Why do people drive with just their sidelights on? Shirley it’s just LED envy these days…

Not if your sidelights are LED powered, surely?

I have a pencil like that, if it’s any help?

There are 3 types of people:

1. Those who pay attention to the conditions and use lights to aid their visibility to others as this has a mutually beneficial effect.

2. Those who drive around ‘pseduo-illuminated’ by only their position lights (side lights) low light conditions and rain, under the misapprehension that this is the ‘right’ thing to do and for no apparent reason.
(position lights that, whilst the vehicle stationary, should be used to highlight the rear edges of the car to approaching vehicles on their side of the road and the front edges of the vehicle to oncoming vehicles on the other side of the road. What use are they whilst driving?)

3. People who have fitted ‘bright’ LEDs to their position light holders for aesthetic purposes, allowing them to gain satisfaction from seeing small points of white light when driving towards reflective surfaces and when the car is parked-up at ‘meets’. This is definitely not to impress schoolgirls or boy racers.

Thankfully most drivers are in the first category.

I’d say most are in the second.

Largely, people are stupid.

Aristotle you can add this one to your list too

4. Chaved up cars that drive with their fog lights on, because they think it looks cool, but fail badly, because only one of their front fog lights works 😉

I think most people catch on fairly quickly. Only the self-righteously stupid drive around with side lights only in spite of being surrounded by others using dipped beam in low light/rain.

Only the self-righteously stupid drive around with side lights only in spite of being surrounded by others using dipped beam in low light/rain.

My point still stands. (-:

I can see my sidelights from the car, reflected in other peoples cars and when I approach my car having left my sidelights on. Can’t you?

Mmmm, and that’s the only reason you changed them ………….. Really.

The only way your argument works is if you buy a car based in no way whatsoever on what it looks like, which is not exactly common.

The only way your argument works is if Thousands and thousands of people hadnt Bought Fiat Multipla’s and Nissan Juke’s 😉

I just leave my car’s light switch in the “Auto” position and it turns the lights on and off when it thinks it should.

i find it particularly pointless when people put rear fog lights on when you’ve been following them for the last few miles – happens a lot on trans pennine routes

“ooh its a little bit foggy and thats made me scared that the person driving the car behind and has been following me for the last few miles is actually a homicidal ram raider”

or maybe they’ve not looked in the mirror for several miles

it has to be very foggy and cars few and far between (eg motorway/trunk rd late at night/early morning) for rear fogs to actually make driving safer

don’t get me started on rear fog lights in the rain on motorways

or people who turn them on when you are staitonary behind them at a junction….

“ooh its a little bit foggy and thats made me scared that the person driving the car behind and has been following me for the last few miles is actually a homicidal ram raider”

I think the thought process is probably “fog = fog lights” without any rational as to what or why they’re actually doing it.

Mmmm, and that’s the only reason you changed them ………….. Really.

Yes. What’s so odd about wanting something to look the way you want it to, even if it’s a small touch like that? Ah well, you’re probably never going to get it.

The only way your argument works is if Thousands and thousands of people hadnt Bought Fiat Multipla’s and Nissan Juke’s

Fair point!

Thankfully most drivers are in the first category.

I’m glad I fall into the third, it’s what makes me reasonably rare, quirky or maybe just a little odd. 🙂

I like to think I’m quite considerate when using fog lights. That said, I don’t have an issue with them dazzling me nor brake lights at traffic lights. Are they really that dazzling for everybody? I have far bigger issue with how bright some dipped headlights are these days.

Are they really that dazzling for everybody? I have far bigger issue with how bright some dipped headlights are these days.

Depends on the make and model to be honest, but in the rain most front fogs are glaring and unpleasant and most rear fog/brake lights are a nightmare at a junction – I get spots in my eyes for tens of minutes afterwards.

I get spots in my eyes for tens of minutes afterwards.

Maybe it’s you who needs to get your eyes checked 😉

I did (after suffering for hours with weld flash), apparently it’s normal but does suggest I have quite sensitive vision.

I’m quite considerate when using fog lights. That said, I don’t have an issue with them dazzling me nor brake lights at traffic lights

never that bothered by the dazzle of brake lights when stopped myself – what i meant is what is the point of turning on fog lights when the only car that is going to hit you is stationary 1m behind you

Sidelights are for being seen by, headlights are for seeing with. If you don’t need lights to see where you’re going just put your sides on. But then if all the morons put on their headlights your sidelights get drowned out in a sea of light.

