Dipped Headlights - Suprising behaviour

Supercell

I recently moved to Annamoe in Co Wicklow from Rathgar in Dublin suburbia.

I'm a little surprised by the driver behaviour on mountain roads here to be honest.

My mother is from a rural area in N Ireland and my memories of country driving always meant dip the lights if a car was oncoming.

So when I moved to Annamoe I thought this would be standard behaviour ...but no, drive with fogs and full beam on seems to be the norm, which while annoying is bearable in dry weather(still fecking dangerous to the oncoming non experienced country driver though).

However today driving home after work, there was very heavy rain and the roads were flooded in quite a few places and low and behold driver behaviour was really good (bar about 2 or 3 retards) , they dipped their headlights coming up to me as I did for them and switched them on after passing me, it was great!

Why the hell don't Wicklow drivers behave like this all the time!!!????

Does it take really really dangerous conditions before people cop on and actually respect the rules of the road?

Is this a nationwide thing? , and do anyone else think that dipped headlights are only for heavy weather in traffic?

Cabaal

Does it take really really dangerous conditions before people cop on and actually respect the rules of the road

Rules of the road, commen sense...whats the difference,
Loads of muppets around this evening that were driving far far too fast on dodgy roads and with very poor visability

Alun

Ah, the joys of the R755 !!! I'm on that road most weekends, and the standard of 'driving' is appalling. But just wait until the summer when you get caught behind the queues of whatever the hire-car-of-the-year is traveling at a steady 50-60km/h coming back from Glendalough, especially now that they've resurfaced the section of the road between Kilmac and Roundwood and seem to have forgotten what dashed white lines are

tbh

I always wait till I can see the oncoming car before I dip, cause usually it reminds them to do the same.....I've been known to forget on occasion myself.

Supercell

Alun wrote:

Ah, the joys of the R755 !!! I'm on that road most weekends, and the standard of 'driving' is appalling. But just wait until the summer when you get caught behind the queues of whatever the hire-car-of-the-year is traveling at a steady 50-60km/h coming back from Glendalough, especially now that they've resurfaced the section of the road between Kilmac and Roundwood and seem to have forgotten what dashed white lines are

Lol ! Know exactly what you mean, the type that slows to 30 kph for every fecking car passing on the other side even in dry weather, thank feck there wasn't someone like that on the road ahead of me tonight ..mind you if there was they probably are in a ditch somewhere, road conditions were truly awful.

Supercell

tbh wrote:

I always wait till I can see the oncoming car before I dip, cause usually it reminds them to do the same.....I've been known to forget on occasion myself.

How can you "forget"??, maybe if you drive a SUV/4x4 and in your cabin you don't realise you are totally blinding the oncoming traffic(which could swerve into you if they think they are heading into a ditch)..funny how every truck driver seems to realise this and dips well in advance though..hmmmm

tbh

Longfield wrote:

How can you "forget"??, maybe if you drive a SUV/4x4 and in your cabin you don't realise you are totally blinding the oncoming traffic(which could swerve into you if they think they are heading into a ditch)..funny how every truck driver seems to realise this and dips well in advance though..hmmmm

no, I don't drive a 4x4, I drive a little hatchback, and what can I say? sometimes I forget I have the full lights on. Not often, but sometimes.

cudman

they r probably all backward bastards in wicklow

Idleater

Longfield wrote:

How can you "forget"??, maybe if you drive a SUV/4x4 and in your cabin you don't realise you are totally blinding the oncoming traffic...

When I am out and about on the motorcycle, I wait till the car switches off their headlights first, because I consider myself the more vulnerable motorist.

I couldn't care less how "forgetful" you may consider me, but at least you will see me.

When I am in the car however, I always switch off the headlights when I see another vehicle's lights on the hedgerows or wherever.

L.

Supercell

cudman wrote:

they r probably all backward bastards in wicklow

In fact I think the opposite is true:-

House prices have forced city people into the countryside and they equate county = full beam and city = dipped beam.

The commuter counties are therefore full of ppl that don't know, and have no experience of, country driving and it takes really bad weather for them to remember their driving lessons.

