For Pity's Sake Put Your Headlights On

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It's people at junctions trying to pull out into or across the traffic or pedestrians/cyclists etc etc etc
Not having lights on makes it harder to see you in half-light/rain - they bought in a law in some Scandinavian countries in the 70's to require lights on at all times and the accident rate fell dramatically.
It just makes you more visible....

Yet still some protest and still some blurt out 'civil liberty' or 'nanny state' type nonsense. I'm deighted that my daughter puts on dipped beam every time as part of her starting procedure.

 

[Smiffy]

Up until fairly recently I rode a motorbike. I put my headlight on every time I went out. Not because I was told to, but because I value my skin.
I pulled up at a set of traffic lights once, car in front had both brake lights out so I couldn't tell whether they were braking or not. I jumped out and just said to the woman driver, "neither of your brake lights are working love" to which she replied "and what's it got to do with you?".
I walked away thinking "I hope you have to do an emergency stop on the M25 with a 40 tonne articulated lorry following you, you daft bat"...

 

[Snelly]

You put seatbelt on don't you? You keep to 30mph in built up areas - yes? You do as you are told all the time when driving. So we should just have our headlights on all the time. No-one is telling you when to put them on - you just accept that it is sensible to just put them on all the time. Easy. Costs nothing and if it helps other drivers see you - for instance as they pull out in front of you at a junction - then job done.

Good point, well made. I am wrong. You're right.

 

[Snelly]

Yet still some protest and still some blurt out 'civil liberty' or 'nanny state' type nonsense. .

Poor point, badly articulated. You are not always right.

 

[Rooter]

my lights are always on. i drive a volvo though so have no choice.

 

[ger147]

Daytime running lights using LED's are deffo the way to go. They are brighter than dipped headlights and consume only 5-10% of the power that dipped headlights do.

And as they are required on all new cars going forward they will soon be the norm.

 

[CliveW]

Daytime running lights using LED's are deffo the way to go. They are brighter than dipped headlights and consume only 5-10% of the power that dipped headlights do.

....And they dazzle oncoming drivers!

 

[Smiffy]

....And they dazzle oncoming drivers!

Do they?
The ones I've seen don't. And they are designed to go off when your main lights come on so can't be used at night.

 

[ger147]

....And they dazzle oncoming drivers!

They don't.

 

[mikee247]

I don't care that it was 1pm on a Sunday afternoon - but it was very dull and cloudy and it was raining - so numpty drivers PUT YOUR DIPPED HEADLIGHTS ON. You may think you can see OK to drive and 'it's not that bad' - but I want to be able to see YOU. So put your dipped headlights on - it's not difficult - it doesn't cost you anything (please let's not nit-pick over that!) and it makes everyone on the road quite a bit safer.

The sooner compulsory or automatic driving lights become law the better - save us from the idiots on the road.


Rant over

I can guarantee that it is the same numpties that sit in the middle lane of the motorway not doing anything but causing tail backs... drives me around the bend.... ironically they were all out the other Monday when I was heading for West Hill!!! Foggy, dark morning... nah lets save electricity!!!

 

[JustOne]

I can see cars that don't have headlights on - shame some others find driving so difficult

 

[CliveW]

Do they?
The ones I've seen don't. And they are designed to go off when your main lights come on so can't be used at night.

They don't.

I particularly find Audis extrmely bright especially when the ambient light is low. I also think rear led brake lights are dazzling if you are stuck behind a car with them on in traffic. So much so, that when they move off, I still see their "image" in my eyes, rather like the effect you get after looking into a camera flash.

Whilst I agree with the principle, and was a great believer when the Scandanavian cars introduced day running lights in the mid 1970s, I do feel they are too bright.

 

[mikee247]

Yet still some protest and still some blurt out 'civil liberty' or 'nanny state' type nonsense. I'm deighted that my daughter puts on dipped beam every time as part of her starting procedure.

My wife does the same but she forgets to turn them off again when she gets out of the car... 3rd battery this year and all this light stuff hasnt stopped dents appearing in the bodywork!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Poor point, badly articulated. You are not always right.

Thanks for the advice - I'll bear it in mind

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I can see cars that don't have headlights on - shame some others find driving so difficult

can you see them better if they have light on?