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night riding

(quote) didn't ya ever see the original movie The Time Machine?

Yeah, I think of that every time I go thru Eloy Arizona...
 
Up early and in early, safest bet. Watching for critters is OK in theory, but deer are known to pop out quickly, and even run into the side of a moving vehicle, good brakes will not help that scenario.

You wouldn't believe how many calls I've taken of deer running into the side of stopped vehicles!:dunno
 
Some risks go up (road debris, critters) and some go down (cell users and texters,chance of someone making a left in front of you).

Intelligent riding is about risk assessment for the situation at hand and that starts with where and when you'll be riding. Gear bits and visual tricks are aids but no substitute for intelligent rider assessment.

I ride at night when it makes sense to me. Those in the dark starts allow racking up a lot of miles without excess afternoon heat stress that can be a serious issue due to fatigue effects on rider judgement that goes with it. In some places that improvment easily offsets risks from critters and in some it may not-use your head and weigh the choice. My RT has sufficent lighting that except on tree lined curves where sight lines get cut anyway, I find no need to go more slowly at night than during daylight but I ride mostly in areas with low populations and below average critter issues also. From where I live, any time I intend to do more than high 400s miles on the first day, 'll be doing an in the dark start and time it for when I intend to finish for the day, especially during the summer. Could be 2 AM or 6 AM depending on distance target (we ride all year here)

I don't ride in the dark after a few beers with friends. Like Visian I'm a big believer in night reflectivity but that's only useful to deter humans and it won't protect you from your own poor risk assessment. Not too many humans out at 4 AM but lots if you're heading home just after dark.

Your brain and your risk awareness are the key. No "right" dogma about night riding, only statistics that show what kinds of problems are unique or more common in night operation. That info should be part of your rider knowledge base; its the sort of thing that separates competent riders from wannabees who wander around ignorant of their environment.

Night can intoduce many other variables that might be an issue depending on you and the circumstances.
For example, personal safety issues re the inevitable stops, access to fuel where and when you need it, ability to cope with minor mechanical issues in the dark, taking more bug strikes, etc etc. None of those are an issue for me and my RT but if you run a bike with small fuel capacity in unfamiliar country at night, something as basic as where to get fuel at 3 AM might matter to you. And there isn't much that is potentially more damaging to rider focus than encountering an unanticipated issue for which your brain lacks a decent response.
 
I've never done much night riding (32yrs on bikes). I sometimes found, mainly on misty/foggy nights, I would occasionally suffer from vertigo. That no longer happens with the sidecar. I still do not ride much at night, but I leave for work before 4am, so it does happen. Lots of deer in my area, so extra effort is required.
It's a personal safety question, much like ATGATT.
 
Where you are determines your perspective. I have done lots and lots of nite riding in a big city (Los Angeles) where much is very well lit. Your main problem then is drunks/druggies, but they are out during the day as well.

In the deserts at nite in that same area, critters are not so large. The coyotes are rather scrawny, and there is too little forage for cattle.

Here the desert holds deer, a few cattle, and mustangs. So have to dial it back much more. The nearby mountains have lots of deer, bear, and lower visibility. So have to dial it back even more so; no twisty fun. Using another vehicle, preferably one not going so fast, to run some interference, is a good strategy.

As far as urban night riding goes, while the relative percentage of impaired to sober drivers likely goes up, I am beginning to think that the absolute number of impaired drivers on the road is higher in the day time. I have long since learned to watch for the slightest sign of hesitancy, tentativeness, jerky controls, lack of smoothness, distraction, etc in all drivers/riders near me. Whether this indicates impairment, inexperience, being lost doesn't matter; I consider any and all of this a sign of imminent danger. I put, or keep, maximum distance between myself and such.

