Driving in the dark

[El Cid]

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

 

 

I have changed that for you; during night-time.

[Cyclone]

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.

 

It says

 

"You MUST

ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise"

 

There is a requirement to have your lights on, sidelights at least, not no lights. You don't have to have your headlights on.

[geared]

I cannot put the car in neutral or park (with its scary flash of reverse lights as you push past it)

 

You can't physically put it in neutral or you don't want the reverse lights to illuminate for a split second?

 

That's usually the clue actually. The dials on the dash are not usually illuminated with just your DRLs on.

 

They are on our car, the dash is illuminated all the time.

[Longcol]

It says

 

"You MUST

ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise"

 

There is a requirement to have your lights on, sidelights at least, not no lights. You don't have to have your headlights on.

 

Although section 115 does say;

 

"You should also use dipped headlights, or dim-dip if fitted, at night in built-up areas and in dull daytime weather, to ensure that you can be seen"

 

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

[Cyclone]

The should means that it's only advise though, the previous must means that it's the law.

[Isabelle]

I wish people would turn their lights down when parking on the wrong side of the road.

Do they not realise how much it dazzles people?

[*_ash_*]

I wish people would turn their lights down when parking on the wrong side of the road.

Do they not realise how much it dazzles people?

 

Yes, this annoys me.

 

I don't think people are taught how lights work.

[medusa]

You can't physically put it in neutral or you don't want the reverse lights to illuminate for a split second?

 

I am not physically able to put my car into park or neutral and apply the parking brake at every junction. I have very well documented arm disabilities, which is why I drive an automatic car. I can clearly do that at the end of journeys, but at the end of journeys the actions are not time critical as they are during a journey. During a journey there may also be other things that my left hand needs to be doing, like holding the steering wheel or applying indicators, for instance.

 

 

 

They are on our car, the dash is illuminated all the time.

 

That's why I used the word 'usually'. Most cars do not, in my experience, have full dash illumination without headlamps on. Vauxhalls, Skodas, Renaults and Volkswagens, from having these in the past, have the central part of the dash illuminated, but the speedo and rev counter dials are left dark unless the lights are on. I'm sure that there are brands that vary from this, but in my car if the speedo is dark that's a big clue.

 

(This only happens when the car has been serviced or cleaned and someone has turned off the auto light feature. In order to turn on the lights manually I would need to pull in to the side of the road so I choose the auto feature to reduce the need for that).

[pintor]

Talking of lights, sometimes when following a lorry on the motorway I notice their brake light coming on and off from time to time even on a clear road, is this to do with the automatic speed control?, i.e. does the brake light come on when the speed control kicks in?

[rudds1]

Talking of lights, sometimes when following a lorry on the motorway I notice their brake light coming on and off from time to time even on a clear road, is this to do with the automatic speed control?, i.e. does the brake light come on when the speed control kicks in?

 

No it's to keep their speed at or below 56 mph as anything faster than that taco flashes over speed and you can get an infringement off dvla if pulled and too many infringements you could end up in front of traffic commissioner in Leeds and he has the power to fine or even suspended your hgv licence