Anyone from a non commuter county care to comment?, is dipping the lights normal behaviour when you meet oncoming traffic on the country road or is it only for really bad weather conditions ?

mike65

Excuse my stupidity - are'nt you meant to dip when traffic comes against you? Is this rare in Wicklow?

On related matter, anyone notice that the AA reports on radio are reminding
peeps to use DIPPED headlights (and not fogs or parking lights) at all times.

Mike.

smemon

you'll always get some clown with full lights on coming around a corner and fails to dip.

i mean ffs, you can see the lights of my car in the ditch or on the road ahead, why wait until you can see my car until you dip?!

also, it does my head in when people are a good bit behind you, but still insist on having their full beams on which blinds me in all 3 mirrors :rolleyes:

they can see the path of the road by by tail lights, so why do they need there full beams on

Dundalk Daily

Driving with full lights is bloody crazy as is driving with fog lights, v dangerous for someone with bad eye sight.

Livewire304

And don't forget the drivers who use their heads on the motorway.;)

peasant

I meet two or three of these fully lit eejits every night driving home on country lanes ...always the same type cars, big fourbyfours lit up like christmas trees, six lamps at full glare.

One of these days I'm gonna bring my three million candle power torch (one needs such things if one lives in the country:D ) and shine it right into their bloomin' faces.

On second thought, I'll problaly desist ...because its also those people, who, despite driving a "go anywhere" vehicle, are afraid to approach their edge of the road closer than one car width ...blinding them will probably just make them follow the light to the source

Wishbone Ash

Longfield wrote:

funny how every truck driver seems to realise this and dips well in advance though..hmmmm

There are 2 reason for this.

1. A truck driver is seated up much higher than a car driver a will generally see the car before its driver sees the truck.

2. A truck driver coming over the brow of a hill, will dip his lights early to remind the car driver to dip theirs. As the truck driver is seated up much higher he will be blinded by the car lights for a few seconds before the car driver realises it.

(That is why some truckers (illegally) fit a bank of high beam lights on the roof of the cab.)

ninty9er

Dundalk Daily wrote:

Driving with full lights is bloody crazy as is driving with fog lights, v dangerous for someone with bad eye sight.

I'd say someone with bad eyesight is just as dangerous as an otherwise impaired(drunk) driver unless they have correctivde lenses which removes the problem in the first place.

But back on the topic. Non-Cummuter county, city and county driving would lead me to believe that it is most definately standard practice to dip your headlights and if you don't as I've done twice since I started driving in March, the oncoming driver will give you a long flash to remind you.

LikeOhMyGawd!

People not dipping their blinding headlights is the reason why you should always keep a box of eggs in the car. My uncle did this back in the day (the 1950s). He was a superb driver (e.g. could do those clutchless gear changes) but was a bit of a nutter at the same time.

<Not an actual suggestion which you should exercise. Eggs are unborn chickens. Respect all life.>

Alun

ninty9er wrote:

I'd say someone with bad eyesight is just as dangerous as an otherwise impaired (drunk) driver unless they have corrective lenses which removes the problem in the first place.

Not necessarily true. As people get older their eyes become more sensitive to glare, including that caused by unnecessary, over-the-top car lights. This has no connection with with their ability to see properly, and cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses. I'm not an optician, but I believe it has to do with the muscles that control the contraction of the iris being slower to react than in younger people.

unkel

tbh wrote:

I always wait till I can see the oncoming car before I dip, cause usually it reminds them to do the same.....

So you intentionally blind oncoming traffic? :eek:

I always dip before I can see oncoming traffic. Unfortunately in this country most others seem to wait till they see me. I thought they were just a bit slow, but maybe they have the same attitude as tbh :rolleyes:

When oncoming traffic does not dip, I'll flash several times to warn them. Rarely will they still not dip then, with the exception more often a 4WD than not

dubgirl

LikeOhMyGawd! wrote:

My uncle did this back in the day (the 1950s). He was a superb driver (e.g. could do those clutchless gear changes) but was a bit of a nutter at the same time.

