Night Time Drivers

[tankclare]

I actually prefer to drive at night. Well on long distance trips anyway. Its nice and cool, not as many tools on the road and a lot of the time less police. Not that I speed much anyway.

My biggest hates:
- People who don't dim lights
- People who turn highbeam on too early
- Damaged lights so peoples cars look like bikes until you get closer
- People staying in the middle of the road when in an open area to overtake
- People who dont stop for rest breaks. If you feel tired pull over!

I can drive for hours on end without breaks and it doesnt worry me but I know my limitsl. There is nothing worse then following a tired driver swerving all over the road or coming towards you in the opposite direction.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

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.

Some might, and some have been booked for blinking cars around (Although it's very common do do this for another Truck) and NEVER drive with one light constantly in the mirror. Just take a peek out there every so often.

Sitting behind a Truck, on country/interstate roads you can usually see if he has his lights on High or Low beam.
If they're dipped there's a good chance that something is coming, even over the next rise that you cant see.
When he puts them on high beam put your nose out for a second to see if it's safe to pass.

If someone is behind me at night I usually move over near fog line to give them room to have a look at the road ahead without them having to drive over the centre line to see what's ahead.

Originally Posted by svo supporter

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.

Not quite 'standard practice' but appreciated

Originally Posted by svo supporter

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.

I don't know where you heard this as it's an unwritten courtesy that when one Truck passes another to flash high beam to let them know you're coming.
Some cars do it as well, it's not a problem and I've never heard any complaints.

Originally Posted by LyleXR8

I think bunkers have them on the side so the driver can see where he's going as it's about to roll over

Ooohh, that was hurtfull!!

[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.

[maty]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

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.

People have enough trouble with dimming high beam going forward let alone rear fog lights. Anyone who has travelled the f6 sydney to wollongong will know that it can get very thick fog with reduced visibility, with signs alerting motorist hazard lights may be used on moving vehicles in fog this is a receipe for disaster in my opinion at night. I have seen a few close calls where cars have thought others cars where moving But where actually pulled up on the side of the road.

[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

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Some might, and some have been booked for blinking cars around (Although it's very common do do this for another Truck) and NEVER drive with one light constantly in the mirror. Just take a peek out there every so often.


I didn't mean to imply sticking your lights in their mirror constantly. You're description is what I actually meant. So thanks for making it clearer

Sitting behind a Truck, on country/interstate roads you can usually see if he has his lights on High or Low beam.
If they're dipped there's a good chance that something is coming, even over the next rise that you cant see.
When he puts them on high beam put your nose out for a second to see if it's safe to pass.


If someone is behind me at night I usually move over near fog line to give them room to have a look at the road ahead without them having to drive over the centre line to see what's ahead.

Not quite 'standard practice' but appreciated

The practice of indicating was mentioned to me by an old school truckie. By old school I mean he started driving 50 years ago and has since retired.

I don't know where you heard this as it's an unwritten courtesy that when one Truck passes another to flash high beam to let them know you're coming.
Some cars do it as well, it's not a problem and I've never heard any complaints.

Again, the peeve off scenario was told to me by an old school truckie. When ever I'm driving I have the utmost courtesy for truckies. I know the hours they do, the headaches they put up with, so I do try my best to make sure when they're driving near me, they get the run they need

Having just come back for a trip S.A to QLD, every truck I was behind, night or day, indicated to me when it was safe to pass. None of them actually flashed their lights

Hope it clears a few things up.

[Jestr75]

Another thing that also causes problems at night is some of the road signs like the big 'overtaking lane ahead' ones and the arrows on sharper bends. There are a couple between Maryborough and Rockhampton that reflect your lights straight back at you, blindinding you for a split second. Don't know if it is the placement of the sign (wrong angle etc), the material used in the signs or my headlights.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

A 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.

I had a truck flash its right indicator at me last week. We were about 100m from the crest of a hill. I just ignored his indicator and waited till I reached the crest before I passed him.
Not sure how he knew what was on the other side of the crest, but he was right, there were no on coming traffic for a couple of km.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Ben73

I had a truck flash its right indicator at me last week. We were about 100m from the crest of a hill. I just ignored his indicator and waited till I reached the crest before I passed him.
Not sure how he knew what was on the other side of the crest, but he was right, there were no on coming traffic for a couple of km.

If it was night time he would be on the lookout for the halo of any oncoming headlights and during daylight hours he would have radioed ahead on the UHF to find out if there was any oncoming traffic in the immediate area. That's the only ways of knowing if there's anything over a blind crest; also, if it was a relatively shallow or low crest you have to remember he's sitting about 5-6ft or 1.5-1.8m higher than you and could see over the shallow crest where you can't in a car.

Bushbasher

[dylby1]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

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.

exactly right. most truckies will do that, my dad taught me that years ago as a kid.
truckies love it, a bit of manners goes a bloody long way when most people hate them because theyre in big vehicles