HEADLIGHT GLARE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 28

HEADLIGHT GLARE

CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS

SAFETY BEGINS AT HOME

"Judging from" comments received on the recent-discussion of glaring head- : lights and the urgent need for bearing do\yn on-offenders, particularly in the open country, "this -is a subject on which-many-motorists feel more strongly than has been- suspected," writes an American -journalist in his comment on; the public reactions to one of his utterances. ■ 4 ■ - " • -' • ■

"There lias been- hearty agreement that -dazzling and blinding headlights form' about the' most annoying anddownright dangerous of all conditions

encp'uritered -in night; driving. But human-nature being what it is, one wonders .how., 'many drivers who denounce the other fellow's neglect of his headlights are careful to see that their own are-adjusted.to comply with the law, Or is it,too often a case of seeing; the, gleam in the- other .fellow's lights and ignoring the glare in one's own?!/ ."- : '.:.-'■

"There probably wouldn't be much need for headlight'law enforcement if every; time ;'a' motorist met. a . glaring set of lamps he 'proceeded to make certain at the first opportunity.that his own lights',;were-in proper order. :

"Then there-is the use of the dimmer or. passing beam, so' simple to operate on the newer .model-cars and yet riot used anywhere near as faithfully >as it shoujd be.! Even with-headlights, that are .adjusted iri> compliance with law, by dimming^ or dipping them>. on approach . of-ahotherv'cat1- motoiqsts perform' an act; of highway courtesy and help- to • make driving • safer. ' Care should be taken ■to . use the lights-, in the., raised" position only when : longrange driving vision .is required. It is particularly important to'dip or dim lights .on mountainous or winding roads- .whei*e momentary cpnfusion holds a greater' chance of accident."

He proceeds to deal with the "matter of overdriving the headlights," by which is meant the distance they show, the road clearly ahead.. Drivers are. apt to let the speed get'beyohd"the point where they can ■ stop 'within that distance. When;-something appears unexpectedly.; ahead'.«:in- the glare : of the lights, action is not immediate. Our old friend, .reaction time,; comes in here;-and-.there.may. be much- tp do. . First there-is-'the1, decision, or .perhaps there, are,;decisions, that have, 'to be taken, and '"'this ■.addshfu:rther:-.'.to:.the ■ delay "incurred by the: actions '.themselves. .. The ■bar 1-travel:well:.beyond jwhat was jotiginally:''the; headlight, distance, before'.ithasijroved possible to bring it up..-:C: If-'it'-is ,true-that.a -car should be' driven at;:a"speed within 1 the- clear vision'ahead—hajf. that distance, by the way^in^^Jew-^Zealarid^-it is clear; that it should, riot ■ibe'?driven .at _a: speed greater^thanji^an ;be: ;pulled"up .within the distarice/;..reyeaied. under : the headlights:■; ''' ' v;'"-;;': . •

it in the fariiiliar. jagged-edged . fragments. The impact test, given, the toughened glass is' represented by, the same weight dropped from a height of sft. Samples .of each batch are also tested with an impact of Bft. At 10ft Jin toughened plate glass would perhaps break. It then flies into millions of fragments resembling toffee.

After the impact test each piece of glass is viewed through a polariscope in which the sheet is seen as a beautiful tartan. pattern in the colours of the rainbow, the even distribution of which is the key to its compliance to the standard. Glass which does not fulfil this condition is imperfect and is consequently rejected.