Safe Speed Forums

Tut tut.

From....


There goes that bold, red MUST NOT again.

I dont advocate driving with them on - but before you come to a halt, otherwise you are a hazard, and might not make the manouvre you intend before some idiot slams into your boot!
As usual the rules are carved out with a chainsaw instead of a cabinet saw!!

It's like flashing cycle lights - the law has FINALLY caught up with common sense - I have ALWAYS used mine flashing, and NEVER been stopped for doing so!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

I have an automatic with a foot operated "parking brake" so I often put it into park when waiting at traffic lights etc, although I usually use the foot brake when stopping for a few seconds. One night I dropped some people off at home, and as they got out and closed the doors I looked into my rear view mirror - and saw two cops faces lit up in a beautiful red! I pulled away, they followed and then took a different exit off the roundabout. I think the B&W yank cop car complete with (covered) lightbar attracted their attention somewhat....

Gareth

well, it's "have a pop at you" or admit they failed to read the road properly.

to the original poster, assuming your lights were dipped and aligned correctly they shouldn't have dazzled anyone am I right? dipped beams hits the floor, main beam throws forward. in which case it sounds to me like the driver approached too quickly to take in the situation, got momentarily bemused and decided to "blame you". I wouldn't recommend using sidelights while manuevering on a dark night, if you were halfway through the manuever and he came flying round the bend the 5w glow from them would take him evan longer to notice, especially at an accute angle (depending on the model of car and the headlight design).

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

As for the use of the parking brake for courtesy reasons are you aware automatics suffer less rear-end impacts which is attributed to more brake [light] usage, especially sitting at the end of a traffic queue? Bright red lights send a positive signal you're going nowhere.

Friend of mine suffered a detatched retina as a result of being rear end shunted, personally I like to have all four discs clamped at least till I know the person behind me has come to a halt. And as too many drivers react only to what the car immediately in front is doing using the brakes as much as possible is a good defensive driving technique, as opposed to using engine braking or the parking brake.

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

In my post, I did say stopped, not just paused.


I thought it was a common-sense thing that did not invite pedantism!

On UK spec cars, the headlights dip to the left, which means that they can dazzle an oncoming driver to your left. This is why you need headlight deflectors for continental driving in a UK spec vehicle.

On the continent, headlights dip vertically (ie not sideways) so continental vehicles don't nead headlight deflectors to drive on UK roads.

It follows that when driving a UK spec car, you should switch off your headlights if parked on the wrong side of the road. If you had a continental spec car, this would be unnecessary.

so you're saying they don't 'dip' at all they swing to the side? wasn't aware of that, i thought the dipped beam just had more of a flood pattern which was why they seem to spread more to the side.

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

They clearly do dip a bit as well as deflect sideways, but presumably don't dip enough to prevent dazzle if you are in the wrong place

You often get bird-brains like this in urban roads who make no allowances for 'manoeuvres'.

My advice - try to pre-empt the situation, and block the road entirely while they are still a way off. It is good for your self esteem to cause inconvenience to grumpy people.

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I stole this .sig

It might also cause a smack in the mouth.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

Yeah - wind the window up first, Sam!

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I stole this .sig

If I've been sat in an evening rush hour jam in winter for 10minutes I'm well aware the vehicle in front is going nowhere! And neither am I! It certainly is prudent to have your brake lights showing until the person behind has come to a stop but one they have then it's unnecissary unless your immenantly about to move off.

seems bizzare if they don't, i thought the whole point of dipped lights was that they didn't dazzle... after all in urban driving, roundabouts etc people are gonna catch you from all angles.



yeah I know where you're coming from, but being as I drive a slushmatic these days.... you'd love me cos I got 5 brake lights too, four already at about 3' and an LED on the spoiler although if I'm gonna be there for a prolonged period I do tend to knock it up a notch into neutral and put the handbrake on, trouble is in an auto you get too used to just pulling away and forget you're not in drive.

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

Dipped lights is a bit of a misnomer - dating back to the days when the lights were mechanically lowered downwards by levers.

Modern lights are far more complex, usually with a pattern of lenses built into the front glass, and shaped reflectors which are designed to light up the nearside kerb more than a plain spread of light would do. It is often diffused so the light dims quickly with distance - preventing road users ahead, but to the left (junctions and roandabouts) being dazzled. The dip effect is achieved by having two filaments at different heights within the reflector and lens combination, which direct light to different directions according to which is lit.
It is worth remembering that as you crest a rise, which then bends to YOUR left, you will usually dazzle oncoming cars who are also down to the left in relation to your vehicle.
Some vehicles with high pressure xenon bulbs have a switch for continental driving which repositions the lamp to prevent it lighting up the lower left quadrant.
(see here for more detail)

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

Basingwerk, a legend in his own lunch hour........almost 1,700 posts contributing very little to the sum of people's knowledge and just irritating everyone who reads them.

It is working then! But is that it all the bile you've got in you, or will you give us a punch line?

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I stole this .sig

Or perhaps just a punch...

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CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

Hm... you are getting close to the edge, JT. I'll give you one more chance before I try to have you 'deleted'.

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I stole this .sig

Yes that's fine Paul, but you're talking about thinking drivers, an all too rare breed I'm afraid.

As Beamer says, I also find it irritating that drivers will park in a lay-by and leave their headlights on, seemingly oblivious to the reduced visibility they create for people actually driving.

On the other hand I see people driving around in the dusk with no lights on at all, and many of them pay no attention, even when you remind them.

Best wishes all,
Dave.