driving in the dark..

[iPap]

No, I'm not a biker or nevr have been. Hope to be one soon!

I just use the side lights during the day as it's good practice.

I think y0z does it too, from what I remember.

Anyone who has driven with me, will tell you I'm a reasonable driver and have reasonable judgement when it comes to driving and safety!

 

[Munson]

Personally i don't bother with dipped.. (1st notch) LOLLLLLLLL.... i go straight to main.. as i think dipped is pointless..

You drive around everywhere with your main beam on? You're joking right?

 

[James Bushell]

I think we're getting a little confused.. i mean the outer headlights. as opposed to full (my terminology) beam.. i.e. both headlight..

 

[Karlos182]

I thought the idea of front fogs was that they shine _down_ onto the road, unlike dipped headlights / main beam which shine forward into the fog, and just reflect back, meaning you get blinded by your own lights. So maybe, when it is foggy you should have side lights and front fogs on, but not dipped / main beam. ??

Foglights actually have a short, wide beam, so that they're not reflected back at you by the fog; as opposed to driving lamps (main beam), that have a long, narrow beam to enable you to see far ahead.

 

[Munson]

There's dipped beam and main beam...cant get much simpler?

 

[-Leigh-]

Side lights for parking, dipped beam for driving at night or reduced visibility, full beam for driving at night when out of streetlights and no oncoming traffic. Fog lamps for thick fog only. So simple but some people have trouble understanding.

I do drive with dipped headlights on in the daytime when on m/ways and d/c/ways though, as I find you get less people pull across infront of you.

 

[James Bushell]

Side lights for parking, dipped beam for driving at night or reduced visibility, full beam for driving at night when out of streetlights and no oncoming traffic. Fog lamps for thick fog only. So simple but some people have trouble understanding.

I do drive with dipped headlights on in the daytime when on m/ways and d/c/ways though, as I find you get less people pull across infront of you.

Ah.. now that's cleared up then.. i use dipped beam.. rather than sidelights as some people do (which i find pointless..) and OBVIOUSLY not main beam all the time..

 

[White16valver]

sidelights aren't pointless though! You're basically blinding people in streetlit areas! Can you walk around without headlights attached to your ears? Yes, because you can see. So why do you need to blind everyone with dipped beam when sidelights shows your position and allows others to actually see past you as they're not being dazzled??

[/rant]

lol

Sorry, just gets on my wick!!

 

[swren]

Every year when the clocks change, i always say "wow it' soooo dark and its only 5pm"

Just said it a mo ago.

Grrrr - constant dazzle from other drivers.

Si

 

[White16valver]

Every year when the clocks change, i always say "wow it' soooo dark and its only 5pm"

Just said it a mo ago.

Grrrr - constant dazzle from other drivers.

Si

Exactly. Sidelights are the answer lol

 

[Middo]

Side lights for parking, dipped beam for driving at night or reduced visibility, full beam for driving at night when out of streetlights and no oncoming traffic. Fog lamps for thick fog only. So simple but some people have trouble understanding.

I do drive with dipped headlights on in the daytime when on m/ways and d/c/ways though, as I find you get less people pull across infront of you.

exactly, if its so dark you cant see, why use sidelights? and as for using sidelights in the day whats the point? dipped beam is designed not to dazzle people, if it does you have them set up wrong

 

[Karlos182]

exactly, if its so dark you cant see, why use sidelights? and as for using sidelights in the day whats the point? dipped beam is designed not to dazzle people, if it does you have them set up wrong

Well said

 

[polarbert]

I had a nice little chat with a policeman after getting pulled for just my sidelights on in a 40 zone LoL

He confirmed that you can use just sidelights in a 30 zone at night, but higher limits require you to use dipped beam.

His argument though was if there's drunk people staggering about, they'd know you were a car with dipped beam on in a 30 rather than puzzling over fainter sidelights. I prefer sidelights though - I can see thanks to the streetlights and can be seen with just the sidelights on, so why blind everyone with dipped beam? Is it easier to see around and past a light if it's a 5watt bulb shining in your eyes in the dark or a 55watt bulb? I wonder...
As my dad points out, year ago most people used to use just sidelights in town. It's only since the morons have started driving that they feel that they have to be lit up like a bloody christmas tree to see or be seen.

i really dont understand your thinking but each to their own i suppose, as has been said before, dipped beam dont blind people

 

[PS autoshine]

lol @ this thread, i just use my auto lights what's the problem?

