The High Beam Menace on Indian Roads

[sumitkalindi]

Originally Posted by Surprise

To add to my earlier query, IS IT A VIOLATION OF MVA

Yes It is. According to law your headlight bulb wattage can not be more than the standard 55w/60w. But you can use any quality bulb at the same wattage.( Read Vision Plus/ultra Vision/60+) etc

[ramzsys]

It takes about Rs 1000 and 1 hour to the job.
a cut-out, wires, 2 100/90W philips rally halogens.

And there are people asking for 130/100W also. This wattage is "not for use" in India, officially..

Your reflectors get 'darkened' soon if you use this high wattages.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Did anyone mention adjustment and alignment of the headlights?

Badly aligned lamps on low beam can be just as blinding as lamps on full beam.

Alignment in UK is done with quite fancy equipment to exact settings. Is this done here in India? If not right, it could cause a car to fail the annual (for 3+ yr-old cars) 'MOT' test, making it illegal to drive.

On bad roads and small lanes I use the front fog lamps. I don't know if this meets with approval or disapproval from you guys? My point of view is that they brightly illuminate the road just in front of the car --- I can see the potholes, the dogs, the babies--- but do not shine high up where they will blind oncoming drivers or pedestrians.

Following a guy with rear fog light on, on ordinary roads and normal visibility, is a pain in the neck, though.

[RajaTaurus]

Yes. I use fog lamps too in bad roads and small lanes. Rather, I used ony the fog lamps in city driving, as it doesnt have the HI-BEAM capability and will not disturb any on-coming traffic. Nowadays, the fog lamps are so powerful, those are more than sufficient for city driving.
Only where not enough streetr lights, I trun the headlights on.
But, that was in Saudi Arabia. Here in Chennai, with such poor street lighting, there is no way to use only fog lamps...

A rear fog light...???? Whats that..???

[Thad E Ginathom]

Oh! All UK cars have them. I'd kind of assumed....

How silly of me! Must check to see if the Swift does or doesn't. Even if it does it'll probably be about as useless as the reversing light.

It is a high-intensity red light, that is really very useful to help prevent rear-ending accidents in fog or heavy rain.

Although most UK drivers have good 'dipping discipline', there is a tendency among some to think that turning on the lights means just turning the switch as far as it will go. Of course, they never see the back of their own car when driving.

It is at least as bright, if not brighter, than good brake lights.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Alignment in UK is done with quite fancy equipment to exact settings. Is this done here in India? If not right, it could cause a car to fail the annual (for 3+ yr-old cars) 'MOT' test, making it illegal to drive.

No, we don't have it in India. It sounds very interesting. Why don't you throw some more light on it? For this purpose you can use high beam!

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

On bad roads and small lanes I use the front fog lamps. I don't know if this meets with approval or disapproval from you guys?

Not only do we approve it, we appreciate it as well!

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Following a guy with rear fog light on, on ordinary roads and normal visibility, is a pain in the neck, though.

Very true, especially if the car has two rear fog lamps!

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

How silly of me! Must check to see if the Swift does or doesn't. Even if it does it'll probably be about as useless as the reversing light.

All Swifts have it, in the middle of the bumper and it ain't useless.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It is at least as bright, if not brighter, than good brake lights.

It is always brighter than the rear brake light.

[RajaTaurus]

Thanks T E G for the info on rear fog lights...

[Thad E Ginathom]

Ahh, good. I was confused there! My own car is out for service today, otherwise I should have just gone to see, rather than talking nonsense!

The UK alignement thing: a special rig is set up, with targets at a specific distance, and the headlights are carefully adjusted for aim, both for high and low beam. I don't know any more about it, I'm afraid... It should be advantage to driver and others to have the lights set up properly.

[druva]

I fully agree. It looks like bus and truck drivers are dipping down. The various offenders have been listed, I would like to add the 'tinted cars' to the list. I see they are the main culprits in city roads.

BTW - to counter the high beam, I am planning to keep a mirror and ask my wife to show (both behind my car/ as well as for the frontal one).. Any views?

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by druva

BTW - to counter the high beam, I am planning to keep a mirror and ask my wife to show (both behind my car/ as well as for the frontal one).. Any views?

Well, not a bad idea. My driver friend said that you can sometimes use the rear view mirror for those disturbing you with hi-beam from behind you. When you flip the rear-view mirror from day view to night view, the hi-beam from the car behind reflects straight back at him and he will dip his light. But this is only if the vehcile behind you is a Car. If its bigger vehicle, this cannot be done...

[deathwalkr]

the bane of driving at night out here!
good thread this and yea it sure is maddening even after you flash them to lower their lights they refuse to do so.
i just wish sanity prevails in these situations

[Ashutosh]

If u guys are having problems with IT company's commuters, why not confront their Authorities? The Management should/must be notified (!),
Im sure those can be also reached via Cell or eMails.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Unless it is at the end of protracted negotiations for a large contract...

"...And I regret to inform you that my company is unable to award this project to you".

"Why?"

"We have taken due note of the behaviour of your company vehicles, and we think that this degree of social irresponsibility makes you unsuitable".

Well... That was a fun fantasy, wasn't it!*

Other than that, I can only think that the senior managers either travel on those buses, or also get carved up and blinded by them on the road. I don't think any complaint is likely to come as a surprise.


*err... I enjoyed it!

[avishkar41]

let me tell something of surat, here using dipper people will start thinking that he had some problem with car. people use horn even in night, always keep headlight up on highway, never hesitate to go long on wrong side. Happily pay fine if caught and feel pride for it.