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Dark Nights - greenhey
Clearly the onset of darkness is getting rapidly earlier each day now , and I am depressed at the prospect of another winter with the continual problem of vehicles not showing the correct lights.
On a drive from Ispwich to Oxford last Wednesday night , leaving Ipswich at about 1900 in twilight , I counted vehicles which in some way were illegal .This included those I could spot on the other carriageway plus a few on my side.
By the time I reached my exit at Oxford I had counted over 90 , in 4 groups - no lights / parking lights only/ foglights (despite perfect visibility ) / broken lights ( including a van with no rear lights at all ,inc brake lights ).
I have driven in other countries and it\'s only in the UK that I have experienced people believing they can show whatever lights they feel like - why is this?
Dark Nights - Vansboy
You wouldn\'t want these drivers to risk wearing their battery out, would you, though??

VB

Sarcastic mode off, now.
Dark Nights - PhilW
\"why is this?\"

Could it be because the authorities think that scameras will do all the policing necessary? Is it the same reason that allows mobile phone use when driving now? Or cyclists to ride with no lights, ignore red lights, one way streets etc.
Dark Nights - Citroënian {P}
Because there isn\'t yet a device that can automatically spot these transgressions and generate cash easily.

Agree with the phone thing too - after the initial drop in use following legislation, people have realised there\'s no chance of getting caught so just do as they please.



--
Lee
MINI adventure in progress
Dark Nights - PhilW
Sorry if I sounded a bit cynical and bitter in previous post but on Friday a cyclist pulled out in front of me without even a glance forcing avoiding action, I overtook him and stopped at some lights, he came down the inside, straight across the lights causing another car crossing on green to brake and went straight on into a one way street (the wrong way) and another car had to swerve. Later I had to take to the grass verge because of some idiot in an Audi TT coming the other way over the white line - he was on the phone!
Dark Nights - L'escargot
The thing that annoys me is cars that have one dipped beam that is raised to almost the level of main beam. I suspect that it has been done deliberately by owners that have sub-standard eyesight. How on earth do these cars pass an MOT test? Or are they in the untaxed, uninsured and un-MOTd category?
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
Dark Nights - blinky
Not as annoying or stupid as the cyclist who was riding along the A66 in thick fog with no lights on.
Dark Nights - NeilB
What really annoys me is the people who drive in town with thier main beam on, dazzling you as they come towards you. Also the thick pink fluffy dice who have thier fog lights on, the clue when to use tjem is in the first three letters! Grrrr...
Dark Nights - Ivor E Tower
And would people in dark coloured cars PLEASE switch their lights on early as it gets dark? Don't drivers of dark cars realise that they "disappear" into the background earlier as twilight approaches?
Dark Nights - Stuartli
they "disappear" into the background >>


Plus silver, grey etc.

Also the fact that as darkness falls, visibility one way is usually better for a short period than for those going in the other direction.

You get cars with lights on one way and more often than not with them out going the other way.

One other annoying habit is those who drive whilst using sidelights rather than dipped headlights - in a line of approaching vehicles with headlights in use, the car with only sidelights witched on "disappears".

Not very sporting for other motorists or pedestrians.
Dark Nights - NeilB
Finishing work on Sunday at 8pm, taking the normal drive home a Ford Ka pulls upto a to a mini roundabout joining on a steep hill. No big deal you might think, indicators on, in the right position, gaveway to traffic on the right. All was well apart from one thing

NO LIGHTS ON AT ALL!

This causes many a horn to to off and flases from on comming traffic and traffic behind for a few mins and she still doesn't take the hint. She finally pulls up with a blast of the horn from me as I pass her, and many others.

I purposfully goto the bottom of the hill and turn around at the roundabout and go back up the hill to see why she wasn't using the lights. Just as I was approching, she pulls off again with no lights on! after a few flashes from me (I was the only one going up hill at this point) she fianlly realises that if you twist the stalk the bright twinkly things at the front come on

This is on a steep hill, where a park is where kids maybe coming out of and a very busy Tesco Metro. And the silly old bint is driving around with no lights on at all. GRRRRR!