And Even More Lights....

RedLdr1

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Here is an interesting item I saw advertised in my AMA e-newsletter: GearBrake automatically sense you slowing down and flashes your brake lights to warn other vehicles. I've made a habit of tapping the brakes when slowing, just to turn on the lights, but this would do it for me when I have a senior moment...:rolleyes1:.

The funny thing is I remember a similar device that used a decrease engine vacuum to flash your brakes lights being advertised for cars back in the 70's. Road And Track and Car And Driver magazines were loaded with ads for it... Same old concept, with new tech and company.....:wink:
 
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I'm surprised they are not more readily available. There are a ton of flash modules. All you need is a little gyro to tell when you are slowing.

School busses have had the flashing yellows for decelerating for quite a while. Do not know what they use to trigger it.

I noticed that superbriteled has the 3 flash module built into some of their brake light bulbs now.
 

DirtFlier

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[...I remember a similar device that used a decrease engine vacuum to flash your brakes lights...in the 70's.]

On decel, is when you'd see the highest levels of vacuum.
 
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I wonder what percentage of motorcycle crashes are rear-enders. Back when Harry Hurt did his study, it was something like 4%. Today, I imagine that the percentage is higher because of the number of drivers distracted by cell phones, etc.

The other day, I read a story of somebody passing a weaving driver and noticing that the weaver was holding a shaver in one hand and using his cell phone in selfie mode as a mirror while he steered with his knees.

edit: I hate to ride behind someone whose brake lights are constantly flashing. I make an effort to get around someone like that.

The flasher Wayne mentions would be a pain on a bike that is constantly changing speed.
 
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JQL

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I have the SMIDSY Brake Light flasher installed and it does make tailgaters pull back most of the time. For those that don't I just slow right down until I can find a place where they can safely overtake.

What I like about the SMIDSY system is that it doesn't flash all the time
When you apply the brakes, the brake light will flash rapidly for 2 seconds and then go on steady. Re-applying the brakes within 8 seconds of release and the brake light will go on steady. This is to avoid distracting the driver behind in stop/go traffic.
Oh and it's tiny and very easy to install.
 

junglejim

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Well, I'm one of the 4% who got rear ended. I saw it coming and managed to escape with minor injuries and a dead motorcycle. I had my right turn signal on and was flashing my brake lights getting ready to make a right turn into my driveway. The idiot tried passing me on the shoulder at 60 mph. I saw her disappear from my left mirror so I aborted my turn and straightened the bike up, hit the gas, and got caught by her left front fender. If I had continued to turn I would have been in her radiator. Not sure what lessons I learned, but I replayed the wreck a lot in my mind.

I did put an Admore light bar (large) on my NT.
 

JQL

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What you need in the US is a global "Vulnerable Road User" law which is what most of Europe (excepting the UK) has. Basically if the person is more vulnerable than you, you are personally liable in an accident.

So:
Truck hits van = Truck driver liable
Van hits car = Van driver liable
Car hits motorcycle = Car driver liable
Motorcycle hits bicycle = Motorcycle rider liable
Bicycle hits pedestrian = Cycle rider liable

Insurance pays - I have, I think, 2€ Million as part of my policy. Of course, no insurance - you lose your house etc. depending on the judgement of the courts. Note this an extremely simplistic explanation. The Vulnerable Road User law is a civil law, so the burden of proof is less.

What this does is make people on the whole (there are always cretins) much more aware of their responsibility to other road users because, if there's a claim against you, your premiums sky rocket. It's also drummed into you from an early age. If you have more than 3 claims against you, getting insurance in a virtual impossibility. So, if you're stupid enough to continue to drive without the insurance and have Vulnerable Road User accident claim against you, you're going to lose everything including a very large chunk of your income until you're pushing up daisies!
 
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I did put an Admore light bar (large) on my NT.
I am in the process of installing one of those on my FJR. "In the process" is defined as still accumulating parts. I plan on adding a wiring harness extension so I do not need to modify the OEM wiring.
 

Phil Tarman

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I've got one on my NT. It works well, I think. At least nobody's rear-ended me yet.
 
