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Old 28th April 2011, 00:22   #211
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by libranof1987 View Post
... On my recent trip to Hampi, on SH19, there were several occasions when I switched to low-beam on seeing on oncoming vehicle and I had terrible road-vision. I had to intermittently shift to high-beam just to know the road condition ahead.
This is always a really difficult situation, and happens just as often in the city. The real answer has to be that we should drive at a speed within our visibility --- even if that means slowing to a crawl. How long our journey takes is not the determining factor, nor is our comfort, or our patience. It is hard to remember that though.
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Old 23rd May 2011, 20:26   #212
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

Today I came across another first of a kind experience of high beaming. A guy in a white Swift Dezire has equipped his headlamps in a peculiar way. When RHS is on Hi, LHS is on Lo and vice-versa and the funny part is that he enjoys pumping his dipper switch continually causing sheer nuisance to oncoming cars.

Pity the bloke. Or can it be a relay switch or sort of stuff people use for alternating between lo and hi horns, once a great fad.

Last edited by rajeev k : 23rd May 2011 at 20:27.
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Old 23rd May 2011, 22:46   #213
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by rajeev k View Post
Today I came across another first of a kind experience of high beaming. A guy in a white Swift Dezire has equipped his headlamps in a peculiar way. When RHS is on Hi, LHS is on Lo and vice-versa and the funny part is that he enjoys pumping his dipper switch continually causing sheer nuisance to oncoming cars.

Pity the bloke. Or can it be a relay switch or sort of stuff people use for alternating between lo and hi horns, once a great fad.
And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, this!

Something might have cross-connected if that guy went for a headlamp assembly replacement; but going by you his joy intermittently using the dipper, it could be intentional.

Such people are no doubt a nuance.
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Old 24th May 2011, 02:05   #214
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by shankar.balan View Post
In a city like Bangalore where the street lights dont work most of the time and where there are evil potholes, construction debris, broken dividers, scattered iron rods, broken concrete slabs and other rubble and other dangers strewn on the streets it is very difficult to drive at night. Even on the ring roads we come across issues like the above.

Hence many people tend to use high beam. This is not the best solution but what does one do when one cannot see properly ahead?

I have fitted a pair of smaller driving lamps on my front bumper in the space which is ostensibly provided for fog lamps. Switching these on at night helps me to see whats immediately in front of me since these lights shed a decent pool of light to highligh t the road immediately in front of the vehicle.
Using these in combination with my headlamps (dipped), allows for easier visibility while driving at night.
This is exactly what I also do.

The streetlights in Pune are one of the worst in the world!!! Totally useless and a waste of taxpayers money and electricity!

People have broken up dividers on almost all roads, to enable two wheelers to cross over to the other side. The broken concrete slabs are left on the road itself and they are death traps. I once hit a slab due to poor visibility and my Chevy's side step was badly mangled.

On top of all this, there are lots of manholes with their metal covers protruding out dangerously.

Four years back, I installed two Hella 500 projectors on my Chevy, which are focused on the road just ahead of me. I can see the road ahead very clearly for 15 - 20 metres. This has helped me tremendously to avoid all types of hindrances on the road. These lights do not blind other road users. I always use my headlights on low beam in the city.

This was how I was driving till about 2 years back. I never used to care much about people using their high beams always.

All this changed one day. A guy in a Corolla blinded me completely with his HIDs or Xenons or whatever lights and I drove into a ditch to save myself. I was so furious that I installed another pair of Hella 500s and aimed them straight. It is designed to blind anyone who drives with high beams.

Now, the combined headlight & auxiliary light output stands at 660W. Let me assure you that it is too hot to handle!

Yesterday I came across a BMW 7 series car near Kondhwa. He was coming at full speed with his high beams on. When I flashed him twice, requesting him to lower his beams, he came straight at me, probably to scare me and drive me off road! What happened next, was what he never expected even in his wildest dreams!!!

I suddenly switched on all my lights and gave that miserable jerk, a taste of his own medicine. He was totally blinded, braked hard and came to a full stop near me. I was on my lane and never left it. I gave him a stern look and all he could do was mumble something and drive off!!!

