Hazard Lights

[MotCO]

To be honest, I'm in the habit of driving with my lights on if I'm making any journey (within reason of course), and I must say people do seem to notice you more at junctions and roundabouts (I haven't been pulled out on in a while!) *toucheswood*

I do admit, sometimes if my attention is lacking it is easy to miss a car in the distance with no lights on, but if it's lights are on you notice it a lot quicker and easier.

99% of my Journeys are 80 or so minutes long and involve motorways and dual carriageways so I'm quite happy to do that. Modern cars and DRLs seem to have created a new breed of problems. Recently on the motorway in foggy and very wet situations, I have seen a rise in very new cars with no lights on at the rear, and they have all been the type with fancy bright LED DRLs. I don't know if the cabins on these cars are substantially brighter, but I can't believe people drive around in poor conditions with just DRLs on.

This leaves the rear completely unlit (until they turn the headlights on), which startled me on a foggy motorway which made a car completely appear out of no where.


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One thing I have noticed, having recently bought a new car, is that the dashboard light behind the speedo is on all the time. On my old car, this light only came on when the exterior lights were on. Therefore it is not so obvious now from the inside when my exterior lights aren't on - this may help explain why people seem to forget to put their lights on these days.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

On a similar topic quite a few buses around the country drive around with headlights on regardless of time of day or night, lighting or weather conditions. . . . .

One of my cars is an old Volvo whose headlamps come on with the ignition. So, when I was buying a replacement Citroen last year, and the owner confessed that it had a fault in which the headlamps would come on randomly, I said "no problem, I'll just drive with them 'on' all the time - same as the Volvo".

Since them, I now drive anything and everything with headlamps 'on' - whatever the conditions. (Except my bikes during daylight).

Having been doing that for 2 years, I can't see any increased risk for anyone, and suspect that there is probably a slight reduction overall (thogh not from pedestrians who step out into roads without looking - maybe I need brighter headlamps in daylight for them).

Hazards? I see them used increasingly as an indication that the vehicle's driver has decided to stop the vehicle in the carriageway when they could, instead, have parked at the side of the road. That say's more about them than it helps me in driving safely.

 

[Hophead]

On a similar topic quite a few buses around the country drive around with headlights on regardless of time of day or night, lighting or weather conditions. Is there a reason for this and is it company policy for some bus companies or driver discretion?

Think London required lights when using contra-flow bus lanes many years ago and it just became easier to leave the lights on all the time.

 

[90019]

99% of my Journeys are 80 or so minutes long and involve motorways and dual carriageways so I'm quite happy to do that. Modern cars and DRLs seem to have created a new breed of problems. Recently on the motorway in foggy and very wet situations, I have seen a rise in very new cars with no lights on at the rear, and they have all been the type with fancy bright LED DRLs. I don't know if the cabins on these cars are substantially brighter, but I can't believe people drive around in poor conditions with just DRLs on.

On what seems to be most new cars, the dashboard is backlit as soon as the ignition is turned on, rather than just when you put your lights on, which is a big mistake in my opinion.
With running lights being pretty damn bright, people see that there are lights on at the front of the car and that the dashboard is lit up, so assume that they have their lights on.

Which is presumably why I've seen a massive increase in people driving without their headlights on at night (but DRLs on) since running lights became mandatory on all new car designs and they started becoming more common on the roads.
I work constant backshift, so I'm out on the roads at night every day that I'm at work, and I see at least three or four cars a night with only running lights on - if I see them coming I'll flash my lights at them, but it's not always easy to tell until they're past you.


My other bugbear is people who drive with sidelights and LED running lights on when it's dark - they're DAYTIME running lights, they're bright enough to be very visible during the day so are really dazzling when it's dark, use your headlights which are properly aligned, not running lights which are angled straight forward.

Mind you, some of them are dazzling during the day. I'm looking at you Alfa Giulietta.

 

[83G/84D]

Is there any instructions given to bus drivers regarding this or is it up to the individual?

 

[90019]

Is there any instructions given to bus drivers regarding this or is it up to the individual?

Headlights or hazards?

Headlights, no instructions at my company that I'm aware of about using them during the day.
Not sure there's an official company policy about hazards, but it's generally accepted that you should put them on if you're waiting time or changing driver.

 

[83G/84D]

Headlights or hazards?

Headlights, no instructions at my company that I'm aware of about using them during the day.
Not sure there's an official company policy about hazards, but it's generally accepted that you should put them on if you're waiting time or changing driver.

My query was regarding headlights as lots of buses seem to have them on regardless of weather, time of day or night etc.

