Lack of Courtesy In Night Driving

Northern Advocate, 25 January 1939, Page 9

Lack of Courtesy In Night Driving

The particularly heavy traffic of the Christmas season emphasised many motoring sins and driving mistakes, but one stood out above all else, the

general lack of courtesy between motorists at night time.

This was specially noticeable on main arteries When crowds of people were hurrying home at the conclusion of their holidays.

. The greatest cause for complaint i about night driving is that motorists t will not use the headlight dipping ) mechanisms with which their cars are i provided. They resolutely refuse to dip until the other fellow does so first. As he generally' nurses the same sus-„ picion of the first man’s read courtesy, there is very little headlight dipping at all. The curious thing is that the driver who makes a practice of dipping as soon as another car comes into sight invariably has his courtesy I ; returned in kind,, to the great comfort j of both parties. It would be far: r better if motorists would compete with • each other lo see who could dip first j rather than to behave as they do at j present, conduct a duel with blazing i, headlights.(until one. irian weakens! j and dips at fhe last possible moment, j While the majority of motorists seem to drive about in heavy traffic with headlights full on, a quite unnecessary thing when in speed limit areas, far worse things are done by those people who virtuously dip their headlights and leave them down, but resentfully flash them up again at the worst possible moment when a driver coming from the opposite direction indulges in some manoeuvre, which, in their opinion, is unsafe. How often, for instance, with plenty of road room, a driver cuts round a vehicle ahead, only to experience the sudden blinding dazzle from a car coming from the opposite direction—previously running with its lights dipped—when right in the middle of the manoeuvre. Who can imagine a more dangerous trick? Only slightly less dangerous is the habit of some people of dipping the headlights and . then when not receiving an apparent answer, of bringing them full, on again when only a few yards separate the cars. It does not; matter to them that the ear they (

considered to be offending was probably already running With headlights dipped. The possibility that that can be the case never seems to enter many drivers’ heads. But even though ‘ it is not, it is dangerous to flash lights up and down in the careless manner frequently seen. The lights should be in one position, but preferably down, * until the other driver has passed out of range.

Combating Dazzle. Some space is being given to this matter of headlight dazzle, because it so obviously is a major problem of present-day motoring. More courtesy between motoWsts than they extend to each other at present is wanted urgently, and .also far more common sense. When headlights are properly adjusted, the meticulous use of the dipping mechanism by everybody is as good a solution as any we are likely to see for some time. The best way for the individual to meet the dazzle problem when a pair of blazing lights is encountered, is to pull well into the left and stop. Above all, the greatest caution must be exercised. Cyclists in dark clothing without the regulation red reflector are an ever-present menace, and so are pedestrians walking with their backs to traffic. These people

materialise out of nothing with horrifying swiftness, and their presence on the dark road ahead must always be suspected. Proof of the quality of the German autobahnen or motor roads is provided by the fact that General Huhnlein, who is the head of German motoring sport, recently covered the distance from Berlin to* Munich, 360 miles, in four hours 32 minutes. This included a stop of 25 minutes for refuelling and refreshments. The average speed for the journey was 87.6 miles an hour running time, or a fraction under 80 miles an hour, point to point. Even admitting that the speed was achieved with one of the fastest cars produced in Germany, the performance provides a good deal of food for thought and gives an inkling of the real reason for the construction of these roads in Germany.