The OP said that you don't NEED to use headlights in 30 zones and you chimed in to remind us all that the highway code also says that it's optional although it's recommended.
He referred to the Highway Code and seemed to me to have missed section 115, a few paragraphs down the page he linked to. I thought it was important to draw attention to that paragraph.
It is not good practice for people to ignore the Highway Code, even "should"s; it can get you in hot water especially if there's a collision if complying with it would have helped to avoid it. So there IS a need to drive on dipped headlights (or dim-dip if fitted) at night in built up areas. Ignoring the official advice of the Highway Code and claiming in Court "but it's not in the RTA, M'Lud" may not get you very far.
I think the real problem is badly adjusted headlights and I wish the police had the manpower to target it.
It is not good practice for people to ignore the Highway code, even "should"s; it can get you in hot water especially if there's a collision if complying with it would have helped to avoid it. So there IS a need to drive on dipped headlights (or dim-dip if fitted) at night in built up areas. Ignoring the official advice of the Highway Code and claiming in Court "but it's not in the RTA, M'Lud" may not get you very far.
I wish more cyclists would adhere to the spirit of the HC rather than using it as a reference point for what they think they can get away with.
Do people think then it is time to review and alter the road traffic act?
I suspect the legislation is framed in such a way as to create some latitude.
I mean, if you make a law which simply says that "you must always use headlights in dark or poor visibility conditions" then people are gonna get confused about what actually constitutes "darkness" or "poor visibility".
As it is, the law simply expects people to use a bit of common sense, switch on their sidelights when the visibility is less than ideal and then put their headlights on as required.
Trouble is that cars are actually quite complex things and they're always going to require people to use their brains while operating one.
I suppose the most practical way to resolve this particular issue would be for manufacturers to simply stop making cars with sidelights entirely.
You're always gonna have these sort of issues though.
I mean, take speed limits. You could, for example, change the law so that all 30mph speed limits arbitrarily become 20mph limits in the dark or poor visibility but, again, you'd just have people getting uppity about what that actually means so you just have to allow people to use their brains.
I used to have my front fog lights on at night, until a police car in front flashed a message at me.
My number one pet hate on the road - Tossers who drive about with fog lights on when it isn't even remotely foggy.
Back to the thread at hand: once I turn on my lights I just leave them on until I reach my destination, couldn't be arsed turning them off every single time I came into a 30 zone and guestimated if the street lamps are x distance apart.
My number one pet hate on the road - Tossers who drive about with fog lights on when it isn't even remotely foggy.
.....or even when it IS really foggy, but when the road is busy - there really is no need for front and rear foglights people, I can see you PERFECTLY well thank you very much!
While you might be perfectly able to see and drive just fine at night on side lights only, not all pedestians have good eye sight, especially at night.
How would you feel if a pedestrian walked out in front of you and you killed them, even though it was probably their fault for not having good enough night time eye sight to spot side lights and thus stepped out in front of you?
While you might be perfectly able to see and drive just fine at night on side lights only, not all pedestians have good eye sight, especially at night.
How would you feel if a pedestrian walked out in front of you and you killed them, even though it was probably their fault for not having good enough night time eye sight to spot side lights and thus stepped out in front of you?
I am surprised people still think that councils pay to have roads fully lit.
I've just looked outisde of my window the street lights hardly light anything they are so dimmed down.
I live in a village with two street lights I can see like a cat in town after that
My town and the towns near it are fully lit maybe yours needs to pay the bill
I drive down roads that are totally unlit and can see tiny torches, or lights flicking, where people are walking the dog, so a cars lights are a doddle to see.
While you might be perfectly able to see and drive just fine at night on side lights only, not all pedestians have good eye sight, especially at night.
How would you feel if a pedestrian walked out in front of you and you killed them, even though it was probably their fault for not having good enough night time eye sight to spot side lights and thus stepped out in front of you?
My side lights are not that dim. People never seem to complain about not being able to see cars from the rear with their tail lights so the same should apply to the front also.
