I've got the auto full beam on my car and it's very handy. Always goes off as soon as it can see another car coming.
In regards to standard of driving it's definitely getting worse. Almost had 2 accidents at 2 consecutive roundabouts the other night as cars pulled put on me. Most frustrating thing is they don't even acknowledge it or apologise for driving like an arsehole
Most cars, vans and trucks have headlamp levelling systems, depending on load. People toggle the adjuster without realising what they are switching, end up with headlamps set in the wrong position.
I work for the DVSA one of the Govt road safety organisation. Road safety in all of its aspects, driving standard, vehicle standards all require co-operation. if we don't co-operate on the road with each other we end up with collisions and unfortunately KSI.
Believe me a fatal accident changes everybody who deals with it, from the Fire service who have to cut people out, the Para-medics/Doctors/Nurses, who sometime work miracles to keep people alive. To the Traffic Officers who have to deliver the death message. Then people like myself who have to sift through the wreckage and try and work out what has gone wrong, 9 out of 10 it is misjudgement, of speed, road conditions, or plain driving ability.
Most people who drive grossly overestimate their ability to drive, and at speed and in poor conditions this inability is sometimes the difference between life and death.
Noticed the automatic dimming became slow in reacting and went on to manual to avoid blinding oncoming cars for a few seconds. Cut a long story short it was rectified after cracked windshield replaced, the second time in a year. The sensors are in the windshield and need calibrating so my theory is it was faulty calibration with the first windshield replacement. In fact I was given test sheet showing results and told they were not 100% but within the allowed margin. Clearly incompetent.
As @bobmunro says it should react quicker than manual operation but need accurate calibration.
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
That’s a great tip about how to measure the correct gap. Have you perhaps been on an advanced driving course? ( I havent, but they sound like they should be more popular. Insurance discounts as an incentive?)
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
That’s a great tip about how to measure the correct gap. Have you perhaps been on an advanced driving course? ( I havent, but they sound like they should be more popular. Insurance discounts as an incentive?)
Yes I have. Just as well as some of the cars I’ve been fortunate enough to drive would have seen me off by now!
That and a speed awareness course I took many years ago in lieu of three points on my licence!
my full beamers automatically dim when the 'magic eye' picks up approaching headlights .. I thought this was a standard feature nowadays .. or is the problem that the auto system is inefficient as @LargeAddick's missus reckons
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
That’s a great tip about how to measure the correct gap. Have you perhaps been on an advanced driving course? ( I havent, but they sound like they should be more popular. Insurance discounts as an incentive?)
This is also an important element of "defensive driving" techniques. The same technique should be used for traffic queues everywhere. If someone tries to block you in or otherwise threatens you, you can drive away at full pelt on full lock knowing you won't hit the car in front. (For years, for health and safety reasons I tried to get my employer to pay for defensive driving training for those of us that did regular trips on business. They just wouldn't pay up, which I thought was very short-sighted.) Another benefit is that it diminishes the chances of being rear-ended. If someone behind you looks like they are going too fast to stop in time, you can fill in the space in front to give them just a little bit more room to stop.
Driving an EV makes you drive differently as well, I’ve already noticed that I accelerate more smoothly, use the regen braking so think ahead more with that, and you tamp off a bit of speed
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
Exactly. Also why do people race around dangerously and then have to brake heavily as they ' suddenly ' approach the next queue.
I often find that I move off from traffic lights as soon as the lights change and don't need to break the speed limit, but the vehicle behind doesn't move off for a considerable length of time, holding up all the traffic behind it and allowing only a few vehicles get through the light. There is no need to break the speed limit or jump the lights but reacting more quickly would allow more people to get through the lights and reduce congestion, there may not be another queue ahead.
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
Exactly. Also why do people race around dangerously and then have to brake heavily as they ' suddenly ' approach the next queue.
I often find that I move off from traffic lights as soon as the lights change and don't need to break the speed limit, but the vehicle behind doesn't move off for a considerable length of time, holding up all the traffic behind it and allowing only a few vehicles get through the light. There is no need to break the speed limit or jump the lights but reacting more quickly would allow more people to get through the lights and reduce congestion, there may not be another queue ahead.
