So, it's that time of year again when every week or so on a drive in/home some pillock drives behind me with either full beam or stupid 'oh my lights were too dim so I upped them to laser levels of brightness' lights.
I have no idea how one deals with this, short of pulling over and letting them pass and become someone else's problem. Last night I resorted to turning in my seat at some lights and bellowing at them to dip their headlights, but it was all for naught.
Any suggestions on how to resolve this peacefully? Is there a universal signal that says 'oy! dip your headlights you muppet!'?
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Replies (21)
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Have you tried turning all your mirrors so that they reflect back at the person behind you and then driving really slowly?
A lot of cars have led or xenon headlights these days that are just bright without without been on full beam.
I dont have great eye site and find driving at more difficult and wouldn't like to do a long journey at night.
Also 4 x 4 lights are in a higher position so look worse when looking in rear view mirror.
When I had a Land Rover Disco people were forever flashing me as if i had fill beam lights on, when I had not, they were just high and xenon bulbs.
my car has some technology in the rear view mirror which stops anti glare from lights behind which helps a lot
Either buy a car with automatically-adjusting rearview mirror or take your left hand off the steering wheel for a moment and adjust the mirror manually. There is still the problem with the wing mirrors, though.
9 times out of 10 I find that flicking the rear fog lights a couple of times gets the message across.
Either buy a car with automatically-adjusting rearview mirror or take your left hand off the steering wheel for a moment and adjust the mirror manually. There is still the problem with the wing mirrors, though.
9 times out of 10 I find that flicking the rear fog lights a couple of times gets the message across.
Good idea, I will give that a go. My other 'best idea' was the hazards, but I like yours better.
Make a big sign, for this time of year and put it in the back window.
"If you blind me with your lights, I'm likely to stop without warning and, the resultant damage will, without question, be your fault"
Simpler signs (often with just a couple of words necessary) can of course, have the same effect.
Try driving the DB5 with the added extras-the rear bullet proof shield can be popped up and stops headlights in the rear view mirror bothering you and the button on the gear lever is really useful re the wife.
Re oncoming headlights, the machine guns are pretty effective.
put your rear foglamps on and drive with your foot on the brake...oh and hazard flashers on too!
Come to think of it my MGB doesn't have either rear goglamps or hazard flashers. (the headlamps aren't much cop either...
Just employ someone to sit in your back seat with a really bright torch to shine the eyes of any offensive driver.
If you make them leave the torch in the car when they go home, it wont even be a BIK.
Get one of those moving LED signs and program a suitable message in. I think you can get ones that stores different messages so you could have "turn your full beams off you *insert chosen word here*" and then follow that by a more stern message or a simply "thanks!"
Oh it drives me bonkers!!! I generally try to look at the left hand line that's marked on the road. It's very difficult though. There are and will always be people who don't know the rules of the road. Had someone driving up my [***] this morning too - I just gently braked and they got such a fright. They backed off then.
Oh it drives me bonkers!!! I generally try to look at the left hand line that's marked on the road. It's very difficult though. There are and will always be people who don't know the rules of the road. Had someone driving up my [***] this morning too - I just gently braked and they got such a fright. They backed off then.
Yes, heel and toe, on the accelerator and brake pedal.
Don't you just lurve to see that look of horror on their faces?
Your rear view probably has a switch which will angle the mirror in such a way that you can still see out back without the glare. Maybe a twisty switch on the bottom, or some other high tech solution.
Get a house closer to work so you can walk.
Then all you have to contend with is killer clowns rather than the driving variety.
A few years back, to solve the other problem of approaching drivers on full beam, I fitted a pair of (illegal) extra high output off-road bulbs in the older Volvo; stopped 'em in their tracks.
In days of yore, before our roads were infested by gaggles of brain dead muppets not having a clue how to actually drive, it was a polite act to turn off headlights when following a car in front, since a good driver can see sufficiently from the leading car's headlights.
Often, those of us involved in rallying and motor sport, used to fit a couple of high output spot lights to the read bumper... (used in rallying anyway, 'cos turning around on minor country roads with ditches either side if one has "Wrong Slotted" and no street lighting is an exciting adventure when one cannot see anything much!
Makes the clowns (i) Back off as they see their paint sizzling, and, (ii) Slow right down as suddenly they are the dazzled one!
I hate tailgaters with an intense passion!! And found adjusting the sensitivity of the brake light switch an excellent sovereign cure, since by keeping to the same speed, and simply moving the left foot to "Kiss" the brake pedal, makes the ******* enter panic mode!
And they are not going to hit you up the [***], as you are going faster than they; as they spin sideways all wheels struggling for grip.
In the very worst case, I simply stop! Ensuring the central locking is engaged. And then, when they pull to the right and steam off, sit on THEIR tail with heads on full beam and spots on too.
On a more serious note, the majority of motorists today lack any sense of spatial awareness and suffer from Copycat Syndrome: they do things because that's what everyone else does. Their most dangerous habit is to sit in a stream of slow moving traffic, at night in towns when it is dark and rainy and all with their lights blazing away... Pourquoi ??
The immense danger is when errant pedestrians in dark clothing, or young oiks on bikes with no lights play tag between the traffic. One has absolutely no chance of seeing them........
If you need headlights in town with good street lighting, then sorry! Not fit to drive.
you should know better than to rely on .GOV for the corect advice :)
What does that bloke you met down the pub say? Bound to be right.
If you need headlights in town with good street lighting, then sorry! Not fit to drive.
You might be able to see perfectly clear without your headlights on. But the same can't be said for other road users and pedestrians.
Personally, I take a common sense approach when driving and cycling. I make myself as visible as possible so others can see me and avoid hitting me.
I agree with both - the Highway Code says that headlights are not required in lit 30 mph areas (or something to that effect) but I prefer to both see and be seen.
