Many cars with no headlights on in heavy rain.

[ZML]

Majority of cars' auto headlights do not switch on when its dark from rain or fog. This morning, I saw about a third of cars with no headlights on.

Many drivers presume that the auto lights come on when it rains. No they don't. You need to manually switch them on.

If you don't know how to do this, surrender your licence.

It's not about helping the driver to see - it's about others being able to see the car.

i drove behind one a few weeks back in dank weather - it was scary to see how invisible that car got at hardly any distance away. I was aware they were there, but others overtaking were not. Was incredibly dangerous

You do if the conditions warrant it. Eg on a motorway with spray that prevents other cars from seeing you.
Honestly the British attitude to headlights in the day time is ridiculous.
Put your lights on. It helps people see you and avoids collisions. There are no reasons not to.
I always drive with my side lights on whatever the weather. My last employer had it as mandatory to always drive a company vehicle with the side lights on, even in broad day light.

Yes you do! My instructor told me that if the windscreen wipers are on, the headlights should be on too. This is so that others can see you through the rain, not for your own benefit.

I drive with side lights on in bright sunshine too, as you get dark shadows that can hide a car without its lights on.

I think we can see why it's such an issue from the replies on here.....

I went out Monday and saw numerous people with no lights at all on in the early morning fog.

The quality of driving in general has deteriorated massively.

I see people daily driving through red lights, stopped on yellow boxes and manoeuvring into the motorway on slip road because they’re getting off at the next junction and can’t wait 300 meters for the rest of us to join the motorway.

@Lmnop22 yes you do - "wipers on, lights on" I was taught back in 2001 when I first started driving...

Because I’m sure drivers in every other country obey their highway codes perfectly and without question…

I’m fed up with the “oh, aren’t we so terrible - worst in the world” mentality that some people, such as you, have. Go move elsewhere if you think the UK is so terrible - you might be in for a shock when you realise they’re not so perfect after all.

Ugh this really bugs me.

So many people driving in the fog or heavy rain with no lights on.

I have also seen numerous people driving with just the DRLs in the pitch black.

The biggest problem is that with a lot of newer cars the dash is lit up all the time and the LED style DRLs are quite bright. So they get in the car, they can see where they are going and their dash is lit up so they assume their lights are on. The supposed safety devices are making drivers a lot less safe as they just don’t think.

Also why do people not react to you flashing your lights at them? I have come up behind these people on motorways and dual carriageways before and tried to help them out by turning my lights on and off and give them a quick flash but more often than not, they don’t catch on. I have even tried going round and in front of them and switching my lights off and on and still nothing. Do these people not notice anything outside of their car at all?!

Spray on the motorway can make some cars almost invisible. There’s a bit of motorway nearby that’s so notorious they have signs up advising you that visibility is low due to the spray.

Generally in my experience it’s the people most in danger who don’t use their lights - people in small, silver hatches from the early 00s.

Indeed

Did you know, you shouldn't be flashing your lights to direct people.

So many. Or lights where only one light works because the driver doesn’t realise the other bulb has blown. Or one car earlier had lights on but really faint as though there was a dodgy connection somewhere

I was also taught this by my Dad WAAAAAAY before 2001! And if my Dad said something regarding driving, engines, DIY or football, you can bet your life that it is correct.

I don’t know- I have done quite a few horrendous motorway journeys recently where the rain had been heavy and lots of spray. Including today.

It’s probably the case if you’re only driving in the city but on the motorway heavy rain certainly warrants lights.

I flashed a police car that came out of a station with no lights on recently. They were also oblivious which was worrying!

I wasn’t directing them. Flashing headlights is a warning. In this case a warning that they had no lights on.

Worrying indeed.

I was on the M6 this afternoon, heavy spray from the road and some cars were virtually invisible due to the lack of lights.

Yep agree and some seem to think just the headlights and no backlights with spray is a good idea!

I’ve been noticing this! Out on motorway today, conditions were white-out, like fog. My wipers going full blast weren’t improving visibility much. You couldn’t see the cars with no lights just 100 yards ahead.

I’m going to be charitable and blame stupid automatic lights - mine turned themselves off on the motorway - but people have GOT to be aware of this and know where the switch is! Naturally in my superiorness I turned mine back on. And was one of the few to maintain a halfway decent distance too - whats with people sitting on your bumper even at 55 mph in this weather!!!

My little car that has automatic lights has nothing to show that they're on or not from inside the car. I think it should be obvious.
It's one of the reasons I've turned the automatic lights off so I know if they're on or not.

even over the summer the heavens suddenly open and it gets really dark. Especially over the high rural ground. And you feel like you need / should have your lights on .

I had no idea there were automatic lights until I had to get a new car recently. They’re bloody dangerous, especially if as above, people have no idea whether they’re on or not.

i am also surprised by the number of people who don’t seem to realise how badly visibility can be impacted. The M6, as mentioned above, is very flat and water collects on the surface easily. Just a couple of lorries will cause you issues as you drive past them. Full traffic in the dampness of the north produces fog, or a white-out that’s every bit as bad. Do you not get that effect on the rich southern infrastructure? Chuck in heavy rain and cars melt into invisibility very easily. You. Need. Lights.

(the lorries, professional drivers, are very well lit).

I have the opposite problem most of the time, so blinded I can barely see the road. How are some of these headlights legal, who are they benefitting?