[nshashank]

Have all of us have lost belief in law? In my last post (16thFeb) I'd suggested that we lobby with Traffic dept. But it seems we all want to express our anger then & there. (Bollywood effect?) Is there a real need of all those full beams & strobes?

While in Jaipur, my driver was fined for full beam. Fine is a good driver in spreading awareness. Plus, Traffic dept will get yet another reason to collect funds & meet their collection targets. So I believe, convincing them will not be a problem at all.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by devenashani

Very true revenge on hi beam drivers is like biting dog back! It will hurt you more then doing any good.

Safe and sensible driving is the way to go.

Driving safe and sensible is the only way to go if you wish to avoid accidents that may cause loss of life and property. I do not deny cursing drivers who do not dip their lights AND ditto at those %$&@$ with ghastly blue halogen bulbs.

But if I were to also switch to hi beam I'd risk blinding oncoming driver(s) and instantly multiplying the risk of an accident by 2 or more.

I display the TBHP 'Drive Safe' sticker on my car's rear windscreen and intend to follow it in spirit.

Originally Posted by nshashank

While in Jaipur, my driver was fined for full beam. Fine is a good driver in spreading awareness. Plus, Traffic dept will get yet another reason to collect funds & meet their collection targets. So I believe, convincing them will not be a problem at all.

I am yet to see a person being fined in Mumbai or Pune for driving on high beams. So if they do begin this drive it would be good news for all.

Cheers!

[ATUL SINGH]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Driving safe and sensible is the only way to go if you wish to avoid accidents that may cause loss of life and property. I do not deny cursing drivers who do not dip their lights AND ditto at those %$&@$ with ghastly blue halogen bulbs.

But if I were to also switch to hi beam I'd risk blinding oncoming driver(s) and instantly multiplying the risk of an accident by 2 or more.

I display the TBHP 'Drive Safe' sticker on my car's rear windscreen and intend to follow it in spirit.



I am yet to see a person being fined in Mumbai or Pune for driving on high beams. So if they do begin this drive it would be good news for all.

Cheers!

Sorry for raking up this old thread...

Very true R2D2- The solution will come only if our mind set changes and our sensitivity to other road users, whether a truck driver or a pedestrian coming from the opposite side, increases. However it seems as if just the reverse is happening. So many new automobiles (2 & 4 wheels) are spilling out on the roads every day with no one who can make a difference really bothering to give it a thought. Neither the RTO nor the police and least of all the public. In Delhi the police sends out an obligatory advertisement about road safety, pedestrian users, etc. in the news papers on a routine basis with no system of implementation. The guys who decide policies and its implementation are the ones who get chauffeured around in vehicles with beacons and thus are far removed from reality. And am personally irritated by the concept of a drive-you get into a mess by not doing things which needs to be monitored on a regular basis and when the water starts flowing above you nose you start the concept of a drive. Sorry, not targeting anyone in particular but I am sure it would not take more than one year or so to put a system in place which ensures, yes ensures, polite road usage by everybody including govt vehicle drivers, taxi drivers, truck drivers and the 007 type hot headed addicts. That would include identifying the requirements, training everyone concerned and penalizing the law breaker regardless of identity. Obviously it would require a lot of planning and proportionate funds but would ultimately save a lot of lives on the road. The will will however come only if the importance is understood, unfortunately it seems to be losing battle...

And mind you- i dont even display a team-bhp sticker on my rear windshield (maybe because i drive a CJ3B )

[sohail99]

Recently I spotted a swift with a huge Cree LED light bar fitted to the car's bonnet.

I had noticed it while it was a few car lengths away(at night) and gave way as he was approaching fairly aggressively.

As soon as he passed me, he unleashed the "collapsed sun"(as Jeremy calls it) on the high beamers coming from the other side of the road as well as to signal overtake.

It was like super bright and suddenly people all over were scrambling to give way to him!

