N/a - Full beams | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Thu 20 Oct 2016 22:52

N/a - Full beams - galileo

Today I again had a halfwit following me at 5pm, in daylight urban traffic giving me the benefit of full beam headlights in the mirrors. The day before on a couple of occasions an oncoming car also had full beams in daylight.

As is often the case when this happens, the steering wheel attendant responsible was a young woman. (Though I have seen male offenders too!)

Do they think the blue high beam light on their dashboard just looks pretty (like the foglights they used to turn on in bright sunshine (before the EU imposed DRLs on us)?

The general standard of car driving seems to get worse by the day, why do people appear to switch their brains off once they are in a car?

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 08:41

N/a - Full beams - Bolt

>The general standard of car driving seems to get worse by the day, why do people appear to switch their brains off once they are in a car?<

Been getting worse for some time, I think a lot of this is down to drivers not knowing where or how to use the controls, and even to know what the lights/ signs on the dash actually mean

also if the steering partially blocks dashboard view they cannot be bothered to move their head to see the part of dash hidden, But they do for checking thier phones

I have also noticed some women drivers set the seat so they are on top of the steering,so close they are not able to see the dash and are in danger from airbag burns if it went off

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Sun 23 Oct 2016 13:12

N/a - Full beams - John F

also if the steering partially blocks dashboard view they cannot be bothered to move their head to see the part of dash hidden.....

Occasionally I have been guilty of this offence , because being tall and liking the steering wheel low, the blue light is often hidden. It's not that one 'cannot be bothered', the only way to move a head up and down (side to side does not always reveal the light) is to frequently hunch and straighten one's torso; not exactly conducive to relaxed driving!

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 12:52

N/a - Full beams - movilogo

Since most modern cars now offer auto-dim rear view mirror, I no longer find it irritating if car behind is having full beam on.

However, it is different story when the cars on other side are coming with full beam on. In those occassions I turn my full beam on and they usually get the message :-)

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 13:43

N/a - Full beams - Cyd

Living in a rural area, I find I'm in general agreement. Many drivers these days don't seem to know they are driving on main beams and often seem unaware of how to return to dipped.

When they're coming the other way, my Saab's Nightbreaker Unlimited equipped four beam HID plus halogen combo is impossible to ignore, but it is a problem if they are behind.

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 14:38

N/a - Full beams - catsdad

When I first started driving, years ago, my lit dashboard at night had a an analogue speedo and fuel gauge. As I recall the only warning lights were the full beam blue and amber (oil) and red (charging) lights. Oh and the indicator lights.

You couldn't really miss the full beam light, even in your peripheral vision, as it was generally the only one that was in use after you were underway.

Today we have dashboards covered in lights, often with a blue component, so its possible to lose the high beam light in the mess unless you look directly at it.

There is an element of misuse and you should be aware of the setting you are using, warning light or not, but its another example of the over-complication of the modern dashboard.

Oh for a Saab with its great night setting option.

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 15:43

N/a - Full beams - Theophilus

Full beam ... or daytime running lights?

I've noticed that now these are standard on all new cars they seem to be increasing in light intensity and easily confused with full beam headlights (my wife still doesn't understand why so many drivers have their "headlights" switched on when the sun is shining!)

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 15:43

N/a - Full beams - Theophilus

(Duplicate post)

Edited by Avant on 21/10/2016 at 22:07

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 17:52

N/a - Full beams - galileo

Full beam ... or daytime running lights?

I've noticed that now these are standard on all new cars they seem to be increasing in light intensity and easily confused with full beam headlights (my wife still doesn't understand why so many drivers have their "headlights" switched on when the sun is shining!)

DRLs also annoy me but I do know the difference between them and headlights!

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 20:01

N/a - Full beams - Engineer Andy

I think that many people also have poorly-adjusted dipped headlights as well, not taking into account the changes when carrying passengers and loads.

I realise that many newer cars have an automatic adjustment feature, but many older ones, like mine (for example), have a manual setting adjustment dial, which can easily be forgotten and not adjusted (or back) accordingly. As a result, they can appear to look like full-beam headlights.

Many people also forget to switch off their front fog lamps, which can be quite dazzling as well, probably because the light indicating they're on isn't blue like full beam headlights.

