GLARING HEADLIGHTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19700, 4 August 1938, Page 6

GLARING HEADLIGHTS

DIFFICULT ADJUSTMENTS “SYSTEM IS ALL WRONG” “Every motor vehicle is differently sprung and it is difficult to adjust headlights so that they will come within the regulations under all conditions,” said a garage proprietor today in defence of some motorists who probably unknowingly are offending other users of the roads by means of their glaring lights. "The system is all wrong, but we have been adjusting all lights with the cars empty, making the distance for light cars 150 ft. and that for the heavier models 175 ft. to allow for the rise in the beams ' once the car is loaded. The regulation says that the centre of the main beam of light should be projected downwards to meet a horizontal road surface at a distance of not more than 200 ft. ahead of the vehicle.” The vehicles were treated in that manner because in most cases they were driven with small loads, many times the driver being the sole occupant. The lc-ad in the car would bring the lights of the vehicle up to the required distance. The lamps could not be set any lower or there would be too many hazards for the driver with an empty car. As it was now, the garage man said, it was difficult for a motorist to see safely ahead with -the lights conforming with the regulations. If all the cars took on full loads of passengers, he added, there would be hundreds of cars in Gisborne with glaring lights, and if the vehicles had luggage on tlie carrier as well the beams would be thrown up a further inch or two. In England there were no such regulations, but the code of the road was adhered to and all drivers dipped their beams to approaching traffic. They could have their beams as high as they liked.