Is driving with high beam inside city an offence?

F50 · 10th January 2006, 22:36

This is what made me change my lights ... im using 100/90 Philips.
There are some nut case taxi drivers and car owners who drive with high beam on in small lanes, im left with no choice but to halt right in front of him till he drops the beam and exchange few advices.

cnu · 10th January 2006, 22:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by skandyhere

my question is - there being no signboard at the immediate location, how is one to know if it's a no-parking zone or not? not having committed a mistake but being booked for the inadequacy of the authorities to place clear instructions, i resent having to pay the fine.

I agree with your point that how someone is supposed to know about the no-parking zone if there is no sign board displayed at that place. But if you think practically it is not possible for the police to display sign boards say every 10 feet or so. That's why they just display one or two boards with the no-park distance (off course we see many of these boards with faded letters or some bills over them but that is another story). I agree that these boards are inadequate but we cant help it out. I never park a car just because few cars have been parked at that place. I make sure that it is not a no-park zone by looking for any sign boards atleast for few meters back and forth and also make sure that it is not causing any hindrance to the on-going traffic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skandyhere

this happened in bangalore. the cop's got only the car's number, and the RTO has my hassan address, where i'm no longer staying. what will happen if i don't pay the fine? will i indeed be summoned to court? in which case, am i liable to pay extra fine for delay?

I prefer to close the issue by paying Rs.100 rather than getting into the hassles of summons, court etc.

Cheers

cnu · 10th January 2006, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by RX135

I read many posts on this thread which say, "I drive in city on low beam and on high beam only on highways". Aren't we supposed to drive in low beam all the time?

No. City roads (atleast most if not all) are illuminated and the speed limit in cities is less (50 kmph on most of the roads). High beams are a must for our highways as they are not properly marked and given the fact that we travel at much higher speeds on highways. I agree that the new highways that are coming up (Golden Quadrilateral, E-W, N-S corridor, Express Highways) are maintaining some standards so highbeams are not required on these highways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RX135

If it can blind other person in city, obviously it will do the same on highway.

True. Thats why we are supposed to dip down when there is an oncoming vehicle. This is another reason, why we need to use low beams in city. In city we have continous flow of vehicles in the opposite direction whereas on highways its not always.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RX135

Again, in my experience, truckers invariably drive on low beam over highways (Even written on them "Use deeper at night")

You got it wrong. Some heavy trucks use low beams because they move at less speeds whereas many other trucks use high beams. And note that its not "Use deeper at night"... its "Use dipper at night" means dip to low beam when you see on-coming vehicle.

satan_crazy · 10th January 2006, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitinbhag

...I ended up paying 100 bucks for driving on low beam!!...

lol, same thing happened to me. i started arguing. then he asked me to go the court and argue. didn't want to run around courts. so ended up paying 100 bucks.

amitoj · 11th January 2006, 11:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedsatya

guys ,
i was caught yesterday night by bangalore traffic police for "saaar you are driving full beamooo...so please give 100 rupeeesoooo....walso your car fraaaam MH...."

he says driving without seat belts is naat an offence but driving with high beam is...and he says that on the highways you are allowed to use high beam....

hahahahaa... welcome to Bangalore speedy! U seem to have picked up the local dialect real quick!

no comments about the issue though... nuff said by others already.

Amitoj

RX135 · 11th January 2006, 12:36

@cnu, I am surprised that you find less traffic on highways. May be that is because I drive mostly in western maharashtra (around NH4), where you always have oncoming vehicles on highways. They may not exactly be right in front of you, but even when they are 1-2 km far, their high beams can be very distracting. In fact, in recent government studies, it was one of the most important reasons for fatal accidents on our highways.

If there is no oncoming traffic, I don't find any problem with using high beam, but I rarely find such case on our roads. I don't know what is fast for you, but I do not see any need of high beam even when I do 80-100. I HAVE to use it only when some bugger is using high beam in opposite direction.

Sorry about that "deeper" typo. I meant "dipper" and not "deeper". I rarely find truckers using high beams (I find 90% of them are on low beam).

IndianDawg · 11th January 2006, 12:39

Definately driving on high beem is an offence in the cityWhy dont you ask yourself when somebody drives on high beem you actually cannot drive peacefully forget peacefully you just cannot drive the way you want it. Its good that cops catches people driving on high beem specially mumbai pandus are very strict about this rule

Zappo · 11th January 2006, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by RX135

I rarely find truckers using high beams (I find 90% of them are on low beam).

I will add something to it besides seconding you on that. Even if a truck is coming towards you with high beam just try two quick beam-swings (as my friend calls it ;D)... More often than not the trucker will immediately dip his headlights. They are much more sensitive to such problems in comparison to those educated, boorish city janta driving their flashy cars who seem to care a zilch, no matter how many times you flash!

speedsatya · 11th January 2006, 15:34

on the highways ..i have seen that most of the truckers drive with low beams or even if its high beam ...they do dip it ...but its the LCV's ,the state transport buses and most of all its car drivers who use high beam ...

