Why do people drive at night (or on dark mornings) without headlights?!

[SurreyGuy]

Can someone please explain to me why there seems to be an increasing number of drivers, who drive at night or on dark mornings without their lights on?! UNBELIEVABLY STUPID!!!!

[ummmm]

I don't think they do it on purpose.

I forgot to put my lights on pulling out of a petrol station once.

[R1Geezer]

I don't think it's a concious decision, perhaps they just forget. I'm fortunate that my car has an automatic setting and puts the lights on itself if it deems it dark enough. However in well lit areas it is easy to see why people may not be aware that their lights are off. "Unbelievably stupid" seems to imply that they made the decision to drive without lights, I don't think that is usually the case.

[R1Geezer]

interestingly the highway code says that you do not need headlights on roads with street lights:

113: use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified

now I'm the first to say that the highway code is not always correct, but that's what it says!

[TWR]

On the side of buses R1Geezer, it sometimes says Insurance or other products it does not mean they sell it, You seem to refer to the H.C very often, rule 113 does not say that there are children on the roads at that time but without light you can not see them or give warning that you are there. ( No offence ment by my reply)

[R1Geezer]

i'm offerring no opinion TWR, just pointing it out. If you have read my recent posts then you know what I think of the HC

[supapapa]

If you look carefully you will see that 9 out of 10 are women.

[supapapa]

If you look carefully you will see that 9 out of 10 drivers are women. they are frightened to take their eyes off the road to look at the speedo.

[sara3]

supapapa, what a ridiculous comment.. well done!

do tell that to the man who smashed into my car and wrote it off.

[supapapa]

Forgot to add that if they looked at the speedo they would realise that their lights are not on.

[sara3]

forgetful as well as stupid.

3 posts to make 1 comment.

[Panic Button]

To clarify the Highway Code R1Geez, don't forget your 'Musts' and your 'Shoulds'

Rule 113 says you MUST ensure sidelights are lit from sunset to sunrise in built up areas, and headlights everywhere else. ie that is the minimum required by law.

Rule 115 says you SHOULD used dipped headlights in built up areas at night.

[SurreyGuy]

ummmm and R1Geezer - I wasn't referring to people that momentarily drive along without lights. I've often seen drivers who go several miles without their lights on and are oblivious to their fellow drivers efforts to draw their attention to it!

[ummmm]

The ones that are driving with a confused look on their face wondering why so many people keep flashing their lights.

If a car flashes when it's dark the first thing I do is check my lights.

[sigma]

People drive without lights because they think they are to help them see and disregard the fact that the lights help other road users to see them. What is just as bad is motorists who drive in restricted visibility ie fog or rain and only have their side lights on. These lights serve no useful purpose in such conditions.It would be better if side lights went back to their original purpose as parking lights and could only be illuminated when the ignition was switched off so you had to drive on dipped beam.

[SurreyGuy]

ummmm - I agree!

sigma - I don't see (excuse the pun!) how drivers expect to see in the pitch dark without their lights on! I agree with your "sidelights" remark and would add the use of rear fog lights (by drivers in front of you) in the rain is just as annoying.