Headlights!!!!

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its still a legal requirement to have sidelights on if the road has a speed limit of 40 or more (or somethig like that). also in a layby on a dual carriageway your required to leave side lights on unless there is a barrier between you and the carriageway

as for the one side only sidelight, rarely see anyone use the correct side.... always the kerb side lights thats on, not the side thats in the road

and i rarely use the handbrake whilst in traffic. released when srarting trip, put back on when stopped. too much hassle to constantly use it (its also fairly low down, so a little out the way)

 
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I notice that hardly anyone puts the handbrake on in traffic , just sit with foot on brake pedal for minutes on end , wierd !!.---------- Post Auto-Merged at 18:24 ---------- Previous post was made at 18:12 ----------

As an afterthought , in the early 60s Birmingham pioneered the nationwide "Dipped Headlight " campaign , signs everywhere.

Believe it or not most people drove on sidelights. Also if you parked on the road ,at night, you had to leave the lights on , until the law was dropped . On some cars, if you could have just the front /rear on the offside by leaving the indicator in that direction.

Another long gone device was the "Parking Light" which hooked on the side window , just a 5w lamp with white /red lens.

Police delighted in slapping a ticket on for "No Lights on a Public Road." Even in the middle of a row of 30 cars all parked up , every one had to have its lights on.
Trouble is Deke people are taught to drive differently these days. My daughter uses her brakes at roundabouts where as i taught to use the gears. She is quite happy leaving her car facing the wrong way round in the dark where as i was always taught to park with the direction of traffic. Things have changed.

 
You are right there Batts !! I was taught to use the gears too, then you should be in the right gear to pull away again.

I thought it was an offence to not park with the rear reflectors facing oncoming traffic?

I notice when driving the wife's automatic Focus that the brakes have to be used a lot more than with a manual , if you take foot off throttle it does'nt slow down as quick.

Another couple of things I notice these days :-

1) I was taught not to double park, as in , parking opposite a car on the other side but theres so many cars I suppose it can't be avoided .

2) Also to give way to heavier vehicles coming up a hill , don't think many bother these days .

3) And whats more annoying than giving way to someone and they sweep past without even the briefest sign of a thank you .

 
On some cars, if you could have just the front /rear on the offside by leaving the indicator in that direction.
We have an old 'M' reg VW polo that does this. The car my wife had when she passed her driving test.

I always use handbreak at traffic lights. Imagine the consequence of being hit from behind with just a foot on the break.................

 
foot brake in traffic lights, or clutch and drive using the gears

when I was taught, it was to not use the gears, so for example when pulling of the m6 you would be in 5th slowing down and only untill it would nearly stall you can then select the gear to travel off in, daft! Gears for me, it saves fuel and also saves traffic.

 
i recently did a speed awareness course.....

they said to use the gears to keep to the speed limit

makes no difference to the fuel consumption

 
How about just slowing down gradually to traffic lights etc???

This really does my nut, I'm not a good passenger, my wife will continue to drive upto a queue at 30mph and then brakes reasonably hard.... Me, I start to slow down as soon as I see a queue!

Then again she quite rightly says "how many accidents have I had compared to you?" the answer is her 0 to my 7 (3 write offs included),,,,, and that I drive like an old man:(

 
if your wife did that in her test now she would fail

please tell me she doesnt drive up to a roundabout ,,,stops then looks ? :pray

 
Andy, I used to use that magic roundabout every day in Swindon. Swindon was my route when I used to collect photo negatives and return their photo prints all over Swindon.

I can honestly say that I started a trend off there.

Queens Drive - into Drove road. It was manic there - people sitting in the queues whining - In ther right hand lane I went, right round the roundabout and off I went - no waiting fror me. A few "Cheeky Barsteward" and a lot more "you clever barsteward - why didn't I think of that" looks were giving to me.

Weren't long before everyone started doing it, after that. :_|

 
IIRC Swindon's Magic Roundabout has very few accidents. I heard it was because in general people were so confused, they all drive slowly.

I like the "round the outside" idea. I can't fault it and can't see what rules you were breaking. Lateral thinking. good man.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was made at 15:26 ----------

If your in a van your a second class citizen.
Depends.

The average car driver will look down on you, but being in a van you will get much more courtesy from other van drivers, and a lot of HGV drivers as well.

When we hired a 71/2 ton truck for our house move (and drove it a round trip of about 1200 miles) you suddenly noticed the respect truck drivers have for each other.

 
IIRC Swindon's Magic Roundabout has very few accidents. I heard it was because in general people were so confused, they all drive slowly.
I have seen one or two there Dave - But not many, mate.

I like the "round the outside" idea.
So do I. :)

I can't fault it and can't see what rules you were breaking. Lateral thinking. good man.
I didn't break any rules in doing it Dave, perfectly legal or I wouldn't have done it. :D

you suddenly noticed the respect truck drivers have for each other.
Not as it used to be though Dave. There was a time you'd see a lorry on the hard shoulder, with countless other HGVs in front and behind it. (Same applies to PSVs).

 
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