Motoring Discussion > Perfect Camouflage... Miscellaneous
Thread Author: R.P. Replies: 27
View Threaded 

New Fri 18 Oct 13 22:23 
 Perfect Camouflage... - R.P.
Pulling out of the lane to our village onto a former (now by-passed) trunk road in the half light the other morning, I could see a truck approaching from my left....right was clear so a quick clog and the Beemer was off its auto-hold and away...checked my mirror as I accelerated away and I was shocked to see that I had pulled out if front of a scooter (no real risk to anyone but outside my personal safety zone) in a classic "I'm sorry I didn't see you"....I like to think I'm extra vigilant but I missed this one - his single headlamp was completely lost in the clutter of lighting that the guy had on his truck - he had spot lamps arranged along the top of his cab - another row of six or so at bumper level all partially illuminated - the rest of the front of the truck was festooned with lighting, including the actual obligatory lights. There must have been at least twenty forward facing lights on this truck. The Scooter's headlamp was completely lost and camouflaged by this mobile Christmas Tree - a real hazard.....
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Fri 18 Oct 13 22:33 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Runfer D'Hills
Phew, glad no real harm done Rob !

Take comfort or mild penance if required in the probability that the scooter rider is probably at this very moment posting something defamatory on a scooter forum about BMW drivers and the truck driver is bound to be concurrently posting something scathing on a truckers forum about scooters !

We all see the world from where we are. A few are blessed with also being able or willing to see it from another's point of view.

One of those things I fear. Time of year for it.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Fri 18 Oct 13 23:30 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Armel Coussine
I've had a few of those over the years, bikes or dim scooters hidden by a more brightly-lit vehicle behind them. They are scary, those.

There are other random examples of camouflage. Dark cyclists are among the commonest. But the weirdest recent example for me was a huge grey contractor's tipper turning slowly across me on a straight length of A road. There it was, large as life, but I swear I just didn't see it until almost too late. Makes your blood run cold that stuff.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Fri 18 Oct 13 23:20 
 Perfect Camouflage... - ....
I'm surprised no-one in Brussels has suggested some legislation to put fairy lights on bikes to match the cars.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Fri 18 Oct 13 23:49 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Boxsterboy
I had a similar near miss the other morning pulling out of our drive. Completely failed to see a cyclist, who fortunately took avoiding action. It's lucky he did as it turns out he was our lads football coach . Lad would have missed the football if i had taken him out!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 09:28 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Tigger
Part of the reason I gave up my bike was the introduction of DRLs. I figured the advantage I had by using my lights when riding was coming to an end.
Reply to this message | Report message
      2  
New Sat 19 Oct 13 10:39 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Baz
I had a very similar incident except I was on my Fazer at the time, on a busy roundabout with a bad history of fatals. It was dusk, I was rising with care, well aware of this area, and with hi-viz on dipped beam. A guy pulled directly out in front of me and cut across. Fortunately it was bone dry and I was only doing 20mph, I managed to stop. The driver was clearly horrified he hadn't seen me and I was astonished that he didn't! Later that week, I studied the very same spot from the same junction and noticed that bikes completely disappeared in the neon haze and headlight dazzle. Same can be true of a following bike in your rear view mirror, particularly if the lights of the vehicle behind him are as you described above. One to be aware of!
Reply to this message | Report message
      1  
New Sat 19 Oct 13 10:51 
 Perfect Camouflage... - R.P.
New R1200GS has an LED grin albeit lopsided...! I read some stuff many years ago about TRRL research on rider visibility....it concluded a lot of interesting things - including that drivers overestimated the speed of a lit up bike (good thing) - the other thing was that a strobing white light was useful as was a rider induced weave when approaching an occupied junction - I practice this occasionally. I may keep the big GS a bit longer than I usually do and may add some high powered small extra spot-lights, I see many GS' with these and they do make the bike more visible, especially with the Xenon option. The R80 has "user programmable lights" i.e. you can switch them on or off...!


