[Closed] #Driving thread# . Main Beams in villages.

Three pages.

I've some of last night's cake left...

Why do you need full beams on, in a village, in a 30?. Both of you sound like roasters tbh.

Me? I don’t drive with main beams on in streetlit residential roads. Imagine being a resident having to put up with lights constantly lighting up your house.

I normally drop to dips for peds and runners as I know just how annoying it is

There's your answer.

I always drop to dipped beam when going through villages, so as not to shine lights into people's houses. Nothing to do with legality. My mother taught me this many moons ago.
Weirdo or not, I assume you dropped your lights for him? I doubt he was standing there on the lookout for drivers to annoy.

Similar to how my driving instructor taught me to use the handbrake when waiting at the lights especially at night, so as not to blind the driver behind with the bright brake lights. Just common courtesy and a bit of thoughtfulness.

Just dip, you ****.

Why do you need full beams on, in a village, in a 30?.

This + 1

Enjoy your day mulling over this world changing conundrum.🤷‍♂️

Weirdo, stood on the pavement in his Hi -Viz reflective jacket , Alsation and other half on a sunday night .

Did he have a dark suit, truncheon and tall pointy hat by any chance?

If you need full-beam at 30mph you need your eyes testing / shouldn't be on the road.

I live in a small village, no street lighting, no pavements, single lane with passing spaces no speed limit. If I'm out walking my dog after dark and drivers don't dip then the driver will get a 'flash' from my torch.

Pedestrians dislike getting dazzled as much as drivers.

But if he was stood there just flashing people who weren't dipping then he's a jobsworth with nothing better to do.

But if he was stood there just flashing people who weren’t dipping then he’s a jobsworth with nothing better to do.

Or sick of having his front room lit up like Wembley on match day?

Did you stop and ask why he was doing it ?

I always drop to dipped beam when going through villages, so as not to shine lights into people’s houses. Nothing to do with legality

+1. Do many people not do this? Seriously, just dip them. It's not that hard

Similar to how my driving instructor taught me to use the handbrake when waiting at the lights especially at night, so as not to blind the driver behind with the bright brake lights

need to get with the times would have frazzled eyeballs in countries where 90% of cars are automatics and the brake lights going off mean you look up from your phone and pull away

There's nothing wrong in using main beam appropriately in a village, especially when the street lights aren't working (they're on timers around here). Main beam is an advantage to spot the black dog or cyclist without lights on the road ahead, but can be counter-productive for a tight left-hander where a bit of left-dippage is an advantage to see as well as being less anti-social to the people living in the house opposite to the bend.
As far as eyesight standards go, reading a number plate at 20m in good daylight is the usual minimum test (or 6/12), so main beam might be a good thing here as well.
Having said that, don't dazzle and upset people even if they have an option to stop walking and look away; drive slower if that's what it takes and dip your lights

Tbh modren car lamps are so retina searingly bright on dipped beam it makes little difference.

You have to dip manually? How quaint.

My car will dip the lights if there are streetlights. If it doesn't I give it a stern talking to, and dip them myself (if I can figure out how to turn the auto-dip off, it usually descends into a series of random flashes and occasional darkness).

Was it Keith Lard ??

Claim he blinded you, mount the pavement and bonnet the silly ****. Job jobbed

Surely if there's streetlights you should be on sidelights only!

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/ultra-tedious-wwstwd-sidelights-only-in-a-streetlit-20mph/

Why do you need full beams on, in a village, in a 30?.

Well, there are villages in North Wiltshire which have no street lighting at all, and there are often cars parked along the side of the road, plus houses are often set back from the road.
Apart from Castle Combe, but nobody lives there during the week, the cottages are mostly owned by townies who only come back at weekends, so they can get stuffed.
If I’m driving through Biddestone, for example, I nearly always put my full beams on, until I see a car coming or catch sight of pedestrians or cyclists, then I dip straight away.
As far as my lights shining into someone’s windows, I’d have thought that with the curtains drawn and lights on, nobody’s going to see my lights going past.

All you've said there is that you do it, not a reason why? If you can't see properly at 30, maybe you should slow down grandad.

Had my eyes tested 3 weeks ago actually No, I am not blind and sailed through the driving standards part of the test . Do need glasses for distance work and they are on the way.
I didnt know if was part of the HC or not , and there are many reasons for wanting to see further than the beam pattern dips offer .

Maybe I should pay a man with a lamp to walk in front , just to be sure.

