Could you do me a favour please?

BeenThroughItAll

Retrogamer wrote: »

I could be wrong, but think that poster meant dipped.

Dipped = main beams
Hi beams = full beams

I think they meant what they wrote.


Dipped = dipped beam
Main beam = main beam.


I agree with the post above yours, however, in most circumstances I find dipped beam adequate at 60MPH on unlit roads.

Richard53

Spicy_McHaggis wrote: »

I find dipped beam more than enough for 60mph.

That wasn't quite my point. Some people seem to like to drive along a major road in the pitch dark with their dipped beams on at no more than 40. That's up to them, but it does prevent the car behind from seeing further ahead and planning a safe overtake. (Yes, you can get round it by moving over and using your own main beams, but you shouldn't need to if everyone used their main beams when it was appropriate.)


On your original point, my car has good lights and I can probably make reasonable progress at 60 mph with dipped beams. But main beams give me probably an extra 100m of advance warning of anything on the road (cyclist, animal, debris) and I can't see any reason not to use them if I am not dazzling someone else.


To be clear, I am talking about rural A roads without any lighting, not urban roads or lit motorways etc.

Richard53

Retrogamer wrote: »

I could be wrong, but think that poster meant dipped.

Dipped = main beams
Hi beams = full beams

Dipped beam = dipped beam
Main beam = main beam


I thought that was reasonably clear.

Johnmcl7

alastairq wrote: »

I've got to the stage where I no longer care whether I'm seen, in my vehicle, or not. [kiss my rusty bullbars?]

As long as I show the correct lights, at the correct times, [with due regard to the visibility, as stated in the HC]...., I no longer care if my presence gives others issues.

Like many on here, I used to try to educate the unknowing, now I just don't bother!

After all, with all this quaffle about lights, it really is about time those who complain, actually went around their vehicles [regularly, like, once or twice a day?] to see if all their legally required lights are working?

So, if one wishes to moan about others, first check all your brake lights are working?

Check daily (easy to do as I reverse towards a reflective surface before driving onto the road), not really relevant to the topic but thanks for asking anyway.

What people forget is, the road is a public highway....not their own personal bit of motorway...so someone driving a 1948 AEC London Transport double deck bus, will only be required, by Law, to have one brake light one dipped headlight, and candles for the rest!..

Live with it!

If you don't see it, and hit it, you will find yourself having to answer awkward questions.......and trying the excuse ''this is 2015, not 1915, '' won't wash in Court.

Trouble is, folk get used to only looking for lights....then complain when they hit a skip in the fog!

Drivers have become lazy, with their observation.

It's nothing to do with lazy with observations, that's just complete and utter nosnense - if you can't understand that a vehicle is easier to see when it's lit up more than bare minimum then there's nothing I can do to convince you. The gist of your post seems to be you see nothing wrong with having the bare minimum and if someone crashes into you it's there fault for poor observation skills. While I admit your faith in other drivers, I don't share it so I prefer to give drivers a better chance of seeing my bike/car because while they're at fault if they drive into me it's still a lot of potential hassle I don't want to deal with. I don't buy the dipped beams blinding people unless there's a lot of badly misaligned headlights in the area, even out of the car without dimmers or tints I don't have a problem looking straight at cars with their dipped beams on and being able to see the rest of the car.

Oh and skips are usually required to have some form of lighting, reflectors or markers if they're on the public road so not a good example either.

John

Joe_Horner

One part of this whole discussion that always puzzles me slightly are those people who complain about (correctly adjusted) dipped beams being dazzling / damaging night vision / reducing visibility.

While they undoubtedly do affect night vision (any light will do that), if you have problems with them in lit city conditions how on earth do you ever manage at night in rural areas where the contrast between empty road and car with dipped headlamps approaching is so much greater?

I can only assume you pull to the side of the road, stop, and wait for your night vision to recover every time you meet someone if they really affect you that much!

alastairq

It's nothing to do with lazy with observations, that's just complete and utter nonsense - if you can't understand that a vehicle is easier to see when it's lit up more than bare minimum then there's nothing I can do to convince you.

ON the contrary!

You fail to understand the thought processes modern drivers undergo when behind the wheel.

Drivers only look for vehicle lights.

They don't deliberately look for unlit objects.....[or, correctly-lit objects]

It is a trend developed more in recent [driving] times.

It is the difference between ''attracting attention [to one's vehicle]......and simply expecting others to observe effectively.

