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Night Riding Tips

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  • Night Riding Tips

    Traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day, yet many of us are unaware of night driving's special hazards or don't know effective ways to deal with them.

    Driving at night is more dangerous than during the day. One of the obvious reasons is darkness. Ninety percent of a driver's reaction depends on vision, and vision is severely limited at night. Depth perception, color recognition and peripheral vision are compromised after sundown.

    Fatigue also adds to the danger of night driving. Drowsiness makes driving more difficult by dulling concentration and slowing reaction time.

    Alcohol is the single most significant factor in fatal traffic crashes, playing a part in more than half of all motor vehicle-related deaths. That makes weekend nights more dangerous. More fatal crashes take place on Friday and Saturday nights than at any other time in the week.

    following special guidelines while you drive:

    Prepare your car bike night driving.
    Clean headlights, taillights, signal lights once a week, more often if necessary.
    Aim your headlights properly.
    Misaimed headlights blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road.
    Don't drink and drive. Not only does alcohol severely impair your driving ability, but it also acts as a depressant. Just one drink can induce fatigue. Turn your headlights on if there are any doubts. Lights will not help you see better in early twilight, but they'll make it easier for other drivers to see you. Being seen is as important as seeing.

    Reduce your speed and increase your following distances. It is more difficult to judge other vehicle's speeds and distances at night.

    Don't overdrive your headlights. You should be able to stop inside the illuminated area. If you're not, you are creating a blind crash area in front of your vehicle.

    Keep your headlights on low beams when following another vehicle so you don't blind the driver ahead of you.

    If an oncoming vehicle doesn't lower beams from high to low, avoid glare by watching the right edge of the road and using it as a steering guide.

    Make frequent stops for light snacks and exercise. If you're too tired to drive, stop and get rest.

    Observe night driving safety as soon as the sun goes down. As your eyes are adapting to the constant change in amount of light, twilight is one of the most difficult times to drive.

    source: autos.sify.com
    Speak Less,Speak Wise!

    Sarcasm is my automatic response to stupidity.

  • #2
    Topic Approved.
    :)

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    • #3
      Originally posted by haxor View Post
      If an oncoming vehicle doesn't lower beams from high to low, avoid glare by watching the right edge of the road and using it as a steering guide.
      In our case, it would be the left edge of the road since we follow the Left Lane pattern. The above statement would hold true for all countries where there is a Right Lane pattern.
      Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and then beat you with experience.

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      • #4
        THe only disturbance i have in night driving is ...........

        THe heavy light glare in the Rear View Mirrors................

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        • #5
          ask me... i had night mares in night driving...

          I owe i would never go on highways.... at night times...

          PS: lesson learnt from a 650+kms night driving from hyd to my hometown
          There are Bikers
          There are Super Bikers...

          And Then there's
          KRISS

          click here for
          Click here to subscribe SMS alerts for all upcoming Xbhp- Hyderabad G2G's and Rides.

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          • #6
            My recent accident happened at night and I know how bad things can go at night, One has to concentrate hard while riding at night as compared to day as your visibility is reduced and is dependent on the illumination on the road and illumination through headlights.
            You Make Your Choices, And You Don't Look Back

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            • #7
              Originally posted by haxor View Post
              Fatigue also adds to the danger of night driving. Drowsiness makes driving more difficult by dulling concentration and slowing reaction time.
              True! I broke my Collar Bone - On the Chennai - Bangalore Highway because of the same reason.
              Photo Gallery[/B]

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              • #8
                One more from my side, its better to sleep 2 to 3 hours in the day if you are palnning for a night ride/drive, trust me this works wonders it never gives you a feeling that you are riding/driving in night. i have tried this method and works well for me

                P.S : this is for planned rides, for unplanned rides one can do nothing.
                "Engine tuning is not an exact science, but with some practice and patience you'll get comfortable with your skill and be able tune for any conditions mother nature throws at you"


                Still the Boss -- RX 135

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                • #9
                  one more point,

                  - for your own safety, wearing reflective clothes can make other people see you better (ESP truck / bus drivers)



                  there's a problem which arises in night time, any suggestions for this ?

                  - Our helmets havent really got 100% scratch proof visors, even slight nicks and cuts significantly make the light from the oncoming vehicles to glare like anything.

                  -If you ride with your visor open, chances of bugs(since they're attracted to the headlight beam) / other particles hitting your eyes
                  A man's testosterone level is directly proportional to bhp that he's using on his motorcycle.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Xenologik View Post
                    one more point,

                    - for your own safety, wearing reflective clothes can make other people see you better (ESP truck / bus drivers)



                    there's a problem which arises in night time, any suggestions for this ?

                    - Our helmets havent really got 100% scratch proof visors, even slight nicks and cuts significantly make the light from the oncoming vehicles to glare like anything.

                    -If you ride with your visor open, chances of bugs(since they're attracted to the headlight beam) / other particles hitting your eyes
                    A way to avoid these bugs getting in your eyes when your visor is open is to wear normal plain glasses under the helmet.
                    P.S.: Invest in some Anti glare glasses.
                    sigpic
                    "Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall."

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                    • #11
                      Oil Slicks in corners!

                      The bike will steady itself on a straight stretch, but the oil slick may get you down at the corners. Just a spot of oil, & handful of water from a dripping water tanker is a potent recipe, on what you expect to be a dry road you take everyday. It happened with me.
                      & you can never spot the speck of an oil slick at around 10.00 PM.
                      Kaveriappa
                      _________
                      - Robert McCloskey

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                      • #12
                        @ Xeno,

                        Invest in a new helmet visor at least once a month. Slap it onto your helmet before you go touring, especially if it is a night ride. 300 to 400/- a month is a good investment if it can help you see better in the night.
                        sigpic
                        Interviewer - How does it feels to drive at 300 km/h?
                        Kimi Raikkonen - It feels normal.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by TomSawyer View Post
                          The bike will steady itself on a straight stretch, but the oil slick may get you down at the corners. Just a spot of oil, & handful of water from a dripping water tanker is a potent recipe, on what you expect to be a dry road you take everyday. It happened with me.
                          & you can never spot the speck of an oil slick at around 10.00 PM.

                          Nice tip ther!!

                          When you are talking bout riding at nights, never forget to leave the centre line of the road(if you are riding on a 4-lane highway) and the line on the left hand side on a single lane highway..i call these my lifelines...they were damn useful to me when i did my solo thane-satara, to catch up wid guys who had left a 3 hours earlier than me. THis happened from 12.15 (panvel) 4 am (satara)....
                          Vikram.....

                          http://vikramDixit.blogspot.com...


                          sach kadwaa hota hai .. ;)

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                          • #14
                            My horrors with riding in the night...read at http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/tourer/6...tml#post164624

                            Blind as a mole in the high beam from morons in the opposite lanes...
                            The Leh Experience!!
                            My '08 Suzuki GSX650F

                            Escapade to the Eastern Ghats
                            Orissa 1302
                            My BlackBull - Bullet Electra 5S

                            sigpic

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                            • #15
                              Where to get the reflective stickers or shirts that GLOW in the dark.is it available in chennai?????.can the shirts that the traffic cops have(glow in the dark) is available anywhere in CHENNAI?????
                              sigpic

                              Awesome indian militaryIndiaEquator - Sir Winston Churchill

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