Day Time Running Lights

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ThrottleThrow

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are these required by law in ontario? do you need to have a front facing headlight that is allways turned on even during the day?

reason i am asking is previous owner decided he was a amatuer electrician and totaly butchered the HID job, horrible wiring (wired on ignition circut instead of charging circut...), bad position, non-motorcycle kit and its causing serious electrical problems to my bike,i want to just rip them out untill i get my stock headlight assembly from ebay.
 
I found it difficult to find information on this one. I always thought that since the 90's daytime running lights were the law. This page from the Driver's Handbook is telling, though:

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/section2.1.9.shtml

Studies show that using daytime running lights makes it easier for other drivers to see you.
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Remember to switch to regular headlights one-half hour before sunset.

Driving with your vehicle's full lighting system turned on at all times is recommended.
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This ensures that the rear lights are on, making you more visible to other drivers.
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There's no mention of this being the law, or REQUIRED.

That being said, I think that what you are thinking of is illegal. Nobody would safety a bike without a headlight. It's dangerous. If you get caught in rain or fog, or out later than you intended, then you're breaking the law (as well as not visible and not able to see - if you wear gear, you should plan on having all of your lights functioning). If you were to find yourself dropping your bike, I imagine that insurance wouldn't cover you.

I would never ride a bike without all of my lights. Headlight on, even in broadest daylight.
 
ThrottleThrow said:
are these required by law in ontario? do you need to have a front facing headlight that is allways turned on even during the day?

reason i am asking is previous owner decided he was a amatuer electrician and totaly butchered the HID job, horrible wiring (wired on ignition circut instead of charging circut...), bad position, non-motorcycle kit and its causing serious electrical problems to my bike,i want to just rip them out untill i get my stock headlight assembly from ebay.
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If it's a motorcycle, the headlight must be on at all times when on the road. It's not optional.
 
All motorcycles manufactured after January 1st 1970 must have a headlight on at all times. before that date, 1/2 hour before sunset to 1/2 hour after sunrise.
 
Tripletrouble said:
All motorcycles manufactured after January 1st 1970 must have a headlight on at all times. before that date, 1/2 hour before sunset to 1/2 hour after sunrise.
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This is the correct information.

Around 1975, Canadian Federal law required all street motorcycles to be wired so that the lights came on when the ignition was on. the province of Ontario tried to make it retroactive to all motorcycles of any model year. The CVMG fought the first of its many battles on adverse-to-proposed-motorcycling-legislation in 1976 on this issue and the HTA was amended to exempt all motorcycles made before Jan. 1, 1970 to operate in daylight hours when visibility is not obscured by fog, rain or snow and it is 1/2 hour or more after sunrise or a 1/2 hour or less before sunset. The issue actually caused a debate in the Legislature and because it was a minority government it turned into an all-party wrangle.

AFJ
 
Tripletrouble said:
All motorcycles manufactured after January 1st 1970 must have a headlight on at all times. before that date, 1/2 hour before sunset to 1/2 hour after sunrise.
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Highway Traffic Act said:
Schedule 6.6.(2) The headlamp, tail lamp and licence plate lamp on a motorcycle manufactured on or after the 1st day of January, 1975 shall be continuously illuminated when the engine is operating and each forward gear is engaged.
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A headlight is mandatory for riding on the road. Daytime running lights are for cars. Driving or fog lights are optional.
 
I think it is amusing that some of us on old bikes are required to know when the sun is going to set in Ontario, so we can turn on our headlights 30 minutes before sunset. Of course, the province is so large from east to west that the sun sets in Cornwall about 90 minutes before it sets in Kenora ... even longer in December.

"Yes, I see that the sun is shining on your motorcycle, but your
headlight was off and the sun will set in 22 minutes, so here is your ticket."

(Ontario is about 20 degrees wide, one eighteenth of the circumference of the planet.)
 
Aside from the legal requirements, as a driver (and rider), I can see you better if you have your lights on, even on the brightest day of the year at noon, and even more so when the sun is low enough to blind east bound traffic going to work, and west bound traffic going home. This is why it's important to flick your car lights on even if you have day time lights, just make it a habit.

A friend of mine has a '74 standard bike, and the light switch has off, on, high beam. When he was cruising in the day his light was off and even though I could clearly see him, he blended into the background a bit more as there was nothing outstanding in his profile (in the rear view).

That's my take on it, anyway.
 
Hmm didn't know it was mandatory. I took my bike for a spin in the middle of working on it once without any fairings, gauges, headlights, or signals. Was paranoid I'd get smoked by a car but didn't really think I was breaking any laws unless I sped since I had no idea how fast I was going.
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