The other factor considered in a bike magazine article was that due to uncle Tom Cobly and all now having lights on their vehicles that bikes disappear into the clutter.....another documentary that sticks in my mind is a Horizon one many years ago - proposing that the use of lights is the best form of Military camouflage...
Last edited by: R.P. on Sat 19 Oct 13 at 10:53
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 11:54 
 Perfect Camouflage... - jc2
I've seen traffic lights disappear into a background of illuminated Christmas trees!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 21:22 
 Perfect Camouflage... - -
Just confirms my long held theory that lighting up every car van bus and lorry with increasingly camp fairy lights only serves to camouflage those who should be visible, namely pedestrians and cyclists.

Dark driving with the LED wars now in progress is going to worsen continually.


Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 21:25 
 Perfect Camouflage... - R.P.
I've seen a few cars grinning like imbeciles up front but no rear lighting at all at dusk.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 21:32 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Dave_
>> I've seen a few cars grinning like imbeciles up front but no rear lighting at all at dusk.

Same here since the weather's turned, in fog and heavy rain too. That's why DRLs were made mandatory though, isn't it? So the imbeciles have at least some illumination rather than none at all.

I haven't missed anything yet (I think), only spotted those road users who should be using lights but aren't.
Last edited by: Dave_TiD on Sat 19 Oct 13 at 21:33
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 21:34 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Old Navy
>> I've seen a few cars grinning like imbeciles up front but no rear lighting at
>> all at dusk.
>>

We had a period of very heavy rain today, I was on a local NSL dual carriageway, a good proportion of the cars could be easily seen approaching from behind, (not driving to the conditions), only to disappear into the rain and spray almost immediately, no rear lights !
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 22:18 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Dave_
I wonder how many of them have permanently illuminated instrument clusters... For drivers of a certain age, lit-up dials = lights must be on.
Reply to this message | Report message
      1  
New Sat 19 Oct 13 22:31 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Old Navy
>> certain age, lit-up dials = lights must be on.
>>

I am a certain age but my Ceed has a green idiot light in the permanently illuminated instruments to indicate external "Lights on". All I have to do is remember what my intended destination is. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 19 Oct 13 at 22:36
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 12:52 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Harleyman

>> I am a certain age but my Ceed has a green idiot light in the
>> permanently illuminated instruments to indicate external "Lights on". All I have to do is remember
>> what my intended destination is. :-)
>>

You do however have the advantage of having RTFM and knowing what said "idiot light" is for. Many drivers simply don't, with predictable results. I have given up being surprised at how many drivers do not even bother with side lights in quite foggy or wet conditions.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sat 19 Oct 13 22:36 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Slidingpillar
I'm seriously considering changing the sidelights on the vintage car to fairly bright LEDs. However, unlike idiot lights DRLs, the rears will also be on.

None of the dash instruments are lit!

With a 1930 car, I'm exempt a lot of the regulations applying to more modern cars and can use a lot of not for highway use bulbs and LEDs.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 11:47 
 Perfect Camouflage... - bathtub tom
I used to drive an old Peugeot van for my sins. I'd keep the sidelights on to illuminate the instruments - couldn't see them otherwise!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 16:32 
 Perfect Camouflage... - MD
I believe sidelights are lawfully regarded as parking lights only, but the bib here may en(lighten) me.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 16:48 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Old Navy
I certainly treat mine as parking lights, if the car is moving its headlights or nothing depending on the visibility or light levels. I am a believer in "Being seen" so if in doubt they go "on", and that includes during full daylight on some rural roads, (definitely the A9), I was almost taken out by an oncoming overtaker some years ago, that changes your perspective on lights.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 17:21 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Westpig
>> I believe sidelights are lawfully regarded as parking lights only, but the bib here may
>> en(lighten) me.
>>
It used to be the case that you could drive on sidelights in a built up area, 30mph limit, within a streetlight zone. Never thought it all that wise though.

