paulhus@euclid.DEC (03/27/85)
Some comments on daytime headlight use: 1. The 30% reduction in accident rate figure comes from a fleet test (seems like it was Bell Telephone or some large utility) data. This means a statistically valid control group (same drivers, previous year, same vehicles) with no causal relationships with ["good drivers" who turn on their headlights]. 2. Personal opinion on headlight need: I believe headlights are needed when the oncoming driver has reduced visibility of you. Of course, this means whenever it is raining. (I believe that the state of Conn. has passed a law requiring headlights to be on when the windshield wipers are on.) It's incredible how a silver car disappears in the rain. (Guess I'll never own that German Racing Silver Porsche.) A less obvious need is when the sun is low and at your back and in the eyes of oncoming traffic. This is VERY hard to realize since the lighting is optimum for you. But just notice the squinting of oncoming drivers! 3. Personal experience: I order white cars for their superior visibility. A few years ago while suffering from lack of cash, I bought a used small BROWN station wagon (R-12 if you must know). I noticed that people were more apt to pull out in front of me than when I was driving my white VW bug. I started driving with the headlights on in the R-12. The incidence of people pulling out in front of me dropped to normal levels. On Driving Lights: I run the 8" Hella 2000 lights mounted above the front bumper, level with the headlights. During the daytime I keep them protected/covered. It is with a great deal of glee that I uncover them so I can "go out and make daylight" an night. I feel like a person walking around with a loaded gun. They can be dangerous, life threatening even, if misused. They are relayed to the highbeams. If I can see any indication of oncoming cars (light reflected off phone wires, guardrails) or can see tail lights ahead, no matter how far ahead, the lights go off! I hope others who use powerful lights are as careful. Your anger is justified at those who misuse them. There is no reason for auxiliary lighting under normal conditions in traffic. Fog lights should be used in fog only. On a non-foggy night, if you have any oncoming traffic, or can see taillights ahead, no matter how far ahead, its low beam ONLY time. N. Chris Paulhus DEC-Maynard (617) 491-1850 decwrl!dec-10382!dec-euclid!paulhus
adm@cbneb.UUCP (03/29/85)
<<<uninformed opinions are usually worth less than you paid for them >>>> It is my understanding that the law (state or federal ???) limits the candle power of headlights on vehicles. Therefore any auxiliary lamps would be illegal. That is why they must remain covered while on the highway, and theoretically are uncovered only for off road use. ( Good reason to turn them off when traffic is within detectable range. Might be Smokey :-) ) Any comments ?? ihnp4!cbnap!tel
jackh@zehntel.UUCP (jack hagerty) (04/02/85)
> If I can see any indication of oncoming > cars (light reflected off phone wires, guardrails) or can see > tail lights ahead, no matter how far ahead, the lights go off! > I hope others who use powerful lights are as careful. Your anger > is justified at those who misuse them. There is no reason for > auxiliary lighting under normal conditions in traffic. Fog lights > should be used in fog only. On a non-foggy night, if you have any > oncoming traffic, or can see taillights ahead, no matter how far > ahead, its low beam ONLY time. > > N. Chris Paulhus DEC-Maynard (617) 491-1850 I wish everyone out there who has aux lights had this kind of mature, rational attitude towards using them. I personally think that the most dangerous time of year to be driving at night is early January. That's when all of the twits go into full lookit-what-I-got-for-Christmas mode and crank up all of the firepower at their disposal. The worst offenders, at least in our area, are Japanese pickups and older American pony cars. -- Jack Hagerty, Zehntel Automation Systems ...!ihnp4!zehntel!jackh