Full beams on the motorway

MarkAnthony

I took a notion to head down to Limerick to pick something up a few days ago. It surprised me the amount of people using full beams, is that normal on the motorway? Fair enough when I was sure no one else was about I had mine one but I assumed if I could see lights they could see me and dimmed the lights and as I got closer to the Pale it wasn't even worth flicking them on even at 2am.

Also as an aside I got pulled on the M50. A particularly unimpressed guard had a word about my speed - would that have been on the M50 or could he have got a report from the M7? I'm just wondering should I expect something in the post or was he just having a word? Nothing was exchanged and neither of us even got out of the car, I just exited the M50 and pulled into the hard shoulder on the exit, he said I was grand there and didn't need to pull up.

savagethegoat

first, I never use full beams on the motorway
second , no one knows.

h3000

If there is nothing in front of me in either carriageway I will use my full beam headlights. If the median is very thick and I can't really see the lights in the opposite carriageway I will also use my fulls then. I like to see as much as possible

Plenty of the M7 is very dark.

sundodger5

What are fills?

h3000

sundodger5 wrote: »

What are fills?

A typo

RustyNut

h3000 wrote: »

If there is nothing in front of me in either carriageway I will use my full beam headlights. If the median is very thick and I can't really see the lights in the opposite carriageway I will also use my fulls then. I like to see as much as possible

Plenty of the M7 is very dark.

Think about the truck drivers heading the other way. You might not be affected by their lights but because of their higher position they can be blinded by yours.

sundodger5

h3000 wrote: »

A typo

Thought i was missing out on something..

h3000

RustyNut wrote: »

Think about the truck drivers heading the other way. You might not be affected by their lights but because of their higher position they can be blinded by yours.

Oh I always dip the lights for trucks and busses. I've spent plenty of time in trucks so I know exactly how it feels. One of the main reasons for having the lights on top of the cab working I think.

MarkAnthony

savagethegoat wrote: »

first, I never use full beams on the motorway
second , no one knows.

Keep an eye out for the post then so!

visual

Encountering high beams on motorway from on comming traffic is very common. Between those too thick to know how to operate hi low beam and the others who believe ah sure there is a centre devide so their light magically stays on their side of road

shietpilot

There is no need for full beams on a motorway. Full beams are only useful on unlit roads. Motorways should be lit up enough to be able to see enough to not need them tbh.

MarkAnthony

shietpilot wrote: »

There is no need for full beams on a motorway. Full beams are only useful on unlit roads. Motorways should be lit up enough to be able to see enough to not need them tbh.

I can assure you the M20/M7 is pretty dark! :pac:

h3000

shietpilot wrote: »

There is no need for full beams on a motorway. Full beams are only useful on unlit roads. Motorways should be lit up enough to be able to see enough to not need them tbh.

You obviously haven't traveled the length of the M7 at night.

CiniO

shietpilot wrote: »

There is no need for full beams on a motorway. Full beams are only useful on unlit roads. Motorways should be lit up enough to be able to see enough to not need them tbh.

Vast majority of motorways in Ireland, Europe and the whole world are unlit.

shietpilot

MarkAnthony wrote: »

I can assure you the M20/M7 is pretty dark! :pac:

h3000 wrote: »

You obviously haven't traveled the length of the M7 at night.

No, haven't driven the full length of the M7 at night but seriously is it that bad? You should be able to see the cat's eyes on the road and if any cars were up ahead your lights would light up the reflectors/reg plate fairly quickly.

I'm sure it feels better with full beams but still, can't be that bad?!

markpb

shietpilot wrote:

There is no need for full beams on a motorway. Full beams are only useful on unlit roads. *Motorways should be lit up* enough to be able to see enough to not need them tbh.

They should?

MarkAnthony

shietpilot wrote: »

No, haven't driven the full length of the M7 at night but seriously is it that bad? You should be able to see the cat's eyes on the road and if any cars were up ahead your lights would light up the reflectors/reg plate fairly quickly.

I'm sure it feels better with full beams but still, can't be that bad?!

I didn't feel I needed full beams, except for the occasional time near exits. I was alone in that judgement it seems. I was, I admit going a bit quick and using the sat nav to warn me about bends, that motorway is bloody bendy in places!

