That's not my cat! Nor my fear.

[fish]

I don't mistrust dealers, manufacturers, mechanics, salesmen, my countymen, or most governments.
Mistrust being a general sense of unease toward something or someone.

While I do distrust N. Korea, some political parties, a popular national association, and that automotive service desk man coming at me with that look and that clip board - since distrust is based on reliable information or experience.

However, I do brake for interesting cloud formations.

Fish

[you you]

I don't mistrust dealers, manufacturers, mechanics, salesmen, my countymen, or most governments.
Mistrust being a general sense of unease toward something or someone.

While I do distrust N. Korea, some political parties, a popular national association, and that automotive service desk man coming at me with that look and that clip board - since distrust is based on reliable information or experience.

However, I do brake for interesting cloud formations.

Fish

What has been legalised in Ohio?

[PCX150Rider]

While we are "off topic" I mistrust my ability to do night riding like I used to. With the onslaught of the growing world population and the wave after wave of oncoming headlights on popular roads I find that my eyes can't adjust as easily as they could years ago when the roads were less traveled. When you are exposed to bright light and then move to darkness your eyes go through physio-chemical changes to be able to see in low light areas better. I think one of the main chemicals involved is rhodopsin.

This post continues. . .maybe a good time to order out for a pizza. LOL!!!

In my early riding years when an oncoming car or two or three would pass me I'd be slightly less sensitive to seeing in the dark for a few seconds and then effectiveness of my night vision would return and the headlight field of site would reestablish. I could make out images in the shadows so-to-speak or sense movement or the reflection of animal eyes like deer or possum etc. . .. Night riding was night riding.

Today however with what seems an ever increasing flow of headlights my eyes can't seem to get the time to adjust for night vision like they used to. The timely gaps needed between oncoming cars for the eyes to readjust for light sensitivity aren't always available. Also, the effectiveness of the headlight is diminished and overall the risk of not being able to see road debris, tire retreads, animals, joggers, bicycle riders, or pot holes for example is significantly increased.

That said, going on back country roads where traffic is sparse allows your eyes to adjust back and forth in a more healthy manor to allow for better night vision. At least that's my experience. And that's where I tend to go now in lieu of highways or heavily traveled routes. The bottom line is I just don't ride on two wheels at night as much as I used to.

So I still do have great vision. It's just that the increase in traffic is making it more of a challenge to actually see what's on the road at night. If anyone gets any value out of this post I hope it helps. If you think it's getting more difficult to ride at night in lines of traffic and be sure of what you are seeing in the shadows you are not alone.

A way that you can test yourself (with some amazement) is to look up into the sky around sunset. . .close to dusk. . .just before dark. . .towards the east (the sun always sets in the west) when you can still see around you but no stars are apparent in the sky. Just keep staring up at the sky for a bit and you'll suddenly start to see stars appear. First one, then another, then a few, etc. . .. It's your eyes adjusting to the lower light levels.

P9120001a.jpg (201.67 KiB) Viewed 782 times

[fish]

I don't mistrust dealers, manufacturers, mechanics, salesmen, my countymen, or most governments.
Mistrust being a general sense of unease toward something or someone.

While I do distrust N. Korea, some political parties, a popular national association, and that automotive service desk man coming at me with that look and that clip board - since distrust is based on reliable information or experience.

However, I do brake for interesting cloud formations.

Fish

What has been legalised in Ohio?

Concealed Carry (I think that means a wine bottle down your trousers), no helmets, speeding, texting and loud HD's are permitted - but cell-phone-driving is now mandatory. Apparently.

Fish

[JustPassinThru]

While we are "off topic" I mistrust my ability to do night riding like I used to. With the onslaught of the growing world population and the wave after wave of oncoming headlights on popular roads I find that my eyes can't adjust as easily as they could years ago when the roads were less traveled. When you are exposed to bright light and then move to darkness your eyes go through physio-chemical changes to be able to see in low light areas better. I think one of the main chemicals involved is rhodopsin.

This post continues. . .maybe a good time to order out for a pizza. LOL!!!

In my early riding years when an oncoming car or two or three would pass me I'd be slightly less sensitive to seeing in the dark for a few seconds and then effectiveness of my night vision would return and the headlight field of site would reestablish. I could make out images in the shadows so-to-speak or sense movement or the reflection of animal eyes like deer or possum etc. . .. Night riding was night riding.

Today however with what seems an ever increasing flow of headlights my eyes can't seem to get the time to adjust for night vision like they used to. The timely gaps needed between oncoming cars for the eyes to readjust for light sensitivity aren't always available. Also, the effectiveness of the headlight is diminished and overall the risk of not being able to see road debris, tire retreads, animals, joggers, bicycle riders, or pot holes for example is significantly increased.

That said, going on back country roads where traffic is sparse allows your eyes to adjust back and forth in a more healthy manor to allow for better night vision. At least that's my experience. And that's where I tend to go now in lieu of highways or heavily traveled routes. The bottom line is I just don't ride on two wheels at night as much as I used to.

So I still do have great vision. It's just that the increase in traffic is making it more of a challenge to actually see what's on the road at night. If anyone gets any value out of this post I hope it helps. If you think it's getting more difficult to ride at night in lines of traffic and be sure of what you are seeing in the shadows you are not alone.

