lights on when parked versus stopped

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 12:06am #1

hi there everybody

I often park outside by neighbours house . its the only place to park. the house is beside the road, you park outside her front wall that is inset from the road .
its in the county

anytime I park against the oncoming traffic my lights are pointed towards the on coming cars.

I never leave my lights on when im parked . that is illegal and dangerous and just rude

a few times lately the following has happened.
when I go out to the van I get and start up as usual . when I am about to move I put on the indicator and wait for a opportunity to do so.
a few times cars have been coming against me. I have my dims on and my indicator . I am waiting for them to pas so that I can move.
they start flashing me , then leaving on their lights, then blowing the horn.
all 3 of those are illegal , but my question is what can I do to stop this

the way I look at is that I am not parked I am stopped, I am in the process of driving . you wouldn't turn off your lights at a zebra crossing or a stop sign

thanks alan

Del2005 · 21-12-2015 12:08am

Try parking the opposite way so your lights aren't shinning into oncoming vehicles.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 21-12-2015 12:10am

Dont park against the flow of traffic

Vowel Movement · 21-12-2015 12:16am

Maybe they were beckoning you out?

colm_mcm · 21-12-2015 12:18am

Ive been driving a good while now, and never make an effort to park in the direction of traffic, I've never had what was described in the OP.

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 12:32am

its not as simple as just park the other way.
her house 150 yard from mine but the next place to turn is 700-800 yard further on and that's someone's entrance.
I only park that way when im going that way, if im coming home I am pointed the other way.
if I am at home and not going another place I will walk

Del2005 · 21-12-2015 1:01am

the_pen_turner wrote: »

its not as simple as just park the other way.
her house 150 yard from mine but the next place to turn is 700-800 yard further on and that's someone's entrance.
I only park that way when im going that way, if im coming home I am pointed the other way.
if I am at home and not going another place I will walk

Could you not park at home for the sake of 150 yards?

Check that you're lights are correctly aligned and that the lenses aren't damaged. It could be whatever way your parking your lights are just catching oncoming motorists at the wrong angle and blinding them.

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 1:07am

its a new van so im hoping he lights are aligned properly. it never happens anywhere else

there is a slope in the road. the oncoming traffic is looking down onto my position

I think they are just being ignorant

I could walk on these occasions but I am on my way somewhere and just nipping in for a minute (I lights her fire and feeds her dog when she works late)

pheelay · 21-12-2015 1:10am

Dipped beams direct the light to the left. When you're on the wrong side of the road, that means your dipped beams are pointing directly at the oncoming cars as they're passing and they are probably mistaking that for your full beams.

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 1:16am

pheelay wrote: »

Dipped beams direct the light to the left. When you're on the wrong side of the road, that means your dipped beams are pointing directly at the oncoming cars as they're passing and they are probably mistaking that for your full beams.

you could be right but they flash me way before my lights are shining on them.

pablo128 · 21-12-2015 1:21am

Personally, I would have the side lights on so they could see me, and when they pass, put on the dips and pull away. As said above, your lights are being angled towards them where you are parked. The headlights are nearly at eye level for car drivers, being a van.

21-12-2015 1:23am

Why not just leave your dipped lights off and keep just your sidelights/parking lights on? And when the road is clear or you have space to move, switch to your dipped lights as you pull out, instead of having them on whilst remaining stationary?

There are a handful of cul-de-sac house estates around here, with low front walls at the houses. When I'm U-Turning in them, I turn off my dips and turn on my fogs, so the light is aimed lower and I'm not shining my lights in people's windows. Takes a millisecond to switch from dips to side+fog lights and then back to normal when I'm finished my U-Turn. Saves any annoyance residents may get and doesn't hinder my view. Everyone's a winner.

On Irish cars your left lights will illuminate higher at the edges, to shine into the ditches, etc. along the roadside. Naturally if you're on the wrong side of the road, especially on a slope, this bulb will go directly into the oncoming traffic.

Victor · 21-12-2015 1:34am

While driving along (brother driving) at night, we had a driver pull into a layby on the other side of the road and straighten up, their headlights pointing at us. Everything disappeared and all we could see was the headlights. It's inconsiderate and dangerous.

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I think they are just being ignorant

**cough**

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 1:43am

Victor wrote: »

While driving along (brother driving) at night, we had a driver pull into a layby on the other side of the road and straighten up, their headlights pointing at us. Everything disappeared and all we could see was the headlights. It's inconsiderate and dangerous.
they were head lights.
mine are dims

**cough**

I mean the flashing lights and blowing horn is ignorant. I obviously don't want to be blinding people on the road

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 1:46am

I never turn my lights off . the van turns them off with the ignition. so I never think about the lights only to dims and head lights.
its a another step but I will try turning off the dims and see what happens

TherapyBoy · 21-12-2015 1:49am

Think about your lights. Not thinking about them when they appear to be blinding people is ignorant.

