Please Check your car lights

[new driver]

I noticed several cars on my way back from Wick today with faulty lights.
One had only 1 working headlight and from a distance could be mistaken for a motorbike.
Another had unequal lights, one dipped and one main beam.
A third had only 1 rear brake light working.
It made me check all my lights again when I got home.
So easy to miss a dud bulb especially if you don't drive much in the dark.

[brokencross]

Sound advice.

[theone]

I drove up from Aberdeen and it is amazing the amount of cars with one of their "dipped" bulbs out.

Another thing I noticed was the amount of people who feel the need to have their fog lights on.............

[Welcomefamily]

I have noticed up here how many people drive with fog lights on when they are not needed.

[bobbyjoeufb]

I have noticed up here how many people drive with fog lights on when they are not needed.


Thats one off my pet hates! Quote from a police related website "Policy varies from force to force but in the main the offence would be Misuse of Lamps / headlamp / rear fog lamps / hazard warning device / optional lamps.

The usual policy for forces is to Verbally Warn the offending driver, however some officers do prosecute under the guise of "Fog Lamps Not Maintained to Prevent Dazzle", i.e. by having them on in clear conditions they are causing unnecessary undue dazzle to oncoming road users... which is ticketable."

Highway Code also states-

94: You MUST NOT
use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users
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.
Law RVLR reg 27

201: You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 211).
Law RVLR regs 25 & 27

211: You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 201) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.
Law RVLR regs 25 & 27

[Tighsonas4]

there a chap followed me to the harbour last week just to let me know that i had only brake light very kind
the indicators you can usually tell inside the car, but having no brake lights can be distarious tony
ps missed the one t

[bekisman]

One of the main bugbears with me are the pratts who, when it starts to get dark switch on their parking lights and carry on driving - you can't see 'em and they can't see you, what are they? inexperienced or what? - try that in Belgium 'cos 'Driving on side lights only is illegal'.

[percy toboggan]

Not for the firest time 'new driver' brings us some wise words.
My particular bugbear is those who insist on utilising rear 'fog' lights when conditions are fairly clear. I feel like taking a ball pein hammer to the lenses of 'em...but of course I restrain myself.

I just sit there seething, perhaps a flash of main beam might do the trick - often it doesn't as they continue blithely unaware of their folly, or their mistake.
In twilight I'd always use sidelights on urban roads - perhaps dip on motorways and rural routes.
Early twilight headlights in congested traffic is not so clever, especially when it's raining.Of course, as the gloom gathers then dipped headlights are a must. It's all a matter of judgement and personal decisions.

[percy toboggan]

there a chap followed me to the harbour last week just to let me know that i had only brake light very kind
the indicators you can usually tell inside the car, but having no brake lights can be distarious tony
ps missed the one t

Unless matters have changed, you are still 'legal' if the offside only brake light works...of course, two are better than one and none at all can be inviting trouble. Brace yerself if you pull up sharply!!:eek:

[Bazeye]

That reminds me. Ill have to change the batteries for my pushbike light before I set off for work tomorrow:)

[silverfox57]

last night sat about 6oclock as we where driving in to wick ,and was pitch black,just happen to notice cars passing Milton coming to wards us starting to slow down,
slowed down to see why, to our horror there was as a 12 or 14 year old boy on his bike with no lights on bike,he had black clothes on so was inpossible to see,