[thoma]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

in the ordeal of so called saving the cyclist you might end up blinding a vehicle coming from front of you either banging on you or someone else.

just because you dont want to knock someone down you high beams will ensure that someone else will knock someone down.

I do strictly follow the dim-n-bright-do-it-right rule. It is just that my dad past his menopause (or whatever men experience after 60, with due respect for the elderly) age wont budge to this even after my repeated requests.

Just because I follow the rule does not make me have the same opinion. And moreover, I am constantly evolving on opinions. But one thing I can vouch for is that you cannot see the cyclist and the walker, in Kerala roads at night, if you are running on low beam. Adding to the issue are non-lit streets, non-existent footpaths, encroachment of footpaths, jay walkers wearing only a lungi without any shirt, cyclists without reflectors and cyclists zig-zagging the road side after their daily dosage from the toddy shop.

One another thing which I have experienced many times and told before (not betting on this as it can be different for different people) I will share again. This also does not mean I am encouraging high-beam, but my mind seems this logical after giving several re-thoughts (this was first suggested by my dad and you can imagine how rebellious anybody will be initially with the ideas of their own dad; at least I was) and many practical experiences. Whenever I was totally blinded by the dazzling light of oncoming traffic, I just could not proceed on the road so that I slowed down or braked. What I am asking is, will any one proceed driving if one can't open his/her eyes? Is it / is it not a reflex action? At least this is the case with me. The other way round, when we are driving on low-beam and if we cannot see ahead because it is dark, won't we still tend to proceed driving as our eyes are still open and that the immediate ahead is let by our low-beam. I will highly appreciate if any one could understand that this thinking is not based on 'I want to be safe, I do not care for you' attitude. I care for you as well as me.

DISCLAIMER: For anyone reading this, please be cautioned that I am NOT advising the use of high-beam or on breaking any existing rules of the country. We are all supposed to obey the traffic rules. This is for us to think / discuss if we can avoid at least one accident?

[amit_mechengg]

@ Thoma,

Absolutely you are right regarding visibility of cycles in low beam and high speed.

but not always people slow down when they are blinded by dazzling lights.

just imagine if a fast truck/bus is overtaking someone - which is very critical moment, and suddenly you dazzle him, he might not make the overtake and either bang on you or someone else.

also a sick driver might get angry with you and bang you head on.

thanks for taking it positively - but seriously we should avoid hi beam as much as possible.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by thoma

...But one thing I can vouch for is that you cannot see the cyclist and the walker, in Kerala roads at night, if you are running on low beam. Adding to the issue are non-lit streets, non-existent footpaths, encroachment of footpaths, jay walkers wearing only a lungi without any shirt, cyclists without reflectors and cyclists zig-zagging the road side after their daily dosage from the toddy shop.

+10000000000 to it.

Driving on Kerala's roads with low beam is a pain, especially on highways. The roads are not lit, and people cross roads anywhere at will. I always make it a point to switch to low beam whenever there is opposite traffic (even for a cyclist in the opposite lane).

[grazd]

Are there sunglasses that one can wear at night to avoid the blinding glare due to truck beams? Does anyone have any experience on this?
I frequetnly have this problem, and it seems really dangerous to not have a good solution to it.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by grazd

Are there sunglasses that one can wear at night to avoid the blinding glare due to truck beams? Does anyone have any experience on this?

May I humbly suggest you to give the search button, on top right corner of every page, a run for its money. The forum contains exhaustive topics and experience. For a starter on your question, you may go through the page http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...nfilm-124.html

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by thoma

May I humbly suggest you to give the search button, on top right corner of every page, a run for its money. The forum contains exhaustive topics and experience.

Yes a kind of glasses were available which cuts glare but it aids in spotting even a stone on the tarmac. I had one purchased some 12 years back costing Rs 300 then. I somewhere misplaced those yellow glasses and miss it now at this point, when everyone on the road, behind the wheel or handle, is on highly powerful high beams.

[sgiitk]

In many respects modern asymmetric dip lights encourage people to drive on high beams. The pattern is so precise that you can easily miss cyclists s etc. on the road. Why, our silly non-enforcement of the law requiring all vehicles to carry a light. I wonder whether the cops and the cyclist can be sued if someone hits a cyclist not showing any lights.