Also the full beams did go on for the dear warnings.

h3000

shietpilot wrote: »

No, haven't driven the full length of the M7 at night but seriously is it that bad? You should be able to see the cat's eyes on the road and if any cars were up ahead your lights would light up the reflectors/reg plate fairly quickly.

I'm sure it feels better with full beams but still, can't be that bad?!

Well I've personally come across people walking on unlight parts of the motorway. I've also come across a car in the middle of the carriageway the hit the barriers and busted all there lights so yes I really do think having my full lights on is very useful. I don't use them when they inconvenience other road users.

MarkAnthony

h3000 wrote: »

Well I've personally come across people walking on unlight parts of the motorway. I've also come across a car in the middle of the carriageway the hit the barriers and busted all there lights so yes I really do think having my full lights on is very useful. I don't use them when they inconvenience other road users.

Actually just after the M7 toll, some tool in the hard shoulder unlit. I assume the battery was flat.

CiniO

shietpilot wrote: »

No, haven't driven the full length of the M7 at night but seriously is it that bad? You should be able to see the cat's eyes on the road and if any cars were up ahead your lights would light up the reflectors/reg plate fairly quickly.

I'm sure it feels better with full beams but still, can't be that bad?!

The problem is that with your lights dipped, they usually lit in front of the car for distance of about 40-80 metres.
As 120km/h, you are travelling at over 33 metres per seconds, so if there is something on a road which is not reflective, you might see it literally 1 to 2 seconds before you hit it. Most likely you won't be able to do much in that time.

Not to mention travelling at much faster speeds on motorways abroad.


Sometimes when traffic is higher, it's impossible to use full beams at all, but they usually you also have traffic in front of you, so chances of some dark non-reflective obstruction suddenly appearing in front of you are much smaller.


I don't know how much of motorways in Ireland are lit at night, but I guess it can't be more than 5%.

On the Continent it's probably even less than that.

Only Belgium seems to be exception having all motorways lit.

Generally speaking, most motorway driving at night is done in complete darkness.

Rackstar

MarkAnthony wrote: »

I didn't feel I needed full beams, except for the occasional time near exits. I was alone in that judgement it seems. I was, I admit going a bit quick and using the sat nav to warn me about bends, that motorway is bloody bendy in places!

Also the full beams did go on for the dear warnings.

The exits / junctions are illuminated so you wouldn't need full beams there.

You shouldn't need a sat nav to warn you about bends on a motorway, how fast were you going?

MarkAnthony

MarkAnthony wrote: »

I didn't feel I needed full beams, except for the occasional time near exits. I was alone in that judgement it seems. I was, I admit going a bit quick and using the sat nav to warn me about bends, that motorway is bloody bendy in places!

Also the full beams did go on for the dear warnings.

To be fair, if you were depending on your Sat nav to warn you about bends then you are probably justified in using your full beams to view the road ahead (dipping for oncoming traffic or in lit up areas obviously). Either that or you were travelling far too fast for the conditions.

MarkAnthony

Deleted User wrote: »

To be fair, if you were depending on your Sat nav to warn you about bends then you are probably justified in using your full beams to view the road ahead (dipping for oncoming traffic or in lit up areas obviously). Either that or you were travelling far too fast for the conditions.

Way too fast.

Rackstar wrote: »

The exits / junctions are illuminated so you wouldn't need full beams there.

You shouldn't need a sat nav to warn you about bends on a motorway, how fast were you going?

Many of them are not it seems. Closer to the Pale they are.

MarkAnthony

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Way too fast.

Fair enough so, I know only too well how easy it is to pick up the speed on the motorway at night when it's quiet!

RustyNut

CiniO wrote: »

Only Belgium seems to be exception having all motorways lit.

That would explain why most of the pervy stuff I seen going on in cars during more than 10 years on the continent was in belgium.

And good for them.

jackofalltrades

Yeah plenty of drivers out there that think full beams with oncoming traffic is fine.
As if the concrete median magically blocks out all the light.
I find a quick blast of the full beams usually gets through to them.

