DAZZLING HEADLIGHTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5295, 4 July 1928, Page 2

DAZZLING HEADLIGHTS.

A MOTORIST’S VIEWS.

“ FOCUSSING A , FAILURE.”

There are those who declare that the focussing of headlights, as provided by the new motor, regulations, dees not obviate the danger of dazzling..

A correspondent writes to a contemporary on this subject as under :

“I have had a few weeks? experience of night driving on some of our main and country roatlfj since the compulsory focussing of headlights came into force. I can .unhesitatingly say that it is an absolute failure as a cure for dazzling. Lights which may be correctly focussed for a levelsurfaced ro4,d are udeleps. for. the purpose that is intended bn our uneven anfl undulating country roads. “Last night I passed a car. which was stationary on the road with, its lights dimmed. The driver called to me : ‘Why don’t you get your lights focusped ? Your lights blinded me when I was 300 yards aw.ay, and I had to stop.” I explained that my lights were correctly focussed according to the regulations, and that the whole trouble was that our. Highways Board and the county councils did not give us tlie same road conditions as those on which our lights were adjusted according to the regulations. “I have found it necessary cm many occasions, through tihe blinding effect of the liglils on on-coming cars, to stop and dim and allow them to pass. I have alsb been accorded t.he same courtesy by being; allowed to pass drivers who have been compellefli to stop on account of the 'dazzling, effect from my own ear. My opinion is that it is now much more dangerous on country roads than when the dimming and flipping of headlights was practised. In conversation with several motorists who (have had experience of driving at .night under the new regulations the opinion has been freely expressed that serious accidents will result under the present s/stem unless dimming, or dipping, together with correct focussing, is .also made compulsory.”