People tend to drive on full beams due to this reason. To make life worse many fools drive with their fogs on at the same time. Also, some forums / programs show cars driving with the fogs on along with the headlights in clear conditions. In fact when as a mod on another forum when I pointed this out I got chewed out for it.

[rajeev k]

If the head lamps are in Lo beam the fogs would not blind oncoming traffic. But fogs with the high beam is really dangerous.
I have a query here, why is it that the standard Indica Vista and the Indigo headlamps on high beams are so powerful?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Front fog lamps are for illuminating the road close in front of the car. Unless someone has made them point upwards, they should not dazzle anyone.

[a_myth]

I stay in Goa, where you can see vehicles of almost all the states on the roads. Apart from the Goa registered vehicles, most are either from karnataka or maharastra. Almost all KA and MH registered Tempo Traxx (i guess they are from a bit rural areas) drive around on HIGH BEAMS. Also other outside state registered vehicles form a significant population who drive with high beams. Goan taxi drivers are notorious for driving around in high beam along with the usual Lady drivers (many are even ignorant that there exists a low beam) and the senior citizens. What pains the most that some stupid morons use high beams when negotiating the narrow lanes near the beaches and the towns. Also some owners use dazzling white light and higher wattage lamps in existing headlights. such people should be fined heavily.

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

In many respects modern asymmetric dip lights encourage people to drive on high beams. The pattern is so precise that you can easily miss cyclists s etc. on the road. Why, our silly non-enforcement of the law requiring all vehicles to carry a light. I wonder whether the cops and the cyclist can be sued if someone hits a cyclist not showing any lights.
People tend to drive on full beams due to this reason.

I think it is the other way round. Asymmetric lamps in low beam aids in seeing cyclists and pedestrians on the side by giving fairly good visibility towards side but at the same time, provides a lower beam to the road traffic side thereby preventing dazzle.
Take a look at the representative sketches below. Please not these are for Right traffic ie for traffic that sticks to the right side. In other words, for our country it will be a mirror view.
source and link Headlamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[grazd]

@thoma
thanks for the detailed info, sorry for not having searched properly. I found recently that even a good pair of polarised sunglasses cuts headlight glare. the main drawback is the tinting is not helpful in low light conditions. so i guess teh studds product would solve that problem.

[abhiram7912]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

If the head lamps are in Lo beam the fogs would not blind oncoming traffic. But fogs with the high beam is really dangerous.
I have a query here, why is it that the standard Indica Vista and the Indigo headlamps on high beams are so powerful?

i would beg to differ with you on indigo's stock headlights being powerful. my uncle's indigo which i am driving currently has pathetic headlights both in high and low beams. so my uncles assistant took the car and got a set of "HID" lamps for the car i think he said it cost around Rs. 1000. even then its really bad.

on a different note i almost had a close call today while driving on a rural single lane national highway without any line markings. there is a red swift coming in the opposite direction with high beams who would not even dip his lights for a sec, i was completely blind. i was dipping my headlights hoping he would do the same but no he wouldn't budge, i had to slow down to around 15kmph so that i would not hit that guy.

i am actually guilty of using highbeam on rural roads because i just cant see whats ahead in low beam, there are so many pedestrians walking across roads without checking traffic, cyclists and unlit 3 wheeler autos and tractors.i had so many close calls within the last 3 months, that i stopped counting. now i use highbeam when i see there's no on coming traffic and switch to low beam when there's oncoming traffic.

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by abhiram7912

i would beg to differ with you on indigo's stock headlights being powerful. my uncle's indigo which i am driving currently has pathetic headlights both in high and low beams.

I was referring to newer Indigos. So too Vistas and Aces.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by abhiram7912

i am actually guilty of using highbeam on rural roads because i just cant see whats ahead in low beam, there are so many pedestrians walking across roads without checking traffic, cyclists and unlit 3 wheeler autos and tractors.i had so many close calls within the last 3 months, that i stopped counting. now i use highbeam when i see there's no on coming traffic and switch to low beam when there's oncoming traffic.

That is a hundred percent correct*.

I worry that this thread gives the impression that high beams should not be used at all. That, especially for the kind of driving you describe, could be even more dangerous than using them badly.


*99% correct. You should also dip when there is traffic in front. I'm sure you do, because you probably know already what it is like to have main beams in your rear-view mirror.