DRIVERS WHO DON'T PUT ON THEIR LIGHTS EARLY ENOUGH
Posted by: AURELLA
12th Dec 2010 06:18pm
One of my pet hates is the driver , particularly in a dark car, coming towards me without lights on when it is obviously getting quite dark, and it is time to put lights on . This is a dangerouse situation when people try and pass a slow car and discover a car without lights, and therefore difficult to see, coming towards them,..Do people think that they wear out their lights if they use them too much!!
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Comments 39
annie
I agree that drivers dont put on their lights early enough.I drive around at dusk a bit and its amazing the number of cars I see that dont have their headlight on which makes it difficult to see.Occassionally I see some cars with no lights on at all
wojo12
I can't believe that people put their parking lights on and think it increases their visibility to other road users. The Australian Design Rules c should be changed so that parking lights cannot be used with the engine running.
While on the ADR's, has anyone else noticed how the indicators are on a modern car when it is at right angles to your own car? It impossible to tell if a car on a side street that you are approaching is about to turn right across your path, especially in full sun.
Lizzy
Maybe they think the eyesight is ok, or just general forget to turn their lights on, you could dip your head lights to them to indicate they donot have lights on.
annie
I agree with this.It is so annoying that it can lead to accidents.There should be a minimum fine for drivers that dont put their headlights on a an appropriate time in the evening
Anonymous
As a parent of 3 teenage driving chldren, i insist that they drive anytime wth their lights on because where we lve the distance between towns can be long and I think it helps with choosing the right time to overtake. My children drive a variety of cars in terms of colour and I don't care what colour it is I always remind them to turn on their lights when diriving distances. My husband drives interstate in a semi trailer and I know cars who 'light up' durng the day make his job somewhat easier too.
wojo12
.... and another thing. Parking lights are designed for when you car is parked, as the name says. They should be disabled when the ignition is on, as they do not increase the visibility of the car sufficiently for highway use. This would also overcome the problem of people driving at night who think their headlighta are on when in fact they are not.
dave
there is some drivers in the world u question
PAULIE
I'd say they don't think that, because they just don't think. They assume because they can see others that others can see them.
Kessa1959
We have set our car's lights to automatically come on once the light drops to a certain level so even when I drive into undercover car parks they automatically switch on. With our previous car which didn't have this option the lights were set to always be on and automatically turn off when the engine was stopped.
Anonymous
No we don't think it wears out our lights. But we do know that the energy does not come from nowhere and that having your lights on will cause you to use more fuel. Also the road code clearly defines the hours of darkness.
Tibetan Spaniel
Who said your car uses more fuel if your headlights are on? Old wife's tail I think.
paradox
Hi AURELLA, I drive A green Mazda 121 with my lights on when it's not bright sunshine here in QLD. Guess what, whether the lights are on or not my little car must put on it's invisibility cloak as soon as I drive on any road. I think people are rude and just don't care. Courtesy will prevent many an accident and it costs nothing.
Lilibet
not a problem if everyone drove with their light on all the time as I do. Its a good way to make sure that your car is the most visible it can be at all time on the road
Angie
In Perth people are terrible at putting on lights nearer dusk. If this happens in UK someone gives you a quick flash of their lights and the first thing you check is whether your lights are on, if not then you put them on. Here, there is just no response, folk are oblivious!
seven_sylvia
This is so true......I always see this while I am driving. They just don't think these people.....I drive with parkers when it's cloomy outside and in the country i always drive with lights. We need more education on this matter.
shel
I agree I start work early some mornings leaving home around 5-5.30 in the morning and in change of season particularly autumn to winter, it is really difficult to see cars, especially behind me, and they speed past me and I didn't even see them till they are right beside me. I have a silver car and my headlights stay switched to on all the time, so when I hop into my car and switch it on the lights come on automatically. This is also a safety tool if parked in the dark.
Jojo
Why dont they just make it compulsory like they have for Motorbike riders. You have to drive with your lights on anytime of the day!
Tibetan Spaniel
Easy solution to that would be what Volvos have. Their Parking aLights come on when they start the car. I am thinking about doing the same with my headlights as aI drive all the time with mine on and it's a proven fact that you will see me before I see you if my headlights are on. Therefore if I am seen earlier then I am safer.
Anonymous
I totally agree aswell. It should be compulsary and as a safety precaution too.
Recky
In Sweden the number of head on collisions dropped in the region of 30% when they made day running lights compulsory. A simple piece of pro-active safety
marchi
Driving on country highways, 80% of people have there lights on during daylight and night driving this allows vehicles to be seen approaching much earlier and makes it safer for overtaking. I have noticed when in the city driving, drivers do not use their lights when driving in overcast conditions and this makes it especially hard to see dark coloured cars.
