Night Time Drivers

[Jestr75]

I do a lot of highway driving, mainly at night and mostly the drivers I come accross are ok. Just lately I have had to follow a few drivers who slow down and brake when another vehicle is approaching them from the opposite direction, then speed back up when the vehicle has passed. Some have braked quite heavily aswell. Not only is it dangerous it gets quite annoying when you are following them.

If they need to slow up at night when another vehicle is coming their way, then maybe they shouldn't be driving at night.


Any one else come across people doing this?

[2011G6E]

Night blindness is far more common than you realise. Plenty of people simply get blinded by even low beams when a car comes the other way. Best solution is of course to look down to the left at the white line at the edge of the road, which works very well if some idiot doesn't dip his high beams or they are in a high-set four wheel drive or truck where thier headlights are at your eye level when in the car, but not everyone thinks to do it.

Just one of those things that happens.

[Giant Cranium]

my girlfriend cant see past her nose when driving at night. i found this out after being together for 5 years on our way to bathurst and she proceeds to slow down and turn to the left. i quiz her on why she is doing it and tells me that she is going round a round about . never agian is she allowed to do long haul driving at night. she is fine in the city though

[Yellow_Festiva]

Yep... was screaming at a Landcruiser just last night returning from Bathurst at 11pm.

Single lane, sitting at 90 in the 100 zone... no worries, I'm in no rush. Sees the 'average speed cameras'.. drops to 70... Follow back to 90, then creeps to 95. Sits there for a bit then slows to 80. I overtake caus I have had enough when the lane opened.

He then all of a sudden finds the go pedal and tries to race me. I can't be bothered and let him get in front... overtaking lane ends, he drops to 90. gets to another camera and drops to 70 again.

Next overtaking lane I have had enough and pass him. He gets behind me, then indicates for me to move over... lane was ending and I was already doing 5 over. Sits on my tail. Then overtakes very aggressively.... Ok no worries. Set the cruise at 100 then overtake him again 10 minutes later just past he Mudgee turn off.... Is this guy for real?? The whole time on flat stretched of road the brake lights are on and off....

Get to Lighgow, pull up at the lights and he is close behind. Great, we will be having 'words' at the lights... nah, he turns off up the Bells Line of Road.

I have NFI what he was doing, nor did he it seems.....

[thedutchman92]

Sounds like he won his licence in a competition

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Yep... was screaming at a Landcruiser just last night returning from Bathurst at 11pm.

Single lane, sitting at 90 in the 100 zone... no worries, I'm in no rush. Sees the 'average speed cameras'.. drops to 70... Follow back to 90, then creeps to 95. Sits there for a bit then slows to 80. I overtake caus I have had enough when the lane opened.

He then all of a sudden finds the go pedal and tries to race me. I can't be bothered and let him get in front... overtaking lane ends, he drops to 90. gets to another camera and drops to 70 again.

Next overtaking lane I have had enough and pass him. He gets behind me, then indicates for me to move over... lane was ending and I was already doing 5 over. Sits on my tail. Then overtakes very aggressively.... Ok no worries. Set the cruise at 100 then overtake him again 10 minutes later just past he Mudgee turn off.... Is this guy for real?? The whole time on flat stretched of road the brake lights are on and off....

Get to Lighgow, pull up at the lights and he is close behind. Great, we will be having 'words' at the lights... nah, he turns off up the Bells Line of Road.

I have NFI what he was doing, nor did he it seems.....

Sounds like he was drunk, it's amazing how many people get behind the wheel with a few beverages inside them.

[SteveJH]

I only brake at night in a straight line if the car coming the other way has their high beams on (and don't turn them off on approach) and I can't see where the hell i'm going.

Most people are pretty good though.

[Mark^^]

Just having done the great Ocean Road both ways recently and I think this is rather common. In a straight stretch many race to the speed limit only then to brake all the way through the next set of bends, while I'm stuck behind them in 2nd (I drive a 6 speed manual) till I can get past them. These ones never pull over in the slow drivers pull over verges. When I get past then I can go back to driving the speed limit in 4th easily with very little need ever to hit the brakes.

[Jim Goose]

Never had that happen at all to me... must be a lot of nervous night drivers???

Or people who have night blindness as suggested....

[blackf6]

I do a lot of night time driving delivering fuel on night shift. And what bugs me the most is the wrongly adjusted lights. Mostly people towing heavy loads that lift the nose of their vehicle and the light shine straight into your eyes. Also people driving with one blown headlight and the other compensates and is almost like a high beam.

