To not understand why driving turns people selfish and a menace

[Opalite]

Of course I don't want to generlise ALL drivers, I've been one but I've never been this selfish and dangerous to pedestrians
So this morning it was very dark, there are no streetlights where I was walking but I had a big torch. EVERY SINGLE TIME I walk here or on other roads without streetlights, the cars insist on BLINDING me with their lights on full beam. It seems like 99.9999% of the time, this happens- they will dip their headlights when they spot the light and then put them back on full beam when they see that it's a person with a torch.

Could anyone shed some light on why this is? I have to stop walking and stay still which makes my walk very long. I'm sick of not being able to just walk to the place I am going when it is dark. Being blinded by peoples headlights disorientates pedestrians and I have stumbled into the road a few times (and got beeped at for it a handful of times, but that's not the norm)

IT IS DANGEROUS TO DO THIS! I slipped down into the ditch today and my arms got all cut up on the hedge which just shouldn't have happened. Why do so many drivers not have any consideration for pedestrians? The day before yesterday, a man was walking a few feet in front of me and was shouting abuse at the cars, putting his middle finger up etc. it's not only me that has this problem. I usually go and meet my 16 year old when she's walking home because of this, it's fucking ridiculous.

Do usually considerate drivers forget how to drive properly when it's dark and there aren't many people around? I just can't get my head around this. I'm just so sick of it and I am growing increasingly pissed off about this.

I'm not saying ALL drivers are like this and as I've said, I have been and will be a driver... but I always managed to drive without doing this
It's a bit of a rant but I also just want these types of drivers to realise how selfish they are being

Generalise ^

I expect it's because they can't see without them.

OK that was extremely ranty... I think I have the right to rant about this though!

Crowler, people CAN see without their headlights on full beam though.... and it doesn't explain the dipping the headlights beforehand?

I'm sure I remember something from my theory about not dazzling other road users with my headlights, did anyone do a more recent theory and remember if I'm right about that?

Surely it makes sense to do the same for pedestrians/cyclists

I think it's pretty hard to see at night without your high beams if there's not any streetlights.

In the scenario you've described (an unlit street at night with no other cars) - I'm afraid I would never take off my high beams. I would be extremely nervous about hitting you!

But if you see something (car or pedestrian) coming the other way surely you'd dip your headlights until you'd passed each other?

YANBU.

I'll be honest, it has never occured to me to dip my headlights for pedestrians. Will do in future.

Obviously, it would depend on how well I could see the pedestrian, whether I could rule out that they were walking in a big group with one flashlight, whether there was a dog, whether they were drunk and spilling into the street.

I agree with Crowler

YANBU. There are inconsiderate drivers (arseholes) everywhere.

But surely you would dip your headlights for an oncoming car, Crowler? You should do the same for pedestrians.

I like to think I'm a considerate driver! My baseline assumption of nighttime walkers is that they're drunk or walking dogs. Both of these scenarios make me nervous.

To be honest I think it's lack of thought. I switch off when I'm driving, particularly in country areas I know well. Sometimes I can't remember whole stretches of the journey and can only assume that I was driving ok.

It's not unheard of for me to forget to dip my headlights for another car (I can drive for quite a while without seeing another car then I forget). The other day a car pulled over in front of me. I pulled out to pass it then it carried on. I realised I must have been driving too close and fast for it to feel comfortable and felt awful. I was probably driving really badly without even thinking.