I tend to run errands which have to be done in the weekday at light hours for such businesses; before 11, or after 2. And I notice a whole lot of questionable vehicle operation at these times. One theory I have is a lot of people are on some sort of prescription drugs at these times. Since these came from a doctor, and are legal, I believe a lot of people refuse to acknowledge and act in accord with the fact these are still drugs, and impact driving just a much as a few cocktails. I also think the social focus on the hazards of drinking, and the association there with nighttime, makes the rest of us lax about daytime impairment awareness, from legal prescription drugs.

The bottom line is to be acutely aware of, and ready to respond to, the specific hazards of your situation. Think it all thru, and have a ready response. If you "hardwire" in your brain a ready response, when it hits the fan, your mind won't be freezing your body while you are hunting for an answer and response which isn't there.
 
If you leave the house at 4:30 in the morning does that count as night? Because for me that is early in the morning :stick

My favorite part of any ride is sun rise. You leave the house and it is dark and a bit chilly. The sun beams shoot across the sky, then breaks the horizon and shoots across the land. A few minutes later the sun begins to warm your face and your body. For the next hour or so everything is new.
 
I don't drive at night for the obvious reasons mentioned in other replies. Back in my twenties, I use to ride the well lighted cities at night and that was a lot of fun. In rural areas where there are large animals roaming around- forget it.
 
I probably ride about 30% of my riding at night. My worst night ride was on the Natchez Trace Parkway between Tupelo & Jackson Mississippi on Dec 29 2009. I saw over 50 horned rats that night & the next morning riding to Natchez Mississippi I saw three fresh road kills. The third road kill was about 100' feet to my left & there were two dogs enjoying a meal. One was a Golden Retriever with blood all over the front of the head & the other was a mix breed playing with the intestine's. I wish I had got a picture but it was raining fairly hard & didn't feel it would have been safe enough to turn around in the rain.
 
In my 39 years of riding I have done a lot of night riding. Last significant trip was over upper Michigan to Mackinaw on a Sunday night leaving Green Bay at 10pm. Sure enough, around Gladstone, 12pm, a deer standing in the left lane freaks and runs across my lane. But I saw it plenty early, got on the brakes hard in a straight line. I have extra lights on the bike, I expct deer all the time, say a prayer before I ride.

But, I think its time for me to rethink night riding in general. Larry Grodsky, well known author of many cycle safety articles and a book was quoted (two weeks before he died) that he worried more about animals that other road users. He was killed in a deer/bike crash in Texas at night.
 
In my 39 years of riding I have done a lot of night riding. Last significant trip was over upper Michigan to Mackinaw on a Sunday night leaving Green Bay at 10pm. Sure enough, around Gladstone, 12pm, a deer standing in the left lane freaks and runs across my lane. But I saw it plenty early, got on the brakes hard in a straight line. I have extra lights on the bike, I expct deer all the time, say a prayer before I ride.

But, I think its time for me to rethink night riding in general. Larry Grodsky, well known author of many cycle safety articles and a book was quoted (two weeks before he died) that he worried more about animals that other road users. He was killed in a deer/bike crash in Texas at night.

I'm with you, Andy. Ride at night if you think you have to, but realize your safety is further compromised by the darkness, and those who lurk in it (can't remember - reference Time Machine, were the Eloy the good guys, or those underground creeps?!).

Have done many a trip to the Mackinaw City area - often admired the Mighty Mac all lit up at night from wherever I was on the Island at the time - awesome sight.

Can only imagine what it must have been like to cross those 5 miles after dark - cool! :thumb
 
A friend of mine was seriously injured when a deer jumped in front of his Electra Glide last summer - in the middle of the day.

Another friend tells a story of a deer leaping from an overhead ledge and landing across the rider's arms, breaking them both. And - you got it - it was during daytime.

Come to think of it, my closest deer encounter occurred in full daylight - a near miss. I was close enough to see the cute critter's tick scars.

You do what you can to mitigate your risk; you hone your skills, you wear protective clothing , you keep your bike well maintained, maybe you even avoid night riding. But in the end riding is no different than the rest of life; safety and security is an illusion.
 
