Night Riding

[Doug]

For the first time last night I took a little ride on the Spyder after dark, and these were my observation. the RECC buttons were lit for visibility and access, but the turn signals, horn, light switch, reverse button and shifter were not, leaving you in complete darkness and having you fumble some what for activating, you would think all should be lit, just saying.

 

[Bob Denman]

It takes practice, and familiarity with the controls... That's never a bad idea! :thumbup:

 

[Doug]

It takes practice, and familiarity with the controls... That's never a bad idea! :thumbup:

I HERE YOU, BUT STILL THINK IT WOULD BE A SAFETY FACTOR IF ALL CONTROLS INCUDING EMERG S/D BUTTON HAD BACKROUND LIGHTING, COULDN'T HURT

 

[crazyspyder]

Have to agree with you on lighting there- especially after forking over 30k. and may I add , belt tensioner* second hand brake*better foot pegs*AAAHH then there's the FOOT barbeque in the summer months!!:yikes:

 

[suenmikez]

Poor lighting RTS-2012

Have to agree with you on lighting there- especially after forking over 30k. and may I add , belt tensioner* second hand brake*better foot pegs*AAAHH then there's the FOOT barbeque in the summer months!!:yikes:

Could not agree more with you, we live in a very wooded area and have very active wildlife all the time. So we rarely travel around after dark. Not so bad now but will be more of a problem once winter arrives. :banghead:

 

[Chupaca]

Seems to me..!!

you should not be looking down to hand controls while driving especially at night. Maybe in time it will be second nature. The last thing I want to do is take my eyes off the road. It would look nice but give you more to complain about when they fail...jmo but then I have an RS and don't expect much and get more than expected...maybe on the 2014's then the controls can be changed...:dontknow:

 

[Bob Denman]

Good way to put it Gene! :thumbup:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

JUST A THOUGHT

Since they ( BRP ) were able to figure out how to light some of the controls...............:agree:............WHY NOT ALL OF THEM...opcorn: :chat: :gaah:...:agree:

 

[Bazeel]

I've never noticed an issue with the controls being lit or unlit. I don't look down to thumb at my controls (aside from the center 'console' ones, which is fairly rare), so the lights would make nearly no difference. If you still have to look down to press your turn signals, horn, beams, or paddle-shifter (Unless you have some condition which prevents constant, consistent targeting with your digits)...I'd highly advise not riding at night, as experience will allow you to learn their locations and functions without needing to glance.

 

[Doug]

you should not be looking down to hand controls while driving especially at night. Maybe in time it will be second nature. The last thing I want to do is take my eyes off the road. It would look nice but give you more to complain about when they fail...jmo but then I have an RS and don't expect much and get more than expected...maybe on the 2014's then the controls can be changed...:dontknow:

then why have the lighting on the RECC and dash, I'm sure you look down at the nanny, speed and rpm from time to time, and what do you know about what I'm complaining about, and expect.

 

[jonnysevel]

I agree with the original poster... Why light the radio controls and not the turn signals and the horn...

 

[Bazeel]

then why have the lighting on the RECC and dash, I'm sure you look down at the nanny, speed and rpm from time to time, and what do you know about what I'm complaining about, and expect.

Well, in my experience, it takes far less time to 'glance' at a speed/RPM digital readout than it does to actively 'search' down and left, locate the intended button/function, and then re-acquire the roadway ahead. I think running 'blind' drills by feel on your roadster would assist a lot in the 'search' and 'acquisition' portions of doing it by reflex!

 

[ARtraveler]

Maybe future models will have the lighted features you are asking for. At this point its making do with what we have. Until this thread, I have not given much thought about good/bad concerning lighted switches at night.

 

[Doug]

I've never noticed an issue with the controls being lit or unlit. I don't look down to thumb at my controls (aside from the center 'console' ones, which is fairly rare), so the lights would make nearly no difference. If you still have to look down to press your turn signals, horn, beams, or paddle-shifter (Unless you have some condition which prevents constant, consistent targeting with your digits)...I'd highly advise not riding at night, as experience will allow you to learn their locations and functions without needing to glance.

Thank you for your advice, I'll try and gain your talent/experience, and get my digit problem fixed, before I drive at night again

 

[Bob Denman]

I still hit the turnsignals every once in a while instead of the horn... and in broad daylight! :gaah:

 

[Bazeel]

Thank you for your advice, I'll try and gain your talent/experience, and get my digit problem fixed, before I drive at night again

I apologize if you felt my comment was coming off as 'snarky' or aggressive, I was simply trying to be curt and to the point about the issue. It isn't wise to be peering about one's car at night in search of vital, commonly used controls- the transition to motorcycle or open vehicle would be the same. I didn't go out at night myself, until I felt I had a firm grasp of the control scheme, and could navigate on feel/instinct. To each their own, but it gives you one less thing to have to actively think about.

The digit remark was aimed more towards those with carpal tunnel, nerve damage, or partial paralysis issues. I wasn't attempting to insinuate anything by the remark, just acknowledging that there are people out there with limiting conditions.

 

[Doug]

Well, in my experience, it takes far less time to 'glance' at a speed/RPM digital readout than it does to actively 'search' down and left, locate the intended button/function, and then re-acquire the roadway ahead. I think running 'blind' drills by feel on your roadster would assist a lot in the 'search' and 'acquisition' portions of doing it by reflex!

Thanks again, but it might be something to do with my excellent peripheral vision that allows me to see them (controls) durning the day without looking down, that makes me thing I should be allowed to have this benefit at night. Not sure how you can determine the time difference from glancing from one to the other, when you consider there is alot more to take in and compute when you look down at the speed/rpm and nanny. When activating any of the buttons and controls durning the day time the peripheral vision allows you to see them without having to look straight down and over, and this would be the same at night. The digital readout takes more then a glance to take in whats happening with the spyder temp gage, fuel gage, radio, GPS, etc ( how many times have you played with the mode button and looked at the sceen while driving)

 

[Doug]

I apologize if you felt my comment was coming off as 'snarky' or aggressive, I was simply trying to be curt and to the point about the issue. It isn't wise to be peering about one's car at night in search of vital, commonly used controls- the transition to motorcycle or open vehicle would be the same. I didn't go out at night myself, until I felt I had a firm grasp of the control scheme, and could navigate on feel/instinct. To each their own, but it gives you one less thing to have to actively think about.

The digit remark was aimed more towards those with carpal tunnel, nerve damage, or partial paralysis issues. I wasn't attempting to insinuate anything by the remark, just acknowledging that there are people out there with limiting conditions.

no problem, everything is good

 

[Bob Denman]

:thumbup: I dig that...
Thanks! :2thumbs:

 

[wyliec]

c ( how many times have you played with the mode button and looked at the sceen while driving)

I tried it one time only and that was enough for me. After that, anytime I want to hit the M or S button, I'm stopped.