You lot are lucky other cars have any lights at all, round here at least 25% have one or other headlights out. Some even have the whole corner’s lights out.
Ah, that’s a motorbike, whoops no, it’s a car.

“round here at least 25% have one or other headlights out. Some even have the whole corner’s lights out”

that’s Peckham for you, though.

Peckham?
You mean Peckham Beckham? What’s it got to do with him?
I know he isn’t the brightest light but be polite!

I have never seen th epoint of side lights really, bit daft really.

motorbikes are increacingly hardwired to have the lights on permentantly.

thisisnotaspoon – Member
motorbikes are increacingly hardwired to have the lights on permentantly.

Makes sence that…makes them easier to see and stuff.

i heard somewhere that it will become compulsary for all cars to have at least their side lights on all the time. its something to do with being noticed more and that can only be a good thing IMO.

Motorbikes have their lights on to make themselves noticed more and i can see why they do it. i can also understand why some car drivers do it to make themselves noticed more.

It’s likely to become a European directive at the very least soon as numerous studies have shown that the increased visibility reduces accidents.

Obviously that’s open to conjecture and counter study, but I have a volvo so the lights are on when the ignition is on unless you request the engine management system to be configured differently.

Yeah that was my point regarding motorcycles.

I have never seen th epoint of side lights really, bit daft really.

They are for leaving on when you are parked at night. On German cars at least you can make them only come on the road side using the indicator stalk.

They’re not for driving with – my driving instructor always called them parking lights.

DRL are to be compulsory on new cars from 2011. CTC is against this because the lights divert attention fro vulnerable road users.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4681

Cyclists will end up having to have lights on all the time to make them stand out against the background of all the car lights. Also failure to use a light during the day when all the other vehicles have them could be considered as negligent in the event of an accident.

I have a REALLY REALLY LOUD exhuast on the motorcycle which works a lot better than any light in getting other road users to be aware of me.

Legal too (because it’s old)

Most models of Volvo can have their ‘day running lights’ (thats what the book calls them) turned off by a simple, once only combination of pulling the light stalk whilst turning the ignition to the second position with the light selector set to main beams.
My new car has automatic lights so if they are on then its needed.

More/brighter lights on cars is bad news for cyclists.

Foglights front or rear in any situation other than on an empty country road in very thick fog is downright antisocial.

I had to drive from South Wales to Swindon this morning. If I looked in my mirror I could see a dozen cars stretched out behind me for maybe up to a mile. Cars in front of me kept switching rear fog lights ON every time there was a wisp of mist (Severn Bridge, A46 Bath turn off etc). What are these dicks thinking when they do this, or is their intention for me to arrive at work with a migraine?

Sidelights are a waste of **** time. never used them, don’t intend to start now. don’t get me started on the inconsiderate pricks that have their fog lights on on a beautiful clear sunny day. or the retards driving the black civic along the m8 tonight in the dark with no lights on – nobber.

The CTC is quite right to be concerned. Whilst legislative requirements for DRLs will make vehicle occupants safer, this will be to the detriment of cyclists and peddies who will fall off the radar of drivers only looking for light sources as they approach junctions and crossings. Cars already have umpteen primary (to avoid crashes) and secondary (to minimise injury if a crash occurs) safety aids. Make no mistake, making the safest road users safer at the expense of the most vulnerable is bad news for us lot and Mrs MacLumpha with her zip up furry boots and tartan shopping trolley.

One thing that fustrates me:

Early morning/early evening, if the sun is low behind you and following cars are just dark shapes, turn your lights on! Oncoming drivers will be blinded by the sun and you are practically invisible. Also helps stop people pulling out on you 🙂

On another note, had a motorbike following me recently in the dark, 40 limit, double white lines, he was tailgating me and either had a badly adjusted front light or full beam on, I could practically feel the heat from it! Tapped the brake pedal which he ignored and eventually slowed and kept left until he passed, flashed him and got a load of armwaving and abuse in return!

Guy at work drives with his dipped van lights deliberately set too high so he can see without full beam, when he gets flashed he takes pleasure in the fact he can flash back as he’s already on dipped! Nob!

Motorcyclists have a perspex screen about 100mmx200mm to see out of. It gets dirty incredibly easy on the outside, and mists ups incredibly easy on the inside. A car using sidelights only in situations where all other car are on dipped beams makes the car look further away if your just doing a quick glance at a junction. Yes your rear lights are on to help people coming up behind you, but people waiting to pull out at junctions need to see YOU and accurately judge how far away you are.

If everyone drove sidelights only then it would be bearable, but for 1 in 20 to be doing it is stupid IME.

Oh, and the whole point of motorcyclists having their headlights on during the day is that it helps them stand out. If all vehicles have their lights on all the time as per the proposed legistation then they will no longer stand out!

i heard somewhere that it will become compulsary for all cars to have at least their side lights on all the time. its something to do with being noticed more and that can only be a good thing IMO.

That is correct – daytime runing lights are to become compulsory on all new cars Says so here….

I really don’t see why someone having them on can offend anyone.

Irritants:

Fog Lights, i have NO idea why people have them on, they proved no light and are disruptive. perhaps they think they look “Rallye”

Motorbikes headlights: sorry but 90% of motorcyclists, IME, seem to think having thier headlights on beam (in the rear view mirror level of a car) seems to give them the right to ride like ****. i havent met a motorcyclist who dosent brag about thier ability to ride around at 150.
i watched a motorcyclist weaving up the traffic in my rear view mirror once, under taking as well as overtaking, basicly treating the busy 138 as a slalom course.
a brief pause as he sat behind me (in the right hand lane, but not hogging, both lanes were full and flowing nicely) and as he spotted a gap to undertake and dropped a gear, stuck my left indicator on.
MUHA, **** pooed himself.

Beemer Halo lights, perhaps im just jealous, but i get the feeling that drivers use them as a “look, ive got a beemer”

people flashing thier beams as a “let me past”, its an aggressive action i think, we would all be much better off if the general population knew, or it was part of road law, that when on a Dual Carrigeway, or Motorway, in the outside lane, to indicate that you want to pass someone, you put your right indicator on (into the faster lane that dosent exist)

Then again, I like sidelights myself, as they bring on the rearsa without the headlights, useful for dusk, or mistyness, where light levels dont warrant a sea of distracting headlights

Olly – what the **** are you talking about?

I was learnt up that they are parking lights.
IMO when it’s dark enough for any lights to be needed just use dipped. You can see and be seen far easier, so why any grey areas?