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What you need in the US is a global "Vulnerable Road User" law which is what most of Europe (excepting the UK) has. Basically if the person is more vulnerable than you, you are personally liable in an accident.

So:
Truck hits van = Truck driver liable
Van hits car = Van driver liable
Car hits motorcycle = Car driver liable
Motorcycle hits bicycle = Motorcycle rider liable
Bicycle hits pedestrian = Cycle rider liable

Insurance pays - I have, I think, 2? Million as part of my policy. Of course, no insurance - you lose your house etc. depending on the judgement of the courts. Note this an extremely simplistic explanation. The Vulnerable Road User law is a civil law, so the burden of proof is less.

What this does is make people on the whole (there are always cretins) much more aware of their responsibility to other road users because, if there's a claim against you, your premiums sky rocket. It's also drummed into you from an early age. If you have more than 3 claims against you, getting insurance in a virtual impossibility. So, if you're stupid enough to continue to drive without the insurance and have Vulnerable Road User accident claim against you, you're going to lose everything including a very large chunk of your income until you're pushing up daisies!
That is an interesting law since it basically means the less maneuverable you are the more liable you are. Also lets motorcycles do just about whatever they want and they get the other guy blamed for it?

Over here there is too much compassion. If you are at fault in an accident the court will probably not take your license, because you need your car to get to work. Driving is more of a right over here than almost anything else. Takes a BIG incident or several large ones to risk the license. Drunk driving is a great example.

And we have no fault insurance, ie, you must carry no fault insurance because of the large number of folks who do not have it, even though you are supposed to show evidence of insurance before you can register the car. Not having it means a small fine, if you are caught.

Yep, enforcement is difficult, especially since the judges don't toss people in jail. One of our more famous drunk driving fatalaties, the drunk who cause it had 10 previous convictions.

So, yeah, different rules and consequences over here.
 

JQL

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The unfortunate side effect is that some pedestrians will just walk straight out in front of you. Some bicycle and scooter riders are plain suicidal knowing that, in the event that you hit them, without concrete evidence to the contrary, the driver is judged to be at fault!
 
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RedLdr1

RedLdr1

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Sounds like we'll take a Dash Cam with us when we visit Europe next year. I've read virtually all the drivers in Russia mount one due to the huge insurance fraud rate. If nothing else it might make for some interesting videos....
 

JQL

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It all depends on where you are.

Myopic farmers will follow their own way and system :shrug2: - best to be avoided at all costs, especially in France where they think the law doesn't apply to them.

Provincial towns can be erm "interesting". Observation, what observation!

Cities, on the whole, are good with drivers actively looking out for 2 wheeled road users. Suburban Parisiennes are probably the best as a lot of them have progressed from 2 to 4 wheels.

Note: On-street parking in Paris. Unless on a steep hill leave the car out of gear and the parking brake very lightly applied as, when parking, the drivers will push your car with their's to give themselves a larger space or to exit the space.

In general, in the south of Europe (Latin countries) don't expect anyone to follow the rules of the road. In fact most don't, so drive defensively

In North Europe they tend to follow the rules of the road but drive in an "interesting" manner so, guess what, drive defensively. Germany doesn't count as they rigidly apply the rules at all times whether the rule is sensible or not.

In Poland and Greece they have no idea how to drive :nuts: so it's your choice whether you drive in those countries or not.

I am of the opinion that in some areas, the majority of drivers haven't taken a driving test (Department 77 in France immediately springs to mind as does 2B - Corsica). You soon learn to spot them from a distance and ride accordingly.

I am also certain that indicators are an optional extra on all European cars which most people don't pay for. :)

Only two days ago I had an idiot nerf* me from behind at a junction. It seems he didn't understand that he was supposed to drive in his lane and the fact that the two lanes were wide enough to accommodate double-decker buses was irrelevant! He wanted both of them

* nerf - exceptionally light bump, nearly unnoticeable.
 
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LOL

Yeah, there are quite a few places in the US where turn signals are an option too :)

Germany was different. Their road sign system made everything clear, most of the time. Yep, not very logical sometimes, but, almost always marked. And I watched a guy pulled over for crossing a solid white line so they did enforce it vigorously.
 
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