Tips for driving

[TCGS]

Hello

I can't find another thread asking this so sorry if it exists, I did look...


Anyway basically it's not happened to me before (I'm quite new) but the other night I had to drive home - only about a 10 min drive, but it was dark and tipping it down. It struck me that I coudln't see the road. I could see the lines but not the actual road - for things like manhole covers, puddles, pot holes etc, the surface was just blind to me.

So I opened the visor and it was MUCH better so all was well.

However, it did occur to me:

What if it's winter, it's dark, raining and very cold. This is quite a likely combination of course - how to tackle such situations?

Do you: Drive with your visor open and turn purple or drive with your visor down and not see the road - or is there another way?


I just wanna stay safe

[Killer Rat]

im getting this problem aswell, i find im having to slow down when approaching headlights blind my vision.

I'm not entirely sure but i reckon polarised glasses will reduce any glare.

[pinkyfloyd]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VISOR-WIPER-BLADE-VEE-WIPE-MOTORCYCLE-GLOVES-SMALL-BHV-/220662234215?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Helmets&hash=item33607e7c67#ht_645wt_1137

They help a little

But other than that. Riding in the rain does suck and theres not much more you can do about it.
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[Digit]

Well basically you have a very hard choice, get cold or die!
You can always get warm again.

Roy.
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Happy daze!

[Nexus Icon]

My boss used to swear by that Rain-X stuff that's designed for car windscreens. He said that the rain just streamed off of his visor, even at lowish speeds, and left it totally clear.

I've never tried it though, so I'd hesitate to recommend it unless someone comes along and endorses it from personal use.

[doggone]

Sometimes visor half open helps.

[colin1]

Wear loads of layers of clothes, so that you are so warm, that when you open your visor to be able to see, it will be a soothing cooling breeze, rather than a biting freezing blast.

Keep your core body temperature up, and nothing else will feel cold. Your extremities only feel cold, when your body decides to keep blood away from them because it needs to keep your body warm.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[el_oso]

water repellent stuff works.
the anti-mist spray works as well.

or try a pin lock
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Duke 390
Previous: '05 XR125L | '96 XJ600S Diversion |'05 Suzuki GSXR1000 | '05 Honda CBR125-R | '97 YZF 600R Thundercat | '11 Honda CBR250
Car: Jeep Wrangler 4.0L

[matthewriley]

This is what I found about driving in the dark, hope it helps: https://hartfordauto.thehartford.com/Safe-Driving/Car-Safety/Driving-Safety/night-driving.shtml

[brosnond]

Water water everywhere.. I need to get rid of it.. Please somebody help..

Caverta

[chris_m2k10]

how about you get a car for the rain and use ur bike when it is sunny...eh?

[SirEdward]

I open the visor 1 or 2 notches when it's raining... at night. Get a decent balaclava and you should be fine.

Also there should be visors for sale that don't accumulate moisture, it just slides off to the sides. Most helmets use cheap plastic visors that are not even scratch resistant.
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"Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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[Snodvan]

[angryjonny]

To be honest, as long as I've got a visor insert to prevent misting I don't find riding in the rain a problem. A wipe with the finger clears drops off in light rain or just a sideways turn of the head in heavy rain.

Now what I *hate* is muck on the roads in the winter - when that gets kicked up into your face you just end up smearing it all over your visor and all visibility is gone until you hopefully get where you're going and get a wet cloth to it. Not keen on riding visor-open as I've had too many things bounce off it in the past that would have otherwise gone into my face.

[defblade]

[tahrey]

Not everyone has/can afford/can fit(! in my case) a pinlock helmet johnny

personally i find it depends on the actual conditions and how long i've been out. but having it full open and then cracked by 1 tick is the usual outcome.

so long as the rest of your gear is OK, a bit of air on the face isn't too bad. undergloves, good jumper and socks, neck/nose insulation of some kind etc. bit like diving in icy waters - your lips will be all frozen and chapped, but the rest of you is ok and manages to compensate.

mind you this does take me back to the first time i rode my cg, back from buying it - weather suddenly came down, and at 35mph (on a 70 road...) the raindrops were like spears of ice into my face. In July!
(never been quite as bad in winter, I think your face/eyes must go numb!)

[Paxovasa]

If driving, turn the heater up and use the screen wash

If riding, you can open the visor a fraction to stop it steaming up or get a respro anti fog insert for you lid
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[The Tot]

The old adage preparation prevents piss poor performance. Good gear is a lifesaver... quite literally.

You need to retain your body heat to enable you to remain focused. So essentially you would need

Kidney belt - reduces heat loss from the core to the extremities
:arrow:Wear a polyester type base layer (you know the nike/underarmor compression shirts) beneath all your clothing. hell you can even wear long johns over them too.
Gloves - Goretex ideally for its waterproof characteristics. There's a trade off between warmth and feedback, so go for your preference. I'd prefer feel and feedback over warmth in winter.

Get goretex textiles for rain and cold... Spend £££ and it'll last you a good few years of winter abuse. I wouldn't skimp on winter clothing because the cold can kill (I caught pneumonia in dec 05 because I decided to chance winter on 2 piece leathers - despite having thermals underneath, multiple layers and a paddock jacket over my leathers!) so I've learnt my lesson from them.

Helmet, if you can't afford a lid with pinlock, fog city works equally as well. Combine that with the respro fog mask and you've done your best to combat fogging. If you wear glasses... switch to contacts. It's the biggest difference - daily disposables mean that your eyes don't get ANYWHERE as dry when riding in the cold crisp winter days. I carry a set of drops with me so I rehydrate my eyes as well as rehydrating myself. It may be cold, but it will also be dry. Don't discount dehydration! In winter I stop every hour for some coffee as well as a piss so it's a good opportunity to take stock.

I would also get a balaclava AND a buff to go around your neck.. windchill on exposed parts of your body = what I ended up with! Balaclavas are good in summer too since they act as a base layer.

Oxford chillmax or Knox cold killers inner gloves do the job for your hands.

I've ticked all the boxes... oh throw in fog and snow for good measure last feb on the A40 in gloucestershire! It CAN be done and as long as you've got a positive mentality, you can battle through it. It's all part of biking. Once you experience these things for the first time, you'll know how to cope with it. But i've learnt the hard way by using inappropriate gear and paying the price by getting put out of action for 5 weeks in winter.

You CAN improve the bike as well. get a HID Xenon kit to REALLY light the road up (these are about 40-60 odd quid). I had them on all my bikes and forgive the pun, it's the difference between day and night.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism