Why you need your headlights on at Dusk !

[cptsideways]

Today I got to drive a Horsebox, a very slow one at that. With a nearly two ton horse in the back, mrs-sideways 18hand'er if you need to know. 40mph is terminal velocity on a windy road in the horsebox. It was nearly dusk & most people had their headlights on.

As usual I watched the total lack of ability of the the following drivers to make progress when it was safe to do so. They just sit so close behind I can't see them in my mirrors. So the queue would inevitably build up & I would pull over & let them pass whenever I could. (thanks to Mr MX5 who tooted in appreciation of my goodwill gesture )

As Dusk became dark, on a stretch of road which is a B road but very straight I watched as one car queue hopped until he was behind my slow moving obstruction.

I made out an approaching car it only had sidelights on & dim ones too. It was wet & damp & my horsebox was making visibility behind me poor.

I then watched in horror as sure enough the queue hopper made his move, the classic overtaking mistake, not because they could see it was clear, but because they could'nt see it was'nt clear

I was not sure what to do, how can I stop the overtake nigh on impossible because of the vehicle I was in.

I seriously thought this is it, I'm going to witness & be party to a serious head on, right next to me. It was close, very very close, ass clenchingly close. Half a second later & I think I'd have been at an accident scene. The oncoming car did'nt react in any way, the overtaker had nowhere to go either.

Yes I blame the overtaking driver, but more so I'll blame the oncoming car for not thinking of the consequences of basically driving a camoulflaged car. He was'nt really visible though he could probably see where he was going. Its not what YOU CAN SEE it's what YOU CANT SEE that matters.

[AJLintern]

I've been thinking this last week, now it's that much darker in the afternoons having lost an hour, how dangerous it is when you have a mixture of people using dipped headlights, sidelights or no lights at all! People tend to notice the cars with lights and miss those with dim sidelights or no lights.
Then of course there are the cyclist with poor or non-existant lighting that you can hardly see, often because you're being dazzled by oncoming traffic
Not a safe time of year to be driving.

[Mad Moggie]

True - not a safe time of year at all... but better to be seen and make sure you are seen ... I even carry a little torch when I cross a road - as pedestrian.




If only they would do a re-run of the cartoon advert they had when I were a but a lad in short trousers ....

The one where the car with the exaggerated headlamps made a full beamed over the numpty using only side lights and the one who nearly blinded him with main beams...

It was magic ...Blue car saying... "That jerk -( with really exaggerated rolled eyes) - nearly blinded me

followed by an

"And as for that twit ...back there" (angry head jerk and "does he not realise he cannot be seen



It was memorable - the ranting car .... we do need them back....

After all - if I am - ahem - getting a few "distinguished" grey streaks and can still remember these gems of my boyhood - says it all...

[markmullen]

Heard one old woman the other day say that she leaves her headlights off as long as possible because if she makes it home without using them she feels like it is still summer, the day she has to use headlights on the commute home she realises winter has come and is unhappy.

Not safe to be on the roads IMO.

[towman]

Got to be all your fault Cpt - you were driving a truck!

Incidently, had I been stuck behind you, I would not have tooted when you let me past for fear of spooking the horses. You would probably have got a wave though!

Steve

>> Edited by towman on Sunday 7th November 02:13

[safespeed]

cptsideways said:

I then watched in horror as sure enough the queue hopper made his move, the classic overtaking mistake, not because they could see it was clear, but because they could'nt see it was'nt clear

Drivers in your position can consider showing a right indicator to "hold back" the overtaker.

I'm not saying that you should have done so, simply that on occasion to do so might prevent a crash. It's difficult to recommend giving a potentially misleading signal, but equally it's difficult to justify missing the chance to give information that contributes to avoiding a crash or an incident.

I think it's a very individual decision.

I couldn't agree more with your main point about lights.