 

[M1TCH]

dipped nearly all the time in the day. Being a biker you have to always ride with lights, so why not in a car?? it's a lot safer and you can see cars much easier especially on country roads. there was somewhere in europe where they inforced lights on in the daytime as an experiment, road accidents dropped by about 30~40% iirc.

 

[Chili Red]

As my dad points out, year ago most people used to use just sidelights in town. It's only since the morons have started driving that they feel that they have to be lit up like a bloody christmas tree to see or be seen.

People are morons for using their headlights properly? :S It's important to be seen - by other drivers as much as pedestrians.

The only morons are the ones who drive along main roads at twilight with just sidelights on, and people who have their fog lights on when it's not foggy!

 

[kate_clio]

£30 fine if the 5-0 catch you with your fog lights on without reason!

i wish sum1 would tell the ppl of north wales that, everywhere i go ppl have their fog lights on coz it ''looks cool''. they just look stoopid if u ask me

 

[White16valver]

People are morons for using their headlights properly? :S It's important to be seen - by other drivers as much as pedestrians.

The only morons are the ones who drive along main roads at twilight with just sidelights on, and people who have their fog lights on when it's not foggy!

that's me then lol

My point is this - you can't see cars with just sidelights on very well due to all the glare and dazzle from the dipped beam cars - your eyes can't see the dimmer sidelights because they're having to cope with the brightness from the dipped lights of others.

If everyone just used sidelights then there would be no dazzle and you'd see all the other cars.

It's just the same situation as xenons etc - you get them so you can see more past the oncoming headlights of others (which you wouldn't have to if they just had sidelights on lol) and then the oncoming traffic can't see past you so has to upgrade to brighter bulbs to do so (which I'm having to do, though valver headlights are a bit pants generally anyway... lol) and that means you then can't see past them so have to upgrade to super HID headlights, and then they can't see again so they upgrade... and so on and so on etc etc etc ad infinitum...

It's going to get to the point where no-one drives at night because the 'top dogs' of lighting have upgraded to lights that are as bright as the sun to see past the rest, meaning half the people have had their retinas burnt to a crisp! LoL :clown:

 

[Ibanezman]

that's me then lol

My point is this - you can't see cars with just sidelights on very well due to all the glare and dazzle from the dipped beam cars - your eyes can't see the dimmer sidelights because they're having to cope with the brightness from the dipped lights of others.

If everyone just used sidelights then there would be no dazzle and you'd see all the other cars.

It's just the same situation as xenons etc - you get them so you can see more past the oncoming headlights of others (which you wouldn't have to if they just had sidelights on lol) and then the oncoming traffic can't see past you so has to upgrade to brighter bulbs to do so (which I'm having to do, though valver headlights are a bit pants generally anyway... lol) and that means you then can't see past them so have to upgrade to super HID headlights, and then they can't see again so they upgrade... and so on and so on etc etc etc ad infinitum...

It's going to get to the point where no-one drives at night because the 'top dogs' of lighting have upgraded to lights that are as bright as the sun to see past the rest, meaning half the people have had their retinas burnt to a crisp! LoL :clown:

That made me chuckle, nice one mate

 

[jklondon]

ohh dear what have I started - thanks for the reponses though - of course I could turn the lights on! just had the darn front fog light on and was getting flashed.. need to get a manual asap!

 

[TomS]

Those anti-glare mirrors are one of the best inventions imo!

Makes m'way driving alot easier

 

[Justin182]

Those anti-glare mirrors are one of the best inventions imo!

Makes m'way driving alot easier

Dam Straight!!! Used it for the first time on sunday as i drove most the length of Britain and it was such a relief to get the heavily loaded car's lights out my face that was behind me.

They should have a button to dim the wing mirrors at night though.

 

[TomS]

I agree Justin... I don't have it on my clio but I drove our Audi A4 last week and the wing mirrors were also anti-glare! It's excellent

 

[_Kenny_]

4 pages on how to put the lights on, PMSL!!!

 

[Justin182]

I agree Justin... I don't have it on my clio but I drove our Audi A4 last week and the wing mirrors were also anti-glare! It's excellent

Yeah... a lot of the German manufacturers have them. Audi, VW and some Bemmers. Also got a Golf Gt Tdi in the family and they have a blue tint to them in the wingmirrors which i think are brilliant and also look pretty smart.

 

[rcp]

my lights come on for me, because I have a 'full fat' 182!