[Glass]

Originally Posted by shramik

Use nitrogen instead of air to fill tyres. Nitrogen does not expand with heat being inert. The tyres remain cool to the touch even after a scorching fast drive !

Not sure how true that is. Inert gases don't expand?!

[s_yajaman]

Originally Posted by shramik

Use nitrogen instead of air to fill tyres. Nitrogen does not expand with heat being inert. The tyres remain cool to the touch even after a scorching fast drive !

Inert gases don't react chemically with other elements. They will still expand and contract as per the Combined Gas Law of P*V/T = k.

On the advantages of filling nitrogen you might find this article useful. There is no compelling evidence to show that nitrogen helps. Nitrogen proponents believe that the inside of the tyres will not oxidize and hence will last longer.

Do Nitrogen-Filled Tires Enhance Fuel-Efficiency?: Scientific American

Srivathsa

[pkumar]

Originally Posted by shramik

Use nitrogen instead of air to fill tyres. Nitrogen does not expand with heat being inert. The tyres remain cool to the touch even after a scorching fast drive !

Can you confirm you have checked your tyre pressure at cold start and between a drive and found the pressure equal with nitrogen?
Till then i would consider the practice of filling air mid-way very dangerous.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Nitrogen does not expand with heat being inert.

Sorry, that is wrong too.

Everything expands as it gets hotter, and that includes all gases.

[s_yajaman]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Sorry, that is wrong too.

Everything expands as it gets hotter, and that includes all gases.

That is not entirely correct as well. Most do. There are a few exceptions. Water from 0C to 4C contracts. Cubic Zirconium Tungstate contracts as it is heated. This is called Negative Thermal Expansion.
Sorry once again to take this thread off topic.

Srivathsa

[Thad E Ginathom]

Correction accepted

I thought it was ice expanded as it got colder from 0 to -4, hence bursting pipes, rather than water contracting from 0 to +4. I know water is an anomaly, though.

[Blr_RK]

Hi,

Last night, while on my way back to Bangalore from Mysore in my Santro, my headlights were in high beam (OEM headlights). The driver of the car in front of me was gesticulating at me to change the headlights to low beam. I was not honking or making any moves to overtake him. From his animated actions, I felt, he was annoyed. I was thinking, since it being a highway, the high beam is required.

From his actions, I got the feeling that i was doing some wrong by driving on a high way in highbeam. I normally do so, for better visibility, but only on highways. In the city, I am always on low beam.

Just wanted to ask you guys your opinion, on whether what I was doing was correct or not?

Regards

[mooza]

Originally Posted by Blr_RK

From his actions, I got the feeling that i was doing some wrong by driving on a high way in highbeam. I normally do so, for better visibility, but only on highways. In the city, I am always on low beam.
Just wanted to ask you guys your opinion, on whether what I was doing was correct or not?

Relax RK, you were doing the right thing, in my opinion, by using the high beam.
Maybe you were driving too close ? I hope he wasn't thinking that you were tailgating him.

Anyway, if you still have doubts about your highbeam focussing angle, you could get this checked / adjusted at your service centre.

Regards, Mooza

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Blr_RK

Hi,

Last night, while on my way back to Bangalore from Mysore in my Santro, my headlights were in high beam (OEM headlights). The driver of the car in front of me was gesticulating at me to change the headlights to low beam. I was not honking or making any moves to overtake him. From his animated actions, I felt, he was annoyed. I was thinking, since it being a highway, the high beam is required.

From his actions, I got the feeling that i was doing some wrong by driving on a high way in highbeam. I normally do so, for better visibility, but only on highways. In the city, I am always on low beam.

Just wanted to ask you guys your opinion, on whether what I was doing was correct or not?

Regards

While on the highway you did absolutely right of being on high-beam. However, i am assuming the reason the opposite driver did that gesture is because you may not have dipped to low beam for a second before moving back to high-beam so he can see you properly and also his path.

Its always a good habit to dip your lights for vehicles coming from opposite side to see you properly even if they dont dip, sometimes its good for us if not for both

[sudev]

Originally Posted by Blr_RK

...my headlights were in high beam (OEM headlights). The driver of the car in front of me was gesticulating at me to change the headlights to low beam. I was not honking or making any moves to overtake him. From his animated actions, I felt, he was annoyed. I was thinking, since it being a highway, the high beam is required.....

Contrary to advise by some one else before I think if you were within reasonable distance behind another car then you should be using dip beams. Use high beams only if there is no other traffic. Dip as much as possible when on coming traffic is there.

Okay let me put it another way. When you were following another car what were you trying to illuminate with your high beams? The rear end of that car? If you were to drive in low beams behind another car you can see his tail lights and stop lights to do anticipatory driving. And you can see beyond him object illuminated by his beam.

By driving with high beams you do distract the driver in front through his outside mirrors (and it is bad driving to fold them even at night).

My take: Try use dip beams as much as possible. I have already posted on this thread earlier too giving the same advice.

[sudev]

Originally Posted by mobike008

While on the highway you did absolutely right of being on high-beam. However, i am assuming the reason the opposite driver did that gesture is because you may not have dipped to low beam for a second before moving back to high-beam so he can see you properly and also his path.

