1. The role of positioning lights
Positioning lights are also called position lights and vehicle width lights, which are also commonly known as small lights. The purpose is to allow other road users to judge the size and position of the motorcycle in the dark without turning on the headlights. For cars, there are mandatory regulations to match positioning lights on the left and right sides to indicate the width of the vehicle. For motorcycles, the design of left-right symmetry or a single central positioning light is acceptable. (You don't want to be hit by the roadside at night, right?)
2. Can I ride at night with only positioning lights?
The brightness of the positioning lights is low, and it is almost invisible during the day. The visible distance at night is also limited. More importantly, the brightness of the positioning lights cannot illuminate the road ahead, and you cannot ride normally.
3. Do I need positioning lights when the headlights are turned on?
After turning on the headlights, the function of the positioning lights is replaced by the headlights, and positioning lights are indeed not needed. However, the headlights consume a lot of electricity, so many motorcycles are designed to only light up the positioning lights after power is turned on (for example, a motorcycle usually has three bulbs in total, the small eye is a high beam that is turned on separately; the large eye includes the positioning light and the low beam; the positioning light is turned on after power is turned on, the low beam is turned on when the engine is started, and the handlebar controls the other large eye to light up the high beam~), and the headlights are turned on after the engine is started. In motorcycle design, the shape of the positioning light can also become one of the characteristics.
4. The role of daytime running lights
Since research by traffic control departments in various countries has shown that turning on the lights during the day can improve visibility and reduce accidents, there are regulations that require daytime running lights to be mandatory. Some national regulations require that if daytime running lights are not designed, low beam lights can be turned on instead, which is why the imported cars we ride cannot turn off the lights. Unfortunately, there seems to be no such mandatory regulation for motorcycles in our country. Most motorcycles are equipped with a light switch, which can be turned off instead of being kept on. In actual riding: it is dim when it rains, dim in the evening, dim under the overpass, and dim when passing through a tunnel. I hope everyone will develop good safety habits and keep the headlights on ~ It doesn't matter if a few broken bulbs are broken, but being hit is much worse than changing a bulb!
