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Dealing with Tinted Front Windows?

3K views 26 replies 17 participants last post by  wehrme 
#1 ·
I find few traffic situations as difficult to deal with as darkened driver’s side windows. I understand that certain levels of tint are illegal, but apparently traffic law enforcement officers in many communities ignore those infractions, similar to the way that speeding, rolling stops, and tailgating are ignored. When I can’t establish eye contact with a driver that is approaching on a side road I slow down, cover my brakes, and prepare for the possible. I wonder if anyone sounds their horn as well to hopefully attract the attention of the driver behind deep tinted windows? Is the pi__off factor worth it?
 
#3 ·
Eye contact is a waste of our time. My MSF instructors told us nobody has ever been hit, killed or run off the road by the eyes of another driver. You look at the front left wheel for roll, the rest of the car to establish where it's headed and look for your ways of escape. Drivers tend to look right past motorcycles even if you are looking them right in the eyes.
 
#6 ·
When I can’t establish eye contact with a driver that is approaching on a side road I slow down, cover my brakes, and prepare for the possible.
From your sentence I presume when you <do> establish eye-contact you don't slow down? You don't cover your brakes? You don't prepare for the possible?

Seriously, just because <you> established eye contact doesn't mean the cage driver established eye contact. There has been more than a few post crash reports that the M/C rider says something to the effect:

I looked at right him and then he pulled out in front of me.
 
#8 ·
Eye contact is a waste of our time. My MSF instructors told us nobody has ever been hit, killed or run off the road by the eyes of another driver. You look at the front left wheel for roll, the rest of the car to establish where it's headed and look for your ways of escape. Drivers tend to look right past motorcycles even if you are looking them right in the eyes.

Exactly.

And I can easily tell the difference between spinners and wheel roll.
 
#10 ·
Eye contact is a waste of our time. My MSF instructors told us nobody has ever been hit, killed or run off the road by the eyes of another driver. You look at the front left wheel for roll, the rest of the car to establish where it's headed and look for your ways of escape. Drivers tend to look right past motorcycles even if you are looking them right in the eyes.
Agreed. There is no way to know if you establish two way eye contact. In reality all cars might as well have painted black windows. Look at the wheels, not the driver.
 
#14 ·
From your sentence I presume when you <do> establish eye-contact you don't slow down? You don't cover your brakes? You don't prepare for the possible?

Seriously, just because <you> established eye contact doesn't mean the cage driver established eye contact. There has been more than a few post crash reports that the M/C rider says something to the effect:

I looked at right him and then he pulled out in front of me.
Your presumption is incorrect but I must admit that I feel a bit better when I can see that someone is looking at me or at least in my direction. Revolving hub caps are cause for the absolute assumption that the vehicle will move in front of me and results in immediate action.

The point or my question was whether or not riders use their horn when approaching a vehicle with darkened windows. Or for that matter do they use a horn when approaching a vehicle with revolving wheel covers (spinners excluded)?
 
#18 ·
I like to flash the high beams several times when I approach a questionable scenario. The horn is only for cages that like to change lanes when I'm already there.
To those that think the "loud pipes saves lives" is a bunch of B.S., I must say that I have never had so may cages try to cut me off than while I'm on the 'Wing. It must be too quiet, and they just don't check their mirror. I have a '76 Honda 750F SuperSport cafe' with an open exhaust, and NOBODY tries to take my space when I'm riding that bike. They KNOW I'm there 'cause it's like a constantly blasting semi horn. :thumbup:
Edit: AFAIK, the tinted front windows has now been legalized recently, much to the dismay of the LEO's, that now have more problems seeing the mopes they pull over.
 
#19 ·
I like to flash the high beams several times when I approach a questionable scenario.
Flashing high beams means:

I'm yielding, go ahead and pull out. It is probably one of the most unsafe things you can do when approaching a "questionable scenario".

Your thumb should be hovering just above the horn, not signaling someone that you are yielding when you have no intention to do so.
 
#20 ·
Flashing high beams will get you pulled over in Washington state for road rage, same thing with repeated horn use. I don't flash my high beams, I just turn them on and leave them on until I clear.
 
