Red headlamps - dead stupid ?

Not

Twice on Sunday I came across bikers with red headlamps (or maybe the same one if he managed to lose one headlamp in between times, twas almost dark the second occassion). Red as in same as tail lamps.

Surely illegal ? But that aside, let's say you're speed freaking it down a road on a dark night with your red headlamp(s), and a car driver comes to join the road from a side road in front of you - the driver glances momentarily in your direction, sees only a red light and instantaneously logically concludes its something going away from the junction and therefore does not give it attention long enough to realise it's actually in coming, quickly glances the other way, nothing coming, pulls out - bang ! Ok the driver should have been more observant, but your red headlamp has ultimately caused the confusion that's killed you.

What makes someone think red headlamps are a good idea

Illegal anyway as well as stupid.

cjt156

It is just Darwinism at work.

rebel.ranter

That is crackers!
I've seen a bike stuck into the side of a Renault Clio at the Turnpike in Tipperary, the rider was at least 100 metres away from the car/bike mish mash, he was dead. The same guy had just zoomed past me 10 minutes prior to that. That was the day time on a nice clear day, not sunny, the Clio driver did not see the biker even with perfect conditions. Most drivers would assume a red light would be heading away from them, that rider is on a suicide mission & it's not fair to other road users to be unwilling participants in that.
Bike are lethal at the best of times*.

* I would still like to have a license.