Motorcyclists [and bikers too, although I view them a a different breed] found that out long ago.

Drivers stopped 'looking'.....and started expecting others to draw attention to themselves.

Hence, drivers become lazy with their observations.

We are going to end up having to have headlights on all the time, regardless....simply because of that observational laziness.

I see it now, when motorists have to contend with fog. Their concept of range-of-visibility becomes distorted because, one will 'see' a powerful headlight long before one see's an unlit tree.

Oh, I do, very much, understand about how lights improve one's 'visibility ' to others.
If I didn't, I would have been sacked from my present job 18 years ago!

What I said was, I no longer care whether I'm seen or not...providing I comply with the Law in respect of visibility.

When I drive down the road, and observe an unlit, or dimly lit, or even, correctly lit, vehicle or obstruction, I no longer get on my high horse about people not making themselves visible, or not having their lights on, or whatever.

I just think about the fact that I have seen it ...


If I were to be surprised..then I will view it as being my shortcoming, and not that of the unlit object.

But then, I tend to view my driving from the concept of, if I struggle to cope with what another road user does.....[whether they were right or wrong is irrelevant....]...then that is my shortcoming...and I address that shortcoming.

almillar

neilmcl - I take your poit about things near your car being easier to see. I don't think you're one of the people I'm talking about that's not sufficiently lit.

Retrogamer - you were talking about LED DRLs - that's why I asked you about your rear lights - lots of DRLs will be on at the front, with nothing on at the rear - you should get out of your car and have a look if you don't already know.

Then on top of that we have the fuel saving crew, who think lights cost petrol.
They do. Unless you drive a diesel

Genuinely the worst reason possible to not have lights on. Anyone who has lights off to save fuel shouldn't be on the road. That's up there with not stopping for red lights to save momemntum. 'It's not worth it'.

alistairq

So, if one wishes to moan about others, first check all your brake lights are working?

Hmm I think I'm in that group you're talking about. Fortunately my car had the MOT 2 days ago and all is well. But I do check, I promise.

Trouble is, folk get used to only looking for lights....then complain when they hit a skip in the fog!
Drivers have become lazy, with their observation.

The skip should be lit shouldn't it? Anyway, you make a good point. We have a responsibility to see and be seen, both ways.

Spicy McHaggis:

I find dipped beam more than enough for 60mph.

OH NO! I don't know what your headlights are, but if they anything like any car I've ever owned, you should be looking further ahead!

Joe Horner

people who complain about (correctly adjusted) dipped beams being dazzling

Yup I was talking about this earlier I think. I'm a big fan of the Sun, it does a lot for us, but it does dazzle me a bit when I look straight at it...

alistairq - just thinking about your point that drivers are becoming lazy at observing and only look for lights - what should we do about that - should we all drive around with no lights on? Will you take a hit from one of these lazy drivers to make a point?
There are bad drivers on the road, we have to deal with that. I'd prefer to help people out on here, rather than lecture people after they've crashed into me...

Spicy_McHaggis

Richard53 wrote: »

That wasn't quite my point. Some people seem to like to drive along a major road in the pitch dark with their dipped beams on at no more than 40. That's up to them, but it does prevent the car behind from seeing further ahead and planning a safe overtake. (Yes, you can get round it by moving over and using your own main beams, but you shouldn't need to if everyone used their main beams when it was appropriate.)


On your original point, my car has good lights and I can probably make reasonable progress at 60 mph with dipped beams. But main beams give me probably an extra 100m of advance warning of anything on the road (cyclist, animal, debris) and I can't see any reason not to use them if I am not dazzling someone else.


To be clear, I am talking about rural A roads without any lighting, not urban roads or lit motorways etc.

I still don't see your issue and rarely use the main beam even on the roads you describe as I don't feel the need for them at 60mph.

windup

driving in the dark or fog would aid observational awareness, but only an idiot would do that. Same applies to sidelights.

carter91

Richard53 wrote: »

This thread brings together my three pet hates:



And don't get me started on the 'I know I have only one headlight working, but I'll get it done in time for the MoT in April' crew.


Grrrrrr.

That's one of my pet hates, too.

Particularly, driving on rural roads. It's always surprises me how many car / van drivers are happy to impersonate motorbikes.

If conditions allow, I will flash them to alert the driver (however I suspect a warning light already has). I hope their annoyance of being flashed will eventually outweigh their laziness / stupidity.