Have you notice an increase of Car drivers without their dims on?

limklad

Like every year at this time of year, I see drivers who forget to turn on their dims on when they drive in lit up areas after sunset. I have notice this year that there is an unusually an increase of numbers this year in comparison to other years. Last week I have to inform 4 drivers in person by stopping them while walking and flash many others when driving. It seem consistently high for the last four/five weeks. It is usually one or two a week in previous years.

I normally drive out of habit with my dims during the day, especially early morning and dusk when sun is low as I drive a silver car as other drivers see me better and do not pull out in front of me causing me to break. I do not have as many near hits incidents like before (lights off) during the day.

colm_mcm

People are idiots, it's not a new thing.

Tallon

My lights are on all the time...

applejam

I noticed too, black cars/ early mornings and no dims is lethal and I've seen a few recently, also seen a car the other night drive with no lights on, I flashed him to try draw his attention and he gave me the finger , maybe he thought i flashed him because he was driving slow ? ( probably driving slow because he couldn't feckin see )

Blazer

It's absolutely mindboggling how many fúcking retarded díckheads are on the roads, then I remember today's headlines about Fianna Fail support increasing to 18% and then I think to myself "every one of those cvnts must be driving those cars" :mad:

CiniO

limklad wrote: »

Like every year at this time of year, I see drivers who forget to turn on their dims on when they drive in lit up areas after sunset.

Because in lit up areas it's enough to have your sidelights on during the night, according to Irish regulations.
So what they are doing is perfectly legal.

Mc Love

Had to do a bit of driving this evening and spotted 4 cars with no dims on or even their side lights on! Worst I have ever seen it. Countless times over the last two weeks I have also encountered such drivers

Berty

As the nights get longer and the days shorter these threads are 10 a penny which is bound to happen.

There is no cure for "idiotism" so don't worry about it.

Misalinged headlights, 2 out of 4 lights working, no lights on, all lights on, only sides and fogs on, diagonal lighting because of missing front bulbs.

My right dipped beam went on Friday morning. 2 minutes later I swapped the main beam for the dipped beam, drove home that evening, found my bag of bulbs and replaced the main beam.

You'll laugh though. It was outside the hotel when the bulb went. Colleague whom was dropping his car to garage(collecting him to bring to office) says "May as well drop the car in to get the bulb changed". I couldn't believe it. He couldn't see the problem with dropping a car into a main dealer to get a dipped bulb changed on the company card. :eek:

Tallon

GF literally just mentioned the amount of Misalinged headlights as I was buzzing to the shop there now.. It is crazy!

limklad

CiniO wrote: »

Because in lit up areas it's enough to have your sidelights on during the night, according to Irish regulations.
So what they are doing is perfectly legal.

They have no lights on what so ever, well after Sun down by 4 hours!! They do not meet the basic requirements of Irish regulations and no they are driving Legally. They are driving Illegally. Side lights are parking lights not driving lights. Even if they had those on would be something!!

tvercetti

massive case of misaligned lights more so than drivers not dimming.

Mc Love

limklad wrote: »

They have no lights on what so ever, well after Sun down by 4 hours!! They do not meet the basic requirements of Irish regulations and no they are driving Legally. They are driving Illegally. Side lights are parking lights not driving lights. Even if they had those on would be something!!

Saw a taxi driving last night with his side lights and F** lights on! No other lights!

CiniO

Mc Love wrote: »

Saw a taxi driving last night with his side lights and F** lights on! No other lights!

Maybe there was a fog.
While driving on fog even in complete darkness, side lights and fog lights are sufficient.

mondeo

Loads of silly swines on the M50 all week in pitch darkness with no lights on at all.
One stupid young women was getting flashed and beeped at in her jeep from sandyford to Firhouse exit, she is looking all around her wondering what we are all talking about.
Finally she copped on, if she cannot tell the differance between day and night then get off the fookin road!

Mc Love

CiniO wrote: »

Maybe there was a fog.
While driving on fog even in complete darkness, side lights and fog lights are sufficient.

Dont be silly - there wasnt any fog!

ardmacha

Dims behind wheel => no dims on car.

EPM

Leave out the bits on foglights please.

UDP

About a year back I was going out the Navan Road from Dublin City Centre when I came upon a checkpoint. The Garda started pointing at the front of my car so I rolled down the window. He proceeded to tell me that I had left my lights on. I explained to him that I leave my lights on all the time since it is much safer to do so - he seemed perplexed.

analfabets

UDP wrote: »

About a year back I was going out the Navan Road from Dublin City Centre when I came upon a checkpoint. The Garda started pointing at the front of my car so I rolled down the window. He proceeded to tell me that I had left my lights on. I explained to him that I leave my lights on all the time since it is much safer to do so - he seemed perplexed.

