Using Headlights

[Meckity1]

Another car one from me. Hoping experienced drivers can point me in the right direction.

I put on my side lights in fog and poor visibility (when it's raining and/or very overcast) and I put my headlights on when it's dark.

Yesterday, 7am, I got in the car and put my sunglasses on as I was getting dazzled by the reflection of the sun in my right hand wing mirror. I was glad of them 100 yards and a left turn later because the dazzle from the headlights of the bus behind me was almost blinding. I keep seeing lights on cars when I think the sun is bright enough to wear sunglasses.

What is the general rule? What am I missing? Should I have my lights on more?

I've just looked up the highway code, and wonder if I should put headlights on if it's raining, but I can't remember a time when I couldn't see more than 100 yards. It's just been mucky light.

Advice gratefully received, as I want to do things right.

Oldraver

Auto headlights often won't come on in fog.

Aren't you only supposed to use your fog lights if visibility is less than 100m?

HelloCanYouHearMe I thought that you only used foglights in really bad visibility. I was looking at the website and it looks like the Highway Code says that fog lights shouldn't be used unless visibility is really bad, but that headlights should be used more than I have been using.

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/lighting-requirements.html

I'm really glad I can come on here as I don't really have anyone I can ask about this, and it's good to get advice from experienced drivers.

I've just looked up the highway code, and wonder if I should put headlights on if it's raining, but I can't remember a time when I couldn't see more than 100 yards.

It's not just about what you can see, it's about you being seen as well.

Volvo's headlights are always on and when I drive in Australia, especially in the outback, I keep them on all the time - even in bright sunshine so you can be seen for miles.

Oh and I agree. Some vehicles' headlights do dazzle even on dipped.

I'm looking - well squinting - at you Range Rovers!

Can you really not turn the headlights off on certain cars? I sometimes need to sleep on my long journey home following a long haul flight. Half an hour in the services is just enough, it's worked for decades, only nowadays there's often some moron parked behind with their headlights blaring into the back of my car (because they wanted the air con/heating on while they read the paper or something. So annoying.

God knows, my car does everything for me, including dip beams which is just some kind of witchcraft.

StCharlotte I basically drive the school run, leaving around 7am, pick up around 3.30pm, half hour run, depending on traffic, lots of junctions, two roundabouts and a lot of hills. Sometimes just the angle of the road is an issue.

I'm really glad I asked this question, because one of the roundabouts has poor visibility and is quite small. You have to go when you have to go, and being visible is only going to help.

*You shouldn't find dipped headlights dazzling"

Lots of people do and they don't have problems with their eyesight.

You don't need more than side lights on in dim light/a bit of rain. Use common sense, if it's heavy rain or dark, you need full lights. But often I see everyone's lights on and it's still broad daylight. Unless there has been a cloudburst a mile away (and there usually hasn't) they are just lemmings.

I was taught that if your wipers are on your headlights should be on

Disagree with this if you only need the intermittent wipers.

It's amazing, on the one hand you have people saying that if you are being dazzled you need your eyes tested, yet people think you need full headlights to be able to see big metal coloured things in a bit of rain.

Fog is totally different, and then you need your fog lights on.

And if you are following me along a dark country road you do NOT need your full beam on behind me. Turn it off please!

berlinbabylon I thought full beam was only used in really specific circumstances, and being near cars that could be dazzled wasn't one of them, so your rear view mirror is likely safe from me.

I'm getting better with practice.

TBH the only time you'd use full beam is at night in the middle of nowhere with no other vehicles in sight.

Also, by all means use fog lights in fog but don't use full beam because it bounces light back at you and you can actually see less.

StCharlotte I'll remember that about the lights in fog. This is why I need Mumsnet.

I'm in Poland and it's illegal to drive without headlights on even in daylight. Makes life mich easier! However I do think that the newer model cars with LED lights are very bright. I get dazzled in cloudy weather sometimes.

TBH the only time you'd use full beam is at night in the middle of nowhere with no other vehicles in sight.

Poor HGV driver this morning, being followed for miles by someone in a standard family car with full beam on.

I noticed it as soon as I overtook and I could still spot it when I was way ahead as the road turned behind me.

What do people think that great big light on their dash is for? Setting the mood?

Well it wasn't foggy last night but I suppose at 8pm was getting drk.

I was waiting for my bus (which was of course very late despite it saying it was due - oh I know it's tricks!) I was being absolutely dazzled by all the car lights. I know my aunt used dark glasses when driving for this very reason.

Dipped headlights for fog. Dipped headlights in heavy rain. Basically if you think people can’t see you put on dipped headlights.

I live on an island and often have dipped headlights, fog lights and sunglasses on 😎 I find driving without sunglasses in daytime fog gives me a severe headache.

MrsAmaretto I wear sunglasses a lot, because I know I haven't the experience and I want to be able to see what I'm doing.

Sometimes bright sun reflecting from other cars can be off putting. Then I see loads of other drivers not bothering and I wonder if I'm being precious.

Two interesting points.

I was wearing sunglasses today and the cars with sidelights on were much more visible (although visibility was good). I kept my sidelights on.

Also, the guidelines suggest that you don't keep your brake pedal down but instead use the handbrake to avoid dazzling people with the brake lights. I hadn't thought of that, and a lot of my long waits at lights are on steep slopes anyway where I use the handbrake, but I think I'll start doing that as well.

I always have headlights on when driving. Lots of trees where I live so you're going from shade to sunshine to shade a lot and it helps with being seen. Perhaps similar to Norway and Sweden?

Also, the guidelines suggest that you don't keep your brake pedal down but instead use the handbrake to avoid dazzling people with the brake lights.

If you are at a full stop (at lights etc) then you should definitely NOT sitting with your foot in the brake (it can slip), use your handbrake (parking brake). Much, much safer and easier to control hill starts too. Sitting with your foot on the brake for too long is a fault in a driving test.