I counted about 5 cars with one headlight and about 4 more with fog lights on (no fog) 
Muppets are out there and breeding..
Muppets are out there and breeding..
5 mile drive to work this morning..
dog68
Active Member
I agree, i have a neighbour who has two cars, both of them without a brake light.
flango
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
I couldn't agree more, muppets with no lights, side lights only, fog lights blaring away, badly aligned headlights, it's high time this was enforced and prosecuted.
Also last night on my way to the GTG a bl*ody Ford Galaxy with no rear lights, I go to overtake to find out it's been towed by a Peugeot 207 now theres a real set of muppets
Also last night on my way to the GTG a bl*ody Ford Galaxy with no rear lights, I go to overtake to find out it's been towed by a Peugeot 207 now theres a real set of muppets
l would love to say l am the worlds best driver and never, ever break the law whilst using the public highway....however, l'm not, but l do try my best to abide by the laws. On my 7 mile commute to work through Edinburgh city centre, the amount of drivers who delibrately break the law is amazing. This includes driving in the bus lanes while undertaking the cars in the outside lane, the drivers who go through an amber light just as it turns red, using mobile phones, no seat belts, improper use of lights ....l could go on. It normally takes 25-30 mins and the most l've counted in my journey was 14 (that l saw anyway). If the police were to drive about in an unmarked battered old Focus during rush hour, they could clean up. It annoys me that l stick to the law, but these guys get away with it day in day out.
Broken bulbs are one thing, it's people who fail to turn on their dipped lights early enough in the twilight hours that need educating too. I suspect they feel side lights are sufficient, since dipped headlights might not help them see further, but dipped lights would clearly help them to be seen by others.
Dieselman
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Conversely, I find people turn on their headlamps way too early.
In town all you need is sidelights anyway.
renault12ts
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Completely disagree, some side lights are worse than useless becaue the driver assumes he can be seen, when in reality he can't.
More expense!
Over the past eighteen months or so, there has been a two to one chance the bulb failure lamp has appeared advising me my nearside tail light is out. I'd just got into the habit of leaping out and giving the cluster a quick clout - and lo - there be light!
Recently, I wearied of this performance and swapped the bulb over to the offside. Wouldn't you Adam and Eve it, I had to give the other cluster a swift blow. Gah!
Nothing for it but to repair to Halfords and invest £2.97 in a 10w bulb. My problem has gone but another one has appeared.
I know - as an absolute certainty - that after 15 years and 116k miles, this is the very first bulb to be replaced.
And remember, the original still actually works...
Should I be worried about any possible future trend here?
Over the past eighteen months or so, there has been a two to one chance the bulb failure lamp has appeared advising me my nearside tail light is out. I'd just got into the habit of leaping out and giving the cluster a quick clout - and lo - there be light!
Recently, I wearied of this performance and swapped the bulb over to the offside. Wouldn't you Adam and Eve it, I had to give the other cluster a swift blow. Gah!
Nothing for it but to repair to Halfords and invest £2.97 in a 10w bulb. My problem has gone but another one has appeared.
I know - as an absolute certainty - that after 15 years and 116k miles, this is the very first bulb to be replaced.
And remember, the original still actually works...
Should I be worried about any possible future trend here?
If EVERYONE drove on sidelights in town , it would be better since less danger of glare from headlamps masking pedestrians , cyclists etc . Not to mention global energy savings which would be significant .
However , with the battle of ever increasing candlepower going on , those who choose to drive in town on sidelights , which is perfectly legal , risk not being seen .
renault12ts
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...and that's the point...
Dr-Nab
MB Enthusiast
More annoying for me than people having foglights on when it's not foggy is having xenon headlamps on the E-cab (or GL for that matter) set to dipped... *some* (though is is ever increasing) other road users feel the need to frantically flash at me as if I've got high beams on - there's not really a great deal that I can do except blind them with some high beam to stop them from flashing.
I think it's selfish of them to think that because they have crap bulbs/lights that barely light up 2 feet infront of their car they feel the need to flash at me because mine illuminate the road infront of me safely.
I think it's selfish of them to think that because they have crap bulbs/lights that barely light up 2 feet infront of their car they feel the need to flash at me because mine illuminate the road infront of me safely.
renault12ts
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^ They may need a little adjustment, I can't say anybody has ever done this to me.
Dipped Xenons may be bright, but they should never blind oncoming traffic, and it's easy to see if your beam is hitting oncoming windscreens. If yours does, then the setting must be too high as mine were until they were adjusted. Since then, I've never been flashed.
I fail to see how Britons switching from headlights to sidelights in a car can possibly make significant global energy savings, given that Britain is only reckoned to be responsbie for a tiny fraction of world emissions.
What is the point of buying and fitting Xenons and other bright headlights to our cars if we are not going to use them for the purpose for which they were intended?
Dieselman
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Pontoneer is correct on both counts.
It is easier for other road users to be seen if cars drive on sidelights and using headlights uses approx 1mpg of fuel consumption.
It is easier for other road users to be seen if cars drive on sidelights and using headlights uses approx 1mpg of fuel consumption.
st4
Banned
How, surely a brigher headlamp is easier to see.
All this about xenons blinding people, surely they self level so should in theory work. If they don't you should be able to see how the light is scattered anyway
renault12ts
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They self level, but if they set incorrectly then they will self level and dazzle oncoming traffic. They should still be adjusted as any lamp should be.
stevieb15
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Some like me will be old enough to remember the public information film thats strap line was "see and be seen", works for me.
DITTRICH
MB Enthusiast
Lights - the biggest problem in witner as often you cannot see behind the oncoming car.
My pet hates:-
1 badly aligned dipped light(s)
2 People putting on full beam and not dipping when you approach.
3 People with only one light (front or rear)
4 people putting on fog lights when there is no fog
I agree with the practice of keeping dipped lights on at all times as the practice in some continental countries.
I am slightly ambivalent about xenon lights as they have the ability to completely dazzle oncoming drivers.
My pet hates:-
1 badly aligned dipped light(s)
2 People putting on full beam and not dipping when you approach.
3 People with only one light (front or rear)
4 people putting on fog lights when there is no fog
I agree with the practice of keeping dipped lights on at all times as the practice in some continental countries.
I am slightly ambivalent about xenon lights as they have the ability to completely dazzle oncoming drivers.