Thinking on the high beam topic, that idea had once playfully crossed my mind, but I never thought someone would actually realize it(seeing the investment involved in such a huge LED light bar and road safety etc.)

[Nissan1180]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Recently I spotted a swift with a huge Cree LED light bar fitted to the car's bonnet.

I had noticed it while it was a few car lengths away(at night) and gave way as he was approaching fairly aggressively.

To be honest, if this setup is legal, I don't know why I'd avoid using it. The sentiment of not getting caught up in a cycle of aggression while being blinded by irresponsible drivers is noble and perhaps justified, but I've been in precarious situations more than once. There are highways where the lanes are not marked and at night you cannot see anything in front of you or the sides of the road because someone used an aftermarket Bulb on his SUV. It is very dangerous and you can actually get into an accident endangering your life as well as that of people on the road. It is worse on highways which are under construction as many segments have diversions and rough patches which are not marked and you have no way of seeing them because you're blinded by the oncoming lights. NHAI has done well to plant shrubs along the divider to shield people from high beams, but that does not exist on all highways.
I once thought of using very high powered flashlights to force these people to switch to low beam, but that didn't work out. When you shine a flash light from inside the car, most of it gets reflected back. I guess auxiliary lights are the only solution.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Recently I spotted a swift with a huge Cree LED light bar fitted to the car's bonnet.

Its indeed very common to see such LED bar's installed on SUV's, Have seen them on several Scorpio's, Strome etc, Once our local Point A to B vehicle was having it too, Upon asking the driver about it, He said, "Saar Highway pe Jitna light ho utna kam hai" I had nothing to say or argue with that fellow since he wasn't the owner who installed it, But the way these things light up and blind other people is just astonishing at times.

[nshashank]

Hi,
I face the same problem in Mumbai. Except that the new skoda has an Anti-glare interior rear view mirror which reduces the glare drastically. But what about vehicles coming from opposite direction? Mainly buses whose headlights are completely blinding.

Who else but team-bhp to take up this important, socially relevant activity with the RTO on a national level & ensure that those who drive with full beam in city are fined! When I hired a tourist taxi for Rajasthan, the driver was unaware & in Jaipur, was fined for it. Then why not in big cities?

I urge team-bhp to build up this theme & we shall all support. Tx.

[nmenon]

Let me start with a quick disclaimer.

I try to be peaceful and leave the high beam morons alone as far as possible, but I'm human and I get angry at times!

Having got that out of the way. Half of my driving is at night be it on my bike or in my car.
On the lit highways I use the low beam since the light on the highway is good enough.
On the unlit parts I use the high beam since most of the highway is 4 lane, unless I spot an oncoming vehicle in which case I will dim or if I have some one in front in which case I dim my lights.

The problem arises when I'm on the narrow road leading to my residence (8 KM of that).

Here I try being decent, i.e keep my lights dimmed and flash at the other guy if he's on high beams. If repeated flashes don't work then I'll keep the flash pulled for the few seconds that the other driver is close to me to let him have it.

As someone mentioned earlier. Just leaving morons alone will only encourage them to continue their ways. But give them every chance to reform before you let them have it.

The guys that drive with their high beams on from behind you are the worst. Especially when you're in a small car with not much of the fancy stuff. The only way I can retaliate is to let them overtake and drive close to them (not too close) with high beams on unless someone comes the other way, those guys will mostly make this guy dim his lights so I'm happy.

This is my personal opinion and way of dealing with the situation, I doubt everyone will subscribe to it.

[veedub89]

I only use my high beam in the city to teach these high beam morons a lesson! High beam within the city limits is illegal in Chandigarh and for some time the traffic police was fining people for it too.
In a place like Chandigarh where the roads are well lit all throughout, you don't really need the high beam. Yet these idiots don't get it.

So my solution is let them have it. If you are on high beam, I will be on high beam too. The extra bright Xenons on my car are insane and knock the sense into these people.