I didnt know the road, or the village , was picking someone up from a house with a name not a number , hence the reason for coming back the same way, and wanting to be able to read house name signs , which funnily enough are never made to BS standards on reflective backing with 8" type face.

It was more the fact this chap has decided he is the law and stands there waving his torch around. If I have to go back I will take my XHP70 retina removal torch and shine it in his eyes.

These self righteous ****s attempting to inflict their dictatorship on anyone passing always seem to own a dog. I don't know what it is!

Their poor wives whimpering in the corner.

Wow, amazingly sanctimonious start to 2019 from the usual STW bell ends.

Should have called the feds, I'm sure they'd take a dim view (pun intended) of the old fart's antics.

Thing is, dipped headlights aren’t all the same. The bulbs fitted as standard in the headlamps of my current (and previous) car cast about as much light as a bloody candle!
A lot of cars have bonkers-bright headlamps even when they’re dipped, and thus the drivers won’t feel the same need to use main beam in villages after dark.

He probably thought you were his Uber.

my car will only trigger full beam at 35 and above.

If you need full beam doing 30mph then you really shouldnt be driving as either your eye sight is not up to scratch or your headlights are defective/dirty.

Two three things that boil my water,

People driving through villages at 30 with main beam on.
People driving through villages on sidelights.
People parked up facing oncoming traffic with main beam on.

I’d add people with their fog lights on to that list too.

Just to add a further thought, my new Karoq (skoda replacement for the yeti) doesn't have a readily available dipped beam adjuster like many conventional headlight cars have (little wheel near the right knee on your stw std issue octavia).

Instead it's buried in the settings menu on the main screen and it defaults to fully "up" (max range). I've set mine to half down now which is fine for most things and having the sprogs in the back doesn't raise it too much. But I wonder how many people know about the setting at all, let alone used it? The lights are much better as standard than the Octy I used to have.

Pistonheads has called and wants it's thread back 😉

Yeah but potholes!

A bit of dog eat dog coming to the gammon belt near you.

Sidelights and foglights is where it's at. No need for headlights or main beam.

There's no need to automatically dip your lights, you need to judge the situation. In this case there was a pedestrian getting blinded, possibly struggling to see where he was walking and could've fallen off the kerb in to your path. Dip your lights and drop your speed, simple.

OP, Deliberately intending to interfere with drivers vision in the way you describe would be a quite serious matter , I would report to Police. This is not normal behaviour , the pedestrian has the choice to look another way to avoid the hazzard , the driver has to look at the road.

There’s no need to automatically dip your lights, you need to judge the situation. In this case there was a pedestrian getting blinded, possibly struggling to see where he was walking and could’ve fallen off the kerb in to your path. Dip your lights and drop your speed, simple.

Re -read it again , slower this time.
This guy was spending his evening standing on the pavement . Stationary. ie.- not moving. Shining probably an XML at drivers driving through a village that basically had no streetlamps ho hadn't switched main beam off. He , and his other half , and the dog presumably do this as some sort of hobby / retribution/ retaliation, I really don't know the reason.

Weirdo or not, I assume you dropped your lights for him? I doubt he was standing there on the lookout for drivers to annoy.

Reading fail ...That is precisely what this WGBE was doing. I drove past , got a torch in my eys, dipped beam, found colleague , drove back 8-9 mins later. He. Hasn't. Moved. Got torch in my face again, so I kept him lit up like a Heinkel in a search light

If you need full beam doing 30mph then you really shouldnt be driving as either your eye sight is not up to scratch or your headlights are defective/dirty.

Yeah, riiiiiiight. Driving anywhere, with lots of dark areas, obstructions and corners to block a dipped beam, putting the mains on will pick up things like pedestrians walking without lights, or reflective clothing, or cyclists doing the same, who would otherwise be concealed by the shadows cast by dipped beams. I do wonder how many people actually drive around any inhabited areas that have no lighting for this not to be obvious. The road I live on in Chippenham has dreadful street lighting, there are cars parked on both sides along almost its entire length, and there’s a bend partway along that only allows one car through because of the parked vehicles on both sides. Late at night, there can be cyclists without lights, peds who will just walk out into the road, etc, and they’re often obscured by the shadows cast by my dipped lights, so I’ll often put my mains on, just to see if there’s anyone around, then I’ll dip again.
On my way out the other evening along an unlit lane I nearly hit a couple in the road who were all in black, no lights, it was only because I flicked the mains on I saw them a few yards in front and could steer away, they were effectively invisible!

Instead it’s buried in the settings menu on the main screen and it defaults to fully “up” (max range).

