ADUK Archive

Ancient wrote:From my observation I use full beam more than most drivers nowadays too. I am frankly shocked at the number of drivers who will happily drive at NSL on dipped beam - it simply doesn't cast far enough ahead to see the road is clear.

A couple of years ago I did an experiment with a pupil. I got him to drive on a quiet unlit country road on dipped beam at 30mph, select an object at the furthest point of his vision, and try to stop before he reached it. This was possible at 30mph, but when he tried it at 40mph, he couldn't stop before the object. The bulbs fitted to the car were the manufacturers standard halogen bulbs. This highlighted the point that you must observe as much of the scene as possible whilst on full beam, and use full beam when ever possible, even if only for a couple of seconds whilst holding the dip switch against the spring for a quick release.

Gareth wrote:

TheInsanity1234 wrote:Did I say anything, anywhere, that implied that I thought I didn't make a mistake?

I took the thread title to mean you were asking. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Easily made, it's a tad ambiguous, but I couldn't think of anything else!

Ancient wrote:From my observation I use full beam more than most drivers nowadays too. I am frankly shocked at the number of drivers who will happily drive at NSL on dipped beam - it simply doesn't cast far enough ahead to see the road is clear.

I'm the same, I'll use main beam any time I can, even if it's just for 2 seconds because another car appeared just as I put the mains on.
It alarms me when I'm a passenger while my dad drives. He will drive at any speed despite the fact he only has dipped beam on. Even on unlit dual carriageways and motorways when there's no cars about, he will just drive at 70 on dipped beam.

I think it's mainly because most people only really pay attention to the area in front of the car that's lit up. Anywhere else doesn't matter to them because it's not being lit up.
The main reason I'm different is because I'm deaf, and have spent my entire life maximising what I can see with my eyes by scanning the foreground and off into the distance. I've carried this habit over into my driving, which is why I would struggle to drive on dipped beams, even when I'm only doing 20, because I naturally look as far away as I can, and dipped beams just don't provide that kind of range.

fungus wrote:A couple of years ago I did an experiment with a pupil. I got him to drive on a quiet unlit country road on dipped beam at 30mph, select an object at the furthest point of his vision, and try to stop before he reached it. This was possible at 30mph, but when he tried it at 40mph, he couldn't stop before the object.

There might be a difference between selecting an object that is in the main pool of light versus an object that can be seen. Many drivers seem to look in the brightly illuminated patch in front of their vehicle instead of concentrating on the area beyond.

Gareth wrote:

fungus wrote:A couple of years ago I did an experiment with a pupil. I got him to drive on a quiet unlit country road on dipped beam at 30mph, select an object at the furthest point of his vision, and try to stop before he reached it. This was possible at 30mph, but when he tried it at 40mph, he couldn't stop before the object.

There might be a difference between selecting an object that is in the main pool of light versus an object that can be seen. Many drivers seem to look in the brightly illuminated patch in front of their vehicle instead of concentrating on the area beyond.

That's a better way of putting what I said

TheInsanity1234 wrote:I think it's mainly because most people only really pay attention to the area in front of the car that's lit up. Anywhere else doesn't matter to them because it's not being lit up.

This...

TheInsanity1234 wrote:The main reason I'm different ...<cue imagination> I've carried this habit over into my driving, which is why I would struggle to drive on dipped beams, even when I'm only doing 20, because I naturally look as far away as I can, and dipped beams just don't provide that kind of range.

Keep doing that! (and don't turn out of a junction in front of someone until you're sure they've seen you and are reacting accordingly )

Mr Cholmondeley-Warner wrote:

TheInsanity1234 wrote:I think it's mainly because most people only really pay attention to the area in front of the car that's lit up. Anywhere else doesn't matter to them because it's not being lit up.

This...

TheInsanity1234 wrote:The main reason I'm different ...<cue imagination> I've carried this habit over into my driving, which is why I would struggle to drive on dipped beams, even when I'm only doing 20, because I naturally look as far away as I can, and dipped beams just don't provide that kind of range.

Keep doing that! (and don't turn out of a junction in front of someone until you're sure they've seen you and are reacting accordingly )

I shall try not to do that in the future!

A near-miss like that is certainly more than enough when it happens once!

I think Trashbat has given you the ideal answer and I would add only one thing. Traffic emerging from the side road was not subject to traffic lights: contact the local authority and demand that the half wit who came up with this idea be sacked.

Was there a tongue present in your cheek whilst that was being typed, sir?