yes i do have a kickless pulsar NS...and hence the battery problems...

i did try the headlight ON in city riding in morning and yes...u get noticed much more...everyone asks u to switch of the light.....

it does make u noticed more but people stop concentrating on their riding/driving puting hem in danger...but well its their problem and they should have their eyes on the road and their RVMs rather than asking someone to switch off their lights...

@antz i read the whole thread....felt sorry for the old lady and for you too...in no way was u riding rash and negligent...and it was the lady's mistake....but well..on highways...there are rarely any cross over bridges and folks have no option other than crossing in between the roads...the situation was at fault if i may say...

My bike, the Apache RTR 180, comes with always on pilot lamps. Still people sign at me indicating this. I do try and make sure to flash my pass lights every time I want to overtake or in a corner, be it day or night.

I have a pair of windtones and am not afraid to use em.
That doesnt mean i honk unnecessarily, i casualy honk while overtaking and stopping, BUT! When i see stupidity i honk real hard and keep the button pressed and in certain cases i even stop to give them a lesson or two about road safety.

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Well to my opinion if a horn is provided, then it is there for some specific reason. It is we who have to decide how and when we are using it correctly.
As a bunch of sensible riders we should inform people how to use them at time of need.
Unnecessarily honking is definitely unbearable specially when the some showoff buggers(the most common on city roads) adjust the tuning of horn or add on extra db horns on there bike.
Best practices that can be followed is to:
1) Use dipper while taking pass in city roads or a very short horn just to inform the fellow passers by about your move.
2) Always keep on your lower dippers whether day or night(it wont make much difference to battery consumption until and unless its full DC bike).
3) while taking the pass in between 2 big vehicles on highways apply short horn 2-3 time sin equal intervals to inform the bus/truck about your move.
this should be practised as when you closes by truck/bus the driver looses your sight on his RVM and it may lead into confusion or a mishap in worst case.
4) also to avoid passers by and road crossers one should apply short horns with dipper as it would pass a message of urgency of biker to other pedestrians/passers.

I had seen many two wheelers honking first when the the traffic light turns green..before changing form neutral.

Perfectly said, Antz. More often than not, it does act as a valid communication channel. I have noticed (and started practicing) this on the highways - while overtaking a big vehicle like a bus or a truck, do give two small toots once you have overtaken them - this is an acknowledgement, something like a thank-you note. Mostly, the other vehicles return your acknowledgement with 2 short toots as well.

Ture. this is one of the most common arguments, followed by "You braked so hard, I couldn't stop in time" - the most idiotic and illogical arguments! But wait...there are SUV drivers who hit bikers and then coolly say "Oh, I didn't notice you coming"

It's really frustrating. Even if I have my pilot lamps on, there will be some "well wisher" waving out to inform me that my lights are on. I still don't understand how it troubles them? D*** it, it's my battery, it's my bulb, it's for my safety!