I don’t know your particular car but do the headlights auto adjust (like most xenon lights do (I think under regulations) and the manual adjust is just there for over-rides such as when towing?

Lots of sanctimonious, holier than thou nonsense on here. Of course you can use full beam in a village - any increase in visibility is a plus. Or does the possibility of slightly annoying someone who has bought a house adjacent to a road outweigh the possibility of avoiding an accident?

JP

OP - you should inform the police about this guy. Although he may be disgruntled about car headlights, what he is doing sounds like it may cause more harm than good (whatever "good" may be).

As the OP elected to use full beams both times are you sure it was that he was objecting to? Our last house was in the village and on a rat run. Car driving through way too fast. Tbh as the village had a single tarmaced lane through it and some houses had doors straight on to the road even 30 felt too fast and I always drive sub 20 (slower if I've got some arse hanging off my bumper) through it. Could he have been objecting to your speed rather than your lights?

I don’t know your particular car but do the headlights auto adjust (like most xenon lights do (I think under regulations) and the manual adjust is just there for over-rides such as when towing?

Nah, they're just halogens. AFAIK xenon lights must fully adjust automatically (I've never used them though so my understanding might be wrong) and the manual adjuster on mine is in the software presumably to save VAG about £1 worth of plastic switchery.

I'll drive through a village at 30 at night with full beam on. I don't care either. Feels safer for me when there is no Street lighting, anything that increases visibility for me is a bonus. If it annoys people in their homes then they can always get black out curtains and/or blinds

Same. Streelights create shadows. Full beam and dip if oncoming vehicles or illuminates a person.

Those who say people in villages don't want their houses lit up.... Are these the same kind of idiots who move near a live music venue then complain about live music? Toughen up snowflake, get some curtains.

Suspect he's out there because of drivers going too fast. Can't blame him if he has to put up with drivers going way above the speed limit.

I live in a small village and people drive down the road I am on as a cut through and always have full beam coming straight into my rear kitchen window. Can't say it bothers me as it can be very dark as night (especially if cloudy/no moon) and it is hard to spot horses even when going slowly without full beam on. I have full beam on all the time when there is no oncoming traffic.

You should always be driving so as you can stop or take reasonable evasive action within the distance you can see; that’s a pretty simple and inarguable concept, surely. If your dipped beams don’t provide you with this ability, either you or your headlights are a bit shit. Absolutely no need for full beam at 30. I suspect those that say they need full beam in a thirty zone are travelling quicker than thirty; you know, because the roads are quiet, because they can see with their bright mains, etc. Also, why is it okay to dazzle a pedestrian when you wouldn’t dazzle a driver? Proper selfish behaviour.

I would like to remind all of the awsum STW driving gods that in a village setting, a posted 30mph sign is not a target, it is the absolute limit.

If you are unable to see properly in the dark, then please slow down a little bit. Our villages aren't race tracks or places for timed events, if you want to test your nighttime driving prowess, then go to a race track and speed with your lights blazing away to your hearts content and away from our hard working, family homes.

Absolutely no need for full beam at 30.

In a pitch black forest with dark coloured horses there is absolutely a need for full beam at 30. I have lived in an area with no street lights for over 20 years and it is much safer to be able to see as far ahead as possible to see horses, cows etc,. at the edge of the road.

Add the fact that most of the roads actually have a limit of 40, 30 is already going slow.

See, I know the OP, and he's very calmly driven me through many a village on the way to rides or events. Not the type to go haring through a 30mph at 50 (unlike, someone else I could mention).. but I am surprised he needs to use full beam at any speed lower than 50mph. Maybe the headlights on dipped aren't that great?
What I will say, is there seems to be a epidemic of drivers using full beam when it's completely unnecessary. Especially annoying when you overtake on a dual-carriageway and they dont' dip when you're in front.
My theory is, it's down to shitty headlights - the new type of LED ones may be stupidly, dazzlingly bright when you're driving/riding towards them, but they actually don't give you any better visibility than halogens as the driver of the vehicle with them fitted. Maybe it's worse, and that's why there's the need to leave full beam on? Anyone who has used halogen bike lights prior to the LED 'revolution' will know it takes a lot less light power to give good visibility with the old type.
Personally, in my old Passat, I can see completely adequately with dipped headlights, except for on winding backroads at around 50-60mph.

