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[KabeRinnaul]

Just happened on my way home from work tonight.

First, some suck from me. One of my headlights went out recently, and out of fear of getting a ticket for it (as I trust neither the local traffic cops nor my luck with the law in general), I'm running my high beams until I get the chance to fix it (which should be tomorrow).

I understand it's annoying to other drivers, and I understand that I might piss somebody off with it sometimes.

But then there's this guy.

I came up behind him coming into town, and his reaction was to slow down more and more until I passed him. As I was passing him, he stuck his head out the window and screamed "TURN OFF YOUR FUCKING HIGHBEAMS, SHITHEAD!"

Then he pulled in behind me, turned his own high beams on, and proceeded to tailgate me while blowing his horn until we finally separated after a few blocks, at which point he screamed out his window at me again and floored it in the other direction.

[greek_jester]

I came up behind him coming into town, and his reaction was to slow down more and more until I passed him. As I was passing him, he stuck his head out the window and screamed "TURN OFF YOUR FUCKING HIGHBEAMS, SHITHEAD!"

Then he pulled in behind me, turned his own high beams on, and proceeded to tailgate me while blowing his horn until we finally separated after a few blocks, at which point he screamed out his window at me again and floored it in the other direction.

That guy's reaction was completely excessive; road rage is never the answer.


To be honest, though, you'd be better driving with one headlight out rather than full beams on. You risk dazzling oncoming drivers (or drivers ahead of you looking in their rear-view mirror) which could lead to them hitting someone as they try to clear the after-images.


Which would you rather have; a ticket for driving with one light out, or the knowledge that you caused another driver to injure or kill someone by dazzling them at the wrong moment?

[Luna Baby]

Road rage is unacceptable. However, in my state, driving with your high beams on into oncoming traffic is illegal and could net you a ticket. Best to just use what you have and if you get stopped explain that you are getting it fixed, he/she just got you pulled over before you could get to the shop and hope they let you off with just a warning. Better safe than sorry.

[Dave1982]

Agreed....you are better off driving with the burnt out headlight. Failing to dim your high beams is a ticketable offense. I think just having the burnt out light is the lesser of two evils.

[Mikkel]

Anyway the position lights should still be on in both sides. You may have problems seeing both sides of the road, other drivers should not have any trouble seeing both sides of your car. A warning should be all you risk first time you are stopped. Should you be stopped next day, still one-eyed, the full power of the law is likely to fall upon your head .
Many modern cars need exceptionally small and long hands, the ability to work little finicky things in place blindfolded, or a proper workshop. Most cops will be aware of that.
The old taxi I drove until this summer ate headlamp bulbs. Every third month it would need a new. Right side was all right, but the left was mounted just in front of one of the coolant hoses. You would have about one inch of space to get your hand down, unplug the bulb, turn it a quarter turn and fish it out, then put the new in, working with your hand a hairs breadth from boiling water temperature hoses.
The new one have xenon headlights. At 150$ a bulb I will let the workshop do the job.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Many modern cars need exceptionally small and long hands, the ability to work little finicky things in place blindfolded, or a proper workshop. Most cops will be aware of that.
The old taxi I drove until this summer ate headlamp bulbs. Every third month it would need a new. Right side was all right, but the left was mounted just in front of one of the coolant hoses. You would have about one inch of space to get your hand down, unplug the bulb, turn it a quarter turn and fish it out, then put the new in, working with your hand a hairs breadth from boiling water temperature hoses.
The new one have xenon headlights. At 150$ a bulb I will let the workshop do the job.

Another thing on that I've learned from my Dad: some of the newer vehicles require the removal of the entire FRONT END in order to change a burnt out headlight.

Such was the case w/my stepmom's car (2011 Chrysler 200.) Dad told me he fiddled w/that thing for an hour and a half trying to get the cover off so he could reach the bulb, gave up in disgust and ended up taking it to the local Chrysler dealer for replacement (as opposed to the dealer where my stepmom bought the car, which was down in Southport, 4 hours away at the coast.)

His 2004 Ford Ranger, OTOH, he can simply remove the headlight cover and change it himself.

So yeah, if you have a newer vehicle, the only way to change out that bulb is to go to a repair shop or the dealership (especially if you are under warranty) to get it changed.

And they call that progress, but I digress. Just stay safe in the meanwhile and, IIRC in most places driving with the highbeams in the city limits is a no-no. You're better off in the long run just using the one headlight that does work (and I see that on occasion around here as well.)

[protege]

Road rage is unacceptable. However, in my state, driving with your high beams on into oncoming traffic is illegal and could net you a ticket. Best to just use what you have and if you get stopped explain that you are getting it fixed, he/she just got you pulled over before you could get to the shop and hope they let you off with just a warning. Better safe than sorry.

Same here. Here, you can get busted for driving with your high beams on with oncoming traffic. You can also get busted for having a light out. From what I understand, if you explain you're getting it fixed and provide proof that the repair has been done, the ticket is rescinded.

What I've always done, is have the high beams on until I see an oncoming car. Dip the lights, and the other driver(s) is (are) understanding. I've had lights go out, and it sucks. Especially if I'm in the orange car. The headlights on that are rather feeble to begin with...

[LoTech]

Headlights can be tricky or easy.

My 2006 Buick has high- beams that can be accessed and changed without tools, no problem.

The low-beam bulbs, on the other hand, require a 10mm wrench to unbolt the headlight assembly, and something like a nail puller or claw hammer to un-pin a strip of the bumper cover from between the high and low lenses. Only then can light assembly be slid far enough away from the fender to change the bulb.

I've done both. But I was able to do the high-beam in the parking lot moments after buying the new bulb. The low-beam had to wait until I got home.