Night Driving Without Headlights :confused:

[Bismuth]

the people in my area blind me with their brights. It's common decency to switch off brights when you see an oncoming vehicle

THIS! When I was driving back from Cape Town on the N1 a few weeks ago, there were a number of trucks that kept their brights on, never mind cars. I even checked my lights to see if they weren't too bright, or stuck on bright, which wasn't the case. Part of the with, got stuck behind a CG car who had their brights on permanently, so I also got blinded by every damn truck or car that flashed them.

B

 

[Stickfigure]

Thing I've noticed recently is some cars will only have their front or rear headlights on, not both. A few times I've nearly rear ended a car because his rear lights aren't on, but his front lights are. It's not old cars either, seen a few Mercs with this issue.

 

[reneg8or]

It's 2013, auto-switching headlights should be standard on every vehicle.

I have started pushing this in 1980. South Africa must be the ONLY country where Chrysler/Jeep were forced to deactive the Running Daylights function!

 

[reneg8or]

Thing I've noticed recently is some cars will only have their front or rear headlights on, not both. A few times I've nearly rear ended a car because his rear lights aren't on, but his front lights are. It's not old cars either, seen a few Mercs with this issue.

You are right. When I returned from Hermanus on Friday night, there were a few fairly new Toyota's as well as a Merc with no headlights at the rear while some did have the front lights on. A wiring issue in those cases. However, various vehicles were driving without any lights on, not even fog lights or paking lights. Do those drivers smoke their green tea?

 

[reneg8or]

Its muscle memory for me to switch on my lights. It really makes a difference to other drivers. I think what influenced me was my dad always telling me to drive with my lights on for dirt roads as it was not for me to see better, it was for me to be seen by others. That and having ridden a motorbike for a couple of years.

Light up and be seen. You are a scholar as few seem to understand that lights allow you to be seen by others, especially aged people, those with certain disabilities and (other) pedestrians. I have questioned a few youngsters who had received their drivers' licences over the past few years. Not one of them understood the use of headlights, none knew how to act in a traffic circle and none knew that pedestrains had right of way or how the "green man" worked. Driver education cannot be good as I once took a photograph of a driving instructor who had parked astride a pedestrian crossing. She got out of her car, apologised by saying "I won't be here for long, just quickly into the shop and then I'm off."

It seems that public awareness campaings are what we need here, to educate motorists and pedestrians alike. The problem of drivesr using high beams is another irritation, yes. Thanks to Pick 'n Pay and Afrikaans radio RSG for their efforts in educating the public. Presenter Amore Bekker frequently advises motorists to light up and be seen. New Capetonian radio station Smile 90.4 also is doing that and I am grateful for that.

 

[Giarc86]

I was driving in front of a Kia Rio this morning and at one stage it had both its headlights and LED running lights on. A few moments later they were both off. Cape Town was very overcast this morning and they should have stayed on. I am assuming the auto light sensor detected a slight increase in light and turned them off even though they clearly should have been on.

The driver could have switched them off but to switch both off seems a bit silly.

 

[GreyBush]

Don't flash drivers without headlights on, they are gang members and they will murder your entire family.... according to some detective ou my "acquaintances" on FB follow and share.

 

[froot]

Don't flash drivers without headlights on, they are gang members and they will murder your entire family.... according to some detective ou my "acquaintances" on FB follow and share.

Sarcasm, or dumb belief? Hopefully the first.
It's the oldest hoax in the book... and the other day I actually saw someone on Facebook sharing that.

 

[GreyBush]

Sarcasm, or dumb belief? Hopefully the first.
It's the oldest hoax in the book... and the other day I actually saw someone on Facebook sharing that.

Nah sarcasm... think it's probably the same guy, some PI from hillcrest.

 

[Datura]

I automatically turn my lights on when I start my car. Force of habit.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Running daylights - LED's - will cure much of this over time, but meanwhile lives get endangered. I suppose that the cause of this lies somehwere between bright street lights (but they drive like this in unlit areas as well) and that some drivers are pre-occupied and not sufficiently assertive.

No they won't because as many people fail to realise, in most cars the daytime running lights are only at the front and don't switch on the rear lights making them invisible in the dark.

Secondly they are for being seen, not for seeing. The light cast by LED daytime lights is little to nothing.


I don't know HOW the hell people manage this even in lit up areas. Sure at dusk I can understand why you wouldn't realise your lights aren't on but in pure darkness you must be an idiot.

 

[SauRoNZA]

You are right. When I returned from Hermanus on Friday night, there were a few fairly new Toyota's as well as a Merc with no headlights at the rear while some did have the front lights on. A wiring issue in those cases. However, various vehicles were driving without any lights on, not even fog lights or paking lights. Do those drivers smoke their green tea?

Nope there's no wiring issue they are just retarded.

Either they are using their daytime running lights at night, which don't engage the rear lights. Or they are doing a move to "force" only their fog lights on in which case their other lights don't engage.

