Author Topic: Head light Modulators.  (Read 5104 times)

Online Brock

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Head light Modulators.
« on: July 02, 2012, 11:59:49 AM »
Do you have a head light modulator fitted, what brand, where did you get it and how effective is it.

Is it legal in Oz, and do you have a reference for it.

Brock
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Offline alans1100

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2012, 01:04:42 PM »
I don't have either but found them here.

This site http://www.safetysolutions.com.au/motorcycle-safety-gear/pathblazer-headlight-modulator  sent an e-mail to  http://www.forum.fjr13.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=288&start=10&view=print and I copied the e-mail below.

Hi guys
Just dropped in to let you know some facts about the signalMinder, tailBlazer and pathBlazer.

The signalMinder has the option of brake override by suspending the counter while the brakes are applied.
As soon as you release the brakes, the counter will resume. You also have the option of 15, 25 or 40 second time-outs.

Headlight modulators (pathBlazer)are legal in every state and territory of Australia. The NSW legislation is as below and every other state has the same wording in their respective legislative narratives.

Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 1998

Schedule 4 Vehicle standards




Division 2 Headlights

85 Headlights to be fitted to vehicles

(1) A motor vehicle must be fitted with:
(a) 1 low-beam headlight if it is a moped, motor bike, or motor trike with 1 front wheel, or
(b) a pair of low-beam headlights if it has 4 or more wheels or is a motor trike, except a moped, with 2 front wheels.
(2) If a motor vehicle built after 1934 can travel at over 60 kilometres an hour:
(a) each low-beam headlight mentioned in subclause (1) must be able to work in the high-beam position, or
(b) the vehicle must be fitted with:
(i) 1 headlight that can work in the high-beam position if the vehicle is required to have 1 low-beam headlight, or
(ii) a pair of headlights that can work in the high-beam position.
(3) A motor bike may be equipped with a headlight modulation system that:
(a) varies the brightness of its high-beam headlight or low-beam headlight, but not both, at a rate of at least 200 and at most 280 flashes a minute, and
(b) is designed to operate only in the daylight.

(4) Additional headlights may be fitted to a motor bike or motor trike, or a motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels that was built before 1970.
(5) Additional pairs of headlights may be fitted to a motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels that was built after 1969.
(6) Despite any requirement of the third edition ADR, an emergency services vehicle may be fitted with headlights or additional headlights that are capable of flashing if:
(a) the headlights flash only when on low beam, and
(b) the headlights are wired to operate in conjunction with any flashing or rotating lights fitted to the vehicle as permitted by clause 123 (4).



There is no legislation covering Brakelight modulators (tailBlazer), so while it can be argued that if it isn't covered by legislation it must therefore be legal, who is to say you are not just tapping the brakes.

I might also add that the brake light, once applied (with a tailBlazer fitted), never goes off or out, while ever you have the brakes applied. Like the headlight modulator, it just dims down to about a fifth of its intensity before coming back to full brightness.

I hope this clears up a few misconceptions.

Cheers,
Peter.
Peter's Safety Solutions
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terrydj

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2012, 01:47:14 PM »
Seen em on a few bikes "But" ahhhhhhhhhh yeah they flick on and off real quick but if the person hits you because they didn't see you when your bike has the light on me thinks they wont see you when the light they normally wouldn't see is flickering.

Was stopped at a roadworks once when a Truck nearly hit me and the turd yelled out he didn't see me because my lights were off......... Bloody genius Truckie turd mustn't have known that the bike was turned off because I had been stopped with heaps of others for over 15 minutes up North because of floods.

Sounds like a great excuse for hitting a bike when your court, Ahhhh I never seen the bike because his headlight was off. Me thinks and knows that people now recognize a single headlight as aligning with a bike and no headlight no bike.

So having a headlight flicking on and off makes no sense to me.
 