911s

h3000 wrote: »

Oh I always dip the lights for trucks and busses. I've spent plenty of time in trucks so I know exactly how it feels. One of the main reasons for having the lights on top of the cab working I think.

Thank God I have finally located one of the assholes responsible for my bleeding eyeballs. Try and understand that vans and large 4x4 are high enough to be affected by your full beams even though you cannot see their headlights. They don't have marker lights on the roof either to let you know their height.
I have been very tempted to mount a 200w spotlight on roof of van, angled towards opposite carriageway just to gently remind yourself & likeminded that your main beams are on.
I thing that you will find rules of the road regarding headlights (and goof manners) still apply on motorways.
You should still use main beams when no car directly in front, or in opposite carriageway, as dipped beams are not sufficient for a car travelling at 120 kph.

markpb

Rackstar wrote:

The exits / junctions are illuminated so you wouldn't need full beams there.

MarkAnthony wrote:

Many of them are not it seems. Closer to the Pale they are.

I've never seen a motorway junction anywhere in Ireland that isn't lit. Where did you find one?

MarkAnthony

markpb wrote: »

I've never seen a motorway junction anywhere in Ireland that isn't lit. Where did you find one?

I cant remember exactly now :pac: Places on the M7. I could be wrong ofc.

RustyNut

911s wrote: »

I have been very tempted to mount a 200w spotlight on roof of van, angled towards opposite carriageway just to gently remind yourself & likeminded that your main beams are on.

Anti wankre missiles would be my first choice.

h3000

911s wrote: »

Thank God I have finally located one of the assholes responsible for my bleeding eyeballs. Try and understand that vans and large 4x4 are high enough to be affected by your full beams even though you cannot see their headlights. They don't have marker lights on the roof either to let you know their height.
I have been very tempted to mount a 200w spotlight on roof of van, angled towards opposite carriageway just to gently remind yourself & likeminded that your main beams are on.
I thing that you will find rules of the road regarding headlights (and goof manners) still apply on motorways.
You should still use main beams when no car directly in front, or in opposite carriageway, as dipped beams are not sufficient for a car travelling at 120 kph.

Try not to call me an asshole please.

Look I drive large vans myself very regularly. I will only use my fulls if the median is very thick and high (which it is in parts of the M7). I have driven or been driven in most different types of vehicles. I can see it from other road users perspective. I pride myself in being a good courteous driver.

tossy

shietpilot wrote: »

There is no need for full beams on a motorway. Full beams are only useful on unlit roads. Motorways should be lit up enough to be able to see enough to not need them tbh.

:roll eyes:

Like so many people have pointed out there is every need for full beams on a motorway. I've come across people walking on hard shoulder, cars with no tail lights and a truck tyre in the overtaking lane of the M7 all at night.

Sure some part of the motorway network are bright but to get into a driving on motorway now no need for full beams mindset, or to try and tell people that when you are not qualified to do so is foolish.

Also hands up who read it as full beans on the motorway

MarkAnthony

tossy wrote: »

Also hands up who read it as full beans on the motorway

Much better thread title!!

I can tell you though it was almost beans in the trousers when I got pulled!

tossy

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Much better thread title!!

I can tell you though it was almost beans in the trousers when I got pulled!

I got 'chased'.. in that i didn't know it was me they were looking for lol

pred racer

I've never needed full beams on a motorway, lit or unlit, and people coming towards me with theirs on is one of the many thigs that annoys me on the roads

RustyNut

tossy wrote: »

Also hands up who read it as full beans on the motorway

No comment on that one officer. :D

Jesus.

shietpilot wrote: »

No, haven't driven the full length of the M7 at night but seriously is it that bad? You should be able to see the cat's eyes on the road and if any cars were up ahead your lights would light up the reflectors/reg plate fairly quickly.I'm sure it feels better with full beams but still, can't be that bad?!

Not if you're tearing along at a daycent pace. If you're doing 90 on the M7 at night you'd need the full headlights on alright, especially if there's a drop of rain as well.

Mycroft H

How good are people's headlights if they feel like they can belt along at 120km/h+ without heads(on unlit sections). How can you stop in what you can see clear? Bit of debris could take you out by surprise surely.

