Dipped headlights
Discussion
Is it just me, or does no one (the majority anyhow) bother with full beam anymore when driving on less busy roads out of town?
The problem is that when people approach from around the corner never having had their lights on full beam, you are not aware of their approach until they appear around the corner. This does not matter too much, but it`s always better to have as much warning as possible. It just stikes me as either lazy, or incompetant, and hardly helps them see objects in the road etc, which is one of the main reasons for having headlights?
I am rapidly approaching my 50th, (although you`d never guess it if you met me, fortunately) so am I just becoming a grumpy old git!?
The problem is that when people approach from around the corner never having had their lights on full beam, you are not aware of their approach until they appear around the corner. This does not matter too much, but it`s always better to have as much warning as possible. It just stikes me as either lazy, or incompetant, and hardly helps them see objects in the road etc, which is one of the main reasons for having headlights?
I am rapidly approaching my 50th, (although you`d never guess it if you met me, fortunately) so am I just becoming a grumpy old git!?
I find that I rarely need full beam as my dipped are more than bright enough for most unlit roads. However, when approaching a blind bend I often give the full beams a quick burst just to alert anyone comign round the corner.
Not sure if this is the right thing to do tbh, but I grew up watching my folks do the same
Not sure if this is the right thing to do tbh, but I grew up watching my folks do the same
This really pisses me off. People drive along on dipped beams and can't see the road ahead. I get annoyed because I can't see the road ahead of them and there might be something we're about to hit. Just because your dipped beams are bright doesn't mean they throw light far enough up the road.
Yes - I suppose I could put this in the 'Things that annoy you' thread as well as here. Why won't people use their main beam on unlit roads? They potter along at 32mph looking no more than 15 feet in front of their car. Overtaking becomes impossible because there is no view of the road ahead (unless you know where the straight bits are) and oncoming traffic has no idea of their presence around corners. And they are typically also touching the brakes every couple of seconds.
USE YOUR BLEEDIN' LIGHTS, FFS!
USE YOUR BLEEDIN' LIGHTS, FFS!
I can hardly see anything with dipped beams as they are so poor. I reckon even full beams wouldn't startle people, especially compared the f
king stupid range rover lights.
I only turn onto dipped if there is street lighting, so I don't need to worry about changing when ever I see a car.
king stupid range rover lights.I only turn onto dipped if there is street lighting, so I don't need to worry about changing when ever I see a car.
Yes I was thinking about that last night when trying to guess whether or not there was a car approaching....surely it just needs some sort of focused light sensor. At least the incompetant gits will be able to see what they are about to hit whilst chatting on their mobile phones (thinking that they will not be caught in the dark)!
frosted said:
Can anyone tell me about the Mercedes auto dip features ? Maybe in a few years it will be standard spec like auto wipers can be found on a clio
I have this on my bmw 7ser. The dip beams are on "auto" meaning they come on when it's dark. Then once it's dark enough for the dips to kick it, if I want to use main beams, I push the light stick forward to engage "high beam assist". This uses a sensor to look up the road and detect headlights or tail lights. If there are none detected it flicks main beam on, then when some are detected it flicks back to dipped.My lights are (I think they are called) bi-xenon, which I think means they have a flap that opens for main beam, but sheilds the upper portion for dipped. So the change is instant and doesn't damage/wear the bulbs. They are also f-in bright! One small criticism is that they can only detect and turn off when the oncoming car comes into view, i.e. i know there's a car coming as I'll see the cast of his lights on the trees from around the corner, but the auto system only dips a fraction of a seccond after he's come into direct view and the sensor sees his lights directly. It can also be confused by streetlights and flick off, but you don't really need mains if there's streetlights on a section anyway.
davepoth said:
This really pisses me off. People drive along on dipped beams and can't see the road ahead. I get annoyed because I can't see the road ahead of them and there might be something we're about to hit. Just because your dipped beams are bright doesn't mean they throw light far enough up the road.
???If you drop back you shouldn't be close enough to them to hit anything they hit. That's what leaving at least a two second time gap is about, giving yourself enough time to stop.
I'd rather be the car at the back when it's dark, when you lead the pack (and use main beams) other drivers seem to play a game of who'll dip last on brows or corners, as a courtesy gesture I always seem to be the one who can be bothered to dip first, sod that, let the guy in front of me do that, or not, it makes no difference as people seem to dazzle you with reckless abandon either way.
As far as I am concerned I'll drive according to what I can see and don't get wound up if the guy in front is only lighting up x amount of road, it's hardly like he's driving with only his sidelights on.
Edited by RV8 on Friday 9th December 12:50
RV8 said:
davepoth said:
This really pisses me off. People drive along on dipped beams and can't see the road ahead. I get annoyed because I can't see the road ahead of them and there might be something we're about to hit. Just because your dipped beams are bright doesn't mean they throw light far enough up the road.
???If you drop back you shouldn't be close enough to them to hit anything they hit. That's what leaving at least a two second time gap is about, giving yourself enough time to stop.
Edited by RV8 on Friday 9th December 12:50
kwit in front only has half a second (the lit part of the road) and there's a horsebox in front of them that they subsequently drive into without braking because they didn't see it, I won't be able to stop in time. The two second gap is thinking distance, not stopping distance.davepoth said:
I'd be leaving more than a two second gap anyway. But if the fkwit in front only has half a second (the lit part of the road) and there's a horsebox in front of them that they subsequently drive into without braking because they didn't see it, I won't be able to stop in time. The two second gap is thinking distance, not stopping distance.
leave more then. you should be able to avoid hitting them if they stop dead, unless you're sure they won't stop dead.kwit in front only has half a second (the lit part of the road) and there's a horsebox in front of them that they subsequently drive into without braking because they didn't see it, I won't be able to stop in time. The two second gap is thinking distance, not stopping distance.mrmr96 said:
davepoth said:
I'd be leaving more than a two second gap anyway. But if the fkwit in front only has half a second (the lit part of the road) and there's a horsebox in front of them that they subsequently drive into without braking because they didn't see it, I won't be able to stop in time. The two second gap is thinking distance, not stopping distance.
leave more then. you should be able to avoid hitting them if they stop dead, unless you're sure they won't stop dead.kwit in front only has half a second (the lit part of the road) and there's a horsebox in front of them that they subsequently drive into without braking because they didn't see it, I won't be able to stop in time. The two second gap is thinking distance, not stopping distance.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff