Drivers not dimming their lights
- Thread starter Matthew_T
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RWright
Guru
I got a little scare one night when a car was approaching from behind me. I checked and saw the two headlights in the distance and was going to make my move into the middle of the lane but thought something didn't look quite right. I looked back again and then realized it was a car with two headlights on each side, except one side was burned out and the first check it fooled me into thinking it was much farther away and I was seeing the full set of lights. The car was right up on me by now, I got lucky that time and did not make my move without double checking. I give it at least two or three looks at night now, especially if I am going to make a move in the lane.
Nonsense. The road's perfectly lit up on dipped headlights, and gives a 'safe stopping distance' view at speeds of up to 40 mph. 'Dimmed' lights would be different however, but I'm not familiar with that setting and have never owned a vehicle that has 'dimmed' lights. In fact it sounds rather dangerous to me.
Unfortunately some of them do, and they end up posting nonsense on this forum.Some people should stay in more.
Now of course like most I want people to dip their lights when oncoming, but from behind I have no problem with main beam in fact in darkest deepest Lincolnshire I will take all the help to see that I can get.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
get a decent front light if you need extra help with lighting the road. 
what Matthew is trying to point out, and what many appear to be dismissing, is the fact that full beam from behind does dazzle when you do a shoulder check, and once you're dazzled, you're dazzled
now i don't 'have' to do a shoulder check, but it's handy to know if the vehicle about to pass is the size of a hairdressers car or a 7.5ton lorry... especially on unlit, possibly narrow country lanes.
what Matthew is trying to point out, and what many appear to be dismissing, is the fact that full beam from behind does dazzle when you do a shoulder check, and once you're dazzled, you're dazzled
now i don't 'have' to do a shoulder check, but it's handy to know if the vehicle about to pass is the size of a hairdressers car or a 7.5ton lorry... especially on unlit, possibly narrow country lanes.
GrasB
Veteran
The lowest dipped beam setting should be high enough that you can travel at about 40mph on a completely unlit road, User269 pointed this out earlier. With centre aimed headlights you should be seeing further up the road.
I'm VERY particular about headlight adjustment, it MUST be 1/2 to 2/3 of the way to the upper limit when dipped pattern is tested. This means even on on Fiat, which has the worst headlights of my cars, I have good enough illumination for 50-60mph depending how dark it is. The darker is it the better the apparent range of headlights.
snorri
Legendary Member
I don't do shoulder checks in daylight on rural roads and am even less likely to do them at night when I can see from my shadow in front of me just how much clearance I'm going to get from the overtaking vehicle. If the road is single track I would press on to the next passing place on becoming aware of a vehicle behind me, there is little to be gained from shoulder checking.
OP
OP
Matthew_T
"Young and Ex-whippet"
With regards to visibility with dipped lights, this is where the overtake took place: http://goo.gl/maps/Irl9F So even on dipped, you would have easily caught the hedges with your lights and been able to see the bend (I could anyway).
OP
OP
Matthew_T
"Young and Ex-whippet"
I have a bit of OCD when it comes to shoulder checking. I am always doing it. Even when the road is clear behind. I just like to know what is behind me.
Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
I also agree with Matthew. Australian motorists do this all the time: they seem to use the high beam as the default, instead of using low beam and only switching to high when absolutely necessary.
If you lived in rural Lincolnshire you would often do the same, unlit roads, deep dykes either side, big pot holes etc. You nee all the help you can get, just use it properly and dip when needed.
I am not sure what the point is of driving on dipped when there is absolutely no need to.
As for shoulder checking in the dark, well semi dark maybe but country side dark no point, all you will see is headlights and will make out very little in the way of shape. Unless of course your shoulder check takes up enough time to refocus etc, not a good idea with the state of our roads.
I am not sure what the point is of driving on dipped when there is absolutely no need to.
As for shoulder checking in the dark, well semi dark maybe but country side dark no point, all you will see is headlights and will make out very little in the way of shape. Unless of course your shoulder check takes up enough time to refocus etc, not a good idea with the state of our roads.
Alien8
Senior Moment
The other thing with shoulder checks when you are aware of a vehicle behind you is the link it establishes between you and the driver (assuming they are looking at you). This can help to reduce MGIF syndrome as it reinforces the idea with them that (i) you know what you are doing as you are observant, (ii) you are just about to do something because you are looking behind and (iii) you are a human on a bike.
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
I wouldn't disagree to any of that I'm a full time glasses wearer and do routinely ride on such country roads in the dark, suffering the same thing.
Put yourself in the mind of the average driver though.
Cycling's modal share in UK is ~2% and that seems to be mostly in London at rush hour, so 98% of drivers aren't regular cyclists, if at all. Of the 2% that are, an awful lot will be Sunday round the park with the kids types, never cycling on such roads nor in the dark and barely encountering cyclists when they are on them as drivers.
How will they ever have learned or understand that what they are doing when approaching the back of your head is not helpful to you from such a tiny pool of experience?
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