Teejay
I also find that silver/grey coloured vehicles tend to blend into the road colour on overcast days - especially if they haven't been washed for a while
crpslady
I totally agree, just yesterday my hubby and i were pulling out of a driveway onto S.H 27 when a silver car came speeding down with no lights on and nearly took us out. Luckily hubby just saw him in time or it would of been bye bye for us. Some people need to use their brains when they get into a car, especially at night.
davidnicholas
I can understand people not noticing the dusk to dark transition, but I see people driving much later in the evening with just parking lights.. Maybe both headlights have just failed and that is all the lights they have. I think some of the cars are new enough that that isn't the case and these idiots are just driving by street lights and think they are clever.
lilly
some people are just lame lazy to put on their indicator before they turn.
MandMm
Occassionally I will start driving at dusk and I will not remember to turn on my lights, it's purely by accident, and unless you are seeing the same offender do it again and again, they probably have just forgotten. Everyone knows that it's better to have your lights on when it's raining, or when it's dark, people don't deliberately leave their lights off in poor conditions.
wojo12
How do you see what speed you are travelling at if your lights are not on???????
kaz
I'm lucky enough that I have a 2008 model and the lights come on automatically. But I have noticed that in rainy wheather when it is dark during the day alot of people seem to drive blind.
Rumma
it's rare in my area that cars drive around with their lights off when it's getting dark, usually the other way around. I have a issue with the 'look at me' drivers that drive around with their driving lights on during the daylight hours. In Victoria it's illegal and unnecessary and not policed. It's now getting worse with the fancy LED lights on the expensive luxury models. Lets blame the manufactures then not the nut behind the wheel!
Tibetan Spaniel
No, it isn't illegal to drive with headlights on during the day. There is a stretch of road between Sale and Bairnsdale which has signs recommending daytime headlights. If it were illegal Vicroads wouldn't have that sign.
GrannyG
Is it really illegal in VIC to drive in daylight with the headlights on? I don't live in VIC, and I thought it was legal in all states. I drive a silver/grey car, and usually turn on the lights as soon as I start the car so that it is more visible to other drivers on the grey roads. My mechanic and my son both constantly remind me to do so for my own safety. (When I first got the car I noticed that it seemed to be almost invisible to other drivers, resulting in a minor accident)
weerobby
I have just purchased a 2007 Holden Adventra and was pleased to find that it is fitted with automatic headlights which come on when the outside light reaches a certain level, fortunately I'll never use this system as my lights are on as soon as the ignition key is turned on. Oh by the way it is a dark grey/black vehicle, not my first choice.
jazlovestoskate
one thing my dad told me when i started driving is that everyone outside of my car is an idiot who cant drive, which (though he might be exageratting a little bit!) generally (and shockingly) seemed to be true, especially when the first time i start learning to drive at least 6 people made HUGE! mistakes right in front of me. i also hate it when people dont put their lights on if the time calls for it, like its dark or raining, they almost seem like an accident waiting to happen. its just common sense to put your light on, either some pople forget that or in my opinion, are a bit too stupid to care about the safety of them and the people around them, and it makes me sad when so many people forget the most important and simplist things (like using their indicator)
Ziah
One is only required by law to indicate 30 metres before turning, merging, exiting, etc. Courtesy dictates indicating as soon as is practicable, but not so early that it could be confused with an earlier turn, driveway etc.
AURELLA
You are so right about the indicating, so many put it on just before they turn, instead of 100 metres ...and tailgating of course, so very dangerous, and done so often...and your Dad is right, you must be careful of the "Nut" behind the other wheel...have you noticed that as drivers go past you they nearly always are doing something else, like talking and looking at the person next to them, on the mobile , etc, etc...and one of my other Pet Hates is the driver who doesn't stop at a stop sign, what part of "stop" don't they understand???.....
ted
It is bad enough for drivers to drive at dusk without headlights but then there is the problem of drivers with misaligned headlights so you get binded as you come towards you and also the ones who seem to drive around at night with there driving/spotlights on.
emmy19
Drivers seem to have the opinion that if they can see ok they don't need the lights on, in inclimate weather it should be an offence to drive without your lights on as some colours of cars are very hard to see in bad weather or at dusk.
It is an offence to drive with driving/fog lights on when within 200 metres of another vehicle but police for some reason don't seem to enforce it.
As far as indicators are concerned a lot of drivers are of the opinion that they know where they are going and don't think others should know.
SarahEC
Amen to this! And also, why don't people put their lights on when it's raining? There are all these silver coloured cars on the road and the drivers don't seem to understand that when you're driving a rain coloured car on a rain coloured road, and it's raining; it's REALLY hard for other drivers to see you!
sirwal
This is the reason your warning indicator lights last so long........they're only on half the time. But yes I fully agree with you, and believe just bcos I have good vision and can see it does mean other do so I put my lights on so they can see me.