I came to Ireland in 2000. (I know i'm not very unique) Back in my home country dimmed lights are required to be on at any time of day. I kept the habbit when started driving in Ireland. Nearly evely oncoming car was flashing full beams at me at the daytime, wanting to remind me that I have left my lights on. Things are changing quickly though. I think it is a lot safer to drive with lights on all day. It should be forced by law because at least that way people wont forget to switch them on when there is reduced wisibility. People with fog lights on in middle lanes deserves another thread on this forum.

corktina

Dims? wtf are you all on about..they are DIPPED headlights...they arent any dimmer than FULL headlights, they just are aimed left and down.

"Sidelights" are "parking " lights btw and should only be used for parking.

analfabets

corktina wrote: »

they arent any dimmer than FULL headlights, they just are aimed left and down.

Well. On older cars they would be a bit dimmer as standard H4 was 55w for dipped/dimmed and 60w for full beams. Or am I wrong? (not being smart simply not convinced that I'm right)

My second excuse is that in my native language they are called "near" and "far" lights

But I take your poit - DIPPED from now on.

DanWall

Is it not less green to have lights on all of the time? you do not get the energy for nothing, if a million cars have lights on all of the time thats a lot of electric.

Keith186

analfabets wrote: »

I came to Ireland in 2000. (I know i'm not very unique) Back in my home country dimmed lights are required to be on at any time of day. I kept the habbit when started driving in Ireland. Nearly evely oncoming car was flashing full beams at me at the daytime, wanting to remind me that I have left my lights on. Things are changing quickly though. I think it is a lot safer to drive with lights on all day. It should be forced by law because at least that way people wont forget to switch them on when there is reduced wisibility. People with fog lights on in middle lanes deserves another thread on this forum.

Who flashes someone for driving with lights on during the day? I've never seen it before.
I reckon your lights were blinding them by being misaligned or on full headlights.

M cebee

I find it difficult driving at nite now
The lights on some of the cars would blind you

i flashed a squad car recently that had one headlamp way off-i was wondering after were they designed that way

mrsoundie

DanWall wrote: »

Is it not less green to have lights on all of the time? you do not get the energy for nothing, if a million cars have lights on all of the time thats a lot of electric.

If it can stop one accident a day, then its green in my book. Just think of all the extra vehicles and activities that have to take place for one accident from Fire to Garda to Relatives trips to hospital etc.

CiniO

analfabets wrote: »

Well. On older cars they would be a bit dimmer as standard H4 was 55w for dipped/dimmed and 60w for full beams. Or am I wrong? (not being smart simply not convinced that I'm right)

I think you are wrong.
AFAIK H4 is 55W no matter if it's for dipped lights or full beam.

My second excuse is that in my native language they are called "near" and "far" lights

What is you native language?

jsd1004

CiniO wrote: »

Maybe there was a fog.
While driving on fog even in complete darkness, side lights and fog lights are sufficient.

If you are driving in darkness (fogs or not) with sidelights on you either do not understand the controls of your vehicle are else you are a bit dim.;)

Berty

DanWall wrote: »

Is it not less green to have lights on all of the time? you do not get the energy for nothing, if a million cars have lights on all of the time thats a lot of electric.

I tell you what. Head over to the USA for a few days and then you wont ever give a sh*t about recycling or trying to save the world one headlight bulb at a time.

Personally I drive with the dipped on nearly all day unless it is really sunny and bright.

opinion guy

I have to admit I am guilty of this recently. Primarily because I have DRL's on the car which are always on and when leaving work late and tired I have been fooled by the decent light of the DRL's coupled with streetlighting and forgotten to put on the headlights!

CiniO

jsd1004 wrote: »

If you are driving in darkness (fogs or not) with sidelights on you either do not understand the controls of your vehicle are else you are a bit dim.;)

I know any talk about fog lights is prohibited here, but what you are saying is far from true, so I'll take my chance to correct what you said.

First the legislation about obligatory lights:

Source: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1963/en/si/0189.html#zzsi189y1963a20

Use of obligatory lighting.