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 1:59am

this has only happened 4-5 times in total and all in the one location.
that is why im asking.
I didn't see any reason for it.
I never get blinded when im approaching her house and someone else has their dims on, even when my father is there with the same type van.

punisher5112 · 21-12-2015 2:01am

Op you say everything the other drivers have done is illegal when it is actually you that is wrong on all counts.

1 you must be facing the correct way for whatever side of the road you are on especially at dark times as your vehicle is equipped with rear red reflectors as to make your parked/stationary vehicle a little easier to see.
What you do is park against traffic = illegal.

2 having your dipped and or high beams can effect others vision as you may be on a incline/dip(raised on a curb etc...) especially when you are on the incorrect side of the road. You are intact causing a distraction and a dangerous one at that.

Any other road user may flash to show their presence for safety reasons also the horn is there to prevent accidents and make others around of the vehicles presence.

Try not to be the ignorant one and maybe go and study the rules of the road its actually very basic stuff you should have learned of known of to actually pass a driving test or theory test at least.

Don't park facing wrong way and all of the above will stop happening.

punisher5112 · 21-12-2015 2:05am

the_pen_turner wrote: »

this has only happened 4-5 times in total and all in the one location.
that is why im asking.
I didn't see any reason for it.
I never get blinded when im approaching her house and someone else has their dims on, even when my father is there with the same type van.

Your questions answers itself you are in a van.........
Think.......

You are much higher up then cars and most suv4x4s etc.

Believe me and the rest you are blinding the other drivers.

I have been blinded driving large vehicles by people doing what you do so as I in cars it makes anything before or after the car impossible to see or make out.

Del2005 · 21-12-2015 2:31am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Op you say everything the other drivers have done is illegal when it is actually you that is wrong on all counts.

1 you must be facing the correct way for whatever side of the road you are on especially at dark times as your vehicle is equipped with rear red reflectors as to make your parked/stationary vehicle a little easier to see.
What you do is park against traffic = illegal.

2 having your dipped and or high beams can effect others vision as you may be on a incline/dip(raised on a curb etc...) especially when you are on the incorrect side of the road. You are intact causing a distraction and a dangerous one at that.

Any other road user may flash to show their presence for safety reasons also the horn is there to prevent accidents and make others around of the vehicles presence.

Try not to be the ignorant one and maybe go and study the rules of the road its actually very basic stuff you should have learned of known of to actually pass a driving test or theory test at least.

Don't park facing wrong way and all of the above will stop happening.

It's not illegal in Ireland to park against the traffic flow.

Del2005 · 21-12-2015 2:36am

the_pen_turner wrote: »

this has only happened 4-5 times in total and all in the one location.
that is why im asking.
I didn't see any reason for it.
I never get blinded when im approaching her house and someone else has their dims on, even when my father is there with the same type van.

Simple solution. Park your van as normal, leave lights on, get into a car and drive towards your van. You'll see why other motorists are getting annoyed, horn and flashing lights is fairly extreme for the description you give of the parking.

jca · 21-12-2015 3:20am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Op you say everything the other drivers have done is illegal when it is actually you that is wrong on all counts.

1 you must be facing the correct way for whatever side of the road you are on especially at dark times as your vehicle is equipped with rear red reflectors as to make your parked/stationary vehicle a little easier to see.
What you do is park against traffic = illegal.

2 having your dipped and or high beams can effect others vision as you may be on a incline/dip(raised on a curb etc...) especially when you are on the incorrect side of the road. You are intact causing a distraction and a dangerous one at that.

Any other road user may flash to show their presence for safety reasons also the horn is there to prevent accidents and make others around of the vehicles presence.

Try not to be the ignorant one and maybe go and study the rules of the road its actually very basic stuff you should have learned of known of to actually pass a driving test or theory test at least.

Don't park facing wrong way and all of the above will stop happening.

Where does it state in the regulations that it's illegal to park against the flow of traffic? Op when you start the van to move off switch to sidelights and when on your correct side of the road switch on your dims.

