Was wondering what peoples opinions were relating to the use of main beam lights at night on motorways.

I find that I wan't to use mine to be able to see clearly as far as possible ahead but I'm concerned that I might be dazzling oncoming traffic even if there are no cars close in front of me. Do the central barriers prevent dazzle to oncoming cars?

In reality I find myself hardly using them

 

The barriers don't stop the dazzle, what you need is better low beam:
a u t o l a m p s - o n l i n e

Or if you can wait a few months, these will be available in H1:
Philips H4 X-treme 80% brighter than a standard halogen lamp and 100% road legal

I have fit the Vision Plus (+50%) and it has made an improvement. The Philips +30% main beam though have an even more noticeable improvement.

 

And that's pretty much how it should be unless no one else is about.
The barriers don't act as a total shield, you should always dip to oncoming traffic on any road.

Too many feejits driving around with too many unnecessary lights on these days - usual mistakes of front fogs on without reason or trying to look cool, rear fogs on when there's no fog around or on as soon as it rains.
The latest one in the London area seems to be the need to drive around the centre on main beam. What's that all about??????

Time for Cash Gordon to instigate a "proper use of lights or we'll clear out your bank account and crush your car" campaign!
Can't believe the the treasury are missing out on this revenue raising opportunity

<steps down off soapbox>

 

i use full beam but only when the motorway has no lights on, and nothing in front and nothing coming towards me,

steve

 

You must do most of your motorway driving very early in the morning

 

I'm sure the highway code says you can use full beam on motorways as long as nothing is infront off you.....traffic coming in the opposite direction doesn't matter......well it does "matter" but not in this case

 

I'd be putting mine up if you were coming the other way with your headlights on main beam!!!

I use main beam on the motorway but dip when something comes the other way or you come up behind someone else.

I do loads of motorway miles and can ever manage about 30 seconds of main beam before something comes the other way. Even at 3am there still loads of traffic about.

Get some brighter headlight bulbs, doesn't cost the earth but makes a hell of differeance on dipped.

 

HID ALL THE WAY!!

Then laugh at all the people flashing you thinking you're on high beams....
and think to yourself, "If only they knew my high beams arn't as bright...."

 

I would never use full beam when there is traffic in front or coming the other way. It just blinds everybody

 

The barriers do a pretty good job of stopping the lights from ordinary cars, (non-MPV, SUV, 4x4 etc) from getting in the eyes of other ordinary car drivers on flat stretches.

Unfortunately, they don't stop you dazzling those other drivers, as listed above, and also HGV drivers, many of who have about a gazillion HID driving lights which they'll happily show you if you dazzle them

UK motorways could learn a lot from French ones, which either have wider central reservations with bushes growing in them, or vertical sort of blind-thingies that do the same job, on many stretches. You can then use main beam with impunity, only dipping if there's someone in front.........and in a Scoob after dark, they don't stay in front long

Trouble is. they pass you again when you have to stop for fuel every 150 miles;(

Alcazar

 

If you can see tail or headlights you should dip, motorway or not, do unto others as you would want them to do to you!!
And please if ever you stop at the roadside go onto sidelights, hate idiots who leave headlights on especially on wrong side of road - oops sorry I'm goin on one.........

 

In more than one way.

After overtaking they all pull over. Anyone doesn't pull over, you get flashed out the way. Flashing here automatically injects of the said driver with a high dosage of testerone and turns them into the swearing/signing/mad driving hulk!

 

Have to agree, unfortunately. UK motorways are a PITA. FAR too much traffic and most of it driven by idiots.

Alcazar