One Headlight

Lum

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

You find a safe place to stop as soon as possible, and don't drive any more until it is safe to do so. You wouldn't drive with a blindfold on would you?

So you still need to drive, and so it's valid to talk about the safest way of doing so.

Problem is by the time you can actually see a safe spot, chances are you're now out of the fog, at which point you have to decide whether to risk carrying on and maybe find more bad fog, or stop and hope it clears up.

And yes many modern cars require dipped before fogs. Many modern cars also have crap useless foglights that do nothing to improve visibility, and also crap useless sidelights with no diffusers making them much much harder to see, hence people moaning about sidelights-only in the first place!

Jamie_Carter

Lum wrote: »

So you still need to drive, and so it's valid to talk about the safest way of doing so.

Problem is by the time you can actually see a safe spot, chances are you're now out of the fog, at which point you have to decide whether to risk carrying on and maybe find more bad fog, or stop and hope it clears up.

And yes many modern cars require dipped before fogs. Many modern cars also have crap useless foglights that do nothing to improve visibility, and also crap useless sidelights with no diffusers making them much much harder to see, hence people moaning about sidelights-only in the first place!

I have been told by a couple of people who lived in California for a while, that occasionally there are massive downpours. They are so heavy that it is impossible to see where you are going at all. So all you do is stop where you are until the rain subsides. This isn't an issue because everyone does the same.


Isn't it a shame that people can't do the same in this country, rather than trying to continue in extremely dangerous conditions.

almillar

Sidelights have no purpose at all in a moving vehicle, IMO. This was covered in a thread about daylight running lights. As for driving in fog with just sidelights, that's just mental.
Dipped beam. Front fogs if you have them (these light up a few feet in front of you only.
Rear fogs on, unless someone is behind you (don't dazzle them).

Iceweasel

There was an interesting discussion which featured on Ken Bruce's Radio 2 show this morning.

The difficulty of changing headlight bulbs (especially on certain French models) which need front bumper or grille removal to get access to the bulbs, was put forward as a possible reason for the increasing number of cars driving around with only one headlight.

If I had one of those cars I might even consider going to Helfrauds to let the spotty yoofs have the job of barking their knuckles rather than mine. :rotfl:

Lum

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

I have been told by a couple of people who lived in California for a while, that occasionally there are massive downpours. They are so heavy that it is impossible to see where you are going at all. So all you do is stop where you are until the rain subsides. This isn't an issue because everyone does the same.


Isn't it a shame that people can't do the same in this country, rather than trying to continue in extremely dangerous conditions.

Not really a fair comparison.

Here, the transition into those sort of weather conditions is rather more gradual, and so the point at which you stop is a lot harder to determine. That kind of sudden downpour is more of an on/off sort of thing with no ambiguity about when to stop.

Lum

almillar wrote: »

Sidelights have no purpose at all in a moving vehicle, IMO. This was covered in a thread about daylight running lights. As for driving in fog with just sidelights, that's just mental.
Dipped beam. Front fogs if you have them (these light up a few feet in front of you only.
Rear fogs on, unless someone is behind you (don't dazzle them).

Depends a lot on the design of sidelights. Just because a lot of recent cars have crap sidelights doesn't invalidate their use for the rest of us.

Personally I'd rather address the issue of crap sidelights but I fear that horse has long since bolted.

Netwizard

Iceweasel wrote: »

If I had one of those cars I might even consider going to Helfrauds to let the spotty yoofs have the job of barking their knuckles rather than mine. :rotfl:

Fairly sure they have a list of excluded vehicles! If its a bumper off job, I certainly wouldn't want some spotty youth trying to change it!

almillar

Just because a lot of recent cars have crap sidelights doesn't invalidate their use for the rest of us.

I can't think of a single car, old or new, with decent sidelights. Lights are for seeing, and being seen, and for both of those, why would you ever not just use dipped beam?

Jamie_Carter

Lum wrote: »

Not really a fair comparison.

Here, the transition into those sort of weather conditions is rather more gradual, and so the point at which you stop is a lot harder to determine. That kind of sudden downpour is more of an on/off sort of thing with no ambiguity about when to stop.

It is actually a very good comparison.


If you can't see then don't drive.


As for driving with your head out of the window to look down at the white lines, that is extremely dangerous. If that is the only way you can see the white lines, then you can't possibly see what is in front of you. So pull over and stop.

SilverSaloon

you always see lots of one headlamp cars around November time, as people turn on their lights for the 1st time in almost a year and the bulb pops. Generally takes a few days before people get round to sorting out the issue too probably.

its worth noting that you severely effect the chances of a bulb blowing by cranking/starting your car with the headlamps on. Best to ensure bulbs are off before trying to start the car.