GLARING HEADLIGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 12 (Supplement)

GLARING HEADLIGHTS.

MANY LOCAL OFFENDERS. A DANGER ON THE ROAD. 1 _____ The dangers attendant upon vrongly Adjuste'd headlights cannot be tt>o frequently stressed, and ono of tlio most important parts of the A.A.A. " Safety First "j campaign is an endeavour to make all owners have tho headlights of their cars properly adjusted. It is difficult to ■understand why owners do not pay more attention to this very necessary aspect of efficient maintenance of their cars, specially when A. A.A. members can have their lights adjusted free, and non-mem tiers oan receivo tho same service for a nominal fee. It is just as essential for the headlights of a car to be properly focussed and tho beam cast at tlie correct tingle, as it is for tho tyres to be given regular attention, and yet many owners v.ho test and correct their tyre pressures weekly do not have their lights adjusted from one year's end to the next. Advantages of Adjustment.

1 Tt is <1 pleasure to drive a car with the headlights functioning properly, as there is a clear beam of light cast on the road just where it is most needed, but when the focus is poor and the light is cast j.airtly up into the air, the driver is not afforded a good view of tho road ahead, end being unable to see well himself, often, in addition, momentarily blinds those in an approaching car. Quite apart from tho annoyance and danger caused to others, the driver of a car with glaring headlights is not giving himself the full benefit of the powerful lights at his disposal. It is surely very stupid for a motorist to continue using a car in which quite one half the power of the headlights is being absolutely wasted, and yet, in spite of many warnings and requests, there are a large number of cars in and Around Auckland with headlights which send bright beams straight into the eyes of other motorists.

The question of " dimming or dipping " has been thoroughly threshed out among motorists, but'it should be recognised that with well-focussed lights there is no need to worry about causing inconvenienco to others. On the contrary, such lights can be a help, specially in the country, in showing another car just how much room there is in which to pass. Night Driving in the Country.

The nuisance arising from badly adjusted lights is sufficiently evident ir town out in the country it is many times worse, more especially when the traffic is at all heavy. / Glaring headlights piercing a cloud of dust make it absolutely impossible for a driver to see where he is going, and iti tho rain, whether in town or country, the position is tho same. It 5s regrettably true that very many of the country-owned cars have lights in need of adjustment, and this has been a contributing factor to a substantial proportion of the collisions and other accidents which have occured recently at night on country roads.

Motorists in the country are generally very considerate of pedestrians, who have to walk at the side of the road, there being no footpaths. While there is not a large number of pedestrians to be found in the country at night, it is never safe to presume that there are none, and yet it is most difficult to distinguish them in tho face of glaring lights. More than one drivfer, charged with negligence, has offered the plea that he has been unable to see on account of the lights of an approaching car. and it is only when one has been called upon to face powerful lights on a dusty road, that tho truth of such ap excuse can bo realised. Retaining the Adjustment. Another reason why country drivers should bo particular concerning the adjustment of their lights, is that the roads, in many instances, are indifferently finished, ami a stranger, blinded for a moment, may be the cause of a serious accident. When on a strange road, there is a rather natural tendency for drivers to keep as near the centre as possible, and a slight deviation from his course may cause a car to plunge over a bank, or else strike the car carrying tho offending light#.

It is necessary to have the lights adjusted. periodically, as it is not a difficult matter to put them out of adjustment by altering the size of the tyres, or even altering the pressure. The A.A. A. patrols make the adjustments accurately, and the raising or lowering of the front of the car a trifle, in ay easily effect them. Thus, it is advisable to have the lights attended to periodically, and if every driver would do this the roads would be considerably safer for nil traffic by night, THE TUAKAU BRIDGE. It is likely that before long a new «p-to-dat.e traffic bridge will be constructed at Tuakau. Some time ago a couple of spans at tho southern end of tho Tuakau bridge collapsed, and repairs were effected so as to make the bridge useable. Subsequently proposals for a new bridge were placed, before the Highways Board, but before approving, the board instructed tho/Public Works Department to make a close inspection of the bridge mid report. The report was received at the last meeting of the board arid stated that tho bridge was in such a condition that the construction of a new one was justified. This report was approved by the board, and intimation has been sent to that/ effect to the local bodies concerned. Tho bridgo is the outlet for the north err; end of tho Raglan County.