AIBU in thinking if so many people really are this stupid, a device ought to be fitted in all cars

[janey68]

... to automatically switch headlights on when its dark.

I popped to the supermarket yesterday evening after dark. I mean, early evening but properly dark- not borderline twilight. Obviously the car park itself is well lit, but I was really shocked that walking from my car to the entrance doors I saw four, yes FOUR, drivers leaving without switching on their lights!

One idiot in a range rover actually started moved forwards out of his parking space as I walked in front. I could see that someone was in the drivers seat, I paused momentarily but as his lights were off I assumed he was waiting for someone- until he suddenly pulled forward. I glared at his headlights and threw my hands out as if to say what the fuck?! and he did actually switch them on. The other 3 cars I saw we're driving at quite a speed through the car park to the exit (onto a main road!) blithely unaware that they were a total menace to pedestrians. One switched his lights on when a customer waved frantically at his lights, but god knows about the other two... Presumably they got as far as pulling out on the main road and jeapardising more lives before having the gumption to turn their lights on

I find it pretty shocking tbh because it really isn't THAT hard to remember that when its dark you put on your lights. Before you move. Not half way out of your parking space, or half way to the exit but before you move.

And if it is that difficult to remember then surely some automatic device to turn on lights or remind the driver should be compulsory in all vehicles? If I saw 4 cars do this in one car park within about 3 minutes, i presume many people are being a menace countrywide

I've forgotten to put my lights on. Twice in almost 8 years of driving but still, I did forget.

I do forget sometimes as my previous car switched them on automatically whereas this one doesnt

Do you not notice that it's difficult to see where you're going?

I have forgotten a few times in many years of driving. Now I just leav them on all the time, much better and safer.

My car does it automatically. Leave lights on auto, problem solved.

So you heard the engine running and still walked in front of the Range Rover without making eye contact with the driver? You assumed incorrectly.

And so what, basically? Everyone makes that mistake once in a while. I don't see how a car in a well lit area can be a 'total menace' to pedestrians, light on or off... road... pavement.... pavement.... road....

...Heh I do have automatic lights but I turned them off the other day as they kept coming on during the day and then at night I forgot to turn them on

places are so well lit that it's pretty easy to forget to turn your lights on. I've done it a few times. somebody usually signals you pretty quickly though.

My car is very old so no auto headlights

Oh I realised quite quickly both times, I wasn't merrily driving for ages with my lights off in the dark!

I don't think forgetting = stupid

But yes, an automatic device to switch lights on would be very useful

I've forgotten once or twice when it's getting dark, ie it's light enough for me to see but possibly not for me to be clear to other road users especially in a silvery car.

It is easily done I'm afraid.

But it's also easy to check for people before you start to pull out of a parking space.

We have automatic headlights on our new car. I'm not totally convinced. They come on when I think visibility is still excellent, but don't come on when it's getting dark and all the other cars have lights on

It can be confusing if you're coming out of eg a multistorey which is very well lit - you drive off in bright light but as you go on to the main road the light drops suddenly but you don't think to put headlights on.

Some twats just don't seem to bother though.

Nomama, we do still need to cross the road from time to time! Plus OP said she was in a car park, so presumably no distinction. If I needed to cross a road after dark and heard a car engine I would look both ways for lights, and if I saw none would assume the car was down a side road. I might well not notice the car itself if that's what I was looking for.

It's easily done in well lit places. I've done it at least twice in the twenty five years I've been driving. Both times I was flashed by other drivers within a couple of hundred yards.

I've flashed other drivers doing it about half a dozen times, and as a pedestrian also bellowed 'LIGHTS!' at passing cars at least three times.

I'm a good driver, but even I have forgot to turn my lights on.

ironically I think it's easier to do it these days than it used to be. Years ago the dashboard only lit up when your lights were on, so if it was dark and you glanced at your speedo and saw it wasn't lit up, you'd know that you'd forgotten your lights. Modern cars light up the dashboard when you put the key in the ignition, so it's easier to be unaware.

I've done it once or twice, no harm done.
Better things to get the rage about, OP.

I've done it a couple of times when I've pulled out of a petrol station. They're so brightly lit. Meh, I notice soon enough and it was, y'know, a mistake

A simple mistake doesn't = stupid!

Nomama- you assume wrongly. It is a busy car park, there were other car engines starting up nearby and cars manoeuvring nearby (plus background noise from nearby main road) and it was impossible to tell whether the range rover had its engine on or not. I saw a man in the drivers seat but that doesn't mean anything- he could have been waiting for someone in the shop. He then started to move out of his space without lights.

Yes- I agree that car parks are usually well lit (as are some roads where people may have parked after dark) but that doesn't mean that a car with no lights on is easily visible to pedestrians and other drivers. Presumably all four of these drivers could see well enough to drive without their lights on, but completely failed to compute that other road users couldn't see them easily at all. I was just pretty shocked particularly as there were quite a few children with their parents crossing the car park, and elderly people- people who wouldn't react as fast as other pedestrians.

I just wonder whether automatic lights should be standard on all cars now. I was honestly just gobsmacked that this seems to be such a big problem for people- like I say, 4 cars in one carpark within a few minutes. If the problem is that widespread then something needs to change.

I'm with the OP on this one.

Switching on your headlights lights up the instruments on your dashboard. I don't see how you can not notice if they're on or not?

I wouldn't forget my seatbelt and I don't forget my headlights (well, I wouldn't if I had a car).

Sorry that was really poorly written.

Just had to be a range rover driver didn't it, cause that is just so relevant. He probably thought the idiot who walked in front of his vehicle was a bit stupid and maybe needed to be fitted with a device called "spectacles".

Fuckinghell, MN is full of angry women dictating what clothes, make up, hairstyle, pubic hair, swear words etc etc people can use.

Funny and entertaining but really awfully sad.

maybe needed to be fitted with a device called "spectacles".

What happens if a sensor fails or is faulty?

Neither is a fool proof method tbh.