Lighting-Up Time

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31118, 22 July 1966, Page 10

Lighting-Up Time

Sir. —1, too, was amazed at what I read about the above subject, but it was “Safety First’s” letter that caused the amazement I am unable to fathom the sense of the remark about “consistent pests who turn on their lights while visibility is still good.” It seems to me that if visibility is good then car lights will not bother anybody, and surely anything that makes one’s car more easily seen by other drivers must be a good safety measure, particularly at that brief period when good visibility very rapidly becomes not so good. It is to be hoped that “Safety First” is not one of those drivers who steam merrily along with only park lights switched on. If he is, he should sign any future letters “Safety Last”—Yours, etc., F. D. STOKES. July 20, 1966.

Sir.—ln almost 60 years of driving, and almost on every road in this country, one met with a lot of good will and a lot too, of inconsiderate drivers. The virtue of good will speaks for itself, but using headlights, over-bright in the early or late periods of daylight is as “Safety First”

points out, more inconsiderate than necessary. To be suddenly blinded by emergency tail lights, nearly as bright as atom bomb explosions, improves somebody’s status symbol, with great lack of consideration for others. Fiddling with established road codes is another hazard by authorities who regard cars as more important than humans. Lighting up of crossings for 10 people in eight cars in preference over ten pedestrians standing in the rain speaks volumes on the present trend of traffic engineers in their consideration towards those who would like to walk safely.—Yours, etc., H. F. BAIRD. July 20, 1966.

Sir —It was refreshing to read the reply of your able motoring columnist, A.J.P., to “Safety First’s” ill-considered and dangerous comments on what he (or she) calls the pests who turn on their vehicle lights before darkness falls. Having held driving licences in many different countries, I feel that one of our worst local driving faults is the regrettable reluctance of many drivers to use generator electricity before darkness has obscured visibility. If light conditions are such that oncoming headlights dazzle, one may be sure that one’s own vehicle requires illumination. There are few driving hazards worse than an unlighted vehicle appearing out of the gloom at a closing speed of approximately 60 m.p.h.—Yours, etc., LIGHT THE DARKNESS, July 20, 1966.