Using your vehicle lights
With this first issue of SIDELIGHT, I think it’s timely to ask a few questions about when you might use sidelights, and all your other vehicle lights…! I should say that the Highway Code does tell you which lights you must show and when, and which lights you should use and when; also which lights you must not use to avoid dazzling other road users. These requirements are simple and listed in HC rules 113 to 116. I should also point out, especially to associates, that these requirements do not cause any problems in observed drives or tests! – partly because you obviously know your Highway Code, and partly because tests and observed drives generally take place in daylight and reasonable weather.
But the Highway Code does not mention daytime running lights, automatic headlights or electric handbrakes. Does that matter? In itself, no. But what matters more is the lack of awareness of too many drivers what their vehicle lights are actually doing at all times – I think!
Daytime running lights: (in our Nissan Note at least) DRLs are 2 white 13 watt bulbs at the front of all cars that are lit as soon as you switch on the ignition, with the side and headlights off. If the sidelights are turned on, the DRLs are switched off. It is useful to remember that sidelights are 2 (5w) white lights at the front and 2 (5w) red tail lights at the rear. When headlights are switched on, they are 55w & 60w dip and high beam.
Automatic headlights function: the automatic function requires a light sensor in or on the windscreen to detect when the light level from the sky above is low enough to justify headlights on. Do they work as well as they should? I don’t really know, because I always use the lights manually.
Electric handbrake: Nothing to do with lights, I hear you say! But as you know, rule 114 states that “In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights.” (to minimise glare to road users behind). If your vehicle has “stop-start”, you may find that the engine doesn’t stop with the handbrake applied, but does with the footbrakes applied and brake lights lit.
(Regarding brake lights, I should apologise on behalf of all motorcyclists! If on a hill in a traffic queue, one of the brakes will have to be applied (front wheel with right hand lever, rear wheel with right foot pedal) to hold it on the hill (there is no parking brake on motorcycles).
Headlights too bright…? There’s been quite a lot of discussion in recent years about brightness of headlights, and a number of people who prefer not to drive at night due to being dazzled by lights that are either badly adjusted or simply too bright. And I haven’t mentioned light emitting diodes (LED) yet! Filament bulb brightness is defined by its wattage (as described above, headlights are standard at 60 and 55 watts. I am not aware how the brightness of LED lighting is defined; and I am not aware how the light beam is controlled – i.e. how the dip beam is cut off to prevent dazzling oncoming drivers. But I feel that some drivers think that the brighter their own lights are, the more visible they are which helps their own safety. If you are able to help, please advise!
All of the above facts are correct to the best of my knowledge, but I know with technology developments, some things may have changed on newer cars, etc! Any updates or corrections will be gratefully received!
