headlight modulators

Discussion in 'Bay Area Bikers' started by barbz, Aug 13, 2003.

  1. barbz

    barbz Guest

    I'm sure it's been addressed here before, but are these things legal in
    California? I think they weren't a while ago, but haven't kept up. I'd
    get 'em if they were.

    tia,
    barb
     
    barbz, Aug 13, 2003
    #1
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  2. yes, they are legal, federal regulations trump state rules in this case.
    AFAIK, they've always been legal here. I don't doubt some hick county
    coppers will try and rag your ass over them, so its not a bad idea to
    carry a copy of the regulations under your seat or whatever.

    here,
    http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-technical-articles/Modulator-regs.htm
     
    John R Pierce, Aug 13, 2003
    #2
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  3. barbz

    mike Guest

    I took mine off the SV. I found it was just confusing too many drivers.
    I had one woman get out of her car and tell me my headlight was
    flashing, others think you are 'flashing' them to go ahead and pull out
    or turn in front of you.
     
    mike, Aug 13, 2003
    #3
  4. barbz

    mike Guest

    Maybe I've just encountered the really dumb ones.
     
    mike, Aug 13, 2003
    #4
  5. barbz

    Erik Astrup Guest

    How would a county cop cite you for something not in the CVC?
    Seriously, I dunno.
     
    Erik Astrup, Aug 14, 2003
    #5
  6. barbz

    barbz Guest

    LOL...did you miss out on all those really bad '50s motorcycle movies?
    In them we learn that a family in a station wagon can be terrorized by
    chain-flailing bikers. "Daddy, why don't you just turn the wheel and run
    over them?"
    tee-hee
    barb
     
    barbz, Aug 14, 2003
    #6
  7. barbz

    Brandon High Guest

    At least they're seeing you. That's what really counts.
    I've had people pull off the road, thinking that I was an emergency
    services vehicle. I've also had cars stop in the middle of the road.

    Twice in the last month, people have yelled from their cars at a light
    to let me know that my headlight was flashing. I've hollered back that
    it's supposed to.

    When lane splitting, I think cars are more inclined to pull over and let
    me pass than not.

    Despite the confusion that it causes for some drivers, I still think
    that it's a net possitive situation.

    -B
     
    Brandon High, Aug 14, 2003
    #7
  8. Not if, as one poster suggested, they think it means you're going to
    turn. I'm not a fan of driver confusion - it makes them far less
    predictable.

    What does it do to bulb life? I played around with higher wattage 55/100s
    but found the experience to be a net negative because they burned out
    far more often, leaving me driving with my parking lights for 50 miles
    per event.
     
    Jason O'Rourke, Aug 14, 2003
    #8
  9. barbz

    Erik Astrup Guest

    They're legal by Federal law. I don't believe state or county can
    make them illegal.
     
    Erik Astrup, Aug 15, 2003
    #9
  10. barbz

    John Beck Guest

    Just because something is permitted by federal law doesn't mean that
    states, counties or municipatlies cannot ban it. E.g. prostitution is
    permitted by the feds ('cuz it's allowed in NV) but banned by most states.
     
    John Beck, Aug 15, 2003
    #10
  11. barbz

    Paul Guest

    The headlight modulator never turns the headlights compleatly off and
    the response time of the tungsten filament is very much slower than the
    rise time of the flash. This would prevent the headlight flashing from
    activating the light switch.

    Paul
     
    Paul, Aug 15, 2003
    #11
  12. barbz

    John Beck Guest

    Any cop wanting to give a biker grief could find a better excuse than a
    headlight modulator. I'd be surprised if there is a cop who issues
    traffic tickets but does not know about headlight modulators.