From my observations most buses seem to run with headlights on all the time hence the question.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

My query was regarding headlights as lots of buses seem to have them on regardless of weather, time of day or night etc.

From my observations most buses seem to run with headlights on all the time hence the question.

It is Arriva national policy to have headlights on at all times. Research proves that it does reduce collisions, however unlikely it may sound.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is Arriva national policy to have headlights on at all times. Research proves that it does reduce collisions, however unlikely it may sound.

With the new daylight running lights fitted to cars, legislators clearly agree.

Neil

 

[455driver]

On a similar topic quite a few buses around the country drive around with headlights on regardless of time of day or night, lighting or weather conditions. Is there a reason for this and is it company policy for some bus companies or driver discretion?

Yeah basically several years ago some numpty who sits in an office all day realised that buses with their lights on were involved in fewer accidents. The main reason being that they only had their lights on early in the morning (when traffic was less) or late at night (when traffic was less), but said numpty got his way and First buses started driving around with their lights on all the time.

Now of course with everything either having their dipped headlights on or daylight running lights on (why dont they turn off when you turn your headlights on, 99% of the time you turn your lights on because it is dark and so therefore no longer daylight!) basically means that all that has happened is motorcycles are in more danger because they cannot be seen for all the other lights on the road!

If you cant see a bus in daylight without its lights on you are not going to see it with its lights on!
Thats my opinion anyway.

 

[Antman]

Yeah basically several years ago some numpty who sits in an office all day realised that buses with their lights on were involved in fewer accidents. The main reason being that they only had their lights on early in the morning (when traffic was less) or late at night (when traffic was less), but said numpty got his way and First buses started driving around with their lights on all the time.

Now of course with everything either having their dipped headlights on or daylight running lights on (why dont they turn off when you turn your headlights on, 99% of the time you turn your lights on because it is dark and so therefore no longer daylight!) basically means that all that has happened is motorcycles are in more danger because they cannot be seen for all the other lights on the road!

If you cant see a bus in daylight without its lights on you are not going to see it with its lights on!
Thats my opinion anyway.

I couldn't have put it better

 

[ManUtd]

If you cant see a bus in daylight without its lights on you are not going to see it with its lights on!
Thats my opinion anyway.

The problem for a lot of the times is on a winters day with low sun....that just creates silhouettes making it more difficult to see,sometimes I have a run in the morning across a very busy duel carriageway and looking to my left I have the strong sun in my eyes,the vehicles with their headlights on are easily distinguishable from the ones that don't.....it drives me nuts at times that people just think because it's not dark,you don't need your headlights on.....sometimes you do!

Headlights are not just for you to see where you are going,they are also for people to see you.

OK,rant over...well kinda.....back on topic with hazards,this happened to me a lot of years ago,I had just dropped my passengers off and was finished work,I was in the bus lane at a red light when my phone rang,I answered it,I know I shouldn't have but since I was sitting there and needed to take the call,all I said was I will ring you back in five minutes.

Now of course the police had pulled up beside me and saw me on the phone and immediately pulled in front of me,the lecture began and so on but to get to my point,other buses had then pulled in behind me not knowing what was going on,I believe there was four queued behind me so I put my hazards on and the police officer gave off to me for doing so,I told him I was creating a hazard sitting here and he told me in this instance I shouldn't be using them and to turn them off,I refused and he became really irate and booked me for talking on the phone,fair enough but I still stand by that I was correct in putting my hazard lights on.

 

[Busaholic]

In London the practice was long established that, in the event of a breakdown, the conductor hauled one of the seats out of the bus to place upright behind the bus, resting on the back. As London is to get 700 so-called 'new Routemasters' perhaps when one of these breaks down the 'conductor' (where carried) or driver should continue the tradition and drag a seat out. As a refinement I'd suggest the back of the seat should incorporate a lifesize image of Boris waving the traffic by in his own inimitable way.

 

[hassaanhc]

The problem for a lot of the times is on a winters day with low sun....that just creates silhouettes making it more difficult to see,sometimes I have a run in the morning across a very busy duel carriageway and looking to my left I have the strong sun in my eyes,the vehicles with their headlights on are easily distinguishable from the ones that don't.....it drives me nuts at times that people just think because it's not dark,you don't need your headlights on.....sometimes you do!

Headlights are not just for you to see where you are going,they are also for people to see you.

This is my experience too, so in low sun I always have the lights on.

 

[ManUtd]

This is my experience too, so in low sun I always have the lights on.

The motorway is another example,in low sun,if I catch up on a slower lorry and want to overtake,cars without lights on more difficult to see in your mirror.