21-12-2015 5:24am

the_pen_turner wrote: »

its a new van so im hoping he lights are aligned properly. it never happens anywhere else

there is a slope in the road. the oncoming traffic is looking down onto my position

I think they are just being ignorant

I could walk on these occasions but I am on my way somewhere and just nipping in for a minute (I lights her fire and feeds her dog when she works late)

Just because its new means nothing. The place where the father works bought a new van. It transpired that it was fitted with lights from a LHD vehicle, the wrong lights completely.
Also be wary of parking against the flow of traffic , worst case scenario you could get done for parking in a dangerous position and get penalty points

savagethegoat · 21-12-2015 8:58am

you're aware you are causing a problem, so you need to do something about it. Name calling those you are causing a nuisance to won't solve this problem.

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 10:22am

savagethegoat wrote: »

you're aware you are causing a problem, so you need to do something about it. Name calling those you are causing a nuisance to won't solve this problem.

they are ignorant.
flashing and blowing at me wont make me do anything only get annoyed.
im stopped waiting to proceed not parked. my indicator is on

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 10:29am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Op you say everything the other drivers have done is illegal when it is actually you that is wrong on all counts.

1 you must be facing the correct way for whatever side of the road you are on especially at dark times as your vehicle is equipped with rear red reflectors as to make your parked/stationary vehicle a little easier to see.
What you do is park against traffic = illegal.
there is no rule like this.

2 having your dipped and or high beams can effect others vision as you may be on a incline/dip(raised on a curb etc...) especially when you are on the incorrect side of the road. You are intact causing a distraction and a dangerous one at that.
I am on flat ground but the road ahead of me raise up, my lights are shining into the road as it comes up to meet my beams
Any other road user may flash to show their presence for safety reasons also the horn is there to prevent accidents and make others around of the vehicles presence.
flash to show their presence. I can see them because they have their lights on. the horn is for emergency use only. this is not an emergency
Try not to be the ignorant one and maybe go and study the rules of the road its actually very basic stuff you should have learned of known of to actually pass a driving test or theory test at least.

Don't park facing wrong way and all of the above will stop happening.

....

TherapyBoy · 21-12-2015 10:41am

This is very simple.

Something you are doing is affecting other motorists, it would appear that your lights are blinding other road users. This is dangerous.

Please alter your behaviour. Turn your lights off/down until you are on the correct side of the road.

jca · 21-12-2015 11:27am

TherapyBoy wrote: »

This is very simple.

Something you are doing is affecting other motorists, it would appear that your lights are blinding other road users. This is dangerous.

Please alter your behaviour. Turn your lights off/down until you are on the correct side of the road.

Nice to see the Christmas spirit flowing in boards (as usual)

Squidgy Black · 21-12-2015 11:32am

Del2005 wrote: »

It's not illegal in Ireland to park against the traffic flow.

It's not, but it should be, like it is in the UK and NI.

miller50841 · 21-12-2015 11:32am

If people were able to understand they are the problem when it has being spoon fed to them it would be a perfect world but honestly from what I am reading from the op he doesn't seem very bright pun intended........

Head the advice op and stop blinding other drivers.

Do you know why a vehicle comes with 2 rear reflectors??????

TherapyBoy · 21-12-2015 11:34am

I'm sorry if my post seemed abrupt but it has been explained to the OP numerous times that their lights are in all probability blinding other motorists & he/she refuses to accept that this is something within his/her control.

they are ignorant.
flashing and blowing at me wont make me do anything only get annoyed.
im stopped waiting to proceed not parked. my indicator is on

the_pen_turner · 21-12-2015 11:45am

TherapyBoy wrote: »

I'm sorry if my post seemed abrupt but it has been explained to the OP numerous times that their lights are in all probability blinding other motorists & he/she refuses to accept that this is something within his/her control.

I am sorry if you cant read. your post is completely wrong.
I understand my lights might be blinding other road users and the purpose of this tread was to work out why .
I am not refusing to accept that my lights are maybe blinding them. yes it is in my control and as I stated in other posts I will turn down my lights in this situation in future

miller50841 · 21-12-2015 12:05pm

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I am sorry if you cant read. your post is completely wrong.
I understand my lights might be blinding other road users and the purpose of this tread was to work out why .
I am not refusing to accept that my lights are maybe blinding them. yes it is in my control and as I stated in other posts I will turn down my lights in this situation in future

Wohoooooooo

Think it may have got through.

cml387 · 21-12-2015 1:06pm

Look at it from the other drivers view. They are meeting oncoming traffic so will tend to focus their attention to the left in case of pedestrians (at least that's what I do). Now they are being blinded by the lights of your car whose headlights are aimed at them as well. It's happened to me and it is annoying.

lights on when parked versus stopped

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