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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:21 
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Yep, I've had that happen to me a few times. Numpty driving along in dark at 40MPH on dipped beam so that person behind can't see road ahead fully, then when person behind overtakes, they suddenly find their main beam switch. I always try and position my rear view mirror so that it may reflect there own head lights back at them, before shooting off into the distance....don't know how effective it is!

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My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.


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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2012 17:05 
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Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 00:15
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Location: Windermere
I'm regarding drivers with fog lights on unnecessarily in the same light as drivers with dangerous vehicles, especially since I have just fallen victim to one on my cycle home last Monday night.

http://g.co/maps/ek623

Approaching the speed camera, which is situated on a slight rise in the road at about 20 - 25 mph, I was dazzled by an oncoming vehicle with it's fog lights on - exacerbated by the approach over the rise and my glasses.
While blinded, and before I could brake, I struck a kerbstone which has been dislodged outward from it's position shown in the Google StreetView, and my front wheel was wrenched sideways, catapulting me over the top, where I landed in the gutter, injuring my left side, and slightly damaging my bike.
I normally ride out on the white line, but in this instance had only just crossed over from the cycle path on the opposite side, and was immediately unable to make out where it was.

My Karrimoor Hi Viz jacket has a huge rip in the shoulder, and my cycle top was also holed badly enough to also be thrown away.
My new front light was damaged - but by luck I managed to locate all the pieces and repair it.

I have a deep graze on my shoulder, which all week has prevented me from raising my arm above shoulder height, lesser grazes on my hip, forearm and knee, and severe bruising of my left hand, fingers, leg, hip and shoulder - and all because a driver thought that despite the clear weather, it was OK to drive illegally with 100w of fog lights on in addition to the 100 watts of regular light!

WHY WHY WHY does nobody take the issue seriously? It is not as if the offenders are difficult to spot!

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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2012 20:09 
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Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 23:26
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Location: Treacletown ( just north of M6 J3),A MILE OR TWO PAST BEDROCK
One thing about proper front fog lights ( be they short range ,or slightly longer range ,that I've just remembered ,is that proper ones ( as in something by Cibie etc) may have a wide spread ,and in the case of my driving /fog one, a bit of power, but they must have a flat top .i.e light spreads sideways, and straight ahead, but never at an upward angle. This way the light ,from a low position lights up the fog/snow without reflecting back in your face . I've found an alternative these days if forward vision is restricted by reflected light on main beam ,I'll use main beam set at a low angle.
As for the rears, I think the only times I can remember having mine on in past years is to check them . But locally, we seem to get years of fog, followed by a few years of none .
One thing I noticed in years gone past was the poor light output of heavier vehicles rear fog lights compared to those fitted to cars .It may have been rectified ,but as I don't spend any time driving at night ,I cannot now judge .

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Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2012 20:09 
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Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 02:17
Posts: 7355
Location: Highlands
Really sorry that you got hurt and hope that you repair soon ! Great shame too about all the other damage !

So did you roll down the embankment ? A great shame about the kerb-stones being so misplaced ! Do you think you would have missed the kerb-stones if the fog lights had not blinded you ?

It looks like a narrow lane too so good that you fell to your left than into the road!

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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2012 07:45 
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Location: Windermere
I actually was thrown forward in the direction of travel, as the wheel skewed inwards instead of going over the kerb stone, so I ended up in the road on my left side, facing back the way I had come, and only slightly separated from the bike - it actually tore off the right toe clip - left one was still engaged.
It all happened so quickly that I was totally unprepared.

The lanes are actually quite wide - you could drive two vehicles side by side - only the white lines create an impression that the width is narrower.
I usually ride on the line, knowing that there is sufficient gap inside and out to be passed comfortably - but in this instance, I had just crossed over and then swung right and in the darlk, and glare had not gained sight of the line before I hit the dislodged kerb stone which was still some distance inside the line.

My head struck the road surface, but there are no marks on my helmet - just on my helmet lamp on the left of centre on the top of the helmet!! I think this was because I tensed up as I knew there was going to be an impact as I landed - but I am glad I had the helmet on, as it would have been the next point of contact had it not been for the Cateye lamp!

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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2012 10:47 
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Certainly a letter to the Council - Highways Agency (if that is a trunk road) warning of the problems the kerb stones are causing in your case. I dare say that some injuries lawyer would like to get richer too ! (IF you felt so inclined!)
Even an invoice for the bike and clothing replacements ought to be paid by them at least !

So what made you wish to turn around there ? (As I assume that you did a U turn on the A591?) The pillar box is off the junction a little way so that would see you just doing a left turn and you would have got your bearings earlier?

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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2012 19:00 
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Location: Windermere
The cycle path from Staveley to Windermere goes up the wrong (right hand) side of the A591 until Ings, then you cross over at the far end and continue up the left hand side to Winderemere.

There is a marked crossing between the two cameras, but it entails pointlessly negotiating the fencing in the centre median, and risking drivers watching their speedos rather than the road ahead!
I usually cross over at the Staveley end, but on Monday night there was traffic, so I continued up until it passed, then crossed over in the gap which allows traffic into Ings village, by the church - as I swung right to rejoin the Windermere bound carriageway, I was blinded by the vehicle cresting the rise by the camera, with his fog lights on.

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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2012 01:34 
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Ahha I see. Those are nasty injuries and having gone clean through your clothes shows how bad you fell !

Hope that you are much better now ? How is the thumb ?

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 Post subject: Re: Fog lights
PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2012 10:28 
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Location: Windermere
The joint is healing up - only clicks occasionally now.

The longest injury has been the deep gouge on the knuckle of my ring finger - the first scab finally broke loose, which restored feeling to the end of that finger - but a deep hole remained, which has re-scabbed - although throughout, I have been able to bend the knuckle without cracking it open - not sure how!

I took a closer look at my Cateye helmet lamp, and it had torn off one of the lugs that secures the bulb housing, and fractured another, so the bulb unit is no longer aligned correctly, and is in fact only bayonetted on by one lug, not three!

I have taken it off and am looking for a replacement - I have had it 10 years - it cost £19 then. The switch is magnetic, and the seals are waterproof to about 30 feet, so I don't suppose a similar one will be as cheap!!

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