<Not an actual suggestion which you should exercise. Eggs are unborn chickens. Respect all life.>

How:eek: I wanna know how?? pls tell me

LikeOhMyGawd!

dubgirl wrote:

How:eek: I wanna know how?? pls tell me

OK - Clutchless gear changes: Don't know how he did it, getting the revs right and slipping it in nicely I suppose

His madness:
- Dumping eggs on oncoming cars that didn't dip their lights
- Once when riding his motorbike, someone cut him up without indicating so he pulled off their semaphore indicator and threw it through the side window
- Having a row with another driver and making a 30 mile detour so he could continue the arguement
- Being both an All-Ireland Irish dancing and boxing champion.

tbh

unkel wrote:

I always dip before I can see oncoming traffic.

so are you psychic or something?

mike65

I think he means the actual car not the lights!

Mike.

Supercell

tbh wrote:

so are you psychic or something?

Nah, its easy to tell if a car is coming before a bend due to the fact that the trees etc at the side of the road are lit up before the car is visible - or he's psychic

Hal1

What pisses me off are those extra bright eye blinder halogens. There is no need for them yet I see loads of ***** with them.

Idleater

Longfield wrote:

Nah, its easy to tell if a car is coming before a bend due to the fact that the trees etc at the side of the road are lit up before the car is visible - or he's psychic

ok ok ok, now I have really seen it all - literally.

On the way home today, driving down an unlit narrow back road, a car comes up the hill with full beams on.

I am driving the motorcycle so I did my usual flash of the lights and wait until they switch them off.

Now the road is probably 800 or more meters long in a straight.

I continue on, now flashing the headlights, but no response.

further on, still nothing, full beams from the other car and me flashing away like there is no tomorrow.

At this stage the car is probably 100m away so I start to slow, so do they.

Still flashing the lights on and off..... nothing.

I come to a stop, the other car does likewise.

I switch on my headlights and point to them, then switch them off.

nada...

right says I, and I pull up to the window.

"Turn your Fuppin headlights off ya battleaxe!" says I.

"I have my headlights on? - - - Oh so I do"

:rolleyes:

Stupid stupid stupid.


L.

peasant

This whole blinding malarchy by the way is another good reason why the indicator (and light switch) stalk in a RHD car should be on the RIGHT ...so that you can always dip your lights, whether you're currently shifting gear or not :cool:

spank_inferno

unkel wrote:

When oncoming traffic does not dip, I'll flash several times to warn them. Rarely will they still not dip then, with the exception more often a 4WD than not

They have 4-wheel drives in the countryside too??
More and more seem to be buying them Dublin 4 tractors!:rolleyes:

AsphaltRisin'

Here's something that i dont think anyone's realised about "4x4s" (the latest automotive punching bag of the season it seems):

Real 4wheel drives are much higher up than cars, hence when you encounter some low cars they'll still think you've got highbeams on beacuse: A) even when "dipped" they can still be in people's eyeline because of the height of the 4x4 off the ground and The lights on some 4 wheel drives are often brighter than those on cars for some reason.

I know from experience, having driven several 4 wheel drives, (and no, i do not live in a town or city, and nor did i have 22inch wheels on any of them) that you'll often get people in very small or very low cars flashing their lights at you or beeping or whatever other expression of their frustration they choose because they think your lights are on highbeams even though you know for a fact they'r eon dip, they're just higher up so some cars are low enough to get dazzled by them anyway.

Aside from that i do actually hate when people just leave on their full beams by default and never dip them, This is also very annoyong when the retards are behind you with highbeams on just sittin on your boot door not bothered about overtaking, I used to be able to combat that easily when i'd an old isuzu fro a while by turning on the huge searchligh on the back, not very nice thing to do but trust me, it starts to look mighty trmpting when they've been blindin you from the rear for an hour

AsphaltRisin'

dubgirl wrote:

How:eek: I wanna know how?? pls tell me

Clutchless gearchanges worked better in older cars with oldfashioned gearboxes, but these days you can still do clutchless down-shifts, works best if your cars got a rev counter.

Get used to how many revs per minute you'll be at just you change normally down from the higher gear, then if you can match that, while your box is in neutral, put the car into the lower gear without using the clutch, if you time it just right it'll work on some cars