Dipped headlights at train crossings

[steveobes]

Is it just me who turns off their lights to side lights at leval crossings.
Nothing worst than sitting at the front of the gates with some knob on the opposite
side giving it sraight into my eyes for sometimes 5 to 10 minutes.

[jebus]

I don't think that there are any around here, so its never crossed my mind, however I will always turn them down to sidelights when sat in the car by road, carparks etc for more than a minute or 2.

[FlauM]

Surely this is only happening as people are driving with mis-aligned headlights. Headlights are supposed to aim to the left, not the right.

[RV8]

Yep and if I meet someone on a country lane who has to maneuver, last thing you want is your damn interior floodlit so you can only see your own reflection in the rear window as you're reversing light tries and fails to light the shadow cast by your car. But the worst by faaaaaar are those fking imbeciles who park on the opposite side of the road and leave their dipped beam on while running in to a shop to do something as world crucial as grabbing a news paper, probably a fking daily mail too, it's like staring at the fking sun you cretinous s.

[steveobes]

Happens to me at least 5 times a week as i live near a few crossings,even when i give them a flash
to try and get their attention,they just sit there oblivious to anyone.

[steveobes]

FlauM said:

Surely this is only happening as people are driving with mis-aligned headlights. Headlights are supposed to aim to the left, not the right.

Level crossings are always built up higher than the road so if you are at the front your car
is at a angle, with your lights pointing straight at cars on the other side.

[daemon]

steveobes said:

Is it just me who turns off their lights to side lights at leval crossings.
Nothing worst than sitting at the front of the gates with some knob on the opposite
side giving it sraight into my eyes for sometimes 5 to 10 minutes.

+1

Or people stopped at the side of the road - it seems the norm just to keep your full lights on.

[kambites]

Given that most people don't even bother to come off the foot brake when there is a car stopped behind them in traffic to avoid blinding the driver behind with the brake lights, I think the odds of anyone thinking of the headlights over the brow of a level crossing are small.

[AWRacing]

steveobes said:

Level crossings are always built up higher than the road so if you are at the front your car
is at a angle, with your lights pointing straight at cars on the other side.

Erm, no they're not. The ones near me are at the same level as the surrounding area.

[steveobes]

AWRacing said:

Erm, no they're not. The ones near me are at the same level as the surrounding area.

Well, the ones near me do seem to be higher than the road in general.

[FlauM]

steveobes said:

Level crossings are always built up higher than the road so if you are at the front your car
is at a angle, with your lights pointing straight at cars on the other side.

Hmm, I can see where you're coming from but as already posted, not all are raised.

[DKS]

I often drive in streetlit 30 limits on sidelights to avoid unneccessary dazzle. Or when parked etc. I really think I'm the only one who gives a st.
There's a friggin bus that sits in a layby at the Winchester end of the Morestead Road in the morning for some reason. With his fukun headlights on.

Also, dodgily parked vehicles at night. All lights off but hazards on. Gah!

[steveobes]

DKS said:

I often drive in streetlit 30 limits on sidelights to avoid unneccessary dazzle. Or when parked etc. I really think I'm the only one who gives a st.
There's a friggin bus that sits in a layby at the Winchester end of the Morestead Road in the morning for some reason. With his fukun headlights on.

Also, dodgily parked vehicles at night. All lights off but hazards on. Gah!

When i started driving, if you parked the wrong way round at night you got a ticket.
I suppose this is legal now to do this ?

[kambites]

steveobes said:

When i started driving, if you parked the wrong way round at night you got a ticket.
I suppose this is legal now to do this ?

You are not allowed to park facing on-coming traffic at night outside a designated parking space. If parking facing away from on-coming traffic outside a designated parking space you must display side-lights unless the road has a 30mph speed limit or less.

Edited for accuracy - it's the speed limit that matters not the presence of lights.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 17th January 19:33

[steveobes]

kambites said:

You are not allowed to park facing on-coming traffic at night outside a designated parking space. Parking facing away from on-coming traffic outside a designated parking space you must display side-lights unless the road is street-lit.

Well if thats the case i think the police have missed a trick here, countless cars parked wrong way round
near me. they could make a killing.

[kambites]

steveobes said:

Well if thats the case i think the police have missed a trick here, countless cars parked wrong way round
near me. they could make a killing.

'round here, they could make a killing just by ticketing everyone who parks within 10 meters of a junction.

[Riley Blue]

steveobes said:

Is it just me who turns off their lights to side lights at leval crossings.
Nothing worst than sitting at the front of the gates with some knob on the opposite
side giving it sraight into my eyes for sometimes 5 to 10 minutes.

Or you could turn your head.

[Ari]

DKS said:

I often drive in streetlit 30 limits on sidelights to avoid unneccessary dazzle.

Not at night surely..?

[LuS1fer]

Just needs more training...

[DKS]

Ari said:

Not at night surely..?

Yes. Most town centres I drive in are so brightly lit, plus sitting in nose-to-tail traffic there's not a lot of point lighting the back of the car in front.