People that drive in the evening with no lights

IAmATeaf · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:07

Strange but true, I've always thought that for those people that seem to drive around in the night oblivious to the fact that they don't have their lights on that the ample street lighting meant that they might not be able to tell that they've not switched their lights on. I also explained away the fact that they could still see their dash as it was probably backlit, so again they couldn't tell.

Last night coming back from work both my dipped bulbs blew, damned Osram Nightbreakers, and no matter where I drove, even in the town centre I could tell straight away that something wasn't right.

What is the point of this thread? It's to warn fellow forumers that these people are in fact stupid and if encountered should be treated with caution.

pingwing · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:11

Saw someone doing it down my street last night when I was walking, they looked surprised to see me making lights hand actions at them for a second till they twigged it was night...

iaind · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:13

Dash lighs aren't illuminated when the lights are off in any car I've owned

PhillyDee · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:17

Wouldn't know, my lights are set to 'auto' . . . .

IAmATeaf · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:19

iaind said:
Dash lighs aren't illuminated when the lights are off in any car I've owned

The instrument binnacle in my Accord is permanently lit, turning my lights on just dims it.

Raymond Lin · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:20

IAmATeaf said:
The instrument binnacle in my Accord is permanently lit, turning my lights on just dims it.

Ditto.

IAmATeaf · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:24

pingwing said:
Saw someone doing it down my street last night when I was walking, they looked surprised to see me making lights hand actions at them for a second till they twigged it was night...

I came down the A412 last night, had my side lights on and some sections aren't lit and without other cars around to allow you to trace the road the road all but disappeared. I thought of turning on my front fog lights but then thought, nahhh.

Last week on my way back from work there was some old biddy in a Fiesta, no lights in the unlit section so I overtook her and then momentarily switched all my lights off thinking she might twig, not even a vegetarian sausage. Went on my way and looked back in my rear view and her car just disappeared into the blackness.

godinman · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:24

I did this the other day after getting petrol.

I noticed with about 100 metres tho, it's just because it was so well lit.

Also, pingwing, what hand actions indicate car lights?

Firestar_3x · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:25

IAmATeaf said:
The instrument binnacle in my Accord is permanently lit, turning my lights on just dims it.

Yep and i think that's a really poor design, causes more problems than it solves.

IAmATeaf · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:28

Firestar_3x said:
Yep and i think that's a really poor design, causes more problems than it solves.

It's never caused me any problems to be honest, I've never really gone more than a few yards in the dark before realising that my lights aren't on.

iaind · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:31

IAmATeaf said:
I came down the A412 last night, had my side lights on and some sections aren't lit and without other cars around to allow you to trace the road the road all but disappeared. I thought of turning on my front fog lights but then thought, nahhh.

Last week on my way back from work there was some old biddy in a Fiesta, no lights in the unlit section so I overtook her and then momentarily switched all my lights off thinking she might twig, not even a vegetarian sausage. Went on my way and looked back in my rear view and her car just disappeared into the blackness.

You were driving in the pitch black with only sidelights?

GravyMonster · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:32

IAmATeaf said:
The instrument binnacle in my Accord is permanently lit, turning my lights on just dims it.

Was the same in my old A3.

Pabl0 · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:33

I think it's pretty simple to remember to turn your light on, my dash pod is always illuminated and in always remember, my lights are really good though so that makes it even more obvious when there not on and it's dark.

The van lights are on 24/7, for some reason a big silver van isn't visible to some people at junctions, they must think it's some rolling fog.

Firestar_3x · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:36

IAmATeaf said:
It's never caused me any problems to be honest, I've never really gone more than a few yards in the dark before realising that my lights aren't on.

Me either, but looking at the many idiots who have no idea which lights they have turned on, having the dash lit all the time can only confuse matters further.

Matt82 · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:42

or cars with one side light working and fog lights on............. *blood boiling*

topshot · 5 Dec 2012 at 15:46

Yes nearly as bad as the idiots who know they have one headlight bulb out so put the remaining one on full beam :mad:

Yarde · 5 Dec 2012 at 16:00

PhillyDee said:
Wouldn't know, my lights are set to 'auto' . . . .

Same!

Love my little ST's auto lights!

godinman said:
Also, pingwing, what hand actions indicate car lights?

I would imagine, make your thumbs touch your ring fingers, if you were pretending your hand was a beak. And then rapidly open and close your hands from there?

That's what I would imagine anyway...

GravyMonster · 5 Dec 2012 at 16:03

In order of annoyingness:

- People who have their fog lights on, FRONT AND BACK, just because there is an inch of snow on the ground.

- Everything else

- People with no lights on at dusk.

IAmATeaf · 5 Dec 2012 at 16:05

iaind said:
You were driving in the pitch black with only sidelights?

Didn't have much choice to be honest. Left the office at 6:30 in the evening, noticed the lights not working in the works car park.

Just drove slower than normal which was actually more relaxing, maybe this is why some people don't turn them on

p1RATE · 5 Dec 2012 at 16:05

pingwing said:
making lights hand actions at them.

I tried to imagine what this was and all i can think of is squeezing a pair of air boobs.

my cars lights are auto so turning them on has stopped being an automatic action for me. when i do step into another car i do have to think twice, but i couldn't imagine driving further than a few feet before i realize.