After being on the road for over 2L kilometres, I no longer let high beam drivers get away easily.

I have mentioned in most of my travelogues, how difficult it is to drive when all other road users are on high beams. I have personally seen hundreds of Volvo buses being driven with 6 - 8 headlights.

During my trips to Goa and to Udaipur, I spent a lot of time on the road at night. The high beam glare was so intense that my eyes used to be swollen at the end of the day! I also had to use all my lights to see the road clearly. It is impossible to drive without high beams on highways.

As far as I am concerned, I never use high beams inside the city on purpose. But if anyone blinds me, I usually retort with BRUTE power with my Hellas. I am fed up of being the 'good guy'!

I will narrate one more incident to prove how important high beams are. We go for a drive every week on Nagar highway. We have dinner from a Dhaba and return back home. One day, during our drive, I was maintaining about 90 kmph and the time was about 20.30 hrs. I was on low beam and my low beam Hellas. My wife suddenly shouted at me about something on the road and I switched to high beam. What we saw, startled us! A sugar cane trailer was in the middle of the road, with no lights, trying to cross to the other side of the highway. I braked hard and avoided the trailer. There was no way I could have seen it without my powerful high beams.

All I can say is, use high beams judiciously. One cannot just stop using it! Just drive from Mysore to Channarayapatna at night. You will know what I mean!!!

High beams are vital when you are driving fast.
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Old 24th May 2011, 03:29   #215
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by chevy_lover
One day, during our drive, I was maintaining about 90 kmph and the time was about 20.30 hrs. I was on low beam and my low beam Hellas.
Use high beams at speeds above 60kmph and/or on highways.
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Old 24th May 2011, 07:02   #216
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by Chevy_lover View Post


All I can say is, use high beams judiciously. One cannot just stop using it!
High beams are vital when you are driving fast.
Yes it is, judicious use will be of help to the user and will not be troubling oncoming drivers also.

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Originally Posted by nitrous View Post
Use high beams at speeds above 60kmph and/or on highways.
Exactly.

But the fact of the matter is that all those in their high beams are responsible if some poor guy get hint by a law abiding car blinded by the egoistic high beaming maniac.
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Old 24th May 2011, 11:05   #217
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by rajeev k View Post
Today I came across another first of a kind experience of high beaming. A guy in a white Swift Dezire has equipped his headlamps in a peculiar way. When RHS is on Hi, LHS is on Lo and vice-versa and the funny part is that he enjoys pumping his dipper switch continually causing sheer nuisance to oncoming cars.

Pity the bloke. Or can it be a relay switch or sort of stuff people use for alternating between lo and hi horns, once a great fad.
Would for sure be an educated MORON

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chevy_lover View Post

The streetlights in Pune are one of the worst in the world!!! Totally useless and a waste of taxpayers money and electricity!

People have broken up dividers on almost all roads, to enable two wheelers to cross over to the other side. The broken concrete slabs are left on the road itself and they are death traps. On top of all this, there are lots of manholes with their metal covers protruding out dangerously.


All I can say is, use high beams judiciously. One cannot just stop using it!
High beams are vital when you are driving fast.
Very well said .

BTW, while driving on highways I still somehow feel comfortable driving on Low beam rather than high beam , even when doing 120+. Just curious to know is it only me who finds driving on LOW comfortable with using dipper to illuminate the road at fixed intervals compared to just driving on HIGH continuously . I somehow feel comfortable driving on Low with frequent usage of Dipper instead of using the HIGH throughout the travel .
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Old 24th May 2011, 11:36   #218
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by jealousdiamond View Post
Would for sure be an educated MORON



Very well said .