One:
Please read the OP's post again. He was following a car. This is not about oncoming vehicle.

Two: Your advise of keeping high beams to opposing traffic!! Oxymoron. See may earlier posts. It is safer to slow down and keep your beams dipped to let oncoming driver "see" his way. Even if he does not dip. You can flash high few times to remind him to dip but blinding him in to dipping is no solution and is dangerous driving technique to boot.

MODS sorry for replying multiple times within short span of time but I felt this deserved to be kept separate

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by sudev

...By driving with high beams you do distract the driver in front through his outside mirrors (and it is bad driving to fold them even at night)...

On the highway, when following a vehicle, either waiting for him/her to give way or just going as a convey, it is best to be on low beam.

Since you have a convoy leader, you will be able know before hand any road surprises by studying his reaction. And you are also doing something good by not blinding him (not all cars sold in India have an anti-glare rear view mirror).

This also give you an option to flash the light if you intend to over take him. Driving with full beam right behind someone is similar to driving with horn's blaring (something like out internet lingo of using capitals to shouts at someone).

But if you are having a clear road, with no sign of traffic from the opposite side, then high beam it is.

Originally Posted by sudev

... It is safer to slow down and keep your beams dipped to let oncoming driver "see" his way. Even if he does not dip. You can flash high few times to remind him to dip but blinding him in to dipping is no solution and is dangerous driving technique to boot...

Dipping, even once, will help the oncoming traffic to see what is in front of him. This hold true for vehicles such as bullock carts and night time cyclist, who are all but invisible is everyone drives only on high beam. A single flick, will be a saver at such times. Best is to dip till traffic passes.

[pachchu]

sudev, well said.

RK, when you are on high-beam following another car, what you are doing is, flooding the front car's rear-view-mirror with light and blinding him. this happens bcos of the angle of the high-beam headlights. it is extremely irritating to have a high-beam car behind you or pass you.

the right practice is to keep a low beam when you are following other traffic or if there is traffic in opposite direction. use high-beam only when you don't have any vehicle in front of you or in the opposite direction. whenever you see a vehicle coming from opposite direction, lower your headlights until that vehicle has passed you.

Originally Posted by Blr_RK

Hi,

Last night, while on my way back to Bangalore from Mysore in my Santro, my headlights were in high beam (OEM headlights). The driver of the car in front of me was gesticulating at me to change the headlights to low beam. I was not honking or making any moves to overtake him. From his animated actions, I felt, he was annoyed. I was thinking, since it being a highway, the high beam is required.

From his actions, I got the feeling that i was doing some wrong by driving on a high way in highbeam. I normally do so, for better visibility, but only on highways. In the city, I am always on low beam.

Just wanted to ask you guys your opinion, on whether what I was doing was correct or not?

Regards

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Blr_RK

Hi,

Last night, while on my way back to Bangalore from Mysore in my Santro, my headlights were in high beam (OEM headlights). The driver of the car in front of me was gesticulating at me to change the headlights to low beam. I was not honking or making any moves to overtake him. From his animated actions, I felt, he was annoyed. I was thinking, since it being a highway, the high beam is required.

From his actions, I got the feeling that i was doing some wrong by driving on a high way in highbeam. I normally do so, for better visibility, but only on highways. In the city, I am always on low beam.

Just wanted to ask you guys your opinion, on whether what I was doing was correct or not?

Regards

I guess you were too close to him, giving him an impression that you were tailgating him. Switching to lower beam would have been better in such circumstances.

But if the gap between was more, then high beam is the safest option, as you never know when a buffalo or a cyclist will swerve into your path all of a sudden from the dark sides of the road that is not illuminated by your low beam.

As regards oncoming traffic, I always dip till the opposite guy passes, but at one time nearly crashed into a buffalo crossing the road as it was just not visible because I'd dipped my lights!!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by sudev

One:
Please read the OP's post again. He was following a car. This is not about oncoming vehicle.

My bad. I thought it was oncoming vehicle. And, i agree with you, if there is no traffic, high beam should be used and if no traffic, then we should move to "Low Beam" so as not to inconvenience the vehicle in front of you.

Having said that, 99% of drivers on highway dont do that.

Originally Posted by sudev

Two: Your advise of keeping high beams to opposing traffic!! Oxymoron. See may earlier posts. It is safer to slow down and keep your beams dipped to let oncoming driver "see" his way. Even if he does not dip. You can flash high few times to remind him to dip but blinding him in to dipping is no solution and is dangerous driving technique to boot.

When your on a highway, it is always better to drive in high beam ( not forgetting to dip though) even if an oncoming vehicle is coming due to the following :-

1) If the oncoming vehicle does not dip his beams even after you doing it. Atleast you can see the road to the left which is "very important". The shoulder or the road edge on left cannot be seen in low beams

2. Flashing a few times for vehicles who do not respond is fine for one-odd vehicle, what if there is continous traffic coming from opposite? You will break your flashing lever

3. I did mention to dip when an oncoming vehicle is coming even if that vehicle does not respond.

Why, i know of a tbhpian who is extremely satisfied of driving long distances in night on highways using " Completely" low beam.

In short, everyone has a different driving style, speed usage so this is an experimentation to be done during a few night drives and settle down to what works best for you. And, what may work well for one may not work for other.