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Using bins while driving - as in, the vehicle is in motion (1 Viewer)

pbjosh

missing the neotropics
Switzerland
Most of us have probably done this, and it's not easy with 8x or 10x.

Anyone actually do this much? I'm guessing from a bus on a smooth road 6x would be pretty doable, but from smaller vehicles or on non ideal road services a 4x or 5x would be better...

Obviously if you see something really interesting and you're not on public transport, you stop. But there are a lot of times when you don't bother to stop for all the ducks, waders, raptors, etc that go whizzing by in roadside puddles and on power poles. At times I ponder this, and you could probably do a decent check for anything interesting with modest magnification...
 
On the coach through France and trying to add to my usually woeful France/trip list I've several times mused over how great it would be to have a pair of wide-angle 2-4x bins ...

(btw - if you're the actual driver ... just don't do it at all, whatever the magnification.)
 
Nor me, was a passenger in a car which drove off the road in Cyprus whilst driver was videoing, even at a slow speed.
 
I used a Leupold 6x30 Yosemite while my wife was driving and it worked good. I good read the signs a lot further ahead to help with knowing when we were getting to a turn off. I would never ever use binocular etc. while driving that would be stupid. This was on smooth roads.
 
This probably doesn't have much in common with the original question, but may be interesting..

I done a Marinelife survey on one of the fast cross channel ferries. They do 30-40 knots, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Might have been easier from the deck, but from the bridge you literally had seconds to find, identify, and let the other surveyor know! Miraculously, we did see Harbour Porpoise.

Regular ferries, doing ~20 knots can be quite pleasant, waiting for distant seabirds to slowly drift into range.
i find looking through the ships windows to be the biggest disadvantage, although this buffers you from the wind.
The ferries are huge, and pretty stable.. Duovids at 12x are great in these circumstances!
 
I often used 10x25 binoculars viewing from aircraft.

My friend uses the 6x18 waterproof binocular that I gave him when he flies single engined aircraft.
He finds it most useful and the canopy glass isn't a problem.

Fujinon 14x40 Stabileyes binoculars are used by helicopter observers and from moving yachts.
The 16x50 and 20x50 stabilised Russian binoculars are used from tanks.
I have seen 10x25 roof prism binoculars and 7x42 Avimos used by tank commanders.
 
Hello,

Consider that the U.S. Army, the British Army and Axis armies relied on 6x30 and occasionally 7x50 binoculars, possibly when stationary, for vehicles on land, I would not use any magnification higher than 6x.

I endorse the idea that a driver should not use them, unless the vehicle is stationary.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
 
Arthur:

Well said, it is very hard to use binoculars while on the move. Low powers are better, just try it
for yourself.

In marine use, 7x50 is standard, common sense.

Jerry
 
On driving vacations, I often use a pair of B&L Legacy 7x35 EWAs while wife is at the wheel. In the right conditions, it can be quite enjoyable, ranging from sneak peeks to extended views.
 
I remember once being told by a passenger how he'd been in a car with a birder who lifted his bins, while driving at some speed to watch a Short-eared Owl, the car was written off in a hedge/ditch but fortunately they both got out alive, if not somewhat badly shaken, I think it was a lifer for the driver.
 
Sounds like a 6x might be feasible. Combined with the scarcity of 4-5x models, perhaps I'll give one a try. I could also get some use of it given my penchant hair brained third world pelagics in small fishing craft, where 8x become rapidly unusable if the sea is choppy.

After a couple years somewhat idly following this forum I gather that there are few 4x and 5x models available and that the better 6x are a good step up from the 4-5x models available, or am I perhaps mistaken in this impression?

I gather the highest quality available 6x might be the Maven B3? Followed by the Opticron Traveller and the Vortex Viper, assuming one can still be tracked down?
 
Hmm .... „not at great speed“ on a French road, is that more or less than 100km/h?

My recommendations for binocular use while driving
1. Fairly slow speed, under 10mph
2. Smooth surface
3. Fairly straight road - corners not impossible but can be troublesome
4. Flat terrain with a decent view so as to be sure nothing is coming the other way.
5. Choose a road without ditches - could be embarrassing
6. Generally, only use through front windscreen. Better to stop for side scanning...
 
My recommendations for binocular use while driving
1. Fairly slow speed, under 10mph
2. Smooth surface
3. Fairly straight road - corners not impossible but can be troublesome
4. Flat terrain with a decent view so as to be sure nothing is coming the other way.
5. Choose a road without ditches - could be embarrassing
6. Generally, only use through front windscreen. Better to stop for side scanning...

You have overlooked something there, which could quite easily result in a serious accident for yourself and others. I'm not going to tell you what, just don't do it. Park the car FFS.
And certainly don't recommend it to others.
 
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