What is the current UK obsession with driving on dipped beam in daylight hours?

Question

it is the most dangerous thing that people can do. In daylight hours your dipped beam lights are as stong as full beam headlights at night. It blinds drivers in front of you and drivers coming the ohter way. Quite frankly if you can`t see cars on the road in normal driving conditions without there lights on, you shouldn`t be driving.

Firebobby, I understand what you aresaying, but I mean in perfect visibilty. What makes it worse is the airline sunglasses that these idiots seem to think are mandatory driving wear. No wonder they think the sky is dark!

It worries me that so many of you can`t understand a simple question, much less understand your car. The use of lights in perfect visibility should be banned on safety grounds. When you have a car behind you lighting up the road signs in front of you, do you not think that is going to bling other road users!

Guys the fact of the matter is that there is no conclusive proof that running with your lights on during the day actually works. i understand the concerns of the motorcyclists and understand why they do it. But for cars it is a pointless exercise that will ultimately cause more accidents than it was designed to avoid. Also as the car has generate extra electricity to run the lights all day, it increases fuel consumption thus making your car less green. Not very envoironmentally friendly, is it?

Nick, I am very aware of the First instruction. Another flawed action from Head Office in Aberdeen by the company that runs the UKs largest interactive Bus Museum. You will notice that alot of drivers think it is a stupid rule by the fact that very few of them actually switch their headlights on. Indeed have you ever had a bus up your backside with headlights that are out of alignment. However the simple fact is that if you can`t see a bus without headlights on in perfect driving conditions, you shouldn`t be driving.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, its fast becoming legislation around Europe to have dipped beams on at all times. I personally don't put them on at all when in the car during daytime unless its raining or has gotten really dark with heavy clouds. Being a motorbiker too, I know that putting on my car headlights lessens the chance for a motorbike with its own lights on to be seen and thus decreases the poor biker's chance to be seen.

Answer 2

=))) It's not the people . It's the cars . The saferty gurus have determined that "daytime running lights " reduce accidents by making the cars more visible .On the newer cars , you don't have a choice . I'd have to say it works . You noticed it .Don't know if it's required in UK , but the cars may have been manufactured with the idea of being universally acceptable , for sale anywhere in the world .


ps,. Middenraker, if you're being "blinded" , either something is wrong with your eyes, or the headlights need adjusting . There's nothing inherently blinding about them . It should be LESS troublesome in daylight , because of less contrast, compared to night .

pps. Somewhat amusing reading all this . Middenraker, junglejungle , et al, what you are describing, & getting all worked up about is NORMAL , in much, if not most of the world . Welcome to the world . ;D Blame California, and Sweden . I think that's where it started, 20-30 yrs ago . Some of the trouble in understanding the question, is... understanding the question . ;D The terminology is different on either side of the Atlantic . "Dipped beam"? that = "normal" ? ie, not "high beams"?

The "lights with wipers " rule went into effect here in NY State , ~ 20 years ago . It took a few months for everybody to get used to it , but in a short time , it became automatic . No big deal . Now the lack of it,on occasion, is what's noticeable .

Answer 3

In the, "Highway Code" it says to use dipped headlights when conditions are poor such as fog,rain dull conditions etc.With so much rain recently its not surprising there are more people usind dipped lights.Some cars have sensors which activate the headlights when light conditions are poor.If the lights are adjusted properly then they shouldn't dazzle others.I really don't think it's the MOST dangerous thing people can do, jumping out of a plane without a parachute seems far more dangerous.I agree that in normal daylight conditions you can see other road users and there's no need for lights in that situation. But, some forget to turn them off, maybe they have been driving thro bad conditions or have been driving at night and forget to turn them off. An interseting fact is the inability of Rover drivers to drive , watch them, i have never seen a Rover driver that doesn't make mistakes and is a good driver.This also applies to 4wd drivers and Volvo drivers.

Answer 4

Hi in many European countries it is mandatory to drive with either driving lights such as fitted to Volvos or dipped beam headlamps as standard. This is for safety reasons and under EU regulations due to come in to enforcement shortly, this may soon apply to the UK so you may have to get used to it. Also some car now come equipped with an automatic lighting system, which will turn the lights on if the ambient light is low or the wipers are operating this, is determined by the light sensor. It also turns the lights on if the vehicle reaches a pre-determined speed, normally 90mph.

Answer 5

Some Swedish cars have driving lights on all of the time which you can't turn off because it is the law over there. But I haven't noticed an increase in cars driving around with lights on suring the day, only during the bad rain and darkness caused by it I guess.

Answer 6

It is a legal requirement for new motorcycles in the U.K. and Europe to have dipped headlights on at all times. Modern motorcycles do not have the facility to turn off the headlight: they are hard-wired to be permanently on. This is apparently a safety measure.

In most of Europe it is a legal requirement for ALL vehicle to drive on dipped headlights at all times. This is apparently a safety measure.

However, I agree with you - many studies have been undertaken into the use of dipped headlights during the day. The actual results have been inconclusive - but the European safety-crats still think we should drive with 'em on, because they 'believe' it is safer to do so...

Answer 7

Its not only cars. First Bus Drivers are instructed to use dipped headlights at all time as it has been proved that it makes the vehicle more visible and thereby helps to reduce accidents.

Answer 8

most motorists over 40 have at one time in their lives ridden a motorcycle and the message was through television advertisment "be safe,be seen"
plus the majority of foreign cars have this fitted as standard to the vehicle, plus the weather is crap most of the time and i quote the highway code in conditions of poor visibility use dipped headlights"
quite frankly if that is all you can find to complain about,get a life. Best wishes

Answer 9

A majority of cars now come with always-on lights. They are on a low setting and it should not affect you, only 4 lights or modified car lights should do harm to your eyes, especially when you stare directly into it.

I'm not sure what you mean by "dipped". And full beam is a manual setting, they are NOT the same brightness, HIGH-BEAMS, is the bright setting. There is only normal, and bright or "brights".

So the problem isnt really other drivers, if they cant see, they would've hit something wouldnt they?
I think your overreacting.

side note:
-It appears "dipped" means low-beams, since high-beams in bad conditions makes it harder to see.
-Modification lights, halogen lights, and high powered or colored lights (other than as-is factory) are naturally more brighter than high-beams.

Answer 10

depends what u mean by "dipped" as in half beam + dipped. or just dipped full beam.. the latter is bad..

certain cars always have their lights on as standard .. volvo's come to mind.

i hate idiots with 2 sets of lights, the main ones and a lower set near the bumper.. do they think they are colin mc rae?

don't even get me started about tail gaters or speeding lorries on motorways who tailgate you then pass and totally cover the window with half a ton of water.
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as to the askers "It worries me that so many of you can`t understand a simple question, much less understand your car"

comment.. just shows.. wonder how long they have been driving? IF YOU can't be bothered to have some manners for people who answer, simple DON'T ASK. Me, almost 20 years driving without hitting a car... so if you ask a question don't act like a **** after.. I don't blind people with my lights as i've driven on a shedload of unlit country roads in Ireland with no street lights. If people do that to me, yer its annoying but i've had 20 years to get used to peoples idiotic driving / behaviour on the roads. I'm far from a perfect driver, but far from the worst.