Driving and Roads

[Black Hole]

I don't know what DRLs are supposed to achieve, other than to make up for lack of adequate driver training to know when it is and is not appropriate to turn on lights yourself.

For example:

I was out on the motorway in bad weather yesterday, and most cars had lights on except a few - who were almost invisible at a medium distance. DRLs don't make up for that, because they only show at the front.

I have had oncoming cars flash me, I assume for not having my headlights on, when the sun is out. This typically happens just after mid-winter when the days start to lengthen and rush-hour drivers are putting lights on to drive home out of habit.

I was behind a vehicle with no lights at night for some distance, and I stopped when they pulled into a driveway. "Do you realise you didn't have your lights on?" "Yes we did, this car is fitted with DRLs." "That's only in the front - what about the back?"

 

[EEPhil]

I have had oncoming cars flash me, I assume for not having my headlights on, when the sun is out. This typically happens just after mid-winter when the days start to lengthen and rush-hour drivers are putting lights on to drive home out of habit.

I made the mistake of forgetting to turn my headlights off when I exited a car park. Some fool, parked on the wrong side of the road, wrongly assumed I'd flashed him to let him pull out. I hadn't and he did. How I managed to swerve, miss him, and avoid oncoming traffic is one of life's mysteries.

Never mind DRLs, hazard warning lights can be a bgr. You can't always tell, when someone is hidden in a row of parked cars, whether they are wanting to pull out or whether they are using the hazard lights. You find out when you try to let them out and nothing happens.

 

[Black Hole]

Never mind DRLs, hazard warning lights can be a bgr. You can't always tell, when someone is hidden in a row of parked cars, whether they are wanting to pull out or whether they are using the hazard lights. You find out when you try to let them out and nothing happens.

Second that. Hazard lights are almost universally misused: they are there to signal an unavoidable hazard, not "I can't be bothered to find somewhere more appropriate to park". Nobody should be deliberately creating a hazard in the first place.

Some fool, parked on the wrong side of the road, wrongly assumed I'd flashed him to let him pull out. I hadn't and he did.

Are you sure? That might not have been in the fool's mind at all.

Many years ago a passing ambulance stopped to ask if there was a problem when all I had done (late at night) was park up and turn my lights off.

 

[EEPhil]

Many years ago a passing ambulance stopped

Must have been. These days a passing ambulance is on the way to the next incident. No time to stop and check for passing trade.

 

[Black Hole]

Unless, perhaps, it was on its way to a call and thought I was signalling location. I did tend to sit in the car for a bit before going in, listening to something on the radio (often the shipping forecast).

 

[EEPhil]

Aha! The ambulance was just sailing by was it?

 

[prpr]

often the shipping forecast

I wonder if BH ever goes sailing. Something tells me probably not...

 

[RobH1]

I bet he has a Fair Isle jumper, is not in his Forties, and knows Rockall about how German('s) Bight!

 

[peterworks]

Some people on here think he "sails close to the wind" (though not me I must stress...)

 

[prpr]

We probably shouldn't mention Dogger. It might make him a Cromarty old git.

 

[prpr]

He has of course got more of a Fastnet than he had last week, since mucking with his phone socket.

 

[Trev]

A brand new Wight one?

 

[prpr]

As gleaming as brand new Portland stone.

 

[RobH1]

He could be the Sole survivor from Trafalgar.

 

[Black Hole]

FitzRoy off!

 

[Trev]

Are we going all the way round with this? Or should I just shut my Ply-mouth?

 

[RobH1]

Drives a Humber? Keep going chaps, it's getting harder! Plus it's raining out there.

 

[prpr]

Keep going chaps, it's getting harder!

We'll enDover to do our best.

Plus it's raining out there.

It's Britain. It's the middle of June. I've had the central heating on three days this week so far. Never done that before. I knew we'd pay for that Easter weather somewhere.
It somewhat reminds me of 2012 - the first week of the Olympics, and ISTR one of the cycle road* races in particular, was horrid.

* Back on topic!

 

[prpr]

It somewhat reminds me of 2012

And what about the Jubilee barge parade down the Thames. It wazzed it down most of the day.

 

[RobH1]

FitzRoy off!

Go Forth and multiply!