Not sure if manufacturers have changed this sort of setting to avoid this situation, but I do recall seeing many a (German) car with DRLs on after dark when their dipped headlights were also on. Both a waste, and as the small LEDs are brighter (though far smaller) than headlights, they still can be quite dazzling themselves at night.

Still, better than some berks who seem not to notice they have NO lights on at all when driving at night...

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 18:56

N/a - Full beams - Bianconeri

When I first started driving, years ago, my lit dashboard at night had a an analogue speedo and fuel gauge. As I recall the only warning lights were the full beam blue and amber (oil) and red (charging) lights. Oh and the indicator lights.

You couldn't really miss the full beam light, even in your peripheral vision, as it was generally the only one that was in use after you were underway.

Today we have dashboards covered in lights, often with a blue component, so its possible to lose the high beam light in the mess unless you look directly at it.

There is an element of misuse and you should be aware of the setting you are using, warning light or not, but its another example of the over-complication of the modern dashboard.

Oh for a Saab with its great night setting option.

But the driver who is too preoccupied to take even a cursory glance at the car's instruments will probably know ever nuance of the in-car distractions used to monitor mobile phone calls, SMS messages, email, Farcebook, or Twotter while they should be cincentrating on driving.

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Fri 21 Oct 2016 19:19

N/a - Full beams - Bolt

When I first started driving, years ago, my lit dashboard at night had a an analogue speedo and fuel gauge. As I recall the only warning lights were the full beam blue and amber (oil) and red (charging) lights. Oh and the indicator lights.

You couldn't really miss the full beam light, even in your peripheral vision, as it was generally the only one that was in use after you were underway.

Today we have dashboards covered in lights, often with a blue component, so its possible to lose the high beam light in the mess unless you look directly at it.

There is an element of misuse and you should be aware of the setting you are using, warning light or not, but its another example of the over-complication of the modern dashboard.

Oh for a Saab with its great night setting option.

But the driver who is too preoccupied to take even a cursory glance at the car's instruments will probably know ever nuance of the in-car distractions used to monitor mobile phone calls, SMS messages, email, Farcebook, or Twotter while they should be cincentrating on driving.

Like the BMW X1 in front of me this evening, sat at junctions looking at his mobile and playing with the radio holding up the traffic :(

Didnt even notice he was being hooted by cars behind him......

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Sat 22 Oct 2016 17:54

N/a - Full beams - hillman

When I am being dazzled by a following car I adjust the rear view mirror into the dipped position. Sometimes that isn't enough and I have to adjust the outside mirrors down.

As far as cars approaching, I am sometimes completely dazzled by the maladjusted dipped beams that seem like main beams. I think that the drivers don't know the position of the headlight level adjuster or the dip switch or their purpose.

Some drivers pull up at the kerb facing the wrong way, outside shops ?, but don't switch their headlights off. They are a hazard.

While not adverse to DRLs I am irritated by the facile design of some of the dispays on some models of car. For the BRs who matter, one of the definitions of my on-computer dictionary of 'facile' is 'unthinkingly stupid'

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Sat 22 Oct 2016 19:48

N/a - Full beams - hillman

I forgot to say : If the following car stays too close for too long I pull over and let it overtake. There have been times when the driver hasn't wanted to overtake and I have had to wait.

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Mon 24 Oct 2016 00:03

N/a - Full beams - Smileyman

possibly the driver does not know the meaning of the blue light on the dashboard, or perhaps had pushed / pulled the indicator arm without realising the impact it would have

best long term solution would be an electronic switch which always defaulted to 'low beam only' on starting the engine, so if the driver wanted to select high beam they had to physically switch it on every time

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Mon 24 Oct 2016 18:57

N/a - Full beams - hillman

A note about drivers not knowing what the blue light on the dash means. - One evening, while I was living in Zambia a man pushed his car round to my house from the Country Club, round the corner and across the street. He said the battery was flat and asked me to start the car for him. He was a magistrate and the car went with his job. It was a brand new plush model Toyota. I moved my car in front of his, got the jump leads out and the engine started first time. Then I switched the lights on and the engine stopped. The lights were on main beam and the voltage drop was too much for the ignition system. I started the engine again, switched on the dipped headlights and the engine ran sweetly. I told him to drive home, about 40 miles away, on the dipped beam and hopefully the battery would charge up again.

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