headlights: main function?

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Headlights

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To Be Seen
9
41%
 
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HighlyEvolved
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headlights: main function?

Post by HighlyEvolved »

I was thinking what are headlights more important for: to see or to be seen?
You'd normally think they are more important to see in the dark but with some streets so well lit at night, you don't really need them that much. On the other hand a car with its lights off at night is quite literally invisible, making it a real danger. While you can see a car with it's lights on from miles away.

I say they are more important to be seen.
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psyral
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Re: headlights: main function?

Post by psyral »

HighlyEvolved wrote:I was thinking what are headlights more important for: to see or to be seen?
You'd normally think they are more important to see in the dark but with some streets so well lit at night, you don't really need them that much. On the other hand a car with its lights off at night is quite literally invisible, making it a real danger. While you can see a car with it's lights on from miles away.

I say they are more important to be seen.
Think about this question again while you're driving around twisties with no streetlamps on the way home at 12am.
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VTECaddict
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Post by VTECaddict »

headlights are for you to be able to see.

you have all the other lights (tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, parking lights, side markers, etc etc) for you to be seen.

:D
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Post by Johnf514 »

With the well-lit city streets of today (or tonight), headlights don't serve much function. However, do 55 MPH on a country road at 2 am and you'll know what headlights do (and don't do) for you. You'll actually use your brights as well.
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LS1Leader
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Post by LS1Leader »

DRLs are meant to be seen. They serve both functions equally, so that you can see cars w/o lights and other objects, and so that other drivers can see you. Kinda hard to separate which one is more important.
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Post by potownrob »

I get sick of seeing bright lights glaring at me DURING THE day when the cars could easily be seen with just the parking lights on. WHat I do, since I don't have to deal with daytime running lights, is turn the parking lights (setting between headlights and no lights) on so others can see me. What I hate even more than the bright lights is no lights, since i've had a hard time seeing many cars lately. It's as though the cars are invisible unless they put their parking lights on :twisted: . What kills me even more is people who keep their lights off when it's raining or otherwise hard to see out and that it seems most of my fellow New Yorkers don't realize they have to put their lights on if they are using their wipers... :evil:
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Post by LS1Leader »

In CA, we have laws against turning only your parking lots on... stupid law... gotta have em completely on or completely off.
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Post by grievre »

LS1Leader wrote:In CA, we have laws against turning only your parking lots on... stupid law... gotta have em completely on or completely off.
See. if you have your parking lights on... people might think you're parked
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Post by PJ »

grievre wrote:
LS1Leader wrote:In CA, we have laws against turning only your parking lots on... stupid law... gotta have em completely on or completely off.
See. if you have your parking lights on... people might think you're parked
I don't know anyone who regularly parks while using their parking lights. I've only ever done it when I'm forced to stop near a corner for a short time and want to make the car more visible. Since it's not so common to use parking lights while actually parked I doubt many people would mistake a moving car with parking lights on for a stationary car, but that's still a good point grievre.
Johnf514 wrote:With the well-lit city streets of today (or tonight), headlights don't serve much function. However, do 55 MPH on a country road at 2 am and you'll know what headlights do (and don't do) for you. You'll actually use your brights as well.
Yeah I'd definately agree with that. And also in a blackout you realise how dark it really gets at night.

I still reckon headlights are equally important for seeing and being seen. Even in well-lit city streets it's far easier to see further ahead with headlights on. Because no matter how many streetlights you've got, headlights are far more effective since they reflect light back at your from objects right in front of you. Over time it becomes second nature to use this reflecting light to judge distances and speed etc. Streetlights won't help you out as much with this because available light is coming from so many different sources making it hard to accurately judge these different factors.
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Post by grievre »

PJ wrote:
grievre wrote:
LS1Leader wrote:In CA, we have laws against turning only your parking lots on... stupid law... gotta have em completely on or completely off.
See. if you have your parking lights on... people might think you're parked
I don't know anyone who regularly parks while using their parking lights. I've only ever done it when I'm forced to stop near a corner for a short time and want to make the car more visible. Since it's not so common to use parking lights while actually parked I doubt many people would mistake a moving car with parking lights on for a stationary car, but that's still a good point grievre.
What ticks me off more is people who stop on the side of the road and leave their headlights on. In the dark I can't tell that they're parked and I think they're a moving vehicle and it confuses me.
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Post by LS1Leader »

PJ wrote:
grievre wrote:
LS1Leader wrote:In CA, we have laws against turning only your parking lots on... stupid law... gotta have em completely on or completely off.
See. if you have your parking lights on... people might think you're parked
I don't know anyone who regularly parks while using their parking lights. I've only ever done it when I'm forced to stop near a corner for a short time and want to make the car more visible. Since it's not so common to use parking lights while actually parked I doubt many people would mistake a moving car with parking lights on for a stationary car, but that's still a good point grievre.
Whoops, and all this time I thought he was being facetious. :roll:

I turn on emergency lights if I'm stopped/parked on a small street, so that people know to pass me.
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Post by Scott »

I turn on just my parking lights when I park. Just a courtesy to other drivers, so they know I'm not moving and I don't blind them when they approach me. I also turn them on when it's overcast and I need lights to be seen but not to see.
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Post by HighlyEvolved »

lol I feel like an idiot can someone tell me which light is which. I know ones are really dim and they are orange, others are the normal ones and other are the really bright ones.
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Post by coolguy »

HighlyEvolved wrote:lol I feel like an idiot can someone tell me which light is which. I know ones are really dim and they are orange, others are the normal ones and other are the really bright ones.
:lol: HOW COULD U PASS YOUR DRIVING TEST IF U DON'T KNOW WHICH LIGHT IS WHICH :?: Just joking :mrgreen:. We will tell ya.
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Post by potownrob »

HighlyEvolved wrote:lol I feel like an idiot can someone tell me which light is which. I know ones are really dim and they are orange, others are the normal ones and other are the really bright ones.
On most cars, if you turn the stalk or dial from off to the next (middle) setting, that turns on the "parking" lights which is everything except the headlights. If you turn it to the next and final setting, you have turned on the headlights. On most cars I've driven (Japanese & German and some Americans), the high beams are turned on by pushing the turn signal stalk toward or pulling it away from the dash. I think some at least older GMs and Fords had different setups than I'm used to... :twisted:
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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