+1

There’s a few disadvantages. It makes cyclists harder to see

+100

it’s alright CK you are not alone, in fact it truely worries me that on a cyclist forum you seem to be the only one to point this out

Thats because it bullshine. 🙄 If you need lights on and yo are driving you should have dipped headlights on. Thats what the Highway code says and is the obvious and sensible thing.

It makes cyclists ( at least sensible ones with reflective stuff) easier to see if yo have your headlights on. there is no downside to driving with headlights on – it just makes it safer for everyone.

Sidelight users mentality: “I only just want to be seen”
Weird.

Explain how having headlights on makes cyclists difficult to see.

Explain how having headlights on makes cyclists difficult to see.

If a cyclist is coming towards you & the car behind them has headlights on at dusk it is a lot harder to see the cyclist than if the car just has sidelights on, as the headlights swamp out the view.

TJ – read the highway code again – you need your eyes testing

I always drive around with my dipped beam on regardless of the weather conditions – perhaps I’m about to be ridiculed for doing so?

If a cyclist is coming towards you & the car behind them has headlights on at dusk it is a lot harder to see the cyclist than if the car just has sidelights on, as the headlights swamp out the view.

I have never noticed that effect, ever. I presume the cyclist has lights on?
Maybe I have decent eyesight?

Or just never see the cyclist 😀

dickyboy – wrong. Your headlamps illuminate the reflective bits so its easier to see them if you have your headlights on

I have read the highway code – its very clear – you should have your dipped headlights on when its dull or visibility is reduced.

Quoting the highway code:-

ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise

ie sidelights in dull light

use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting.

ie headlights at night

use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced

ie headlights when visibility is SERIOUSLY reduced

TJ you must be reading a different highway code 🙂

i’ll be prepared to be told my observation is poor but i can think of two recent occasions when I’ve failed to spot a cyclist in a line of traffic until much later than i would have expected – both times the bikes had so-so lights – (not numpty nogs – just standard rather than STW) and quite a few of the cars high intensity headlights – think these makes seeing cyclists in a line of traffic much harder – they are great for what they are designed for – high speed on non urban roads but from these two recent experiences if the default in urban lit areas was side lights then cyclists would be easier to spot

If I don’t have any lights on then my speedo doesn’t work, so not only can I not see/be seen I’m also guessing at how fast I’m actually going.

So for that reason I generally have them on. Unless I fancy living it up a bit and then anything goes…

Back, when I were a lad, sidelights were small and seperate from the headlight. These 5 watt lamps actually made cars easy to see. The newer version, where the 5 watt sidelight is embedded in the headlight doesn’t give good visibility.
So, I drive with dipped beam to be seen by, M’lud.

Dickyboy – I have read the highway code and its as I said. For the hard of thinking – when its dull / dusk / dark headlights are mandatory out of town, sidelights in town however headlights are advised everywhere

You MUST

ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise
use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified

You should also

use dipped headlights, or dim-dip if fitted, at night in built-up areas and in dull daytime weather, to ensure that you can be seen

Christ, are you lot still going?

Some people need to get out more 🙂

But not if it’s too dark…

Doesn’t this:

You MUST

ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise
use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified

…refer to parking rather than driving? You’re parked up on an unlit road in a built-up area, you should leave your sidelights on? Ie, it’s not suggesting driving with them at all.

Also, isn’t it suggesting that you don’t need headlights if there’s street lights?! 😯

Ah, no.

The rule on THC website is explained:

“Night (the hours of darkness) is defined as the period between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise).”

So according to THC, you have to have sidelights and number plate lights on at sunset, and headlights half an hour later unless you’re on a 30mph road with street lighting.

Which, frankly, is madness, but that’s what it says.

Lights when parking is a different rule:

249

All vehicles MUST display parking lights when parked on a road or a lay-by on a road with a speed limit greater than 30 mph (48 km/h).

An discussion about whether to have your lights on or not…

How quaint ??

Do your cars not have automatic light function?

You normally find it, on the other side of the steering colume from the auto windscreen wiper.

These both make life much easier when you’re chatting on the phone while driving along

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRvJkgfLLpw[/video]