Full beam lights on a dualler?

corblimey

What's the protocol here? You're driving at night on a dualler. There's no car ahead of you, and there's no lights on the road. The other side of the road is pretty busy and the divider between the 2 is a sparse bush, so you can see the cars coming and they can see you. For the most part, you're in the far left lane and so are they, but there may be car overtaking in the fast lane.

So is it allowed to put your full beams on, or should you keep them dipped all the way?

Where To

You should always dip, even for a jumbo flying overhead heading for the States.

corktina

definately you should be on dip beams if any car is in sight on either side of the road.

visual

dipped of course, why would you think high beam wouldn't be impacting motorist vision on other side of the dual carriageway.

Diemos

They should be dipped when there is on coming traffic.

corblimey

Yeah, that's what I figured, it's just that I quite often come up against cars who have their full beams on in this sitch, and I just wondered if it was me being pernickity, or they should actually be dipped. Does this mean I can now flash them as they approach ?

Cungi

corblimey wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I figured, it's just that I quite often come up against cars who have their full beams on in this sitch, and I just wondered if it was me being pernickity, or they should actually be dipped. Does this mean I can now flash them as they approach ?

Flash away boss! Just make sure you have a heavy trenchcoat for....
Oh wait you mean the other flashing? Yeah that too.

scooters

Why would you even need full beams on a motorway?

Maruney

Just use common sense which there is very little of on our roads. If there's a wall down the middle it usually prevents you being blinded if both cars are driving in the left lane on a flat road.
On hills or meeting trucks just use common sense.
I used to drive with dipped lights but realised most cars coming the opposite direction didn't and I wasn't blinded.

Im starting to think people here need their eyes tested, it reminds me of the many (front) fog light threads that appear, yes its stupid to have them on when there's no fog and it does annoy me but saying they dazzle you...c'mon - well maybe a Micra with fogs would but generally its an over reaction.

brownej

In my opinion you should always have your lights dipped on a motorway with oncoming traffic.
Oncoming cars will get dazzled intermittantly depending on the state of the divider and the undulations of the raod. Any oncoming vehicle with a high driving position like a truck or a bus will be blinded more often than not.
When that artic flashes back you'll know all about it.....

corktina

with all the lines we have painted on our roads, there are very few occasions when you need other than dip beams anyway.

visual

Maruney wrote: »

Just use common sense which there is very little of on our roads. If there's a wall down the middle it usually prevents you being blinded if both cars are driving in the left lane on a flat road.
On hills or meeting trucks just use common sense.
I used to drive with dipped lights but realised most cars coming the opposite direction didn't and I wasn't blinded.

Im starting to think people here need their eyes tested, it reminds me of the many (front) fog light threads that appear, yes its stupid to have them on when there's no fog and it does annoy me but saying they dazzle you...c'mon - well maybe a Micra with fogs would but generally its an over reaction.

Rules of the road on lighting still apply on motorways and dual carriageways. A persons Interpretation of common sense doesnt come into it.

bazz26

Dipped beams of course, the dazzling light from high beams doesn't magically stop at the central reservation.

cml387

Attempt to drive on full beams and lorry drivers will let you know pretty quickly the error of your ways.

langdang

If there's no one around then yeah I would use full beams, who knows when you'd meet two people rolling having a brawl on the motorway? Or more likely (but still kinda unlikely in fairness), a deer or a family of deer.
Dips won't cover your reaction + braking distance at 120kph. Why do trucks need all those lights, shur they have as good or better brakes/drivers than plenty cars!!!

But the common sense thing is - if you can see the oncoming traffic lights, then they can see yours, just dip if there's any chance at all you'd blind the other carriageway. That includes blinding trucks, I think some people forget they are higher!!

joujoujou

cml387 wrote: »

Attempt to drive on full beams and lorry drivers will let you know pretty quickly the error of your ways.

+1.

And another extremely simple rule:

if you see other's cars lights, he sees yours. Always.

Crasp

scooters wrote: »

Why would you even need full beams on a motorway?

Have I misunderstood you? If not, I think it's fairly inadvisable to be driving down an unlit road at a potential 120km/h without full headlights on. Your lights won't even illuminate your reaction distance at that speed, never mind the road in front of you. 120km/h is 33.33m/s

Del2005

corblimey wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I figured, it's just that I quite often come up against cars who have their full beams on in this sitch, and I just wondered if it was me being pernickity, or they should actually be dipped. Does this mean I can now flash them as they approach ?

Ignorant drivers and misaligned lights. Several times I've flashed oncoming cars which I though had their heads on only to be even more blinded when they do turn them on.

scooters wrote: »

Why would you even need full beams on a motorway?

From the ROTR

Drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the distance covered by your lights

Unless you have some magic dipped beams that cover 100m of road, you can only drive at 50km/h.

