No headlight! Or: tailgating for fun and profit

[DarkMeister]

Good old gremlins live in my IS. Left the city for a 40 minute ride home, late dusk, when I realized that I had no headlight. No low-beam, no high-beam.
Was on a busy 2-lane highway. My biggest fear, aside from getting a ticket  , was having someone pull out in front of me because they couldn't see me. Considered taking back-country roads, but that would have been worse in the dark.
So I tailgated some poor shmuck most of the way home. He served as my headlight...

Once I pulled onto my own country road, I pulled over. Shut her down by extending the side-stand.
Moved the key back and forth a few times. Pulled up the sidestand, fired her up, and bingo. All lights on.

Not sure if that's linked to past experiences with the starter switch, when the gremlin lived on the other side of the handlebars? Weird.

[DarkMeister]

Damn - I should read all the posts first. gcook1 a few posts below.

Now, on to the 'starter switch repair' posts.

[John Schmidt]

And now you know the second reason why I have driving lights in addition to the headlight. And, they're wired totally separate from the headlight circuit for the very reason you experienced. Now, if either goes out, the other ones will still get me home.

[PhredValk]

And have a friend give you a Guardian Bell. They keep the evil road spirits away and scare the gremlins.
Fred.

[Jess from VA]

So I tailgated some poor shmuck most of the way home. He served as my headlight.

That is the best way to get home at night with no head lights (and no ability to repair immediately).... I've done it, not tailgating but closer than I usually ride, and on the inside of the lane.  I'm pretty sure the guy ahead of me knew what I was doing, and helped out by maintaining a nice constant speed.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

My I/S has done this twice in the four years and 70k that I've had it. Both times I reached down and wiggled the key and everything went back to working. That said I too have driving lights on a different curcuit to use if stock lights were to fail.

[DarkMeister]

Should've known about the starter-switch. Had a few occasions in the past when it wouldn't do anything. One time, lined up at the border, hot day, surrounded by vehicles, old lady wife on the back seat. Idling for an hour, so I shut it off. Second time I did this, went to start and roll up another six feet - and nada. Freaked me out.