Lighting Of Cars

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29798, 14 April 1962, Page 3

Lighting Of Cars

Sir, —For many years I had to drive cars on almost every road in this country in all sorts of conditions. The worst hazard I met was overbright tail lights on cars ahead. In heavy rain or fog such bright lights suddenly flashing just in front of one briefly reduce night visibility to nil. "Safety on the Roads” is wise to seek sufficiently bright lighting, but over-bright is more dangerous. Some 50 years ago on our Model T. vintage 1905 car, weak acetylene tail lights but with more carts, horses, dogs and cows on the roads, seemed pretty safe? Changing colours on large advertising signs, particularly near busy intersections, in rain or fog, also dangerously contract eyes, and almost every night these inevitably distract attention and temporarily reduce my seeing powers, just when dangers are greatest. It seems desirable that any changing lights above some intensity should be kept out of places where traffic is dense.— Yours, etc.,

DODDERING OLD FOOL. April 13, 1962.