    On an aside - My R1100GS' headlight shakes when I'm blasting down the
    freeway (yeah, I need to tighten that brace)... it's very noticeable at
    night so cars frequently pull out of my way. I've ridden behind CHP
    cruisers and none of them have hassled me (and the shaking headlight
    caused the reflective CHP text on the trunk to flash "on and off" so it
    must have been noticeable to the LEO)
     
    John Beck, Aug 15, 2003
    #12
  13. barbz

    mike Guest

    No doubt.
    My SV does this and everything is tight.
     
    mike, Aug 15, 2003
    #13
  14. barbz

    barbz Guest

    Heh...so really, all I have to do is loosen my headlight? Wow, I'll save
    some money that way! <G>

    barb
     
    barbz, Aug 16, 2003
    #14
  15. barbz

    mike Guest

    It just so happens, I have one available if you want. Half off sale just
    for you, $45 takes it.
     
    mike, Aug 16, 2003
    #15
  16. until?? they are specifically allowed in the california vehicle code,
    *AND* in the federal codes. what more do you want?
     
    John R Pierce, Aug 21, 2003
    #16
  17. barbz

    barbz Guest

    Heh...a lot of our lights here are synchronized downtown. All it takes
    to make all the green lights is adjusting your speed. There might be an
    appearance of a "trigger" there, but it has no more relation to reality
    than thinking you've triggered them with your secret mental abilities.

    Since there's no evidence of those, however, you're not likely to get
    pulled over for using them, unlike modulators. I'm pretty sure that any
    cop with half a brain can tell the difference between a strobe light and
    a headlight modulator, though.

    Right? RIGHT?
    heh...
    barb
     
    barbz, Aug 21, 2003
    #17
  18. barbz

    John Noble Guest

    Those traffic control units are made by 3M and are called Opticom. The
    flash rate is very high (in the 8-14 flashes per second range)- an
    incandescent lamp doesn't stand a chance of triggering them (and is why they
    use strobes). The flash is so specific- they actually can ID the emitting
    vehicle by it's signature rate (each emitter's rate is known and unique).

    There are two levels of emitters; high and low (go figure); High for
    emergency vehicles and Low for transit busses. They differ so that if they
    are both approaching an intersection, the emergency vehicle gets the green
    over the buss. On a similar note, the new(est) CHP cars now have Opticom
    emitters on the push bumpers- first time in their history.

    There are a couple other brands and other technologies that do the same
    thing, but Opticom is the big dog for that product.
     
    John Noble, Aug 21, 2003
    #18
  19. I may as well repeat what I heard (but can't prove), because I don't
    have a copy of the NRS (Nevada Revised Statutes) sitting on my desk.

    I had always heard that prostitution was permitted only in a few
    counties of Nevada (Storey, Lyon, others outside big cities).

    However, while I was on an informal walking tour of three of the (ahem)
    "houses" in downtown Elko, the Executive Director of the Elko Convention
    and Visitor Authority told us that prostitution is allowed in all Nevada
    counties except Clark County (Las Vegas) & Washoe County (Reno/Sparks).

    Oh, yes, let's get back to the question at hand.

    Headlight modulators are permitted under the California Vehicle Code but
    only one lamp can be modulated. I've seen motorcycles in other states
    that modulate two lamps and have two more lamps on steady. That's not
    legal here.

    I don't have headlight modulators but they certainly are attention
    getting.

    Note: as was already pointed out, headlight modulators are different
    from strobe lights that some public safety agencies use to _keep_ lights
    green (when they're already green), so that they can get through the
    intersection.

    The agencies with which I am familiar are using a new radio-based system
    that is more difficult for the average schmoe to screw with.


    Dave

    1996 FLHR-I Road King
    1992 CB750 Nighthawk

    BS#146, DOF # 181, NEWT#4, KOTOR#1, SENS, EKR 2003

    EK III page - - - - http://eddiekieger.com/
    r.m.h FAQ - - - - - http://rmhfaq.com/
    r.m.h parking lot - http://the.rmhparkinglot.com/
     
    Dave Schultheis, Aug 29, 2003
    #19
  20. barbz

    Alan Z. Guest

    Rereading the statute, I suppose it could be interpreted that any headlight
    (and if there are two on a bike, both) can be modulated.
    I'm not sure if "A headlight on a motorcycle can be wired" limits to a
    single headlight, or refers to "each" headlight. As in "this is A
    headlight" and "this is also A headlight" < s >
     
    Alan Z., Aug 31, 2003
    #20
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