I've actually always driven with my headlights on in the situation described in my OP. I was discussing lighting up times with a friend and I told him about the headlight issue. I think that I will try it on some clear nights and see what reaction I get from others, and how it affects my driving. No doubt the biggest issue will be people flashing their lights at me thinking I've forgotten to switch the headlights on.
BMWs don't seem to have sidelights. Or indicators. But they do have dazzling headlights and drivers who insist on using their front foglights on a crystal clear night
Comments
He referred to the Highway Code and seemed to me to have missed section 115, a few paragraphs down the page he linked to. I thought it was important to draw attention to that paragraph.
It is not good practice for people to ignore the Highway Code, even "should"s; it can get you in hot water especially if there's a collision if complying with it would have helped to avoid it. So there IS a need to drive on dipped headlights (or dim-dip if fitted) at night in built up areas. Ignoring the official advice of the Highway Code and claiming in Court "but it's not in the RTA, M'Lud" may not get you very far.
I think the real problem is badly adjusted headlights and I wish the police had the manpower to target it.
I wish more cyclists would adhere to the spirit of the HC rather than using it as a reference point for what they think they can get away with.
I suspect the legislation is framed in such a way as to create some latitude.
I mean, if you make a law which simply says that "you must always use headlights in dark or poor visibility conditions" then people are gonna get confused about what actually constitutes "darkness" or "poor visibility".
As it is, the law simply expects people to use a bit of common sense, switch on their sidelights when the visibility is less than ideal and then put their headlights on as required.
Trouble is that cars are actually quite complex things and they're always going to require people to use their brains while operating one.
I suppose the most practical way to resolve this particular issue would be for manufacturers to simply stop making cars with sidelights entirely.
You're always gonna have these sort of issues though.
I mean, take speed limits. You could, for example, change the law so that all 30mph speed limits arbitrarily become 20mph limits in the dark or poor visibility but, again, you'd just have people getting uppity about what that actually means so you just have to allow people to use their brains.
My number one pet hate on the road - Tossers who drive about with fog lights on when it isn't even remotely foggy.
Back to the thread at hand: once I turn on my lights I just leave them on until I reach my destination, couldn't be arsed turning them off every single time I came into a 30 zone and guestimated if the street lamps are x distance apart.
.....or even when it IS really foggy, but when the road is busy - there really is no need for front and rear foglights people, I can see you PERFECTLY well thank you very much!
Ive noticed a lot of drivers will put lights on just because a cloud passes over the sun
Not forgetting tossers who drive in fog with absolutely no lights on too!
How would you feel if a pedestrian walked out in front of you and you killed them, even though it was probably their fault for not having good enough night time eye sight to spot side lights and thus stepped out in front of you?
Bloody hell, how dim are your SL?
I would also appreciate those cyclists who think the law and Highway Code don't apply to them to invest in some lights for their bikes too.
Im surprised that people think you cant be seen on a fully lit road with sidelights on.
I am surprised people still think that councils pay to have roads fully lit.
I've just looked outisde of my window the street lights hardly light anything they are so dimmed down.
I live in a village with two street lights I can see like a cat in town after that
My town and the towns near it are fully lit maybe yours needs to pay the bill
I drive down roads that are totally unlit and can see tiny torches, or lights flicking, where people are walking the dog, so a cars lights are a doddle to see.
I'll second that, we have just had the street lights fitted with energy saving bulbs, and they're absolutely terrible.
My side lights are not that dim. People never seem to complain about not being able to see cars from the rear with their tail lights so the same should apply to the front also.
I've actually always driven with my headlights on in the situation described in my OP. I was discussing lighting up times with a friend and I told him about the headlight issue. I think that I will try it on some clear nights and see what reaction I get from others, and how it affects my driving. No doubt the biggest issue will be people flashing their lights at me thinking I've forgotten to switch the headlights on.
"If it's bad enough for sidelights, it's bad enough for headlights"
I've kept to that ever since.
The number of cars that also have only one sidelight working is also dismaying.