As we are going on an extended trip to France soon, I rang the CC's foreign travel dept yesterday to enquire about the experiment using dipped headlights all the time in daylight outside built-up areas. I'm pleased to say that it finishes at the end of April. The normal requirement to use d/h in rain and/or bad weather continues, of course.
Graham
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Why are so many people against having headlights on all the time? This is the rule in Sweden and Norway and it really does make a difference to how soon you can spot approaching vehicles.
I HAVE ALLWAYS USED DIPPED HEADLIGHTS HERE IN UK FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS OR SO. MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE OLDER GENERATION PEDESTRIANS TO SEE YOU WHEN CROSSING ROAD
Sue and John, I am not talking about seeing a car coming when it is within normal eyesight distance but rather much further away, especially on long straight roads when wanting to overtake it makes a big difference to safety if you can spot cars that are maybe quite far away but approaching quickly. Also consider how difficult it is to see a grey or dark coloured car on a grey road surface, especially if you have the sun against you or if it is a bit murky. As swanseajack said it also makes it much easier for pedestrians to see you. Always amazed how reluctant some drivers are to put their lights on in reduced visibility. If you have them on all the time then this problem does not arise.
So I repeat.......WHAT DO YOU ALL HAVE AGAINST IT????
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< So I repeat.......WHAT DO YOU ALL HAVE AGAINST IT??? >
I admit, I am writing from a specific situation, i.e. loads of cyclists around in Holland. But also when driving around in France and Belgium (ardennes)_and seeing cyclists overthere and people in the countryside and villages walking alongside the road by lack of footpaths and cycling paths:
Headlights often 'overshine' cyclists and pedestrians. Cars will be seen easily, but in living areas, the cyclists often using the same roads, but also when on a cycling path will be seen less easy, as the lights of cars attract the attention.
Actually this effect increase during rain. The street is shiny and reflects all the lights. Accidents in practive often happen because a cyclist is not seen due to all the reflecting lightbeams. That's why.
Moreover, people tend to get lazy. Cars may be seen easy, but drivers tend to get more lazy in seeing around. Many people will trust to see the cars, due to the headlights, but you will not see the pedesdrians walking alongside the road or crossing. A pedestrian walking alongside the road will not see the lights from a car behind him.
The effect increases for cyclists and pedestrian of school going age. The, by their age, tend to be a bit lcareless, so expecting them to see the cars better by the headlights, is not enough. One has to make sure that they are seen and all cars having their lights on tend to create a traffic-view in which they these scholars are less easy to be seen than all cars.
That's what I have against it. Drivers have to be educated to use their eyes, not the other way around making it easy to see them, while forgetting other participants in traffic who are more difficult to be seen and even more difficult due to this type of measures.
And this put into practice, about three years ago a colleague of mine (the lady from the pantry) got knocked over on the pedestrianscrossing, in a totally lighted situation, simply because there was that much light around that she did not realy show in comparison to all the other objects. She will never work again.
So I repeat.......WHAT DO YOU ALL HAVE AGAINST IT????
it's not that i have anything against it i was just voicing an opinion , i think that if people drove with a little more caution and not on the phone/doing makeup etc. ( i actually watched a woman drinking a cup of coffee in a china cup and saucer a couple of weeks ago!!) , this would make far more difference.....the amount of times i've had to swerve cos a cars heading straight at me ( on the phone) i just don't think that dipped lights in normal circumstances would make that much difference.
------------- Jult 4th...Hollins Farm
August 24th....Warren Farm
October 23rd....mmmm who knows ???
Quote: Originally posted by swanseajack on 06/04/2005
I HAVE ALLWAYS USED DIPPED HEADLIGHTS HERE IN UK FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS OR SO. MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE OLDER GENERATION PEDESTRIANS TO SEE YOU WHEN CROSSING ROAD
I think you have been driving around Port Talbot too long!
Denmark introduced Driving lights in daytime several years ago following on from the Swedish ovloV. I know the quotation of 'Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics' but their statistics reveal a drop in accidents of over 25%. It's like driving down the motorway in inclement weather, which car do you notice, the one correctly driving with dipped headlights, or the one driving illegally with sidelights. I think you will find there are no provisions for driving on sidelights outside a 30mph area in this country, no matter how well illuminated the road may be.
According to thisfrenchlife.com the trial has now been extended through the summer.
Bikers are protesting, as they feel that their safety is compromised, as they like to stand out from other road users by using lights during the day. If everyone does it the effectiveness is lessened.
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Topic: Dipped Headlight Trial in France