A way that you can test yourself (with some amazement) is to look up into the sky around sunset. . .close to dusk. . .just before dark. . .towards the east (the sun always sets in the west) when you can still see around you but no stars are apparent in the sky. Just keep staring up at the sky for a bit and you'll suddenly start to see stars appear. First one, then another, then a few, etc. . .. It's your eyes adjusting to the lower light levels.

The only excuse I can find for night riding, is:

--You went to work on the scoot/cycle and get off after dark;

--You're touring and haven't made it to your lodging point/cannot find motel/etc and so have to keep on moving after dark.

NO other reason. The reason for riding, the dramatic sights and sensory experiences, diminish greatly with sunset. Deer and drunks are both out...and neither like to stay in their lanes and deer-crossings. (Why can't deer be made to use a WALK light, like school kids, since we have given them Crossings anyway?)

I have hit a deer; on a big scooter, at 25 mph, on my way to work...the damage done was more to repair than the machine was worth. And I was LUCKY - people die in deer/bike accidents in Minnesota/Wisconsin/Michigan at alarming rates.

[Mel46]

As of July 1st it is illegal to have a cellphone in your hand while driving. Keeping that in mind, I was out riding in our area a couple of days ago and every other driver had a cellphone in their hands! Part of my riding takes me by the local police precinct. The percent of drivers with cellphones went UP in that area!

Yes, this is East Cobb, where the East Cobb Snobs live. Every other house has an attorney on speed dial, or they are attorneys.

The day after that law was passed the local tv station did a live ride with the police in the East Cobb area. It was funny. Cars were passing in both directions with drivers on their cellphones. The cop could only pull the ones over that were going in his direction. He handed out warnings like they were candy! Yep, that's East Cobb.

[PCX150Rider]

As of July 1st it is illegal to have a cellphone in your hand while driving. Keeping that in mind, I was out riding in our area a couple of days ago and every other driver had a cellphone in their hands! Part of my riding takes me by the local police precinct. The percent of drivers with cellphones went UP in that area!

Yes, this is East Cobb, where the East Cobb Snobs live. Every other house has an attorney on speed dial, or they are attorneys.

The day after that law was passed the local tv station did a live ride with the police in the East Cobb area. It was funny. Cars were passing in both directions with drivers on their cellphones. The cop could only pull the ones over that were going in his direction. He handed out warnings like they were candy! Yep, that's East Cobb.

People who continue to use cell phones while driving for texting or chatting are an endangerment to society. If they started handing out 6 month jail sentences doing hard labor I think that would put a dent in the abuse. Plus the culprits would probably lose their jobs so they'd have to make it so they can't collect unemployment either. Let them know what it is to pay the price for being ignorant and self serving. See how smug they would be then in Cobb County.

I have hit a deer; on a big scooter, at 25 mph, on my way to work...the damage done was more to repair than the machine was worth. And I was LUCKY - people die in deer/bike accidents in Minnesota/Wisconsin/Michigan at alarming rates.

Deer do like to come out at night although I've seen them galloping around during the day as well. They just don't know any better. . .. That said they can total a car and worse for motorcycle/scooter riders. I had a deer land on my windshield one time trying to jump over my car and take out the roof (all had to be replaced and the car only had about 500 miles on it). Another time I had a buck broadside me while driving a truck coming up to a traffic light in a dark area. The window was up fortunately so no broken glass but I had to do some bending of the sheet metal to be able to open and close the door again. The Fall season seems to be the worst. Thank God you came out alive from that deer accident. While you're at it watch out for turkeys too.

[JustPassinThru]

As of July 1st it is illegal to have a cellphone in your hand while driving. Keeping that in mind, I was out riding in our area a couple of days ago and every other driver had a cellphone in their hands! Part of my riding takes me by the local police precinct. The percent of drivers with cellphones went UP in that area!

Yes, this is East Cobb, where the East Cobb Snobs live. Every other house has an attorney on speed dial, or they are attorneys.

The day after that law was passed the local tv station did a live ride with the police in the East Cobb area. It was funny. Cars were passing in both directions with drivers on their cellphones. The cop could only pull the ones over that were going in his direction. He handed out warnings like they were candy! Yep, that's East Cobb.

Hand operation of cellphones or texting while driving, has been illegal here since before I moved here, five years ago.

That stops NOBODY. Police no longer even try to ticket - too many people, when getting a citation, claim they're part of a Protected Demographic Group. We have a number of them here: Females, LGBTQWERTY, pigmentation-minorities of several different groupings. The city PD has Federal DOJ oversight, as several other municipalities in the nation do, because of alleged discrimination.

So the cops just throw up their hands. So, adding to the vetch of Federal employment retirees, and Bro-Dozer jockeys who aren't able to drive a big truck but insist on trying, and lost tourists, we have college coeds frantically texting their friends or checking to see how many bots gave them LIKEs on Facebook.

[Mel46]

The only PROTECTED groups here are the attorneys, if you call that protected.

I heard on the TV that the fine for the first offense for driving while using a hand held device is $50. Keeping that in mind, there are million dollar homes coming up in our area as fast as the land can be gotten...sometimes legally and sometimes not so much so.

Sometimes promises are made, but not in writing, and those promises are immediately broken after the land is acquired.