[Ben73]

I do it sometimes if the conditions require. When the cars coming towards have bright lights, both lanes are barley wider then a truck, I don't trust anyone. I'd rather slow down every now in then when passing them.
Better then the guy I work with. At night every single car we pass he yanks the wheel to the left at the last second no matter how close the oncoming car is to the centre line

[mik]

the braking thing you mention might be he is having trouble with oncoming lights, some cars cop it worse than others, and or he might be light sensitive, yes they are a pita.

[Landau Stable]

I've noticed this problem with modern vehicles a lot lately. Their low beam is enough to blind you if their lane has only a small divider between your own. It's not so bad on the highways were you are not in their path so much. A couple of cars are usually ok and there is no need to slow down. As suggested, looking down and left to the line marker is enough. If it's a barrage of cars in the opposite lane with their annoying modern headlights, i find myself forced to slow it down at times. 15 years ago when i got my licence and there was a lot more older vehicles on the road with their not so bright lights, it was never a problem.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Landau Stable

I've noticed this problem with modern vehicles a lot lately. Their low beam is enough to blind you if their lane has only a small divider between your own. It's not so bad on the highways were you are not in their path so much. A couple of cars are usually ok and there is no need to slow down. As suggested, looking down and left to the line marker is enough. If it's a barrage of cars in the opposite lane with their annoying modern headlights, i find myself forced to slow it down at times. 15 years ago when i got my licence and there was a lot more older vehicles on the road with their not so bright lights, it was never a problem.

same here, newer stuff with those dh globes..... so cool, sooooo bright, gotta have them, i got brighter headlights than you peasants.....
to them i say, thanks for frying my friggin eyeballs ya dh's

[deadlywill]

Originally Posted by Landau Stable

I've noticed this problem with modern vehicles a lot lately. Their low beam is enough to blind you if their lane has only a small divider between your own. It's not so bad on the highways were you are not in their path so much. A couple of cars are usually ok and there is no need to slow down. As suggested, looking down and left to the line marker is enough. If it's a barrage of cars in the opposite lane with their annoying modern headlights, i find myself forced to slow it down at times. 15 years ago when i got my licence and there was a lot more older vehicles on the road with their not so bright lights, it was never a problem.

That's what i seem to have a problem with the newer car lights - think they're xenon or something on the new bm's - blinding blueish!

[maty]

Having done country linehaul at work the biggest killer i found is the lightbulbs with the white light is blinding when you have it coming at you, especially when you havent had anything come past you for a while. The effect is even worse at night when it rains because of reflection of the road. I also find that people that drive with fog lights on in all conditions are a killer on the eyes. They should only be used when fog is around. People use them in rain, glare again is the killer, but it is not illegal you can use them in adverse weather. People who turn on rear fog lights are also a killer when you have to trail a car for a while.

[Keepleft]

Road rule 218 permits a quick flash of high-beam to signal lead vehicles your mention to overtake. It's purely optional and is intended to better get attention of a lead vehicle, or vehicles - your about to pass. The *flash* better gets attention, the indicators show your direction intention. **>>>>>>>>>>passed<<<<<<<.

The rule is an international one, and is not intended to permit wild, deliberate blinding. It is mostly used motorway roads overseas.

Used it on rare occasion as motorway and rural speeds here are slow, never had negative response.

Those with a rear fog should simply restrict their use to 100m or less, they are excellent for their designed use, and in principle I don't buy a car without one, but are not meant for mere misty conditions.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by maty

Having done country linehaul at work the biggest killer i found is the lightbulbs with the white light is blinding when you have it coming at you, especially when you havent had anything come past you for a while. The effect is even worse at night when it rains because of reflection of the road.

As a country mail linehaul driver I agree but it's only a problem when they won't dip their lights or their low beams are not adjusted correctly to below the horizontal. This is usually city terrorists with no clue who load up the back of the car or 4x4 and/or hitch up the boat/caravan/trailer and set out oblivious to the fact that their vehicle is now nose up and their already poorly adjusted lights are now pointing skyward blinding everyone.

Bushbasher

[Jestr75]

I agree that you get the occasional idiot that leaves there lights on high beam or their lights aren't adjusted properly, but if you are not confident driving at night then you probably shouldn't.

[davenl5l]

hey yellow festiva i see that day & night 365 days a year and hate it .another problem is driving lights they should be banned because 90% of people dont know when its legal to use them!!!!!!!!!! rant,rave. gnash teeth

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

hey yellow festiva i see that day & night 365 days a year and hate it .another problem is driving lights they should be banned because 90% of people dont know when its legal to use them!!!!!!!!!! rant,rave. gnash teeth

I assume you are talking about fog lights.

