Thread: Driving w headlights

I always drive with low beam on on long trips especially & certainly on off road tracks, helps bikes zapping around from nailing you head on.

I don't remember what roads, but I have seen road signage emploring you to turn on headlights to be seen in daylight on many country roads, I'll take carefull note next time I see a sign post.

I can never understand anyone driving with lights on during the day. If people cant see you/you see others without the need for lights then you should hand in your license due to having such poor eyesight.
I have ridden bikes on the road as well for 30 years and never use a light during the day. The glare from a light makes it much harder to tell the speed of an oncoming bike during the day. I say if you need lights during the day then get off the road.

Ian

Originally Posted by RoverOne

........
I don't remember what roads, but I have seen road signage emploring you to turn on headlights to be seen in daylight on many country roads, I'll take carefull note next time I see a sign post.

The Newell Highway is one of them, and so are a number of other roads round here, including, I think, the Mitchell Highway. Certainly in this state there is no rule against driving with headlights on in daylight, it is encouraged, and is required in conditions of low visibility such as rain. But it is certainly an offence to drive in daylight with high beam on, or driving lights, or fog lights.

The only problem I have with them is that too many people drive with their headlights on high beam. I am sure they don't realise this, but it is an unfortunate fact that the high beam warning light on most cars is designed to be seen in the dark, not in bright sunlight (in fact many cars designed by northern hemisphere designers have all their warning lights unable to be seen in bright sunlight).

John

Driving a dark coloured car on country roads, I often had oncoming overtakers pull out to pass at the last moment. Headlights on, and they stay in their place till its safer and I'm out of the way. My low beam lights generally get switched on in all daytime conditions on country roads.

Parkers??? they're just for parking aren't they

Seems to be some positive australian research here plus lots of links to other research: Daytime Running Lights (DRL)

I run parkers during the day, especially on longer trips

Originally Posted by RoverOne

I always drive with low beam on on long trips especially & certainly on off road tracks, helps bikes zapping around from nailing you head on.
I don't remember what roads, but I have seen road signage emploring you to turn on headlights to be seen in daylight on many country roads, I'll take carefull note next time I see a sign post.

Nearly happened to us recently in the otways driving a very overgrown twisty track, with headlights on, we could hear the bikes coming and had nowhere to pull over, so drove hooting untill bikes came screaming around the corner. I didn't fancy a new KTM bullbar ornament

Originally Posted by B92 8NW

During daylight hours I drive with my parkers on almost all the time (esp this time of year). I just discovered that Mr. Copper might not be too happy with this arrangement - It seems that they think they can ping you for doing this.

So I'm thinking of installing the Narva daytime running lamps which run the low beams at 70% power all the time, unless someone who knows the Vic rules can tell me about headlight laws please.

Globes

Joel,

i can tell you that it is not illegal to drive with your low beams on during the day. There are offences in the Vic Road Rules that relate to the illegal usage of lights either day or night that cause or may DAZZLE other drivers.

I read in an earlier reply about motor bikes not liking cars using their lights during the day but I can tell you 100% it is not illegal, in fact, it would be quite appropriate in some occassions. Common sense would prevail. If you can be bothered check my replies to earlier thread about Vic - the nanny state yesterday .....
Cheers


Jason

I always drive with my lights on low-beam, not just parkers - have for a long time, even when 4wd'ing.

I have seen no evidence to show that it harms other drivers, in fact quite the contrary. My vehicle and I are a lot more visible to other traffic, be it pedestrian or vehicular.

Sure I can see the road fine and yes the lights are on for my benefit - but only because I don't trust the blighters coming the other way or out from side streets to see me or look properly. It goes back to a simple rule I was taught when learning to ride a motorbike - "treat everyone like they haven't seen you".

Could save your life.

In that case, how hard is it to turn on the lights? What price do you put on your life or the life of others?

... and no, I'm not talking about lights that DAZZLE or high-beam or fog lights or any other illegal lights during the day.. I'm just talking about simple low-beam headlights.