MOTOR NOTES.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 144, 5 August 1926, Page 7

MOTOR NOTES.

THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM.

TO DIM OR NOT TO DIM? Courtesy among motorists has often been stressed before in these columns, and in every instance driving formula which keeps us within certain safety bounds is well observed, but there is an occasion when we exceed ourselves and apply an unwritten law which does not altogether seem necessary. Take, for instance, the popular practice of dimming headlights. Some time ago discussion raged around this ' practice, and motoring authorities agreed that it would be better not to j dim, and would be far safer to face severe headlights than attempt to dim while approaching a car. No doubt there is a lot to be said in both directions, but, after all, only experience will give you an idea of which practice is the safer. There have certainly been accidents caused by people passing behind a car which temporarily blinded the driver coming in the opposite ‘direction, and caused him to run down the pedestrian before he could properly regain his' normal vision. No doubt many accidents to pedestrians could be attributed to this, but in other States where there is no dimming, you seldom hear of an accident from this source. To have driven where there is no | dimming will give you (fuite a different outlook on the subject, and you will find that the non-dimming practice is easily the best. There are equally as many dangers in ; dimming as there are to be encountered ' when passing cars with glaring headlights. Two cars suddenly approaching, both temporarily losing their lights, may collide, run off the foad, : or fail to see 'another vehicle. With head-

lights on all the time, a driver can see j even if headlights are severe. The 1 | great mistake made by many drivers ■; is’ that they look at the headlights of i the car approaching and are tempor- 5 arily blinded, ' ' A good driver will never look at ’he j headlights of the other car. He keeps , his vision within the rays Of light, on ■ the edge of it, arid has no trouble'in , passing the other car within a safe ■ distance. In some countries there are penalties for dimming, and to many motorists the practice is unknown. This in itself is a good' argument, showing ' that dimming is’ hot altogether neces- ' ‘ifryMany motorists tell you that they are opposed to dimming, but do so as a token of courtesy for the driver who dims first. You will , often see two cars pass without dimming, and apparently both drivers are satisfied that there is nc necessity for the practice. Often when dimming at, say, a distance of 40.. yards, one Has to pass over the road without the necessary flood of light which will show up dangerous holes in the road. Both cars have the same experience, and, if travelling at all fast, the bumps that are encountered in the dark make the passing of the cars particularly hazardous. Courtesy on the road is a good J thing, and it is pleasing to note that our motorists are becoming accustom-’ ed to giving signals .and allowing for their fellow-drivers. It is really courtesy and force of habit which causes motorists to dim so frequently, and it remains for everybody, wherever possible, to fry driving without-dimming. - Even in instances where there are severe headlights, in your opinion, your own lights, if full on, are just as severs when looked into, and have the same effect'on‘the other driver. It-is all a matter of judgment in passing cars in the night. The main thing is to ignore the severity of headlights, only looking on the edge of the flood of light. By doing this you will have no difficulty in passing any car, and after getting out of the habit of dimming you will readily appreciate the difference. It is not intended to suggest that motorists should not dim. There is no law one way or the other on the subject, and it remains for the motorist to arrive at his own conclusions; and, where courtesy is not involved, he has a chance of learning that there is really no necessity for dimming. Sydney Sun. t -