Dipped Headlights

[Kavi Ugl]

Hello group, this is my first post after registering today and I was spurred on to join after reading Queenie79's post about the lack of drivers using their headlights during these wintry conditions.

 

I'm by no means a "holier than thou" but goodness me I have been shocked by the lack of good driving sense during winter, namely people driving in the half-dark and half-light conditions without so much as even a side light on(dey're war as want tho).

 

It reminded me of Councillor Laura Baisley's call for drivers to use their dipped headlights at all times during the dark winter months and infact after what I've witnessed this winter I sent Cllr Baisley an email with the suggestion that perhaps it was time for a by-law in Shetland which made the use of dipped headlights at all times mandatory, perhaps for the months of November, December, January and February. I also pointed out that if the process was started now then perhaps a by-law could be in place by next winter.

 

She very kindly replied stating that unfortunately her fellow councillors wouldn't take up in it(there's a surprise) but that perhaps another opportunity would arise in the future as "time changes things".

 

If you would like to support her in this then her email address is Laura.Baisley2@shetland.gov.uk

 

[Carlos]

There seems to have been mixed results in the countries which have made daytime dipped lights mandatory, with some places having a drop in car to car damage accidents more than matched by an increase in motorcycle, cycle and pedestrian injury accidents.....

[Queenie79]

There seems to have been mixed results in the countries which have made daytime dipped lights mandatory, with some places having a drop in car to car damage accidents more than matched by an increase in motorcycle, cycle and pedestrian injury accidents.....

 

Do you have any thoughts why there would be an increase in motorcycle/cycle/pedestrian accidents?

 

I would agree, writing to your local councilor would be a way to start. Today in quite a heavy snow people were driving past with no lights on.

[Carlos]

The suggestion was that less well lit things became harder for the driver to spot when mixed in with a stream of well lit cars.

 

I'd personally prefer that people used lights when they were required and were thinking about the situation, rather than move to where there might be a perception of "the lights are on, there is nothing to worry about".

[MuckleJoannie]

The suggestion was that less well lit things became harder for the driver to spot when mixed in with a stream of well lit cars.

 

 

Occasionally I've spotted a line of cars with headlights on only to realise moments later that a car with no lights on is at the head of the convoy.

[Guest Anonymous]

dipping for the other traffic wouldnt hurt some o them too, ignorant ***$***

[Guest don't know]

Its only a few weeks back that someone wrote to our readers views in the Shetland times asking why drivers in Shetland felt they needed to drive around with dipped headlights on! I personally thought that was such a daft thing to write to the Shetland times about and nearly wrote back saying that its surley common sense and safety first to go with lights on and hopefully be seen a lot easier than drive with none on and risk not being seen.

 

Even in the day light it helps others stand out far in the distance so that if your on a single track road or whatever, you can start to think about slowing down and stopping for them a lot sooner.

[trout]

Good 'ol Focus with lights on auto decides for itself when it should stick on the lights. Perfect.

 

Have to say this is a totally common sense thing as you say "don't know". I too read that letter and took a deep breath. Depending on conditions it is curtious to stick your lights on to enable yourself to be seen as a safety precaution for others drivers.

 

*Thinks about stretch from Black Gaet through Gulberwick to head of Quarrf. Hard to see on hazy or dull days if it's safe to overtake or not cause you can't judge the oncoming cars speed as well!*

 

Have to say driving in Sweden all the cars have the auto lights set as default. Made a lot of sense when you're driving around with the amount of trees and windy roads. There's not a lot of light that can get down to the roads even at mid-day - dipped headlights were needed, absolutely it was to give you those extra seconds of understanding that something was either around the corner or coming towards you!

[JustMe]

It would help if things like the light on the speedo did not come on when the car is started regardless of the lights being on or off.

[Sudden Stop]

I drive motorbikes (only in nice weather ) and wouldn't agree with any proposal for a by law requiring lights to be displayed all the time. The lights on my bike were hard wired to be on by the manufacturer and even if they weren't I'd have them on as it helps highlight my presence amougst cars. If they all had their lights on then I'd be 'just another light'.

