Car Lights

[andrewlee]

Why do car manufacturers bother with sidelights?   They neither give enough light to illuminate anything, nor to aid visibility.   If you need to see and be seen, then headlamps should be used

[smorodina]

If my memory serves me, and if the laws have not changed - I think you'll find that sidelights are also called parking lights and are a legal requirement. If you are parked at night on an unlit road, you must leave your parking lights on. You also have to be parked with your nearside to the kerb. I could be wrong, though.

[DickieD]

Since about 1964 it has been legal to park cars and other light vehicles without lights within a 30mph limit, even when there are no street lights. It's also legal to drive on sidelights (which I wish were only termed 'parking lights') within a lit 30mph limit. I agree though with the tenet of Andrew's question - that headlights alone should only be allowed. However there is some merit in the argument that headlights make it more difficult to see cars' indicators.

Before 1964? motorists rigged up all sorts of lights usually attached to the driver's window with one bulb only showing white light to the front and red to the rear. Paraffin lamps were also employed, sometimes 'liberated' from road works. The present day reflective number plates were introduced to help make parked cars more visible at night. Some, mainly German, cars have their indicator switch wired so that when the ignition is off, the parking lights operate on the side of the car the switch is set to.

A growing trend these days is the inconsiderate habit of stopping on the wrong side of the road and leaving the car's headlights on.

[NetSquirrel]

I don't drive yet myself but I have seen drivers who, at night, will turn off their bright headlights when passing an oncoming car, in order to avoid blinding the driver. I assume the dimmer lights that remain on are the sidelights?

[ianess]

I had a Vauxhall which had what was called `dim-dip` lighting which increased the intensity of the parking lights to some point just below dipped beam whenever the engine was running. I`m surprised that the idea never caught on.

My own pet hate is that rear foglights have to be the same wattage as brake lights and being blinded by the car in front who quite simply may not realise yhey are on.  On my current Ford Escort it is impossible to see the warning light from the normal driving position.

[iwantthatone]

NetSquirrel, There are the sidelights, dipped headlights, and full beam headlights.  When you have your lights on full beam and meet something coming the other way, you flick them back to dipped headlights (unless you forget..in which case you usually some irritated driver flashing at you...!).  Personally I never use my sidelights really...

[Kev_UK]

In some countries sidelights have to be used all the time (hence VOLVO and SAAB lights always being on). In Canada newer cars automaticaly have front lights on at 40% when the car/van is started. I disagree with andrewlee that sidelights have no aid to visability. When it is dawn or dusk sidelights do make a car stand out to those with no lights on at all.. in particular grey, white, silver cars seem to blend in at dawn & dusk. It is illegal to park the wrong way, especially at night as the rear reflectors would serve no useful purpose for oncoming traffic. Those clowns that sit in their cars facing oncoming traffic with their main (dipped) headlights on should have a 500w halogen light shined into their eyes as punishment. Cars that drive on main (High) beam and don't dip them when other cars apprach make me want to chase them and put a hammer through their lights as they are a danger. Those that ride around with rear fog lamps on when there is no need are a danger as a 21w fog lamp is likely to confuse other motorists who make not notice them braking (using 21w brake light bulbs).

Headlamps are alligned during an MOT, but should be alligned if new shock absorbers are fitted, larger wheels, tyres, or if the back of the car is laden (making the front sit higher), when towing, etc.

[DickieD]

Perhaps it's getting away from the original question but nothing seems to irritate the British motorist as much as the misuse of lights. I feel that foglights (front and rear) are now so misused that they should be outlawed. The front ones only fulfil their purpose when used alone at night to cut through the fog, using them with headlights is silly. The rear ones are left on unintentionally so often that their advantage is outweighed by the nuisance they cause. As for the MoT, one can't help noticing that a large proportion of misaligned lights are attached to newish cars not subject to the test. These are usually repmobiles that cover many miles and visit many bodyshops which mend bent wings but forget the realignment.

[New Forester]

DickieD -- I think I'm right that it is already illegal to use rear fog lamps when not needed -- you are supposed to turn them on in spray or fog, and then off again immediately.  I don't think you could outlaw them altogether, because when they are needed they do help a lot.  Perhaps they should have a flashing indicator lamp on the dash, or a bleep or something.

[DickieD]

New Forester-- I've thought about that too. The best thing, I think, would be a relay which breaks the foglight circuit every time the ignition is switched off. The foglight would work normally when required again.

[booksworth]

On my Passat the rear foglight switch is part of the headlight switch, so you always turn them off when switching the headlights off. \n While I won't condone careless/selfish use of lights, there are coping strategies: never look directly at the lights of oncoming vehicles - look towards the gutter on your side of the road; and you can always drop back a bit from the car in front if their rear fog lights are on. If you rely on the brakelights to tell you the car in front is stopping you are in serious trouble.

[Kev_UK]

On the subject of lights.. indicator/turn signals.

Maybe car manufacturers should use larger switches, even in braille as a lot of people can't be bothered to use them.. or they slam on the brakes, then indicate !!!

OK, so THEY know where they are going, but other drivers are not psychic. I can only assume they thing they are some Mr (or Mrs) Big in their neighbourhood and think (or expect) the whole neighbourhood to know who they are and where they live.. what papershop they will stop at.. what pub.. chippy.. etc.

[Bob Carter]

... and did you know the law now says you can park immediately outside a fast food outlet, or within ten yards of a cashpoint, regardless of parking restrictions, pointing either with or against traffic and with as much of the car as you like on the pavement ... so long as you put your hazard lights on. Apparently. Don't get me started ...