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Re: [ST] Headlight Modulators



Emile Nossin wrote:

>>From: Bil Swartz
>>Personally I'm really wary of headlight modulators, to me it looks like
>>someone flashing the headlight at you and around here that's a big invitation
>>to folks to "go ahead and turn in front of me/do what it is you want to do cuz
>>I see you."  Is this not the norm?
>>    
>>
>
>It is in Holland, and in the rest of Europe as well as far as I know.
>Flashing your lights means either "I see you, I'll slow down enough
>so you can jump in front" or "Get the f### out of my lane, can't you see
>I'm driving a mean look BMW 7 series!!?".
>
>A similar, unwanted signal that resembles modulating the headlight
>killed a motorcyclist a few years ago in the UK Lake District. The
>weave in the road made the headlight dip up and down, creating an
>effect that's like a modulator. A girl waiting to cross the road
>interpreted that signal as a sign to go ahead and cross the road.
>  
>
a dip up and down in the road would create an effect like manually flashed
headlights, not a modulator. to say that's what killed the motorcyclist, 
rather
than their simply riding too fast for conditions, doesn't wash.

>Headlight modulators in Holland would either create a lot of
>misunderstandings at crossings, or people would shoot into the
>side of the road thinking you're police, or it would create a
>lot of aggressiveness from traffic in front of you (probably the
>most likely one). Non of the options make riding any safer...
>
>Emile
>www.piloot.com
>  
>
i can't imagine confusing a headlight modulator that conforms to the US 
federal
standards (a portion of which i've included below) to someone flashing their
lights in an attempt to communicate in a manner similar to the instances
Bill and Emile noted above. modulators emit more of a constant 'pulsing' 
than the
'on - off - on - off' of someone flashing manually. bottom line is 
others on the
road *notice* modulators, and that's a big plus.


PART 571--FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS--Table of Contents
Subpart B--Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

Sec. 571.108 Standard No. 108; Lamps, reflective devices, and associated 
equipment.

S7.9.4 Motorcycle headlamp modulation system.
S7.9.4.1 A headlamp on a motorcycle may be wired to modulate either the 
upper beam or the lower beam from its maximum intensity to a lesser 
intensity, provided that:
    (a) The rate of modulation shall be 240 <plus-minus> 40 cycles per 
minute.
    (b) The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 
percent of each cycle.
    (c) The lowest intensity at any test point shall be not less than 17 
percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.

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