see headlights
so it's just a car I'm about to hit, not a motorcycle".
--
Trevor Boicey
Ottawa, Canada
tboicey@brit.ca
http://www.brit.ca/~tboicey/
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