As above, driver behaviour could be linked to the headlight type.. My car has LED and my wife's has Xenon and I can't ever imagine reaching for high-beam at less than 30mph through an unlit village.. in fact they're so good I rarely reach for them at all (i.e. unlit NSL back road). However, the sharp cut-off could be an issue if you've just jumped from a car with good halogen headlights. (both are automatically adjusted as is the law I think? No dials in either car for manual adjustment). For some reason I think headlight washers are a legal requirement for Xenons and not LED.. not sure why. I'm rambling now.. so I'll stop.

but they actually don’t give you any better visibility than halogens as the driver of the vehicle with them fitted. Maybe it’s worse, and that’s why there’s the need to leave full beam on?

Might be something in this. My latest car has very fancy LED lights. But on dipped whilst the have a very sharp cut off in the short middle distance between some light and nothing at all whilst my old lights sort of faded away gracefully. I suspect the new ones must be good at not dazzling when I'm following someone as provided you don't follow too close the cut off is before their car. Or it could be they give the perception of having worse throw because the near vision is so good and my eyes don't adjust so well in the 'binary' rather than analogue light.

I always dip beam for cyclists, runners, pedestrians, etc. The impact on visibility is generally much greater when you don't have a bloody great big light to shine back. Having a full-beam directed at you on an unlit road usually results in being able to see jack shit.

All he's doing is what most people would also do in their cars and flash their lights at you.

There is no good reason not to dip your headlights when you go into an area with street lights. I would also dip main beam for pedestrians and cyclists too...lets just be nice to each other! it's a simple act and doesn't take much effort and is much appreciated by others. I just wish some cyclists with ultra bright Cree LED lights had the same courtesy and at least angled them down so as not to sear the retinas of oncoming car drivers. If I'm riding on an unlit road I'll have my bright LED light helmet mounted so when cars pass I can easily angle my head away from the oncoming traffic so as not to blind them.

Though I think trying to blind back drivers who don't bother dipping headlights is a bit of a pathetic action too. The driver has either forgotten to dip their headlights or has no intention of doing its in the first place. In either cases the act of trying to temporarily blind the driver is not only dangerous but pretty pointless. You're not going to affect the behaviour of the driver who has no intention and if someone has just done it by accident then you've probably missed your opportunity, as a pedestrian its just easy not to stare directly back at the bright lights.

DezB

I am surprised he needs to use full beam at any speed lower than 50mph. Maybe the headlights on dipped aren’t that great?

On a car with a low front end, the cut off for lights can be shorter than the stopping distance at 40mph. I can't recall the exact figures but it's because of the regulations regarding the beam angle.

eta: link

I usually reckon 30mph shouldn't need head beam regardless of whether street is lit or not.

40mph is a bit more marginal depending on your car's light quality / set up as noted yes above. Certainly when I was regularly travelling through the New Forest (mostly 40mph limits) at night I would use head beam as much as I could through the unpopulated bits.

You could just use dips the whole time but why would you handicap yourself in terms of visual range (even when well under the limit). The sooner you see something the smoother and more measured your response can be.

Lots of sanctimonious, holier than thou nonsense on here.

Ooft, I recall your coffee thread, oh the irony! 🤣🤣🤣

I was doing more than 30mph. It was probably 32mph . I was trying to spot a house name hence high beams . Oddball stands by the side of the road and shines his torch into drivers eyes. Fine, his choice. Not a chance he could tell, given the distance and time if I was speeding or not. In fact I doubt anyone could say a speed to within 5mph correctly, in the dark , at 50mtrs+.
I do dip from mains to dips for runners , peds and cyclists . The point is this loon stands to attention by the side of the road and then points his torch at oncoming traffic. If he wasnt a nutjob and took his dog for a walk I could understand it perfectly, but no. He is some weirdo who has persueded his dog and his poor wife that this evenings entertainment will be imporsnating a policeman in a high viz and shining a torch back at cars who have main beam on whilst driving through what is basically an unlit village , out in the countryside with Deer, Dogs, Horses, Foxes , Badgers Runners cyclists etc all hiding in the hedges

Lots of sanctimonious, holier than thou nonsense on here.

Ooft, I recall your coffee thread, oh the irony! 🤣🤣🤣

Big difference - I know what I'm talking about when it comes to coffee and have worked in the industry for years; I don't believe that any of the people decrying the use of full beam in built up areas have any specific expertise other than their own prejudices.

JP

Swoon.

a low front end, the cut off for lights can be shorter than the stopping distance at 40mph. I can’t recall the exact figures but it’s because of the regulations regarding the beam angle.

eta: link

You need an article to tell you that you can see further with full beam than dipped? Gosh.