BTW also had got into an argument with a traffic cop who said "MH caroooo and glassooooo filmooooo naat legaloooooo"..i said in mumbai its legal to use this film then why naat here ...to which he said that i have to pay 1000rs fine...i just stood my ground and just asked him his badge ,belt number and told him that he will know what to do ....at this he just gave me my licence and told me to go ....

...

cnu · 11th January 2006, 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by RX135

I am surprised that you find less traffic on highways.

I meant less compared to city conditions. I have travelled on some highways which are not straight, lanes are not marked and you have continous bushes along the road. In such cases you need to switch back and forth to high/low for proper visibility. Again as I said, if you have proper markings on the road, we dont need highbeam.

Now on a 2-lane highway, many times in the night, I saw break-down vehicles in my lane without even swithcing on the basic back lights (leave alone the hazard lights...I doubt if many trucks even have these working) . If I was going on low beam I will not be able to see them unless I come very close. Now assume the situation when I am doing 100... Its not easy...

I agree with Zappo on the truck drivers attitude. Even if they are on highbeams, when we dip, they respond and lower their beams.

.anshuman · 11th January 2006, 19:09

according to the law its an offence to drive in high beam but i dont thaink traffice police enforces the law properly or is aware of the same,i have seen chhandigarh police enforcing it.

skandyhere · 30th January 2006, 13:59

i'm not sure if my guardian angel is on vacation or my senses are. i rammed into the back of a bus last week. and soon after the repair of the front fairing of my unicorn, i beat a traffic light only to get caught. now, true to the awkwardness of events, i was without a penny in pocket. so this cop asked me to wait a couple of minutes for his companion to come up with a receipt or something that i could take home and pay the fine in court.

he also wouldn't have minded me feeding him 50 bucks instead, and so told me i'd be booked for 'reckless driving' as well as running the signal, even though i was VERY slow and cautious in doing that. i was almost crawling. he said the fine would amount to Rs. 400. fortunately, his companion was nowhere in sight.

one of my questions is do these guys have all the authority to book a 'reckless driving' regardless of his position (even if he's a constable)? even though i knew he was a twisted character, i was in no position to argue, as it wouldn't help matters.

then he let me off, conceding my original license back, saying that the warrant would arrive at my address by mail, which i could pay in court. this, he said, 100 Rs. Good deal, i thought. anyway, tell me guys, what are my options in such a situation (when i'm stranded without cash)? there must be more than one option, right?

ash7678 · 30th January 2006, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zappo

I agree I agree I agreeeeee... You said it. Just that I did not say it

If I could understand for once what is this with Santro owners and their Hi-Beams.

that's a whole load of bull Zappo! i drive a santro and am equally livid with those morons who drive with their hi beams. but it isn't fair to say that only people driving santro's are guilty of this.

Ram · 9th April 2006, 19:59

Not only is it illegal to use high beams in the city, it's also illegal to use high beams when there are cars coming at you and when there're cars ahead of you on the highway. Your highbeams could dazzle them through their rear-view mirrors.

But in India surprisingly, many road users range from blissfully unaware to ruthlessly callous!

Highbeams are typical in most cities and towns.
I know that to be the case, at least in Pune where a car may come at you on the wrong-side of the road with high beams on!
I've observed cars and motorbikes routinely doing this even on the divided Ganeshkhind road opp. E-square.

Mercifully Mumbai drivers show more sense than to drive on the wrong side of the road with high-beams on.

And it isn't just well-lit streets that cry out for dipped beams.

Millions of expressway kilometers worldwide from North America to Western Europe and Australia are characterized by one thing.
No street lights!

Everybody entrusts their own lives to
good well-aimed headlamps (Xenons in many cases) and
the unflinching discipline
never, never to keep them on high-beam nor use auxiliary spotlights,
except in the rare case when you're the only driver for miles around, like say, you're speeding along a lonely stretch of rural highway no. 80 on a moonless, early summer's night in Death Valley, California.

Fuelled · 9th April 2006, 20:47

LOL. if driving on high beams was really illegal(and enforced properly) i'm sure soon the Police Dept of Delhi wud be the richest of all govt dept.. even mcd(with their inflated parking rates) and prob even the state govt(with all the vat n the cess)

On a serious note. I don't drive with highbeams, but do do resort to them when i face an array of oncoming cars with highbeams.

But never ever have been stopped for high beams.