A lot of people are busy looking at their phones when the lights are red and don't always see when they change.
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
Exactly. Also why do people race around dangerously and then have to brake heavily as they ' suddenly ' approach the next queue.
I often find that I move off from traffic lights as soon as the lights change and don't need to break the speed limit, but the vehicle behind doesn't move off for a considerable length of time, holding up all the traffic behind it and allowing only a few vehicles get through the light. There is no need to break the speed limit or jump the lights but reacting more quickly would allow more people to get through the lights and reduce congestion, there may not be another queue ahead.
Do you not glance over to the crossing traffic to assure yourself that none of them is jumping the lights?
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
Exactly. Also why do people race around dangerously and then have to brake heavily as they ' suddenly ' approach the next queue.
I often find that I move off from traffic lights as soon as the lights change and don't need to break the speed limit, but the vehicle behind doesn't move off for a considerable length of time, holding up all the traffic behind it and allowing only a few vehicles get through the light. There is no need to break the speed limit or jump the lights but reacting more quickly would allow more people to get through the lights and reduce congestion, there may not be another queue ahead.
Do you not glance over to the crossing traffic to assure yourself that none of them is jumping the lights?
Traffic lights are not an F1 grid!
Of course I check that there is no crossing traffic, I remain alert at all times whilst waiting at lights.
It doesn't have to be a Formula 1 grid, I don't drive a high performance car and move off within the speed limit. Some people's reactions are incredibly slow and they take far too long to move off, causing frustration behind them.
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
Exactly. Also why do people race around dangerously and then have to brake heavily as they ' suddenly ' approach the next queue.
I often find that I move off from traffic lights as soon as the lights change and don't need to break the speed limit, but the vehicle behind doesn't move off for a considerable length of time, holding up all the traffic behind it and allowing only a few vehicles get through the light. There is no need to break the speed limit or jump the lights but reacting more quickly would allow more people to get through the lights and reduce congestion, there may not be another queue ahead.
Do you not glance over to the crossing traffic to assure yourself that none of them is jumping the lights?
Traffic lights are not an F1 grid!
Of course I check that's there is no crossing traffic, I remain alert at all times whilst waiting at lights.
It doesn't have to be a Formula 1 grid, I don't drive a high performance car and move off within the speed limit. Some people's reactions are incredibly slow and they take far too long to move off, causing frustration behind them.
As I said previously, queueing too close is the main issue.
When I was a motorcyclist a police officer said everybody should use full beam in the dark unless there was a reason not to. I had no idea that modern cars will automatically dip their headlights when another vehicle approaches…is this really true? How does that work, and work at the right moment? Cars with one headlight pretending to be motorcycles should be confiscated and crushed.
I think that bright car head lights definitely affect people more as they get older. When I was younger I would never have believed that I would say that I don't like driving at night, but I do now.
On the point about driving standards in Kent, I thoroughly agree that things have got worse. Overdevelopment in Kent without improvements in road infrastructure has created the mess that is the roads in Kent. Hardly a day goes by without one of the motorways having at least one bad accident.
Getting around Maidstone and Medway has never been easy, but the the huge increase in population, caused by so many housing developments has made the situation far worse.
I do think that congestion could be reduced if people moved off a bit quicker at traffic lights. People do not seem to anticipate a change in lights and take ages to get going. If I'm at the head of a queue I get myself ready to move off as soon as they change. I don't jump the lights or exceed the speed limit, but often I find myself about 200 metres up a road before the next person has started moving.
I also find it annoying when drivers leave huge gaps between their vehicle and the one on front, when there are long queues stretching back past several junctions.
The issue with traffic lights is the opposite of your last point. People queue at traffic lights too close to the car in front - you should be able to see the bottom of the car in front's tyres. Too close and the car in front has to pull away before the car behind can move - staying a little bit back allows the car behind to move at the same time as the car in front avoiding the concertina effect.
