Headlights...
By reinydawn
@reinydawn (11643)
United States
February 12, 2008 10:19pm CST
Tonight was not a good night to be driving home. The weather was horrible and people were not happy. The weather was horrible - rain/sleet/snow. It took a LONG time to get home - over an hour longer than it should have (that was just for me, I was lucky!).
One thing that made it worse was that people did not have their headlights on. I started out on my way home at 4:45pm and it wasn't that dark out, I could have started out without my headlights. But, it was raining and we have a law in MD that says you have to have your headlights on if you have your windshield wipers on.
I could not beleive the number of people that did not have headlights on. I know that some people were on the road for a few (yes, few, more than 3) hours today. Normally, if you start out at 4pm, you are home before dark, but that was not the case today. It just amazed me that people did not realize they needed to turn on their headlights so that other cars can see them.
When do you turn you headlights on in bad weather? Do you know that people can't see you when it's "kinda" dark out? I will turn mine on when 1) I can't see my instrument panel and/or 2) I notice I can't see another car with their lights off.
Do you use your "parking" lights instead of your "regular" lights? Do you think this helps?
3 people like this
9 responses
@blueunicorn (2401)
• United States
13 Feb 08
That is a great law that your lights need to be on if your windshield wipers are on! It makes a lot of sense.
I decide to put my lights on in the same manner you do. If I have a hard time seeing other cars I am sure they are having a hard time seeing me.
I don't use my "parking" lights ever. I am kind of an all or nothing type person. I've never understood what good the parking lights do, to be honest.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
16 Feb 08
Well, if you are "parking" why do you want the lights on? That just doesn't make sense to me...
1 person likes this
@blueunicorn (2401)
• United States
16 Feb 08
I have a funny story about that. Nevermind... that one is too embarrasing. You are right. I like "parking" in the dark better than with the lights on!
1 person likes this
@sunshinegirl1 (436)
• United States
19 Feb 08
we've been having torando's off and on here in Florida.Last week a few roofs got ripped off a pipe went thru my friend's car window. Luckily they weren't in it. We having been havin a lot f rainstorms. I use regular headlights it's law here to turn them on when it's raining.
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
19 Feb 08
Yeah, we have that law too, but people really don't pay attention to it. It's fairly recent here so not many people learned to drive with their headlights on.
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
13 Feb 08
I wonder how easy that law is to enforce? I turn on my lights any time visibility is limited, and it is not just my parking lights.
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
14 Feb 08
My car has day lights that say on and when it is dusk or rainny the lights automaticly turn on. I do not have to worry about my light in my car. I say but I do not drive any more I do have a nice car.
I do not understand why people are not safer when they drive. Lets use common sense and turn our lights on in the rain or when in doubt, it does not use any more gasoline.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
16 Feb 08
That is so true! I think of it as defensive driving. If I can make sure I am visible to others, it's less likely that they'll hit me...
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
14 Feb 08
I make sure that my lights are on when I drive in the evening or at night. There are areas here in our city that do not have streetlights so it is really important for cars to have their lights on so as to be safe. Well, not only for them but pedestrians alike. Aside from drivers who do not turn on their headlights at night, I also hate drivers who flash their headlights towards cars that they meet. It's irritating and it can cause accidents.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
16 Feb 08
I do know that some drivers will flash thier headlights for a warning (of police or an accident), but I understand how you feel about it. Sometimes we just need to use common sense...
@CAMILLERI (373)
• Australia
16 Feb 08
One of my pet hates is people driving
at night with their full headlights on.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
16 Feb 08
Seems like we get one extreem (no lights) or the other (high beams). Sometimes people just aren't too smart!
@azeemjz (445)
• Pakistan
13 Feb 08
Look if all of us follow the rules and instructions well then the accident not happens to us. But there are the lazy or the persons that not pay attentions in the bad weather by not on the headlights of their car can cause problem. You should have to complaint for tight the security in the bad weather.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
13 Feb 08
The emergency people were plenty busy last night with accidents - that's one of the reasons it took me an hour longer than it should have to get home. I'm sure on a normal night, they would have gotten pulled over and ticketed for not having their lights on. It is very dangerous.
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
13 Feb 08
I don't understand why some people do this when they drive. Maybe it's because they figure if they can see without using their headlights then they can be seen by other drivers too.
I'm pretty sure it's the law here in CA to drive with the headlights on during the day (and of course at night too) when the weather is bad. Unfortunately there are still a lot of people around here that don't turn on their headlights during such weather. This can be dangerous as cars can become almost, if not completely, invisible by others!
I never use my parking lights as headlights, though I have seen other drivers do this. I believe it is illegal to drive this way, at least here. As transdisc said they are meant for parked cars, not cars that are driving down the road.
I always have my headlights on when I drive, day or night, rain or shine. I even wrote a discussion about it a few months ago. :P
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
13 Feb 08
You've got that right - people think you can see them if they can see without their lights on. I think yesterday there was more than normal though because we were on the road for hours when it's not normally that long. When people started out it was lighter out (even though it was raining and they should have had the lights on anyways). Then as it took a couple hours to get home they never realized they didn't have the lights on. I don't understand how they see their meters when their lights are out - maybe that's when they turn the "parking" lights on, to see their meters???
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
13 Feb 08
We have the same law here in PA. I use my regular headlights, and I normally have them on when it is just cloudy or overcast. It has been proven that you are more visible to other drivers if you have your lights on, even on sunny days. It was a mess up here too, we had 3+ inches of snow and then ice on top of that, my s/o stayed at his mom's overnight, she is only about 6 blocks from where his station is, so he didn't have to worry about driving home and I didn't have to worry about him being out on the roads with other drivers.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
13 Feb 08
Unfortunately, I was in Baltimore last night - about an hour from the office, which is about half an hour from home. I should have left my appointment earlier, but I didn't want to have to drive back up there again later in the week, so I stayed.
