I think we can all agree, being blinded by someone who has their “brights” on is beyond annoying. Aside from spots seared onto my retinas, it’s dangerous. You seriously can be temporarily blinded by them. Kinda like this:
I always wonder, did they turn their brights on by accident?
Do they not know their brights are on?
Or, did they turn them on on purpose?
Either way, it drives me crazy.
The driver’s manual says: “Use high beams on open roads, which are not lighted by streetlights, in order to see persons or vehicles ahead. Be aware, you must change to low beam at least 500 feet before meeting oncoming vehicles and when following a vehicle at a distance of 300 feet or less.”
There are some really funky – and some illegal – headlights out there these days, so sometimes it’s hard to tell if they are really, in fact, high beams, or if they are just some new brand of headlight. Google ‘bright headlights’ and you’ll find plenty of articles on the subject.
My plea? Pay attention and make sure your brights aren’t on when you’re in traffic. And, if you’ve gotten some of those new-fangled lights, stay away from me!
Resources:
Driving-Tests.org: When Should High Beam Headlights Be Used? [this is good!]
HawaiiNewsNow: Super Bright Headlights Violate Rules of the Road
Are headlights getting brighter? (Be sure to check out the Mercedes Benz headlight video!)
You’re not just getting older, headlights are getting more powerful
Those Bright Headlights Aren’t just Annoying, They’re bad for your eyes