Exactly. Also why do people race around dangerously and then have to brake heavily as they ' suddenly ' approach the next queue.
I often find that I move off from traffic lights as soon as the lights change and don't need to break the speed limit, but the vehicle behind doesn't move off for a considerable length of time, holding up all the traffic behind it and allowing only a few vehicles get through the light. There is no need to break the speed limit or jump the lights but reacting more quickly would allow more people to get through the lights and reduce congestion, there may not be another queue ahead.
Do you not glance over to the crossing traffic to assure yourself that none of them is jumping the lights?
Traffic lights are not an F1 grid!
Of course I check that's there is no crossing traffic, I remain alert at all times whilst waiting at lights.
It doesn't have to be a Formula 1 grid, I don't drive a high performance car and move off within the speed limit. Some people's reactions are incredibly slow and they take far too long to move off, causing frustration behind them.
As I said previously, queueing too close is the main issue.
As I said previously the gaps some people leave are ridiculously long and just extend the length of a queue.
The suggestion you made of leaving enough room so that you can see the tyres of the car in front is absolutely right, but if you are in a queue with many junctions, it is extremely frustrating when some drivers leave gaps of about 50 yards, thereby extending the length of the queue and preventing others from turning off.
When I was a motorcyclist a police officer said everybody should use full beam in the dark unless there was a reason not to. I had no idea that modern cars will automatically dip their headlights when another vehicle approaches…is this really true? How does that work, and work at the right moment? Cars with one headlight pretending to be motorcycles should be confiscated and crushed.
Yes it is true, Seth - cars are full of sensors and appliances.
I don’t know if this is true or not, but for some reason my automatic less than one litre Ford Fiesta always seems to get away (from lights etc) faster than what appear to be big gear change vehicles. I am no ‘racer’ but drive in the sedate way I have always driven.
Another big problem is that many cars have running lights at the front which are on at all times. The drivers think that their rear lights are on too, so forget to turn them on. I see so many vehicles with no rear lights on when they are needed.
When I was a motorcyclist a police officer said everybody should use full beam in the dark unless there was a reason not to. I had no idea that modern cars will automatically dip their headlights when another vehicle approaches…is this really true? How does that work, and work at the right moment? Cars with one headlight pretending to be motorcycles should be confiscated and crushed.
Yes it is true, Seth - cars are full of sensors and appliances.
That is impressive if a car can react quicker and better than a person when another vehicle approaches round a bend. I tend to dip as soon as I see lights, do the car appliance dippers have to wait until they sense something solid.
But they're a mare for everybody else blinded by them. Even if you're a pedestrian.
Living in a rural area, many of our villages lack pavements beside the cottages in places and you've no option but to walk in the road, often narrow. Then one night, round the corner too fast comes matey in his 4x4 with LEDs on full beam...... you the pedestrian are suddenly blinded, lose orientation, accident waiting to happen.
When I was a motorcyclist a police officer said everybody should use full beam in the dark unless there was a reason not to. I had no idea that modern cars will automatically dip their headlights when another vehicle approaches…is this really true? How does that work, and work at the right moment? Cars with one headlight pretending to be motorcycles should be confiscated and crushed.
Yes it is true, Seth - cars are full of sensors and appliances.
That is impressive if a car can react quicker and better than a person when another vehicle approaches round a bend. I tend to dip as soon as I see lights, do the car appliance dippers have to wait until they sense something solid.
They sense light not solid objects, so they dip as soon as they sense oncoming light - even approaching around a bend. They are just as quick as a human manually dipping but they have the added benefit of not forgetting.
When I was a motorcyclist a police officer said everybody should use full beam in the dark unless there was a reason not to. I had no idea that modern cars will automatically dip their headlights when another vehicle approaches…is this really true? How does that work, and work at the right moment? Cars with one headlight pretending to be motorcycles should be confiscated and crushed.
Yes it is true, Seth - cars are full of sensors and appliances.