Wonder if they'll be looking as cool when their dead. The sad part is they'll kill someone else, not themselves.

THIS! When I was driving back from Cape Town on the N1 a few weeks ago, there were a number of trucks that kept their brights on, never mind cars. I even checked my lights to see if they weren't too bright, or stuck on bright, which wasn't the case. Part of the with, got stuck behind a CG car who had their brights on permanently, so I also got blinded by every damn truck or car that flashed them.

B

Just beware that a car with lights sitting higher (such as a truck or 4x4) will often appear to be running brights because they hit your mirrors directly and therefore appear much brighter.

 

[Sinbad]

No they won't because as many people fail to realise, in most cars the daytime running lights are only at the front and don't switch on the rear lights making them invisible in the dark.

Secondly they are for being seen, not for seeing. The light cast by LED daytime lights is little to nothing.


I don't know HOW the hell people manage this even in lit up areas. Sure at dusk I can understand why you wouldn't realise your lights aren't on but in pure darkness you must be an idiot.

Agreed. Most cars, the instrument lighting doesn't come on without the headlights being on. How do you drive without being able to see your speedo? Funnily enough my volvo was an exception - the instrumentation lighting was on regardless of the state of the headlights. Caught me out once.

Nowadays in my Cupra, lights are on auto, and DRLs are automatically on when headlights are off.

 

[R13...]

I don't know HOW the hell people manage this even in lit up areas. Sure at dusk I can understand why you wouldn't realise your lights aren't on but in pure darkness you must be an idiot.

Yeah the dark instrument panel and controls around the car should show you something is not right. It's easy to forget when driving in lit up areas but the darkness of the cockpit lights should make you look.

 

[Bismuth]

Just beware that a car with lights sitting higher (such as a truck or 4x4) will often appear to be running brights because they hit your mirrors directly and therefore appear much brighter.

Yes, I do realise this, but some of them did dim their lights eventually (either of their own accord, if I flashed them). Some of them could of course have been because of their height, not them being idiots.

The CG was def. not because of height, was a small Fiat of some description.

B

 

[reneg8or]

Yes, I do realise this, but some of them did dim their lights eventually (either of their own accord, if I flashed them). Some of them could of course have been because of their height, not them being idiots.

The CG was def. not because of height, was a small Fiat of some description.

B

Some fit illegal dim globes, some need to adjust their vehicles' headlights.

too bright is still wayy better than no lights at all. at least you did see them!

 

[reneg8or]

Yeah the dark instrument panel and controls around the car should show you something is not right. It's easy to forget when driving in lit up areas but the darkness of the cockpit lights should make you look.

I have posted the same issue on some international motoring forums. Guess what?? Almost all who noticed this come from Cape Town!! Our traffic authoriities and even the alderman in charge with our safety and security get peeved when one points this out. It does not change the fact that on my street, on average 30 vehicles per hour sans headlights. It seems that Capetonians need re-education, then?

 

[Quantum Theory]

I have posted the same issue on some international motoring forums. Guess what?? Almost all who noticed this come from Cape Town!! Our traffic authoriities and even the alderman in charge with our safety and security get peeved when one points this out. It does not change the fact that on my street, on average 30 vehicles per hour sans headlights. It seems that Capetonians need re-education, then?

Where is Cape Town do you stay, because I've never experienced it as bad as you say it is? Every now and then I see an old wreck with no lights, or a car with one headlight bulb blown... but 30 cars per hour?

 

[reneg8or]

Where is Cape Town do you stay, because I've never experienced it as bad as you say it is? Every now and then I see an old wreck with no lights, or a car with one headlight bulb blown... but 30 cars per hour?

Perhaps you don't see it because you are so used to it happening? It is glaringly obvious all over the Peninsula, be it the N1, N2 or N7, CBD, Sea Point, Simonstown, Bellville, Durbanville, TableView......

I think that people here just are not alert enough to even notice. It is part of the laid-back culture. Not even SAPS do notice it as they waive those vehicles through at road blocks.

The same thing happens in other places, but there it is rare. I've seen in in Pretoria CBD, for instance, but then it was a Cape Town vehicle, of course............

If only people would open their eyes and see.

 

[Chevron]

Let us keep this germane, shall we?

In my city, with well-lit streets, many vehicles are driven even past midnight, without headlights switched on. I find it interesting as I am not sure why this is happening. On my street, an average of 30 vehicles per hour. It is in an upmarket neighbourhood and most of these vehicles are fairly new and supposedly roadworthy.


Running daylights - LED's - will cure much of this over time, but meanwhile lives get endangered. I suppose that the cause of this lies somehwere between bright street lights (but they drive like this in unlit areas as well) and that some drivers are pre-occupied and not sufficiently assertive.



Anyone here see the same where you are living?

I only remember my lights at night when it's dark. So in a well lit I forget. It's not intentional, just don't think about it in a well lit area.