BTW, while driving on highways I still somehow feel comfortable driving on Low beam rather than high beam , even when doing 120+. Just curious to know is it only me who finds driving on LOW comfortable with using dipper to illuminate the road at fixed intervals compared to just driving on HIGH continuously . I somehow feel comfortable driving on Low with frequent usage of Dipper instead of using the HIGH throughout the travel .
Would advise you caution. No way should you be doing 120+ at night, high beam or low beam whatever.
Take a look at the accident pics section to understand how unsafe our roads are even with daylight visibility.
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Old 24th May 2011, 11:46   #219
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by racer_m View Post
Would advise you caution. No way should you be doing 120+ at night, high beam or low beam whatever.
Take a look at the accident pics section to understand how unsafe our roads are even with daylight visibility.
Oh Boy !! Appreciate your concern , My bad I forgot to mention that I was talking only about the GQ when I said that , with proper 6/4 lanes butter smooth roads . I prefer night driving instead of daylight driving due to a no confusion situation with the lights ( You can always spot a light approaching you unlike daytime ) though it needs extra bit of attention while driving
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Old 24th May 2011, 19:04   #220
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

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Originally Posted by jealousdiamond View Post
BTW, while driving on highways I still somehow feel comfortable driving on Low beam rather than high beam , even when doing 120+. Just curious to know is it only me who finds driving on LOW comfortable with using dipper to illuminate the road at fixed intervals compared to just driving on HIGH continuously . I somehow feel comfortable driving on Low with frequent usage of Dipper instead of using the HIGH throughout the travel .
Me too, I drive in low beams and feel very much comfortable that way.
Many guys who drives continually on Hi are not at all comfortable as everyone coming in the opposite direction would be focussing the Hi beam at him.

Another point is during rains also these idiots switch to Hi without knowing that the light is dim because of refraction. In other words during rains Lo beam will be of much better aid.
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Old 26th May 2011, 00:52   #221
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

Buddy, I have an Indica Vista Petrol. I do a lot of night Driving (everyday) and also highway trips 2-3 times a month. I was planning to get an additional set of lamps installed, mainly for the low beam driving. Can you please advise the best place in Pune to get this done? (I dont want to put bull bars, something which fits in the vents (fog lamp line).

Last edited by mobike008 : 1st June 2011 at 16:41. Reason: Incorrect quote tag
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Old 30th May 2011, 19:27   #222
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

Buddy, I have an Indica Vista Petrol. I do a lot of night Driving (everyday) and also highway trips 2-3 times a month. I was planning to get an additional set of lamps installed, mainly for the low beam driving. Can you please advise the best place in Pune to get this done? (I dont want to put bull bars, something which fits in the vents (fog lamp line).[/quote]

IMHO , you just might want to upgrade your stock bulbs to 100/90 with relay and feel the difference . Alternatively , best choice would be the stock fog lamps supplied by TATA . The other option would be installing the Hella FF55/75 (complete VFM) which can fit without installing those hefty bull bars (but not surely in the fog lamp slots ) .

You can try your luck in procuring the Hellas from Bafna Car Decor / Car Cupid . For the stock OEM Fogs you know where to get it done .

Last edited by mobike008 : 1st June 2011 at 16:41. Reason: Incorrect quote tag
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Old 30th May 2011, 19:46   #223
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

Hey guys and specially to all Alto drivers: My comments above in no way meant any disrespect towards the car or the driver. I think I have been mis-understood there. My unconditional apologies to all. What I meant by paltry Alto was that in general cars which are low will be affected the most by high beams of on-coming traffic. And they tend to switch to low beams sooner. It no way meant that I love bullying the fellow driver or belittle any other car on the road irrespective of its size.

ps: I hadn't noticed that some people took offence to the comment and came across it today. Hence the delay in clarification
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Old 30th May 2011, 22:15   #224
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

IMHO , you just might want to upgrade your stock bulbs to 100/90 with relay and feel the difference . Alternatively , best choice would be the stock fog lamps supplied by TATA . The other option would be installing the Hella FF55/75 (complete VFM) which can fit without installing those hefty bull bars (but not surely in the fog lamp slots ) .

You can try your luck in procuring the Hellas from Bafna Car Decor / Car Cupid . For the stock OEM Fogs you know where to get it done .[/quote]

Thank you. My car already has fogs though but sometimes I feel they are not enough (the throw is not very good). I will check with Bafna or Car Cupid though. Thanks once again!

Last edited by mobike008 : 1st June 2011 at 16:41. Reason: Incorrect quote tag
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Old 30th May 2011, 23:32   #225
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Re: Say NO to HIGH-BEAM

Fogs are not supposed to "throw." They are supposed to illuminate the road just in front of your car.
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