Sniper Alert

I'm a lorry driver and do all my driving at night time. This topic makes me mad every night...There's nothing more annoying than people coming towards you with their full lights on. As a general rule I dip my lights as soon as I see an oncoming vehicle on the opposite side but if they're too ignorant/stupid to dip their lights then they get my full lights right in they're face. 99% of the time it works but you'd be surprised the amount of ppl that continue on unaware while they're getting their eyes burnt outa their head by my lights (and they're strong)...!!!

visual

I think we all at some stage fall into the trap of trying to turn night into day with highbeam fog and anyrhing else we can think of. But this isnt good apart from blinding others it forces your eyes to adjust to bright light making the darker areas out side of bright light less visible (tunnel vision). The night is seldom pitch black with other sources of light from other cars and even the moon assisting you see better.

These tips might help less experienced

If you are following a car, back off a little and you can take avantage of that cars lights as it illuminates the road. It gives you early warning of any dangerous bends or obstacles in the road.

Avoid looking into on coming headlights instead pay more attention to the verge on left.

If your lead car on the road seeing approching cars will indicate the road layout hills bends or straits.

No other cars approching only then rely on highbeam

If you do notice a car approching on highbeam quick flash will normally remind them. No point getting in to highbeam war and your both driving blindly towards each other. if they dont dip their lights focus you view to whats on your left, road markings or the ditch on side of road.

Dip your headlights as soon as you notice a car approching even if they appear way off in the distance.

Properly aligned and working lights is a must
Avoid the cool blue look bulbs as these actually output less usable visible light especial on dark wet roads.

galwaytt

I was always taught you should dip because ......"if you can see their lights, they can see yours ".

This includes when you're driving behind someone. Think about it - if you can see a poxy 5W tail light, you can be damned sure they can see your 55W mains.......

Lutecia

My folks have automated full beams on their Scenic. I tested the yoke a few months back, this is working damn well. On the motorways, didn't get anyone flashing me (not even trucks), and it switches obviously faster than a human (who tends to get tired too, at night). On N roads, works perfectly too. It's just in roundabouts that this is less convincing. I suppose the sensor sees straight and as everyone is turning, there is a bit of flaw. But to be honest, I've rarely an automated thing working so well (I'm thinking auto wipers and lights, even AC)

Thatnastyboy

I do a lot of motorway driving myself, this topic really grinds my gears,

As mentioned,

Cats eyes, & good road markings, coupled with Properly focused lights with good bulbs and loom upgrades (for older cars with half burnt out looms) will mostly eliminate the need for bulbs on motorways/duallers..

My cure to being blinded is my 100w 9" pencil beam spots fired right at them

They dont be long about dippin' :pac:






Trivia:

Q: Why do they use cats eyes on the roads?

A: If they used cats arses they'd have to kill twice as many cats

reilig

Maruney wrote: »

Im starting to think people here need their eyes tested, it reminds me of the many (front) fog light threads that appear, yes its stupid to have them on when there's no fog and it does annoy me but saying they dazzle you...c'mon - well maybe a Micra with fogs would but generally its an over reaction.

Fog's don't dazzle me when I meet them front on. However, I find that they dazzle me when someone drives up my arse with them on. I find that usually if someone doesn't have the cop on to turn off their fog's when there's no fog then they don't have enough intelligence to keep an adequate distance behind the car in front of them either. Its very annoying to have an asshole driving up your ass with fogs on as it blinds the driver and makes it more difficult for him/her to see and concentrate on the road in front.

Yawns

Thatnastyboy wrote: »

I do a lot of motorway driving myself, this topic really grinds my gears,

As mentioned,

Cats eyes, & good road markings, coupled with Properly focused lights with good bulbs and loom upgrades (for older cars with half burnt out looms) will mostly eliminate the need for bulbs on motorways/duallers..
s

Do cats eyes and good road marking illuminate the deer? Having had one come onto the motorway before in front of me I was glad I had the full beams on and was able to see it much sooner. It enabled be to slow down and flash my hazards to get the other traffic to slow down and be aware.

Mycroft H

Meh. If there is a decent hedge in the middle I'll use my mains. If I see a cab of a lorry/bus I'll dip or if I see the lights of another car I'll dip too. Like driving on a normal road.

I've met half a blown out truck tyre on the driving lane of the M4 late one night, if I didn't have main beams on I probably would have hit it. Main beams are handy for that sort of thing.

Thatnastyboy

Yawns wrote: »

Do cats eyes and good road marking illuminate the deer?

No they don't, unfortunately.


You dealt with your situation well btw, point taken too, but not reeeaallly what i meant..

Wonder would you have seen the deer if someone was coming against you in the other carriageway with their full beams on?