I'm really not one for all these daft "elf and safety" laws

[meriad]

because I do think most of them are totally OTT; but one I really would welcome is that regardless of time of day; cars need to - at a minimum - have their lights on dim. Purely because then people may actually have them on when it's grey, damp, misty, narrow country roads and not the best visibility. Too many drivers seem to think that the lights are only there so they can see the road in the dark; they don't seem to realise that they're actually also quite useful so other drivers can see them; and this seems to apply mostly to cars that are dark in colour which just adds to the problem.

Thankfully most new cars seem to have this as an automatic function which I think is great; the moment you turn the key a strip of 'driving lights' in the front and the rear lights are illuminated


I'm really getting old and grumpy; aren't I

[tonicha]

No more than we are Meriad

You should hear Grumpy on the subject

[Workingman]

Don't get me started on this....

On a misty morning, like today's, there are too many idiots driving around on sidelights/parking lights. or no lights at all. I have to report that the police, ambulances, buses and many commercial vehicles are not immune from this stupidity.

Get on dipped beams and make things safer for everybody.

[meriad]

Phew, glad I'm not the only one then

[Rodo]

Well, I would use dipped headlights if conditions needed it, but I'm not going to have my lights on all the time.

[TheOstrich]

Well, I would use dipped headlights if conditions needed it, but I'm not going to have my lights on all the time.

Yes I think that would be my stance as well. I certainly agree that cars do need illuminating in murky conditions, especially when the default colour on modern cars seems to murky steel or murky silver anyway. But it's not necessary in bright conditions, surely.

Having driven many narrow country roads in the south-west, the biggest problem to my mind is speed. I'm certainly against the move to impose 20 mph all over the place in town and cities, but a blanket 30 mph when off the A and B roads in the countryside may not be a bad move ....

[meriad]

Well, I would use dipped headlights if conditions needed it, but I'm not going to have my lights on all the time.

That's the problem though Rodo - not everyone uses their common sense and thinks like you and I and most of us on here. As far as they think if they can see then that's all that counts. So if it was law to always drive with lights on then it becomes habit. Just like with seat belts - it's just a matter of getting used to it.