#22 ·
some of u say making eye contact or watching the other driver is useless
You are half right.
Nobody said paying attention to the driver is useless. They said eye contact is useless.

Why? Because eye contact doesn't tell the motorcyclist anything. Therefore, it is useless.

A driver constantly hunching forward to look out his right rearview mirror tells you he is moving to the right lane ASAP. We all agree that observing a driver is useful.
 
#23 ·
I do not like the dark tinted windows either.

But it is overall observation that keeps you alive. Some drivers will see you and make eye contact, some cannot see the big red fire truck.

I tend to watch the vehicle more than the driver. But good to watch the driver too.

Blowing the horn, well, not really, if you sense a vehicle is not going to stop or pull out in front of you, blowing the horn is not going to help.

You should be in avoidance mode at that time. I have no problem with checking things out behind me and coming to a complete stop if need be. If they have tinted windows and the vehicle is still rolling forward, or wheels turned your way, and not stopping, I would not trust the horn to save me. They may have the stereo on high, or the cell phone stuck in their ear.

As for flashing lights, I run a modulator on high beams in traffic all the time.

It helps.

Of course it makes some on this forum foam at the mouth, go into fits, and experience hallucinations. :evil::evil::evil::evil: Some get the twitch and shake so bad their feet fly off the pegs. And their shoe laces come undone.

Just be aware a modulator is easy to see straight on, but not visible from the side much.

Lets see using the horn, I like to use it like this. Some fool in the middle of an intersection stops. Comes to a dead stop and has just got out of Church and is feeling the salvation of the moment and starts waving people through........leaving you stuck in the intersection. I will get right beside them, notice I said beside them a bit on the opposite side of the turn radius and blast them. See how high they can jump. Idiots. Or you have a four lane road and some other idiot will stop in the left lane and wave someone across in front of them into the traffic of the right lane. I will wake them up too.

I think they are all retarded. Seems like it some days.
 
#25 ·
Horn and eye contact

Eye contace is not brain contact. Humans and

deer often "seem" to (look) however

they do not see. Seeing requires a brain

connection. Driving -- flying, riding, even

walking requires so little effort that other

things are likely whats on our mind.

We are exposed. We are careless.

As for the use of the horn. If you train your

self to use the horn at each car that is wanting

to cross or turn; you will be distracting your

self from watching and covering. My 2 cents




 
#26 ·
You know, I like your sig and I can't think of anything you've posted that I've seen that I didn't agree with. If you ever come down to Texas, look me and I'll ride with ya... ;)

I do not like the dark tinted windows either.

But it is overall observation that keeps you alive. Some drivers will see you and make eye contact, some cannot see the big red fire truck.

I tend to watch the vehicle more than the driver. But good to watch the driver too.

Blowing the horn, well, not really, if you sense a vehicle is not going to stop or pull out in front of you, blowing the horn is not going to help.

You should be in avoidance mode at that time. I have no problem with checking things out behind me and coming to a complete stop if need be. If they have tinted windows and the vehicle is still rolling forward, or wheels turned your way, and not stopping, I would not trust the horn to save me. They may have the stereo on high, or the cell phone stuck in their ear.

As for flashing lights, I run a modulator on high beams in traffic all the time.

It helps.

Of course it makes some on this forum foam at the mouth, go into fits, and experience hallucinations. :evil::evil::evil::evil: Some get the twitch and shake so bad their feet fly off the pegs. And their shoe laces come undone.

Just be aware a modulator is easy to see straight on, but not visible from the side much.

Lets see using the horn, I like to use it like this. Some fool in the middle of an intersection stops. Comes to a dead stop and has just got out of Church and is feeling the salvation of the moment and starts waving people through........leaving you stuck in the intersection. I will get right beside them, notice I said beside them a bit on the opposite side of the turn radius and blast them. See how high they can jump. Idiots. Or you have a four lane road and some other idiot will stop in the left lane and wave someone across in front of them into the traffic of the right lane. I will wake them up too.

I think they are all retarded. Seems like it some days.
 
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