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Everyone knows that when it gets dark, you need to use the lights on your car so that other drivers can see you. Simple? Well perhaps not as simple as you might think. Living in the middle of nowhere, I cover a lot of miles (30,000+) during the course of a year in all sorts of weather.
Today, for instance, it's foggy. Driving on a main road with not much traffic requires the use of your rear fog lights so that anyone driving up behind you can see you from a good distance.
However, you don't need to dazzle this driver when he or she catches up with you by leaving the fog lights on. Turn it off when someone is driving directly behind you! I've lost count of the amount of people I've seen today driving through a busy town centre with rear fog lights on. It serves no purpose other than to dazzle and enrage the driver behind you!
stuck at a junction or in a jam and being dazzled by the numpty in front
While I'm on the subject of dazzling drivers behind you, when stopped at a junction, please take your foot off the brake. The brake lights on the cars of today are often rather bright and there's nothing more annoying than being stuck at a junction or in a jam and being dazzled by the numpty in front! You should ideally use the hand brake when you are at a standstill for any length of time.
My final gripe - side lights on cars. What is the point of them? As I mentioned earlier, it's rather foggy in these parts today and these people have made a CONSCIOUS DECISION to put some lights on, but not quite managed to get as far as putting their dipped headlights on. Please could someone explain the purpose of side lights to me because it's something I'm struggling to work out!
By: The Young Meldrew
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Totally agree, but look next time you are in a queue waiting for the lights to change, and see how many people won't use their handbrake, preferring to sit with their foot on the brake all the time. 90% of them...brainlessness is apparently endemic. How do you educate them over something so basically simple and thoughtful?
Irrespective of what some people seem to believe. Drivers who use fog lights at night and sit with their foot on the brake at night in queues are particularly obnoxious, and present a menace to all other road users.
Bullies who intend to intimidate and dazzle, although most drivers who do this are probably just plain incompetent.
To those who use such lights improperly, which are you?
Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations
27. No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon of a type specified in an item in column 2 of the Table below is used in a manner specified in that item in column 3.
TABLE
(1) (2) (3)
Item No. Type of lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning beacon. Manner of use prohibited
1 Headlamp
(a)Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road.
(b)Used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.
2 Front fog lamp
(a)Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road.
(b)Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.
(c)Used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.
3 Rear fog lamp
(a)Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to the driver of a following vehicle.
(b)Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.
(c)Save in the case of an emergency vehicle, used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.
These acts are against the Law, they are also clearly described as such in the Highway Code. I don't know what the penalty for such a breach may be, but expect points and a fine.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHZkWERhSkxJLXdYOXp3endRMWJlZXc6MQ
Most irritating habit of the inferior drivers.
One is often inconvenienced by these creatures.
If you are dazzled by brake lights, get your eyes tested.
iPost - 19-May-11 15:18"
Troll - get your brain tested. Be quiet.
Happychris - 20-Feb-11 21:40"
Well, aren't you clever, speaking for everyone about what you think "normal" is? No, you're an idiot. How do you know that brake lights being on for some time don't cause discomfort for the driver behind?
Ok it doesn't bother you - well done. It's likely to annoy and bother others when it could all be avoided by the small action of putting on the handbrake.
Stop being selfish.
If you are dazzled by brake lights, get your eyes tested.
FredFlintstone