Bad weather and no lighting

[FunkMasterJay]

Hello all.

Not sure about you guys, but I really hate the misuse of lights. My gripes are as follows.

1. Rain / snow + silver (or similar colour car) and no lights, so not visible, and I cannot judge their speed.
2. Fog lights when it's not foggy, and sometimes NO CLUE that the fog lights are on.
3. No lights in the dark, and as usual totally oblivious.

Your thoughts.

 

[kwakdonut]

This has been discussed many times.

These people are not on this planet as far as I'm concerned and should be avoided at all costs!

Today was a perfect example. -4c, foggy, although not excessively and I saw cars (most of whom, like me, were using dipped headlights) with either no lights or every single bulb lit even driving through town!

 

[renault12ts]

Agreed.

My pet hate is those who use sidelights, rather than dipped headlights. Now they really are the dim one!!

 

[kwakdonut]

Agreed.

My pet hate is those who use sidelights, rather than dipped headlights. Now they really are the dim one!!

And as far as I remember, they are actually called 'parking' lights! Although most of us use the term you posted

 

[renault12ts]

And as far as I remember, they are actually called 'parking' lights! Although most of us use the term you posted

Whatever. My belief is there is no, absolutely no, time when they are eevr appropriate on a moving vehicle by themselves.

 

[Ted]

unless you are 'keruising' in your black (and therefore BAD) nova

 

[FunkMasterJay]

I had an idea about a year or so and have not done something about it.

Basically, a retrofit gadget that could be wired into the car's loom to detect the useage of wipers and / or a light sensor to automatically put the dipped beam on, and only be cancelled by the driver by a push button switch (eg after driving through a tunnel / temporary darkness / false alarm etc).

I wanted to aim this at the cars that do not get auto lights as standard (including my W202), but mainly dizzy teenagers or people who just get in the car hugging the steering wheel while totally oblivious to the rest of the world.


What do you guys think?

J

 

[kwakdonut]

Great idea.


Would never happen

 

[kwakdonut]

Whatever. My belief is there is no, absolutely no, time when they are eevr appropriate on a moving vehicle by themselves.

Not having a go, just stating the obvious. These lights should only EVER be used as corner markers when parked etc. Not when driving.

 

[renault12ts]

Not having a go, just stating the obvious. These lights should only EVER be used as corner markers when parked etc. Not when driving.

Don't worry, I didn't think you were.

 

[FunkMasterJay]

@kWAKDONUT..I meant designing the system and having it manufactured. Shame I don't have the money for that kinda thing.

 

[kwakdonut]

@kWAKDONUT..I meant designing the system and having it manufactured. Shame I don't have the money for that kinda thing.

I can see where you're coming from which is why I said it was a great idea.

Instead of ridiculous rubbish like DRL's, why didn't the EU raise a directive to remove the use of parking lights when moving (switching to dip beam automatically) and also, since lots of cars now have rain sensing wipers, put the dip beams on in a combined condition of low light/rain?

Am sure the system you suggest wouldn't be that difficult but just how many people would have it (retro)fitted to their cars?

In some ways, even basic cars are quite 'automatic' on certain systems - I know this all to well going from a very high spec C270 to a Peugeot 406 then back to another high spec E320!! Most MB's do a lot of things automatically; lights, wipers, heating etc.

It's a human condition called 'lazyness' - with regards to lights, the attitude with the idiots is 'I can see so I don't need my lights on'. Whereas, because of the prevailing conditions, it's not so much to see, but be seen.

Wouldn't do you any harm to write your ideas down and and maybe seek further assistance? From where, I have no idea but possibly, although it may seem daft, try people like Peter Jones/Theo Paphitis etc from Dragons Den? Am not sure if there is huge amounts of money to be made but they may well be able to point you in the right direction!

 

[Scott_F]

Then there are the drivers who seem to think that using glaring front foglights but no headlights gives the impression that their car must be a very fast one indeed.

 

[219]

Whatever. My belief is there is no, absolutely no, time when they are eevr appropriate on a moving vehicle by themselves.

Other than after the hours of normal , good visibility , darkness on a LIT road where 'sidelights' would be perfectly adequate to let other drivers be aware of your presence without masking the presence of pedestrians or cyclists behind by dazzling oncoming drivers with increasingly bright headlamps .

Since , in built up areas with good street lighting , you don't actually need headlamps to see where you're going , and they add nothing even if you do use them , the added benefit of safety to other 'non motorised' road users , makes the case for them overwhelming .

Add in the fact that the energy saving on a global scale would be considerable and it becomes a wonder they haven't been made compulsory long ago - although manufacturers did try with innovations such as 'dim dip' quite a while back .

 

[Brian WH]

As these Idiots who have no/unsuitable lights are also oblivious to you flashing them I am thinking of a suitable sign that could be displayed to bring to their attention what is wanted.

Like

PUT YOUR BL**DY LIGHTS ON DIMWIT.

 

[renault12ts]

Other than after the hours of normal , good visibility , darkness on a LIT road where 'sidelights' would be perfectly adequate to let other drivers be aware of your presence without masking the presence of pedestrians or cyclists behind by dazzling oncoming drivers with increasingly bright headlamps .

Since , in built up areas with good street lighting , you don't actually need headlamps to see where you're going , and they add nothing even if you do use them , the added benefit of safety to other 'non motorised' road users , makes the case for them overwhelming .

Add in the fact that the energy saving on a global scale would be considerable and it becomes a wonder they haven't been made compulsory long ago - although manufacturers did try with innovations such as 'dim dip' quite a while back .

No problem Derek. We will agree to disagree?

 

[Bellow]

Driving with sidelights is apparently illegal...
I do it in murky daylight for that extra bit of visibility without attracting the 'why has he got headlights on in daytime?' questions, or just plain confusing people to the point of distracting them from their driving! There are times where just a little bit more visibility seems appropriate, though this may be the biker in me.

If it's raining or foggy, no hesitation from me. Straight to dipped beams. But yet others use sidelights. There is only one solution. An absolute blitz by the police. No mercy, charged to the max, the word would soon get around as to what's required.

Police - do your job.

 

[219]

During adverse daytime visibility , absolutely - dipped headlamps AND/OR foglamps if the conditions for their use are satisfied ( visibility reduced to less than 100m by fog or falling snow ) . Generally , if you decide that visibility is bad enough to warrant lights , you MUST use one or the other of the above .

During the hours of darkness , it is perfectly legal on lit roads with speed limit no more than 30 mph to drive on sidelights ; if the speed limit is any higher then dipped headlamps are required - again , unless the conditions as above for using foglamps instead of or in addition to headlamps are satisfied .

 

[Brian WH]

The other day I was parked in the kerb with my engine running talking on the phone. An old guy walking towards me was gesticulating and pointing to my front lights.
When he drew level I opened the window and he said - "Your fog lights are on" My reply was - "They are supposed to be mate". They were my daytime driving lights.

 

[Bellow]

One use of light that never seems to be discussed - dipped beam with a very low bright sun behind you. It's the only chance oncoming traffic have of seeing you.