Driving lights/High Beams are legal all the time as long as you are not within (200?) metres of another car.

[Mechan1k]

The good old 200m high beam rule .... which was brought in when cars used to have candle for headlights.

That law should be changed to line of sight for today's driving ... with the onset of HID driving lights that can give daylight brightness to well over 1km in distance ... even the Lightforce Halogens can reach that (used to have a set on the previous ute).

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

The good old 200m high beam rule .... which was brought in when cars used to have candle for headlights.

That law should be changed to line of sight for today's driving ... with the onset of HID driving lights that can give daylight brightness to well over 1km in distance ... even the Lightforce Halogens can reach that (used to have a set on the previous ute).

Mine go off as soon as i have line of sight to the oncoming car.

[Ben73]

On the road between Mudgee and Ulan, then the back way from Ulan to Sandy Hollow, I often brake in the middle of the night when there is a car you approaching the other way, which is pretty rare.
Why you may ask. Well when each lane is 2m wide, and half the drivers you pass are suffering from some sort of fatigue, I'd rather just slow down a bit. Also since you have to dim your highbeam it makes it much harder to see kangaroos lingering on the edge of the road.
So I guess I'm just not a confident night driver since my trip takes 10 seconds longer.

[Reaper8]

got to love the high beam drivers even in the city, my answer is if you dont dim yours i will give a flash and then put them on have had a few that have still been ignorant and still leave them on so they cop the spotlights. not safe but those people dont give a **** about my safety so why should i care about their's. im a pritty curteous driver (let people in, dim my lights early) but some people think that blue light on their dash is there to look pritty or a factory fitted neon.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Reaper8

got to love the high beam drivers even in the city, my answer is if you dont dim yours i will give a flash and then put them on have had a few that have still been ignorant and still leave them on so they cop the spotlights. not safe but those people dont give a **** about my safety so why should i care about their's. im a pritty curteous driver (let people in, dim my lights early) but some people think that blue light on their dash is there to look pritty or a factory fitted neon.

I have noticed a lot of drivers also flick their high beams on a fraction of a second before they finish passing you, so you get a blast of light in the face when they are 2 metres from you...

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I have noticed a lot of drivers also flick their high beams on a fraction of a second before they finish passing you, so you get a blast of light in the face when they are 2 metres from you...

Ah, you need some of these, very small but very bright. Officially called 'loading lights' but also handy for people that insist on hitting high beam just before they go past

[2011G6E]

i thought all the driving guides advised you to flash your high beam at, for example, a truck to let them know as a matter of courtesy that you are about to overtake them? Plenty of people do out here.

HID's are a whole other kettle of fish. They bring up what I call "low beam travel distance" on the highway. Yes, you can see a kilometer ahead...if for some reason you need to see that far...but I'd prefer to see 500 meters ahead of me very clearly, as that's where the dangers really are instead of focussing waaaaay up the road.
And this creates the problem....you are forced to drop your high beam and drive on low beam for a lot longer than you normally would have with ordinary halogens, defeating the whole purpose of HID's. I've noticed it out here on long straights...a car will be glaring you with high beam, so you drop your high beam and he drops his...and it seems to be simply ages before you meet him, and all that time you've been driving on low beam.

Give me a good set of halogen spotties with decent spread and not a rediculous amount of distance penetration, and i'll be happy. In fact that's what I just did today with the Celica.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And this creates the problem....you are forced to drop your high beam and drive on low beam for a lot longer than you normally would have with ordinary halogens, defeating the whole purpose of HID's. I've noticed it out here on long straights...a car will be glaring you with high beam, so you drop your high beam and he drops his...and it seems to be simply ages before you meet him, and all that time you've been driving on low beam.

so you're saying that with the older lights, you'd leave your high beams on even though you can see a car approaching you in the distance in your line of sight??

do this, and i guarantee i'll flick my high beams back on before you've completely passed me.

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

i thought all the driving guides advised you to flash your high beam at, for example, a truck to let them know as a matter of courtesy that you are about to overtake them? Plenty of people do out here.

A quick flash with high beams is enough to "blind you" temporarily. Very dangerous practice, especially in roo country.

On the highway, at night time, if you sit just in the trucks mirrors with low beam for a minute or so and then drop behind them. Once it's safe to pass them, they will indicate to the right . You might have to sit there for a little bit, but guaranteed when it's safe to pass them, the right hand indicator will come on.

Then the courteous thing to do, once past is to indicate left and right once you're just in front of them. This has been standard practice for years.

So something to keep in mind.

BTW, flashing your high beam in a trucks mirrors is enough to peeve them off. The likely outcome is, they'll "light" your car up with their spotties.