That is impressive if a car can react quicker and better than a person when another vehicle approaches round a bend. I tend to dip as soon as I see lights, do the car appliance dippers have to wait until they sense something solid.
They sense light not solid objects, so they dip as soon as they sense oncoming light - even approaching around a bend. They are just as quick as a human manually dipping but they have the added benefit of not forgetting.
Cool. I will look out for those on my next Fiesta.
Avoiding dazzling other road users is categorically each driver's responsibility. Automated lights on cars are a piss poor excuse peddled by inattentive halfwits. Automated headlights will only dip when the sensor on the front of the car registers other lights of certain brightness. They won't react to bicycle lights for example. More often than not an attentive and responsible road user should be able to see the diffused light of oncoming vehicles well before the two cars are on the same stretch of road. Yet more 21st century self absorbtion by the toxically selfish
Some of the worst driving I've seen is on the A12 from the Redbridge roundabout to the Blackwall Tunnel - some of it is utterly crazy.
That is a shitty roundabout. The worst one I’ve encountered is Gallows Corner in Romford. It’s like people have totally forgotten how to drive and just hope for the best.
Another one is a roundabout in Colchester near the Uni - greenstead magic roundabout. It’s basically 5 mini roundabouts making up one big one. I’ve navigated it about 5 times and seen 2 accidents. Fortunately the boy has passed his test and got a car now, so it’s his problem.
Comments
In regards to standard of driving it's definitely getting worse. Almost had 2 accidents at 2 consecutive roundabouts the other night as cars pulled put on me. Most frustrating thing is they don't even acknowledge it or apologise for driving like an arsehole
People toggle the adjuster without realising what they are switching, end up with headlamps set in the wrong position.
I work for the DVSA one of the Govt road safety organisation.
Road safety in all of its aspects, driving standard, vehicle standards all require co-operation.
if we don't co-operate on the road with each other we end up with collisions and unfortunately KSI.
Believe me a fatal accident changes everybody who deals with it, from the Fire service who have to cut people out, the Para-medics/Doctors/Nurses, who sometime work miracles to keep people alive.
To the Traffic Officers who have to deliver the death message. Then people like myself who have to sift through the wreckage and try and work out what has gone wrong, 9 out of 10 it is misjudgement, of speed, road conditions, or plain driving ability.
Most people who drive grossly overestimate their ability to drive, and at speed and in poor conditions
this inability is sometimes the difference between life and death.
That and a speed awareness course I took many years ago in lieu of three points on my licence!
It doesn't have to be a Formula 1 grid, I don't drive a high performance car and move off within the speed limit. Some people's reactions are incredibly slow and they take far too long to move off, causing frustration behind them.
I had no idea that modern cars will automatically dip their headlights when another vehicle approaches…is this really true?
How does that work, and work at the right moment?
Cars with one headlight pretending to be motorcycles should be confiscated and crushed.
The suggestion you made of leaving enough room so that you can see the tyres of the car in front is absolutely right, but if you are in a queue with many junctions, it is extremely frustrating when some drivers leave gaps of about 50 yards, thereby extending the length of the queue and preventing others from turning off.
I am no ‘racer’ but drive in the sedate way I have always driven.
I tend to dip as soon as I see lights, do the car appliance dippers have to wait until they sense something solid.
But they're a mare for everybody else blinded by them.
Even if you're a pedestrian.
Living in a rural area, many of our villages lack pavements beside the cottages in places and you've no option but to walk in the road, often narrow. Then one night, round the corner too fast comes matey in his 4x4 with LEDs on full beam...... you the pedestrian are suddenly blinded, lose orientation, accident waiting to happen.
I will look out for those on my next Fiesta.
Automated lights on cars are a piss poor excuse peddled by inattentive halfwits.
Automated headlights will only dip when the sensor on the front of the car registers other lights of certain brightness.
They won't react to bicycle lights for example. More often than not an attentive and responsible road user should be able to see the diffused light of oncoming vehicles well before the two cars are on the same stretch of road.
Yet more 21st century self absorbtion by the toxically selfish
Love you lots xx
Merry Christmas