20. (1) (a) Where a vehicle to which this Part of these Regulations applies is used in a public place during lighting up hours, any of the following lamps and lighting with which the vehicle is required to be equipped in pursuance of article 9 of these Regulations shall, at all times while the vehicle is so used, be shown duly lit, that is to say:—the side lamps, rear lamps, rear projecting load lamp, lateral projecting load lamp, marker lamp and identification mark lighting.


(b) (i) Where a vehicle to which this Part of these Regulations applies is being driven in a public place during lighting-up hours, the head lamps with which the vehicle is required to be equipped under these Regulations shall be shown duly lit.


(ii) Sub-paragraph (i) of this paragraph shall not apply—


(I) For a reasonable period after the commencement or before the ending of lighting-up hours, provided visibility is adequate,


(II) while the vehicle is stopped in the course of traffic, or


(III) while the vehicle is being driven in conditions of good visibility on a road to which a speed limit under section 45 or section 46 of the Act applies and which is provided with a continuous system of public lighting affording illumination equivalent at least to that afforded by dipped head lamps.


(c) Where two fog lamps within the meaning of article 44 are fitted and each lamp is so placed that no part of the vehicle extends laterally on the same side as the lamp more than 16 inches beyond the illuminated surface of the lamp, such lamps when used in fog or while snow is falling may be deemed to be head lamps for the purposes of paragraph (b) of this sub-article.


(2) (a) Where a vehicle to which this Part of these Regulations applies and which is required under these Regulations to be equipped with side lamps, rear lamps, and identification mark lighting in the day time, is used in a public place during any period in the day time when, due to failing light or atmospheric conditions, visibility is reduced to that obtaining at night-fall or in night time the said side lamps, rear lamps and identification mark lighting shall be shown duly lit.


(b) Where a vehicle to which this Part of these Regulations applies and which is required under these Regulations to be equipped with head lamps in the day time is being driven in a public place during any period in the day time when, due to failing light or atmospheric conditions visibility is so reduced as to render the use of the head lamps necessary for safe driving, such head lamps shall be shown duly lit.

Generally speaking, you have to use your side lights during lighting up hours at all times. Addtionally, if your vehicle is equipped with dipped headlights (which currently applies to all cars) you have to use them, with exception for reasonable period after and before ligting up hours, or when vehicle is stopped in course of traffic, or if you are driving in a built up area where there is adequate street ligting.

During fog or when it's snowing, you are allowed to drive with sidelights and foglights, and leave your dipped lights off. That's very important in deep fog, as dipped headlights could only dazzle you, and then foglights on it's own (with sidelights) is the only reasonable option. Most people don't really know about it.

However it doesn't apply during day when weather is bad and visibility limited, even by fog. Then everyone is required to use dipped lights, and obviously can use foglights as well together with them.

PS. "lighting-up hours" means the period commencing one half-hour after sunset on any day and expiring one half-hour before sunrise on the next day;

Tallon

Who cares, you all know what lights the OP is talking about!

Nforce

Keith186 wrote: »

Who flashes someone for driving with lights on during the day? I've never seen it before.
I reckon your lights were blinding them by being misaligned or on full headlights.

You'd be surprised! Back when I was driving for a living I always drove with dipped lights during the day. Lights were perfectly aligned,but I was flashed at least 3 or 4 times a day.
People appeared incredulous when I told them that I was aware that my lights were on and that it was because I wanted my vehicle to be more visible. I definitely noticed a marked decrease in "near misses" with my lights on at all times.
The only downside to this was the fact that I went through headlight bulbs at a quicker rate (driving from 3am to 3pm 6 days a week), but I just carried a few spares at all times to counteract this.

maxfresh

People should just get in the habit of putting on they're dipped headlights any time they hop in the car like a seatbelt, this is what i try to do.

im sure we all have done the thing of driving out of garage at night without lights on ,you feel like a right idiot

doolox

....is my rule as it avoids people pulling out from side roads in front of me as what happens if I try to drive without lights in what passes for "daylight" in Ireland in Winter.

As far as I know Nordic countries have their lights on all the time for driving.

analfabets

Keith186 wrote: »

Who flashes someone for driving with lights on during the day? I've never seen it before.
I reckon your lights were blinding them by being misaligned or on full headlights.

Possibly missaligned as it was an old Punto I bought. I was mainly driving in rural areas at the time, so local farmers would be the flasher i guess.

CiniO wrote: »

I think you are wrong.
AFAIK H4 is 55W no matter if it's for dipped lights or full beam.

These aren't.

CiniO wrote: »

What is you native language?

Latvian.

CiniO

analfabets wrote: »

Possibly missaligned as it was an old Punto I bought. I was mainly driving in rural areas at the time, so local farmers would be the flasher i guess.