Offline tj189

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2012, 05:02:32 PM »
Its covered in the ADR's which are on the net, being the wizz kid you are you would probably find them quicker than me  >:()

On your bike it would really make people sh@t their pants if you came up behind them. Then there is the person that got a fright and then tries to run you off the road cause you scared them ....not going on my bike
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Offline Poppy Dave

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2012, 11:36:23 PM »
HUMMBLE-PIE

Guys,

So sorry to talk through my butt in the last post I posted. :-++ :-++

I wrongly stated that modulators were illegal in WA. :-((( :whistle  :spank

Thanks to Peter (blueheeler55) I stand corrected. I can honestly say that the last time I looked at that regulation, it was a no-no.  :-(((

In future, next time a question is asked............. don't ask me...............ask someone who knows what they're talking about.

Again, sorry guys..................... but I've not been well >:()

After this cock-up I sign off;




ONENUT                                      :wht13
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Offline alans1100

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2012, 12:28:35 AM »
@ ONENUT

Oh well, here's the WA regs anyway, after I saw your post under farkles so I went looking.....lol

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_reg/rtsr2002308/s71.html


ROAD TRAFFIC (VEHICLE STANDARDS) RULES 2002 - REG 71
71 .         Headlights to be fitted to vehicles
        (1)         A motor vehicle must be fitted with —


            (a)         one low‑beam headlight if it is a moped, motor bike or motor trike with one front wheel; or


            (b)         a pair of low‑beam headlights if it has 4 or more wheels or is a motor trike, except a moped, with 2 front wheels.


        (2)         If a motor vehicle built after 1934 can travel at over 60 km/h —


            (a)         each low‑beam headlight mentioned in subrule (1) must be able to work in the high‑beam position; or


            (b)         the vehicle must be fitted with —


                  (i)         one headlight that can work in the high‑beam position if the vehicle is required to have one low‑beam headlight; or


                  (ii)         a pair of headlights that can work in the high‑beam position.


        (3)         A motor bike may be equipped with a headlight modulation system that —


            (a)         varies the brightness of its high‑beam headlight or low‑beam headlight, but not both, at a rate of at least 200 and at most 280 flashes a minute; and


            (b)         is designed to operate only in the daytime.


        (4)         Additional headlights may be fitted to a motor bike or motor trike, or a motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels that was built before 1970.


        (5)         Additional pairs of headlights may be fitted to a motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels that was built after 1969.



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Online Brock

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2012, 08:25:27 AM »
Dave,

I'm sure there are others out there that arent aware of the change, I wasnt..
Brock
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Offline Diesel

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2012, 11:59:31 AM »
One chap in the US of A reported that for everyone who saw his 'flicking' headlights - it was counteracted by some doofus on the side of the road waiting to enter traffic - and they see his flashing lights and think he is signalling them to come on and go, or turn in front of him.

Others got confused as they thought he was in some sort of emergency and moved over, or didn't know if they should move over or not etc and the whole situation led to very ambiguous messages being received about his intentions by other motorists. After a few close calls - he removed them figuring it was safer to slightly weave the bike (with the headlight back to 'always on' when approaching the same situations he thought the modulator might help him in.

We also touched on this 'weaving to be/remain seen' in our invisibility thread.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Diesel
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Offline Biggles

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2012, 09:36:38 PM »
That all sounds wise to me, Diesel.

When I'm approaching an opposite direction right turner, I always move to the left and set up to stop quickly if I see him coming across. 
I can see how easily modulators would confuse people, and even get them upset or angry.  There are already enough head cases out there wanting to teach the world a lesson by road rage.  I've had them catch up after a perceived "slight" and cut dangerously close in front of me to teach me a lesson.  Never mind I might be hurt or killed, just so long as they show their superiority to me.
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Offline alphafang

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2012, 01:51:14 AM »
A headlight modulator doesn't flash the head light on and off as such. There is never a dark period. It's still a constant light that alters the luminescence output.
I have seen many fitted to bikes and seen video. How anyone can say the action of a modulator mimics someone flashing traffic out of a junction is beyond me. Just another excuse from a brain dead cager in my book.

see if you can replicate this with your switch gear.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/images/comagination/headlight-modulator.mov

Ferret added.
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terrydj

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Re: Head light Modulators.
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2012, 07:13:37 AM »
Looks like lights flashing to me. Its not what your seiing??? Its what you percieve as happening you act upon