Full beam on the motorway

[pwig]

When is it right to use them on an unlight section?

[PetrolTed]

Err... isn't it obvious?

[RichardR]

When there's no other traffic around to blind!

[pwig]

What about stuff coming the other way? Will the central reservation block out the light?

[wanty1974]

Haven't you had any do that to you on the motorway? It works for a very short distance and then the angle is such that you dazzle oncoming drivers.

Not sure on the official line, but I have been blinded a few times.

>> Edited by wanty1974 on Thursday 28th August 14:54

[Mr E]

pwig said:

What about stuff coming the other way? Will the central reservation block out the light?

Not always, as I tried to point out to El Numpty on the M2 last week.

[PetrolTed]

Look at the light beam and if it's blinding someone then turn it down.

If you're heading around a right hand bend then you're unlikely to blind any oncoming traffic.

Seems blindingly obvious to me

[hughesie2]

pwig said:

What about stuff coming the other way? Will the central reservation block out the light?

and what about the poor lorry driver...

[Buffalo]

You can generally keep your main beam on a fraction longer going around right hand bends than left hand bends, because the beam is gerneally shining away from oncoming traffic.

If you driving a *normal* car and are facing a *normal* car, then yes, the central reservation can block out the glare, but this only works on shorter distances and is dependant on hills and dips etc...

Of course if you are facing any other cars, eg 4x4's (higher) or sportscars (lower) and of course trucks/buses etc, you probably will blind them because your beam is still visible over the barrier.

I had to get a ride home on a tow truck a few months ago and it was shocking how many people didn't put their main beam down when approaching a truck. The driver of the tow truck replied with a full 8 light symphony!

I note that AutoCAR is toying with the idea of adding dipped beam headlight power to their car analysis, which is a very good thing IMO. I have retro fitted some aftermarket headlights to my car and some spankingly powerful bulbs and they are now better than some more modern cars standard fit lights.....

>> Edited by Buffalo on Thursday 28th August 15:06

[icamm]

Buffalo said:

I note that AutoCAR is toying with the idea of adding dipped beam headlight power to their car analysis, which is a very good thing IMO. I have retro fitted some aftermarket headlights to my car and some spankingly powerful bulbs and they are now better than some more modern cars standard fit lights.....>> Edited by Buffalo on Thursday 28th August 15:06

Ah but are they leqal? There are very set limits of how much power your lights should have so as not to blind oncoming traffic whilst on dip beam. It's all well and good you being able to see but other people need to as well . If you know that they are within legal limits then fair play.

[rich-uk]

If you can see any traffic on the road, don't use you full beam, if you can't, go wild!!

[Buffalo]

icamm said:

Ah but are they leqal? There are very set limits of how much power your lights should have so as not to blind oncoming traffic whilst on dip beam. It's all well and good you being able to see but other people need to as well . If you know that they are within legal limits then fair play.

Good question - Yes they are, but only cos my car is not new, otherwise they would not be (the bulbs would be *too* powerful).

However they are set correctly and i drive on sidelights for longer to avoid blinding people at dusk with headlights on. I have never had a problem at night, but the one time i put them on at dusk i got complaints. Hence i have fitted extra sidelights to make me more visible at times which require lights but not dipped beam and then when proper dark, i switch the main lights on!

[Julian64]

Is this a serious thread. I having trouble working out whether the initial question was just sarcasm or not?

[Wasted Bullet]

The central resivation may block the light for cars... but for anyting with a higher driving position... like a lorry... they will be blinded..

[edc]

pwig said:

What about stuff coming the other way? Will the central reservation block out the light?

Several years ago my old man was stopped for this on the M40 (he was driving a BMW). It was gone midnight and there was no traffic for large periods; we'd joined at Oxford taking the A40 and he'd used his beams for several minutes/miles and simply forgot to turn them off. Ignorance is no excuse and a driver going the other way on the M40 supposedly telephoned into report my old man. Fortunately, 'Speed' didn't kill then so the 3 figure progress was not even commented upon (