It's not speeding as it's very easy to set up a community speedwatch scheme if residents think there is a problem. I know as I do a bit of speedwatch each week - not hard. Instead it sounds like someone has just had a bit of a falling-down moment over headlights in his lounge. Just dip and let it go.

Funny, just after posting on here last night, I drove my son home - housing estate, street lighting, 30mph roads, perfect visibilty, no risk of hitting a stray shire horse or any other equine creature... Turned into a minor road, coming towards me, a BMW with FULL BEAM on!! I've changed my theory from poor headlight functionality: people are idiots.

Highway code covers it simply:
"114
You MUST NOT
* use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders"

Guy with the torch was obviously dazzled.

I even dip my off road bike lights when on the road with pedestrians about and even cars approaching, as they're stupidly bright. Have had cars flash at me with bike lights on full.

As said earlier, you could just have sidelights in a lit area!
"113
You MUST
* ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise
* use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified
* use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226)."

Sidelights and foglights is where it’s at. No need for headlights or main beam.

"114
You MUST NOT
* use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users (see Rule 226)."

That's one that bugs me a lot. Bloody fog lights when it's not proper foggy (or worse it's just raining). 100m visibility it's defined as. Not when it's misty but you can see a mile ahead. Though my main annoyance is that many people's cars don't automatically turn off the fogs next time they get in the car, so they're driving around with fog lights on for the next month.

Lol at a STW driving thread. Posts alternate between full on pistonhead and walking infront of cars with a red flag !!
But in this case it's simple, using full beams might or might not be appropriate in an unlight village, but deliberately shinning a light into the eyes of a driver in a moving vehicle is wrong and criminal. If it's become a habit for this guy a word with the police is needed.

If it’s become a habit for this guy a word with the police is needed.

Nah, just run him over. And his stupid dog.

Funny innit - all these moron car drivers love playing with their lights, full beam, fog lights all when completely unnecessary... but when it comes to actually using the flashy orange ones on each corner... Idiots, I tell ya.

Taxi25+1

Funny, just after posting on here last night, I drove my son home – housing estate, street lighting, 30mph roads, perfect visibilty, no risk of hitting a stray shire horse or any other equine creature…

Yeah, and I drove down my road at 07:00 this morning at 20mph (no street lights, cloudy sky/no moonlight) and on dipped could not safely see any horses outside of the short distance my lights illuminate
With street lights you could drive around with side lights on and you would be able to see.

Live in an area with no street lights for 5 miles and it is a very different story. Bloody towny.

kerley, yesterday

[img] [/img]

DezB
You need an article to tell you that you can see further with full beam than dipped? Gosh.

Isn't there a music thread somewhere you should be spoiling?

Isn’t there a music thread somewhere you should be spoiling?

Isn't there.. um, erm, nope not a clue who you are.

Lol at a STW driving thread. Posts alternate between full on pistonhead and walking infront of cars with a red flag !!
But in this case it’s simple, using full beams might or might not be appropriate in an unlight village, but deliberately shinning a light into the eyes of a driver in a moving vehicle is wrong and criminal. If it’s become a habit for this guy, then someone needs to pull over and give him a slap!

FTFY 🙂

kerley, yesterday

Only on a Sunday, I don't dress up so smartly the rest of the week.

Some of you care about this full beam nonsense far too much.

I've learnt from this thread that I'm blind, have shite headlights and speed in 30 mph zones.

I'll carry on not caring and carry on using full beam at night on unlit roads when there is no traffic coming the other way. The rebel that I am.

I always dip beam for cyclists, runners, pedestrians, etc.

If they're coming towards you then yes. If they're going away from you it can actually be helpful to leave full beam on.
A few years ago, I was on a road descent in the Chilterns going in towards London at night. Pitch dark road and behind me was a taxi. To be fair to him, he was quite patient - hung back, wasn't trying to be pushy - but he did the thing that most drivers instinctively do when behind another vehicle which was to dip his headlights. I was towards the outer effective reach of his lights and my light was really just a "get you home" kind of thing - and I was really wishing he'd put his full beams on again. The point he'd initially come up behind me it really helped suddenly being able to see everything!

Isn't it just common decency to dip your lights for pedestrians coming towards you?

If I'm running and someone doesn't dip their lights they get the full 2000 lumens pointed into their car. Seems to work.

If I’m running and someone doesn’t dip their lights they get the full 2000 lumens pointed into their car. Seems to work.

Not ideal but you could just look away, maybe stop running, instead you risk causing an accident that could injure or kill someone, including yourself, epic cool bro 😎😎😎