how close is too close?

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Originally Posted by Slunnie

I dip as soon as I know a vehicle is there - this is different to dipping when I see the vehicle. At night time you can tell when a vehicle is coming over the hill or coming around the bend by the way their headlights light up the surrounding area. As a courtesy I dip when I see that assuming its before I see the actual vehicle. I think that its bad form to have them crest the hill or round the bend to be blinded before being plunged back into darkness when I dip - especially considering how obvious it was that they were coming. Likewise with truck, you will see the marker lights over the cab well before you see their headlights which are well below the cab. I notice that when I dip for an oncoming that is about to crest, they usually do the same.

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I'm pretty much the same. If I know that there's something coming towards me, even if I haven't seen the lights yet, I dip. For vehicles I'm travelling behind, I generally remain on low beam for as long as I can see their tail lights, especially as high beam for me includes 2 HID driving lights - I never run high beam without them.

Can be a bit of a pain sometimes travelling between here & Perth - some of those straights out between Coolgardie & Southern Cross are 20km long, and there's a fair bit of traffic out there some nights, especially if you cop the rush of east / west truckies. But slowing down a bit when you're on low beam doesn't really add that much to the travelling time.

But I know from experience that it's even more of a pain if some inconsiderate tool comes up behind you with all his lights on until the last minute - I have a nice little light pointing backwards for these lovely people, and if they don't get the message from that one, they sure as hell do when they overtake and get in front of me. :angel:

I work on a simple rule. If I can see your lights then you can see mine so use low beam. I will dip them when I see the glow approaching a creast or corner to.

If the oncomming car doesn't dip then they get one warning flash followed by all lights till they dip theirs. If you are behind me and catch up without dipping then my speed keeps dropping till you pass when you get all lights back as a curtesy to help you see. Obviously those who don't dip are scared of the dark or need help with extra light.

High beams in the side mirrors are a big problem on country roads.

I HATE those "driving lights" that are either angled up or super.

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Originally Posted by BMKal

I'm pretty much the same. If I know that there's something coming towards me, even if I haven't seen the lights yet, I dip. For vehicles I'm travelling behind, I generally remain on low beam for as long as I can see their tail lights, especially as high beam for me includes 2 HID driving lights - I never run high beam without them.

Can be a bit of a pain sometimes travelling between here & Perth - some of those straights out between Coolgardie & Southern Cross are 20km long, and there's a fair bit of traffic out there some nights, especially if you cop the rush of east / west truckies. But slowing down a bit when you're on low beam doesn't really add that much to the travelling time.

But I know from experience that it's even more of a pain if some inconsiderate tool comes up behind you with all his lights on until the last minute - I have a nice little light pointing backwards for these lovely people, and if they don't get the message from that one, they sure as hell do when they overtake and get in front of me. :angel:

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Quote: "I have a nice little light pointing backwards for these lovely people, and if they don't get the message from that one, they sure as hell do when they overtake and get in front of me."

Brian I used to have a 100watt spotlight setup on the back of my 41' Fruehauf tri-axle trailer, used mostly for backing into loading bays in the middle of the night.
The first time I used it in anger against a clown up my arse on high beam and spotties turned to **** when the clown turned out to be a copper, he apologised for his high beam, but he made me take the light off there and then, reckoned it scared the crap out of him, luckily he didn't book me, Regards Frank.

I use Hella H4 90/100 headlight bulbs in the truck and ALL the Landrovers
Can't remember when i last used Hi beam in any of them. Maybe i just have good eyes or something..........

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Originally Posted by groucho

I use Hella H4 90/100 headlight bulbs in the truck and ALL the Landrovers
Can't remember when i last used Hi beam in any of them. Maybe i just have good eyes or something..........

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Or lights that are too bright and illegal. :mad:

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Originally Posted by V8Ian

Or lights that are too bright and illegal. :mad:

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Fully complies with ADR 13/00...........

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Originally Posted by Tank

Brian I used to have a 100watt spotlight setup on the back of my 41' Fruehauf tri-axle trailer, used mostly for backing into loading bays in the middle of the night.
The first time I used it in anger against a clown up my arse on high beam and spotties turned to **** when the clown turned out to be a copper, he apologised for his high beam, but he made me take the light off there and then, reckoned it scared the crap out of him, luckily he didn't book me, Regards Frank.

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A lot of the truckies I know here have "worklights" mounted on their rear view mirrors - "so that they can check the trailers and wheels while travelling at night". The one on the driver's side mirror is usually "strategically" aimed to "surprise" following drivers on high beam. Works a treat.

I know what you mean about being sprung with a light like this Frank. I got chatted by a copper once when I had the pilot vehicle - there were two 4 inch aircraft landing lights on the rear roofrack pointing backwards. The copper who was escorting us with a very large load asked what they were for. I explained that they were used for "working on trucks / floats at night". He smiled and said OK, but that he would book me if he ever saw me using them on following traffic at night, which I explained with a horrified look on my face that I would never consider doing. :angel:

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Originally Posted by BMKal

The one on the driver's side mirror is usually "strategically" aimed to "surprise" following drivers on high beam. Works a treat.

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Yes, I had one truckie do that to me once. Must have thought I was on high beam when I wasn't, well I wasn't until then... :twisted:

A lot of the issue with drivers at night is simple, They shouldn't be driving at night.

I recently travelled with a girl Ive known for years, a quick 30 min round trip to get Pizza on country "B" roads and she drove her car.

And I was horrified!
Late dipping, lane holding was crap and she was very hesitant to drive faster than 70 in a 100 zone.

I discussed this with her a few days later and she admitted to me that she suspected she had night blindness.

The solution?

DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT!

But the other thing I noted was the state of her windscreen, the thing was filthy! inside and outside.

And i reckon that this contributes to a lot of the bad night driving especially when you get city or suburban drivers who are not used to driving in areas with zero roadside lighting and winding roads.

A clean, clear screen, washers that work and even night driving anti glare glasses you can buy from any workware supplies are an absolute MUST for driving at night or in the rain.

And if you still have issues?

Stay home lol

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Originally Posted by UncleHo

Don't forget in wonderfull sunny Qld you can legally drive on high beam in a built up area,(with a system of street lights) now, that really #$@*&## me off,high beam at 60-70kph :mad:

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I used to agree fully.

But then I got posted to Canberra. With kangaroos jumping down the main street I found that the street lights become quite inadequate very quickly. And a lot of the roads were 80km/h.