 

That said, cars should display their lights when appropriate, for example - in dull overcast weather or whenever the visibility is reduced for any reason. If a driver has not paid due attention to the road condition (visibility included) or taken the care to safely operate his vehicle, the police should be stopping and re-educating. Repeat offenders or people whom are clearly operating their vehicle in grossly inappropriate weather without lights should be fined/prosecuted.

 

It's a horses for courses thing really. Some days you need lights, some days you don't. I want to take advantage of the good weather days by using my bike headlights to highlight to other road users where I am.

[shetlandpeat]

Drivers are responsible for clearing all obstructions from lights too, and ensuring they work correctly day and night. I remember the MOT ads about the one eyed monster and how we should be aware of him. With a image of a fierce looking car with only one headlight working.

 

Even horses and pedestrians should have lights to be safe...

[Sudden Stop]

I got a bit of a fright on night when coming out of a junction. I'd looked both ways and spotted a car coming towards me. It appeared to be quite far away and I was in doubt that there was more than enough time to cross the near lane and turn right onto the opposite lane.

 

As I pulled out of the junction and was safely driving away I realised the vehicle coming towards me was not - far away driving at a normal speed, it was actually very close driving slowly. This, you may think was poor judgement on my behalf. However, the vehicle was not using normal headlights out on the sides/wings but instead was only using a pair of dull spot lights mounted close together in the middle of the bumper.

 

The combination of the poor lights and slow driving speed looked identical to a normally driven, normally lit vehicle two or three times further away.

 

It was a new experience for me. Not one I'll forget and probably an interesting evening for the driver of the other car. But these type of incidents are why regulations are laid down as to how you should light your vehicle.

[Kavi Ugl]

Nice to see and read your replies

 

I would still support a by-law for mandatory headlights from Nov-Feb because the message(even just good driving sense) just doesn't seem to be getting through to so many.

 

On one occassion this winter I was coming over and down from the Windy Grind heading north in the middle of the day and there was a stream of cars coming up the hill at the lower crossroads area. Some of the cars had their dipped headlights on and what it showed was just how invisible the cars without theirs on were. It was literally almost as if they weren't there, they just blended into the dull and grey conditions/landscape.

 

On another occassion one of my work colleages was almost mowed down one wet and windy morning(8am) by a van on Commercial Rd. The rain on his glasses was affecting his vision(as you can imagine) and as he stepped onto the road to cross over to the other side he just at the last second saw the yellow bonnet of a van and hauled himself back.

 

The van didn't even have a side light on and in his own words "it just wasn't there".

 

I don't mean to be morbid or a nanny state but it would seem that someone is going to have to knocked down and killed before we take action:(.

 

And my fear is that it will be a bairn going to or coming home from school...

[filskadacat]

Over the last twenty years we have had a succession of 4 Volvo estates plus a smaller saloon which is now 14; 34 years of Volvos with their permanently dipped headlights. This last fortnight the big car suffered a misfortune and I have been driving a tiny courtesy car which required one to switch the lights on; needless to say, in the town where your lights are to be seen, especially in the half-light, rather than to see, I kept forgetting and not being aware of the fact and then being flashed and waved at.

 

I suppose one would get used to having to switch lights on – but it would be really easy not to notice, especially if you can afford to change cars regularly and maybe switch models, or perhaps if you drive vehicles from a pool at work. If we copied the Swedish example as mentioned above, all cars would be permanently dipped like their famous export!

[trooter]

To increase road safety, the European Commission has decided to introduce dedicated Daytime Running Light (DRL) on all new types of motor vehicles from the year 2011 onwards. Dedicated Daytime Running Lights are special lamps which are automatically switched on when the engine is started. They substantially increase the visibility of motor vehicles to other road users, and have a low energy consumption compared to existing dipped-beam head lamps. In countries which have already made DRL obligatory the experience in the field of road safety is very positive.

 

I made a post about this elsewhere about a year ago, I am all for this, as there is an amazing number of idiots here who don't use there headlights in the half light, poor visibility etc. But there were some really lame excuses as to not wanting it, such as wearing out the alternator!