I have no idea if that is still the case.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 17:41 
 Perfect Camouflage... - -
>> It used to be the case that you could drive on sidelights in a built
>> up area, 30mph limit, within a streetlight zone.

Always found night driving in London much easier back then, everyone on sidelights leaving your night vision still keen.
Far better for the safety of dimly lit cyclists and unlit pedestrians.

Maybe people used more observation then, actually looked, as opposed to the ever increasing light peeing contest where the loudest burns holes in your retinas and those not sporting the latest gucci lights vanish.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 18:46 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Westpig
>> Always found night driving in London much easier back then, everyone on sidelights leaving your
>> night vision still keen.
>> Far better for the safety of dimly lit cyclists and unlit pedestrians.
>>
>> Maybe people used more observation then, actually looked, as opposed to the ever increasing light
>> peeing contest where the loudest burns holes in your retinas and those not sporting the
>> latest gucci lights vanish.
>>
I think the original side lights worked well enough e.g. on 60's cars and earlier...and the early 90's 'dim/dip' (until the EU stepped in and stopped it)...but the hopeless sidelights we have nowadays are no use to man nor beast unless they are used simply for parking. ..

...and how many people drive down a wet motorway or dual carriageway on modern sidelights that might just as well not be on.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 19:46 
 Perfect Camouflage... - MD
Ban DRL's over a certain power (lumens)??
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 21:03 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Fullchat
"It used to be the case that you could drive on sidelights in a built up area, 30mph limit, within a streetlight zone. Never thought it all that wise though.

I have no idea if that is still the case."

It is indeed an exemption to displaying obligatory headlights.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Sun 20 Oct 13 at 21:05
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 22:09 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Bromptonaut
>> I've seen a few cars grinning like imbeciles up front but no rear lighting at
>> all at dusk.

Watch how many cars drive of car parks unlit once we're in GMT - it's easily done. Then add the illusion of adequate light at front.

The new Berlingo has LEDs under the headlight to provide a DRL function.

Last night we were at Mrs B's Uncle's farmhouse up an isolated valley near Lake Vyrnwy - pitch black apart from the moon. Having unloaded pax and luggage I moved the car out of the way to park overnight. The DRLs come on with engine start & provide a stunning amount of light. While they're either shut off or dimmed by turning on the main lights but it would be very easy to just drive away.

I'd have had enough light to navigate the half mile farm track AND road to nearby village never mind under urban street lights.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Sun 20 Oct 13 22:28 
 Perfect Camouflage... - Runfer D'Hills
My last two cars have had automatic headlights. Not especially keen on them but they do seem to work well enough.

For example, on my current car entering a tunnel brings them on or if the (automatic ) wipers start it also puts the dipped headlights on so I suppose that's quite good. It also has DRLs but you can disable them if you choose.

Another feature I quite like is the way you can re-programme the headlights from the steering wheel to dip to the right if driving in a country which requires that.

The really clever trick in its box is the automatic switching between dipped and full beam. I mistrusted that at first but it does work very well. If the car "sees" red tail lights ahead or street lamps or oncoming headlights ( even something as dim as a bicycle light it selects dipped beam and when it detects a empty unlit road it automatically switches the main beam on.

Even cleverer maybe is its ability to lengthen and brighten the beam proportionate to vehicle speed and it bends the beam in the direction of steering input.

In fact the only time I have to interfere is in fog or mist where it sometimes doesn't recognise the need for dipped headlights or the appropriate use of foglights.

You can manually overide any of this at any time but in truth it's rare to need to.

On my wife's car, which has none of these features' I now have to remind myself to switch the lights on which doesn't seem to be too difficult but I confess I've left them on a couple of times at the end of journeys. Fortunately, removing the key shuts them down.

Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sun 20 Oct 13 at 22:30
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Mon 21 Oct 13 06:44 
 Perfect Camouflage... - R.P.
The auto lights on the BMW are very good. Rarely have to over-rule them. They seem better on the (older) 3 Series than on the X1 - less prone to coming on when not required.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
Latest Forum Posts