Riding in the night calls for an additional set of skills to meet new contingencies and to make allowances for the reduced visibility. This month we shall elaborate on riding in the night and what contingencies to look out for. | |||||||||
In the past few editions, we have focused on riding in the wet and making the best of terrible road conditions. In this edition we will focus on riding in the night, which demands adjusting to a whole new set of conditions. Riding in the night not only restricts your visibility but your visibility to other road users is also reduced. Your judgement of speed and distance is drastically altered by both incomplete vision of other vehicles and the inability to judge perspective and dimensions from roadside objects.
Whatever message you want to convey, never flash your main beam into the face of other road users. A dazzled driver becomes disoriented and may quite rapidly collide with you or any other road user. This kind of discourteous behaviour is commonly observed among road users in our country and should be avoided. Also never take another driver's flashed signal for granted. The lights may have been switched on by accident. Ride so that you are not shielded from view by your close proximity to other vehicles. Keep out from the kerb to improve your vision ahead and avoid the risk of colliding with a suddenly opened car door. Remember that you are less visible at night and make allowances for it.
Ever been dazzled by the lights of oncoming vehicles? The trick is never to look straight into oncoming headlamps. When traffic is approaching, always dip your headlamps and look away from the glare of oncoming headlights. Stay in from the centre of the road. The vehicle may have an overhang that obstructs your part of the road or it may be hiding a vehicle running with only the near side lights on. This is particularly important when the road is narrow. There is no point being angry about unlit vehicles, loads or road obstructions, simply be alert enough to avoid them and stay alive.
On an unlit road, always momentarily dip your headlamp as you approach a bend or corner. This will enable you to detect the glare of an approaching set of headlamps. This early warning could be denied if your main beam has outflared them. Always dip the headlights on the approach to the brow of a hill. If the main beam shines into the open sky ahead and is bounced back as a white glare, and vision is lost. | |||||||||
[Author: Sirish Chandran] Source November 2001 |
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Night Rider's Guide
NIGHT RIDING
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