Maybe there were flasing just to greet you and say hello
That's common in rural areas

Latvian.

All right.
The same in Polish. Far lights and near lights.

Berty

Forgot about this.

I have been driving with my dipped beams on for another reason as well and I encourage you to test this yourself. Considering I do 1400kms per week or close to it I can gauge it fairly well.

Drive with your dipped beams on a Motorway in daylight. People get out of your way much faster and on a National route they, more quickly, move to the hard shoulder to let you passed.

CamperMan

some people think they are saving energy by leaving the lights off... and they think this applies to the cars also ;-)

zilog_jones

CamperMan wrote: »

some people think they are saving energy by leaving the lights off... and they think this applies to the cars also ;-)

Well it does apply with cars to an extent. Your alternator doesn't magically produce electricity from nothing - it puts a load on your engine. Dipped beams, tail lights, dashboard and other lights will easily add up to 150W or more. That could mean around 0.2 l/100km in a typical petrol car - not an awful lot, but if you're running dipped beams all the time it does add up. Modern LED DRLs will use about 90% less power than dipped beams.

I usually turn on my dipped beams whenever it's any way dull (though my car usually does this for me anyway :cool:), and always have them on when driving on main roads or motorways.

I've noticed it's actually quite difficult to change bulbs on some smaller cars, e.g. the passenger side on the Mk. 4 Fiesta and driver's side on the Peugeot 206 seem to require moving the whole headlamp cluster to gain access to the bulbs - not really that hard a task if you're any way handy but pretty daunting for those who aren't and not possible without at least a screwdriver.

I hear certain Meganes are a pain in the hole to change bulbs (removing wheels and other sillyness) but I'm not sure how true that is...

Berty

zilog_jones wrote: »

I hear certain Meganes are a pain in the hole to change bulbs (removing wheels and other sillyness) but I'm not sure how true that is...

2004 Megane you just put the wheels on full lock and cut off 2/3 fingers.

Yakuza

I leave my cars lights on auto, so they come on themselves if a light sensor deems it dark enough. All well and good, until you borrow your dad's car that doesn't have any such modern fripperies

V Eight

Some people are simply retards and it would never occur to them lights would make them more visible and if this did occur to them they would fear running the battery down..............................however other people just have a lot of stuff going on in their heads - money, jobs, relationships etc. It's a recession they leave the house tired in the morning or evening and safety is way down the thought process... until of course the obvious impending accident............

coylemj

Keith186 wrote: »

Who flashes someone for driving with lights on during the day? I've never seen it before.
I reckon your lights were blinding them by being misaligned or on full headlights.

+1 I drove a Volvo S60 from 05 to 07 with dipped headlights permanently switched on, never got flashed once.

Nforce

coylemj wrote: »

+1 I drove a Volvo S60 from 05 to 07 with dipped headlights permanently switched on, never got flashed once.

Generally motorists are aware that Volvo's will have their lights on during daytime,however.

analfabets

coylemj wrote: »

+1 I drove a Volvo S60 from 05 to 07 with dipped headlights permanently switched on, never got flashed once.

I'm talking about 2000-2001.

deadlast

CiniO wrote: »

All right.
The same in Polish. Far lights and near lights.

Has there been much difference in road death figures since it was made law in Poland? What is it 2-3years since they brought it in...?

analfabets

deadlast wrote: »

Has there been much difference in road death figures since it was made law in Poland? What is it 2-3years since they brought it in...?

There is a bit about daytime running lights here

CiniO

deadlast wrote: »

Has there been much difference in road death figures since it was made law in Poland? What is it 2-3years since they brought it in...?

Are you saying about obligatory dipped or DRL lights during the day?
They instroduced it on 17 April 2007, but it wasn't actually anything new, as in preceeding 10 years or even more, it was already obligatory to use lights during daytime in winter time (October to February), so people were used to it, and lots of drivers were using lights in daytime during the summer as well.

I doubt though if introducing it made any difference in road deaths.
Of course number of road deaths is falling every year, the same as in Ireland (safer cars, better roads, etc) but there wasn't anything which would prove that obligatory lights would make roads safer.


I think obligatory lights for everyone cause another problem.
Drivers get used to it, and if they don't see lights, they assume there is nothing, while there might be pedestrian, cyclist, or a car driver who forgot to turn the lights.

So I'm actually not convienced if obligatory dipped lights (or DRLs) for everyone is a good thing, even though I almost alway use have them on. It surely makes me safer