Dawn Camouflage (Use your headlight in the mornings)
Discussion
I normally cycle or motorbike to work, but this morning I drove.
Although it was a clear morning at 07:45, I decided to use headlights as the light level seemed just a bit low.
On the journey to work I noticed that a lot of cars were travelling without lights and that grey, dusty blue and silver cars blended in very well with the background, like urban digicam. There are a lot of cars of those colours.
It was noticeable that cars with bold coloured paint (including white) were far more visible, but that using headlights made cars instantly more visible whatever the car colour.
A number of cars were driving with side-lights(parking lights) on. Yes, this will illuminate the tail lights, but the front has as about as much illumination as two one-year-olds' birthday cakes.
I'm not in favour of constant daylight running lights, but when the light level is low or it is raining, use your headlights, not side-lights.
ps. If you are cycling, wear something bright because that makes an enormous difference too.
Although it was a clear morning at 07:45, I decided to use headlights as the light level seemed just a bit low.
On the journey to work I noticed that a lot of cars were travelling without lights and that grey, dusty blue and silver cars blended in very well with the background, like urban digicam. There are a lot of cars of those colours.
It was noticeable that cars with bold coloured paint (including white) were far more visible, but that using headlights made cars instantly more visible whatever the car colour.
A number of cars were driving with side-lights(parking lights) on. Yes, this will illuminate the tail lights, but the front has as about as much illumination as two one-year-olds' birthday cakes.
I'm not in favour of constant daylight running lights, but when the light level is low or it is raining, use your headlights, not side-lights.
ps. If you are cycling, wear something bright because that makes an enormous difference too.
MC Bodge said:
doogz said:
I was only using my sidelights this morning.
But that's because i discovered one of my headlight bulbs is out. And it wasn't dark
Surely you could have stopped and replaced the bulb with the spare that you keep in your glovebox?But that's because i discovered one of my headlight bulbs is out. And it wasn't dark
Keeping with the theme of retarded usage of lights... Driving home last night on the M6 M42 and twisty A and B roads the amount of people using side lights and front fog lights was staggering. it was pitch black dark out side, how can they see where they are going with just front fog lights?
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Hig...
One has to ask, MC Bodge... have you had your eyesight checked recently?
One has to ask, MC Bodge... have you had your eyesight checked recently?
Edited by RemainAllHoof on Tuesday 4th October 10:48
doogz said:
MC Bodge said:
doogz said:
I was only using my sidelights this morning.
But that's because i discovered one of my headlight bulbs is out. And it wasn't dark
Surely you could have stopped and replaced the bulb with the spare that you keep in your glovebox?But that's because i discovered one of my headlight bulbs is out. And it wasn't dark
Also, i don't keep spares in the glovebox.
They're in the boot
I commute a good 90 mins before the OP, and there were cars still driving without lights despite several other drivers flashing them. Bizarre behaviour, especially on semi rural roads when tree cover removes any semblance of daylight.
Love or hate DRL - this is why they are there and why they are a good idea.
Love or hate DRL - this is why they are there and why they are a good idea.
hora said:
Ramses said:
Love or hate DRL - this is why they are there and why they are a good idea.
Sadly I agree but then if someones headlights failed completely they'd drive around in the pitchdark without checking them either as they'd think 'they are always on'The DRLs on my car are bright enough to even illuminate the road ahead far better than sidelights.
hora said:
Ramses said:
Love or hate DRL - this is why they are there and why they are a good idea.
Sadly I agree but then if someones headlights failed completely they'd drive around in the pitchdark without checking them either as they'd think 'they are always on'D1ngd0ng said:
Entirely depends on the car. A friend had to have the bulbs replaced on his merc this weekend which involved taking most of the front off the car (thought it was a shocking oversight that they made it so hard to change bulbs on a car)
Indeed, this is the what needs to be done to change the bulb on a Discovery
Meoricin said:
I use sidelights unless it's actually starting to get dark - as cool as popups are, I prefer the car without them up. My sidelights are pretty bright though.
Does it really matter how your car looks when you are driving along in low light conditions?Let me guess, front fogs do give the correct 'look'?
I fully expect to get flamed for this, but hey ho...
When the sun is low in the sky and seems very 'bright' is probably the best time to not be using lights/DRLs. It's precisely the conditions in which the Allies discovered that 'light camouflage' worked when attacking U boats with aeroplanes.
I'd argue that in low light, you're better off with a 'positioning light' such as a sidelight - something which gives enough information about your vehicle's dimensions without helping to hide you against the bright background. And even if you're driving into the sun, the background can be bright, especially if its wet.
Also arguably having lights off, or as dim as possible until they're needed for vision, aids all of us in driving safety. I've seen some interesting research (can't find a link now though, but will look), the findings of which are basically that the human brain can't cope with 'points of light' nearly as well as it can cope with shapes. And that whilst it can use experience to estimate that a shape is coming towards you at 80mph, that it struggles massively to do the same with bright lights.
When the sun is low in the sky and seems very 'bright' is probably the best time to not be using lights/DRLs. It's precisely the conditions in which the Allies discovered that 'light camouflage' worked when attacking U boats with aeroplanes.
I'd argue that in low light, you're better off with a 'positioning light' such as a sidelight - something which gives enough information about your vehicle's dimensions without helping to hide you against the bright background. And even if you're driving into the sun, the background can be bright, especially if its wet.
Also arguably having lights off, or as dim as possible until they're needed for vision, aids all of us in driving safety. I've seen some interesting research (can't find a link now though, but will look), the findings of which are basically that the human brain can't cope with 'points of light' nearly as well as it can cope with shapes. And that whilst it can use experience to estimate that a shape is coming towards you at 80mph, that it struggles massively to do the same with bright lights.
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