Driving in the dark

[El Cid]

An observation after just returning from Morrison's along Langsett and Infirmary Road - not the busiest of routes this time of day - 3 cars with only one headlight working and one car driving without lights.

 

Since not seeing a vehicle in time, is the number one cause of accidents; why are the police not more pro-active in this area.

[medusa]

Sorry folks, but I drive an automatic due to arm disabilities, and it has auto stop/start on it too. I don't know what you would like me to do at junctions other than to keep my foot on the brake- would you prefer that I took my foot off it and ran into the back of the vehicle in front?

 

I cannot put the car in neutral or park (with its scary flash of reverse lights as you push past it) and put the parking brake on at every junction because that's why I drive an automatic!!

 

I'm with people on the dazzling lights or lack of lights, and I think that daytime running lights don't help at all with that, because drivers are much less aware that they have no lights on the back of their cars even if they have them on the front.

 

I'd like to add this bit:

 

If you're in a queue to come out of the top of Hillsborough Barracks in the dark, and there's a car directly behind you frantically flashing their headlights in your rear view mirror, that generally means that there's something you should be paying attention to on your car, like no lights, for instance.

 

I've experienced everything from abusive hand signals to someone getting out of their car to threaten me for dazzling them and 'scaring their child' when I've done that, but the number of cars leaving a well lit car park without putting their lights on is really quite huge and I can't exactly get out of my car and come to the driver's window to tell them, if the queue of traffic is moving, can I? (bearing in mind my disabilities too).

 

Either turn your lights on when it's dark or buy a car with an auto feature for lights!

[slh73]

folks in front of you at traffic lights who keep their foot on the brake pedal bug me. Please use the piggin handbrake and don't dazzle.

 

My motorbike hasn't got a handbrake.

[El Cid]

I'm with people on the dazzling lights or lack of lights, and I think that daytime running lights don't help at all with that, because drivers are much less aware that they have no lights on the back of their cars even if they have them on the front.

 

 

I have seen that too, didn't reallise that was the reason.

[*_ash_*]

I have seen that too, didn't reallise that was the reason.

 

This is very common now, I find.

 

Although I've not driven a car with this feature, I would guess that as well as these front light things, the dash lights must come on too.

 

I regularly have to turn on/off my lights at night with work, and the main thing that makes me realise my lights aren't on (other than someone flashing me), is the dashboard being dark. If no one flashes me first, I never get more than about 10-20 seconds without noticing the dashboard not lit.

[medusa]

This is very common now, I find.

 

Although I've not driven a car with this feature, I would guess that as well as these front light things, the dash lights must come on too.

 

I regularly have to turn on/off my lights at night with work, and the main thing that makes me realise my lights aren't on (other than someone flashing me), is the dashboard being dark. If no one flashes me first, I never get more than about 10-20 seconds without noticing the dashboard not lit.

 

That's usually the clue actually. The dials on the dash are not usually illuminated with just your DRLs on. People just really need to be aware that DRL sidelights are not headlamps.

 

Another factor in this is the well lit car park and the new white street lighting that means that you can see around you quite well without needing your lights on at all. In the days of old amber sodium lighting it was really clear when you didn't have your lights on.

 

I've got auto lights on my car, but those who have DRLs and no auto feature really do need to pay attention to this one, because the police will simply treat you as driving with no lights, even with the DRLs on.

[barleycorn]

An observation after just returning from Morrison's along Langsett and Infirmary Road - not the busiest of routes this time of day - 3 cars with only one headlight working and one car driving without lights.

 

Strictly speaking, in a 30 mph zone (with street lighting) there is no legal requirement to have your lights on.

 

http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/lighting-requirements.html

 

...same goes to the several other posters who didn't know this. If you can't see a car on a well lit street at night without its headlights on, stop driving.

Edited January 6, 2018 by barleycorn

[Naive]

Strictly speaking, in a 30 mph zone (with street lighting) there is no legal requirement to have your lights on.

 

Not putting them on is a great way to attract the attention of the police though.

[barleycorn]

Perhaps so, but if your vehicle is up to par them nothing to worry about.

[Marx]

An observation after just returning from Morrison's along Langsett and Infirmary Road - not the busiest of routes this time of day - 3 cars with only one headlight working and one car driving without lights.

 

I estimate that one in fifteen cars have defective lights. I drive a school bus and have to walk around my vehicle and check the lights, tyres and bodywork. It takes a couple of minutes. How many people check their cars once a month?

 

There are too many cars on the road and too few police to pull the ones with faulty lights. I see so many cars on my travels with only one brake light working add tell the drivers if I can. These cars must show-up on the many cameras across the country. Perhaps if there was a fining system in place, more drivers would do the basic checks on their cars.