10th January 2006, 22:36	#46
F50 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai/USA Posts: 1,707 Thanked: 103 Times	This is what made me change my lights ... im using 100/90 Philips. There are some nut case taxi drivers and car owners who drive with high beam on in small lanes, im left with no choice but to halt right in front of him till he drops the beam and exchange few advices.
	() Thanks

11th January 2006, 12:36	#51
RX135 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: pune Posts: 2,106 Thanked: 75 Times	@cnu, I am surprised that you find less traffic on highways. May be that is because I drive mostly in western maharashtra (around NH4), where you always have oncoming vehicles on highways. They may not exactly be right in front of you, but even when they are 1-2 km far, their high beams can be very distracting. In fact, in recent government studies, it was one of the most important reasons for fatal accidents on our highways. If there is no oncoming traffic, I don't find any problem with using high beam, but I rarely find such case on our roads. I don't know what is fast for you, but I do not see any need of high beam even when I do 80-100. I HAVE to use it only when some bugger is using high beam in opposite direction. Sorry about that "deeper" typo. I meant "dipper" and not "deeper". I rarely find truckers using high beams (I find 90% of them are on low beam).
	() Thanks

11th January 2006, 12:39	#52
IndianDawg BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 95 Thanked: Once View My Garage	Definately driving on high beem is an offence in the cityWhy dont you ask yourself when somebody drives on high beem you actually cannot drive peacefully forget peacefully you just cannot drive the way you want it. Its good that cops catches people driving on high beem specially mumbai pandus are very strict about this rule
	() Thanks

11th January 2006, 15:34	#54
speedsatya Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: bangalore/manga Posts: 3,169 Thanked: 738 Times View My Garage	on the highways ..i have seen that most of the truckers drive with low beams or even if its high beam ...they do dip it ...but its the LCV's ,the state transport buses and most of all its car drivers who use high beam ... BTW also had got into an argument with a traffic cop who said "MH caroooo and glassooooo filmooooo naat legaloooooo"..i said in mumbai its legal to use this film then why naat here ...to which he said that i have to pay 1000rs fine...i just stood my ground and just asked him his badge ,belt number and told him that he will know what to do ....at this he just gave me my licence and told me to go .... ...
	() Thanks

11th January 2006, 19:09	#56
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	according to the law its an offence to drive in high beam but i dont thaink traffice police enforces the law properly or is aware of the same,i have seen chhandigarh police enforcing it.
	() Thanks

30th January 2006, 13:59	#57
skandyhere BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Charlotte/Blore Posts: 347 Thanked: 92 Times	what are the rules? i'm not sure if my guardian angel is on vacation or my senses are. i rammed into the back of a bus last week. and soon after the repair of the front fairing of my unicorn, i beat a traffic light only to get caught. now, true to the awkwardness of events, i was without a penny in pocket. so this cop asked me to wait a couple of minutes for his companion to come up with a receipt or something that i could take home and pay the fine in court. he also wouldn't have minded me feeding him 50 bucks instead, and so told me i'd be booked for 'reckless driving' as well as running the signal, even though i was VERY slow and cautious in doing that. i was almost crawling. he said the fine would amount to Rs. 400. fortunately, his companion was nowhere in sight. one of my questions is do these guys have all the authority to book a 'reckless driving' regardless of his position (even if he's a constable)? even though i knew he was a twisted character, i was in no position to argue, as it wouldn't help matters. then he let me off, conceding my original license back, saying that the warrant would arrive at my address by mail, which i could pay in court. this, he said, 100 Rs. Good deal, i thought. anyway, tell me guys, what are my options in such a situation (when i'm stranded without cash)? there must be more than one option, right?
	() Thanks

9th April 2006, 19:59	#59
Ram Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore, Mumbai, Nagpur Posts: 2,166 Thanked: 219 Times View My Garage	Not only is it illegal to use high beams in the city, it's also illegal to use high beams when there are cars coming at you and when there're cars ahead of you on the highway. Your highbeams could dazzle them through their rear-view mirrors. But in India surprisingly, many road users range from blissfully unaware to ruthlessly callous! Highbeams are typical in most cities and towns. I know that to be the case, at least in Pune where a car may come at you on the wrong-side of the road with high beams on! I've observed cars and motorbikes routinely doing this even on the divided Ganeshkhind road opp. E-square. Mercifully Mumbai drivers show more sense than to drive on the wrong side of the road with high-beams on. And it isn't just well-lit streets that cry out for dipped beams. Millions of expressway kilometers worldwide from North America to Western Europe and Australia are characterized by one thing. No street lights! Everybody entrusts their own lives to good well-aimed headlamps (Xenons in many cases) and the unflinching discipline never, never to keep them on high-beam nor use auxiliary spotlights, except in the rare case when you're the only driver for miles around, like say, you're speeding along a lonely stretch of rural highway no. 80 on a moonless, early summer's night in Death Valley, California. Last edited by Ram : 9th April 2006 at 20:05.
	() Thanks

9th April 2006, 20:47	#60
Fuelled BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: delhi Posts: 252 Thanked: 2 Times	LOL. if driving on high beams was really illegal(and enforced properly) i'm sure soon the Police Dept of Delhi wud be the richest of all govt dept.. even mcd(with their inflated parking rates) and prob even the state govt(with all the vat n the cess) On a serious note. I don't drive with highbeams, but do do resort to them when i face an array of oncoming cars with highbeams. But never ever have been stopped for high beams.
	() Thanks