HEADLIGHT DIPPING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19997, 24 July 1939, Page 7

HEADLIGHT DIPPING

LOCAL OBSERVANCE MOTORISTS IMPROVING INSPECTOR TAKING NOTE Gisborne motorists- have not yet achieved perfection in their observance of the ne.w regulation which makes it obligatory to dip the lights of their cars when meeting other vehicles. They are, however, showing a decided improvement, according to the district highways traffic inspector. The obligations of motorists- under the new regulations have been widely publicised, and there is no reason lor any owner of a car or truck to be uninformed in respect -of this duty. Failure to dip fights will lead to prosecutions at .an early date, it is expected.

Those owners whose vehicles are not fitted with, the necessary equipment for dipping the headlights _at wild are obliged to have the lighting permanently adjusted, to conform with Ithe regulations-. This means that they must project .beams descending at the .rate of not less than 4in in 10ft., measured (horizontally. Conflict in Regulations

One problem for this class of owner is likely to develop from la conflict in the regulations, as between (the clipping of light-beams, ancl the obligation of having headlights which project beams of sufficient power to enable substantial objects and the nature of the road surface to be clearly visible during the hours of darkness under normal driving and atmospheric conditions, to a .driver of normal vision, at a distance of at least 150 ft. directly in front!

Beams which comply with the dipping regulation, and also with the regulation referred to above, would necessitate (the- headlights being placed at least sft. above the react level. The question of how owners of old-model cars are to comply with both obligations is likely to be raised at short notice.