Used to, don't much anymore. I'm getting older and know I won't live forever, but want it to be a long way off.

I started the Redmond 1000 last summer in Gillette at 4 AM. It wasn't "dark" dark as the eastern horizon had a tinge of light to it. Very, very anxious the whole time. But didn't want to end the ride in OR during the dark with critters on the road.

Cheated death one more time.

YMMV :thumb
 
The last time I crossed the Mackinaw bridge was at 9pm, on a wet VERY windy (40 mph crosswinds from the west) September night. Going north, I stayed on the paved lave and off the steel grating. I was getting blown around a lot, so I stayed at a steady 35 mph, and kept looking well ahead. Got across just fine, but it was the most nervy riding I had done in decades.
 
Ride at night all the time. Working night shift and depart for home between 2-3 am. Burros, horses, deer, etc are all around. A good set of HID driving lights and a HID low beam work fine. You can never have too much light.

It is just like anything else you do, measure the risk you are willing to take and be guided accordingly. No two people are alike, so go with what you are comfortable with and enjoy the ride.

bob still
 
I generally try to avoid night riding if it's not necessary.

In rural areas my biggest concern is an animal strike, in urban areas it's inattentive drivers. Conspicuity helps with the latter.

This:
DSCN1060855x642.jpg


Turns into this at night:
DSCN1097.jpg

DSCN1098.jpg


The reflective tape on the back of the bags is black during daylight and is hardly noticeable.
 
I used to push hard on the last day of a trip to beat paying for a motel "close" to home. On the way home from West Bend Rally in '07, it was 1:30 a.m. and within 30 miles from home, when a what seemed like a torrential rain, fell on me. I've learned that I can handle rain during the day and can see at night, but my night vision is pitiful if it is raining, especially when also scanning for deer. My new rule of riding is to skip the night riding, even if I am close to home. Besides, critters are hard enough to dodge in the daytime, and almost impossible to avoid in the dark.
 
I stay away from 2 lane country roads at night but have logged many miles on the super slab after dark. Wearing perscription yellow tinted glasses really helps with my night vision. PIAA's or Moto lights are a real plus and well worth the money. To avoid tunnel vision I constantly monitor both sides of the road for those glowing "lights" described by another poster. Last year when returning home from TX I decided to sidetrack and ride the Natchez Trace Parkway. I started seeing deer by the side of the road about 4:30PM and decided to find a motel/hotel ASAP. The Natchez Trace is beautiful but tangling with a large wood rat is not my idea of fun two wheels or four.
Ride Safe :usa :usa
 
I stay away from 2 lane country roads at night but have logged many miles on the super slab after dark. Wearing perscription yellow tinted glasses really helps with my night vision. PIAA's or Moto lights are a real plus and well worth the money. To avoid tunnel vision I constantly monitor both sides of the road for those glowing "lights" described by another poster. Last year when returning home from TX I decided to sidetrack and ride the Natchez Trace Parkway. I started seeing deer by the side of the road about 4:30PM and decided to find a motel/hotel ASAP. The Natchez Trace is beautiful but tangling with a large wood rat is not my idea of fun two wheels or four.
Ride Safe :usa :usa

+1

My daily commute will often include times either before/after sunrise/sundown. During those times I keep either to the interstate or lighted side streets. There are a few sections of road without lights but the speed limits there are 30 mph or less (they total about 5 miles of the entire 45 mile commute).

The way I view the bottom line on this issue is to know and evaluate the risks and determine if the risk level is acceptable to you and your circumstances.
 
night rider

I don't like evening night riding but O-dark-thirty, early morning, I do. I have a set of Fuego HID lights mounted on the front of my GSA. with almost no traffic in the early morning I can leave them on most of the time. I do have to watch for critters, here we have Elk so hitting one is not a good idea. I might only see one or two cars in fifty miles.
 
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