Not a foolproof strategy though, and works only 7 times out of 10. But those seven immediately dim their lights after realising their folly. I would say most people are ignorant and don't realise what they are doing so when they face a similar situation they behave.

[lamborghini]

A lot of the posts suggest going down the 'an eye for an eye' route.
While this may be effective to a certain degree, it isn't tackling the core issue - poor education! In fact, it just creates unnecessary aggression and ruins ones mood.

This is where the RTO needs to step up, and ensure that there is proper testing and educating of road users on the same - not just pass a rule and expect it to be implemented, but create a system that allows for users to understand why a certain law / feature is there in the first place (such as seat-belts, etc.).

Next is what can we do as a forum. Some thoughts:
- If we are in a cab/car with high beams, teach the driver (not reprimand - that rarely works in the long run). A proper explanation is key, and the best way to do it is by showing him how it feels to be blinded by these beams (a passing vehicle as an example).
- For those who work with corporates: many corporates have been pro-safety for their employees. Maybe speak to the transport department / relevant team to give a presentation on road safety. Along with this, errant drivers on office campuses should be stopped and face disciplinary action (maybe revoke parking rights / entry rights for a week, etc.).
- Stop promoting / encouraging people to switch to higher watt bulbs. This is one of the most common accessories we BHPians upgrade to (90/100W). While we may be responsible, a casual observer who is researching the same may not be as responsible. Focus on better bulbs (Xtreme Vision / Night vision, etc.) which improve visibility but also do not blind other users.

If we can start doing this as a community, maybe we can help in spreading awareness.

PS: Also, if there is someone coming behind you with his high beams on, and you happen to stop at a police check point - ask the cops to request the other driver to reduce his beams. This has worked well for me several times.

[chipsnchops]

I think I have tried most of the common things mentioned here and finally came to the conclusion that nothing really works. The only thing that has worked for me is to switch to high beam as most of the time the other driver shifts to low beam. Whether he does or not, I just focus on my side of the road and reduce my speed. Best option possible.

I had put on HIDs and they really worked, esp to get the other guy to shift to low beam. However, the trouble with HIDs are that the reflectors are not made to handle those and mine became almost black (This was a 2007 model Scorpio). So even though I had HIDs, I could not see the road. I had to change the full headlight set which cost me 10K.

I personally believe that threatening the other guy by driving close to him is dangerous because we really dont know the driving skills of the opposite driver. He may panic and drive off the road or do something that may endanger both. I have also realized that sometimes, when I am are driving on highways, I myself dont switch to low beam because I forget/could be caught in a thought. I dont realize it because the other driver is not troubling me with his high beam.

Best is to flash your lights, shift to high beam and focus on your side of the road. Your safety is more important than letting the other guy know what he has done etc...

[asingh1977]

The high beam menace can never be sorted in India, even if fines are put in place. I have learnt to live with it -- though never use high beams myself. Just a one or two second dip to assess the road ahead for new traversing. If the care is not an SUV high rise vehicle one can manage to live with it from behind. With an SUV class vehicle on high beam (which they usually are), I move to the left and let the vehicle pass. The painful light is way to excruciating and painful.

[sumeethaldankar]

I simply blip between high and low beam and most of the time I have observed the guy in the front dips his too if he is on high.

Other times I just ignore the high beam by slowing down and driving a bit to the left.

An eye for an eye will leave both the drivers blind I believe.

[amitoj]

Chinese Revenge on high beamers

That's one way to cure such people! Apparently the punishment is voluntary. I think it should be made mandatory!!

[lurker]

good solution for high beam from opposite side:

3M reflective tape on drivers side stretching all the way from bonnet to tail lamp. To be implemented tastefully. Very useful for opposing driver to know dimensions of your car at dim or zero streetlight conditions. Plus high beam is reflected back.

for high beam from behind:

3M reflective tape above the tail lamp. This will direct the high beam straight back.