[cptsideways]

safespeed said:

cptsideways said: I then watched in horror as sure enough the queue hopper made his move, the classic overtaking mistake, not because they could see it was clear, but because they could'nt see it was'nt clear Drivers in your position can consider showing a right indicator to "hold back" the overtaker. I'm not saying that you should have done so, simply that on occasion to do so might prevent a crash. It's difficult to recommend giving a potentially misleading signal, but equally it's difficult to justify missing the chance to give information that contributes to avoiding a crash or an incident. I think it's a very individual decision. I couldn't agree more with your main point about lights.

Yep agreed thats what I probably would have done the indicator thing & have done so before but by the time I realised what was going on it was too late. It was that close that even if he'd flinched & changed speed for a second it could have been terminal.

Good pointer about the horses being spooked by tooting horns, good thinking towman. Mind you the wee beast I had on board like 6ft tall to the saddle! is pretty immune to just about everyting. Considering its rider had just piloted it into two other horses, via a hedge, he fell off & broke his leg, air ambulance & all that, hence Cptsideways the volunteering HGV driver Biggles the horse was fine as always.

Stay safe out there guys & girls

[Flat in Fifth]

TBH MR Sideways without knowing the timing and spacing of the various vehicles and the queue behind the only thing you could have done is as Mr Smith says to bang on a right indicator.

It's a tactic I have used coupled with an outstretched right arm out of the window to stop a group of bikers getting squished.

Of course you then open yourself up to criticism in this "enlightened" litigious age that you are then more actively involved in any outcome than if you do as you did and maintain constant speed and direction.

Question: presumably the oncoming unlit driver could see the overtake in process. By not changing their speed etc what do you think they intended?

To teach the other driver a lesson?

Bit high risk and why do people do that? OK somebody (sing/plural) has goofed, why turn a drama into a crisis?

[philthy]

Driving at 40 Mph. Irritates a load of people, who then take stupid chances to get past you, that's common sense isn't it?............................

Obviously not, it's the speed limit for trucks !!!! I see this sort of thing all the time

Know what you mean Capt, even with good rearward observation it's difficult to see these berks. It's not restricted to country lanes either, how many times have you seen them in fog on the motorway with just their sidelights on.
Now how about a fixed penalty for that?

Phil

[safespeed]

philthy said:

Driving at 40 Mph. Irritates a load of people, who then take stupid chances to get past you, that's common sense isn't it?............................ Obviously not, it's the speed limit for trucks !!!! I see this sort of thing all the time

It didn't used to be much of a problem until camera partnerships started the deeply foolish practice of enforcing the stupid limit on trunk routes.

Now it's a very big problem. The limit is wrong (on most trunk routes). Truck drivers are losing their licences for driving at a safe and appropriate speed. Many are now observing the limit, and that leads directly to frustrated overtaking (I'm not blaming the truckers for this - they need their licences).

I wrote to the minister of transport well over a year ago. No reply. See:

www.safespeed.org.uk/hgv40.html

I need a full time national co-ordinator on this problem, but before that I need the funds to pay his salary.

[towman]

safespeed said:

Now it's a very big problem. The limit is wrong (on most trunk routes). Truck drivers are losing their licences for driving at a safe and appropriate speed. Many are now observing the limit, and that leads directly to frustrated overtaking (I'm not blaming the truckers for this - they need their licences).

A513 near the Belfrey is a good example. The surrounding area is littered with distribution centres and parcel hubs, and considering that most truckies are on timed runs, the traffic at 2am is fast but safe. However, as they approach these cameras everyone slows down to 37mph.(They trigger at 44). All very lovely until you get a stranger in the convoy!

Steve

[Dibble]

Mad Moggie said:

...when I were a but a lad in short trousers... I am - ahem - getting a few "distinguished" grey streaks...

You mean "Winter Plumage", surely?

[pzero64]

markmullen said:

Heard one old woman the other day say that she leaves her headlights off as long as possible because if she makes it home without using them she feels like it is still summer