You are right about SEE not increasing your visibility. The title was given to me, and I confess I did not catch it. Good catch (as we used to say while editing in the newsroom on deadline nights).

As for increasing your visibility, my guess is I don’t have a lot to add to what you already know. I do believe white is a better night time color, and certainly reflectivity is important.

You can go to the limit trying to increase your visibility, but my personal strategy (and I ride 15-20,000 miles a year, all year round), is not to trust motorists anyway.

Heck, even when they do see you, they will tailgate you (here in the east coast, anyway).

One thing I might add is, my older R1 has twin lights that both light all the time (not like the newer ones with only one light on for low beam).

I read Japanese safety engineers designed this purposely to make the twin lights look like eyes – a human like face on the road.

At the very least, they are closer to resembling a car’s lights.

I always thought the early R1s looked like wasps, and they do attract attention from head on. I would think any bike or scooter with twin lights in a fairing jump out at on coming drivers more than a single light.

My experience approaching intersections with opposing cars waiting to turn left, I have been fine so far. I think they see me. (Knock on wood).

I also do NOT regularly use my high beams in daytime – only selectively in cases where I suspect people need the extra help seeing me.

I have extra bright PIAA H4s (and may upgrade to HIDs). Even the upgraded halogens blind people, and I get flashed, so I don’t use them unless I feel I have to, to be polite, and because most people are obviously seeing me with low beams on anyway.

And all this said, my real strategy, as I started to say earlier, is to use the SEE system (or my own 28+ years experience, what ever you call it), to see THEM before they see me.

I used to say I “don’t trust car drivers any further than I can throw them,” (which no doubt dates me).

Bottom line, I see them, and have developed counter strategies over time to not give car drivers the chance to take me out if at all possible.

Of course this does not account for sudden unpredictable moves by drivers, but everyone else, I see.

I’ve learned the hard way having dumb drivers try to kill me many times over, and each time I added new insights and caution to my arsenal of street survival.

Again, this does not guarantee I’m good forever, but my senses are now where I see everyone, give none the benefit of the doubt, and have a healthy disdain for the average American driver – talking on their cellphones, semi-conscious, either too timid or too aggressive, and in most cases, not really in control.

I try to carve out a space, and stay out of their way. If necessary, I’ll weave in and around and past (not recklessly, but proactively), and otherwise try not to worry about them looking out for me. I look out more for myself, which is maybe 75% of the game.

Jeff

I use “SEE” all of the time. Only I don’t think it increases my visibility. I try to do that by wearing visible gear (with lots of bright yellow in it), using high beams and auxiliary lighting in daylight as well. I would have liked to hear more of your methods for increasing the likelihood that other motorists will see you.

Thanks,

Mack