CiniO

Mycroft H wrote: »

How good are people's headlights if they feel like they can belt along at 120km/h+ without heads(on unlit sections). How can you stop in what you can see clear? Bit of debris could take you out by surprise surely.

Most people assume that there won't be any unlit or non-reflective obstructions on motorways.
Unfortunately in Ireland that's often not the case.

Charles Babbage

I give you the words of Patrick Smith, Fianna_Fáil speaking in the Oireachtas in 1952
"Other Senators suggested that the law obliged motorists to have dimming apparatus on the motor cars. They castigated those motorists who refused to dim where they had an advantage over the oncoming car in the power of their lights, who ignored this dimming apparatus and just dashed through, obliging the other people to stop until they passed. I am not an expert driver, but I must say, from my experience in driving a car on the road at night, that it would be dangerous to oblige all persons to dim their lights."

CiniO wrote: »

Most people assume that there won't be any unlit or non-reflective obstructions on motorways.
Unfortunately in Ireland that's often not the case.

It is not guaranteed to be case anywhere.

Irish motorways often have a hedge that could be a bit higher, it's present dimensions ensure that vehicles coming the other way do nothing to light your road (as they would on a single carriageway) but you cannot put on your main beams.

Likewise, the jersey barriers could do with a light structure on top.

marno21

Rackstar wrote: »

The exits / junctions are illuminated so you wouldn't need full beams there.

You shouldn't need a sat nav to warn you about bends on a motorway, how fast were you going?

Some elements of the M7 west of Portlaoise are difficult to drive on at 120km/h, especially while overtaking a HGV. There's a section through a valley just north of J23 Moneygall that's quite sharp.

CiniO

marno21 wrote: »

Some elements of the M7 west of Portlaoise are difficult to drive on at 120km/h, especially while overtaking a HGV. There's a section through a valley just north of J23 Moneygall that's quite sharp.

I'd say on dry surface, you could theoretically go through all Irish motorways at 200km/h easily without loosing grip.

I don't see what difference does overtaking HGV makes?

pablo128

h3000 wrote: »

Try not to call me an asshole please.

Look I drive large vans myself very regularly. I will only use my fulls if the median is very thick and high (which it is in parts of the M7). I have driven or been driven in most different types of vehicles. I can see it from other road users perspective. I pride myself in being a good courteous driver.

It really is quite simple. As soon as you can see a car ahead, turn off your full beam until such time as there is no-one in front of you.

I have driven big vans and a small truck all around Ireland day and night. I've learned to give no mercy. If someone is thick enough not to turn off their fulls, I will burn their retinas without a second thought.

h3000

pablo128 wrote: »

It really is quite simple. As soon as you can see a car ahead, turn off your full beam until such time as there is no-one in front of you.

I do and I never said I did not.

Del2005

marno21 wrote: »

Some elements of the M7 west of Portlaoise are difficult to drive on at 120km/h, especially while overtaking a HGV. There's a section through a valley just north of J23 Moneygall that's quite sharp.

Motorways are designed to a minimum standard if it doesn't meet the requirements they'll reduce the limit. So if the limit is 120 then in good conditions you can drive it at the limit.

pablo128

h3000 wrote: »

I do and I never said I did not.

You said you leave them on if the central reservation is high enough.

h3000

pablo128 wrote: »

You said you leave them on if the central reservation is high enough.

I also said if I can't see the lights of the vehicles on the opposite carriageway. I may know that there could be a vehicle there as I could have seen it approaching in the distance before we get to the thick high median hedge.

demanufactured

Rarely use main beams on the motorways ...dipped beams are enough ..it's the eejits with only their PARKING lights on the drives me bonkers....

shietpilot

demanufactured wrote: »

Rarely use main beams on the motorways ...dipped beams are enough ..it's the eejits with only their PARKING lights on the drives me bonkers....

Or just DRLs and the rear lights off completely :rolleyes:

pablo128

shietpilot wrote: »

Or just DRLs and the rear lights off completely :rolleyes:

I thought it was only squad cars that did that.:cool:

CiniO

shietpilot wrote: »

Or just DRLs and the rear lights off completely :rolleyes:

What's wrong with that?