Stupid people driving in bad weather

[fma_fanatic]

I meant to post this the other night but the husband and I had to scurry to the basement as the storm sirens were going on.

I'm sure most of us in the Midwest knew about the storms that were rolling over the area on Wednesday and into Wednesday night. One of the things that you must do when you use your wipers is turn on the headlights. I can't even begin to count the number of people who didn't, or who felt that their parking lights were sufficient enough. There were some areas where the clouds were heavy and it was dark. As in almost evening dark.

The other thing that people need to remember is that if you encounter a huge wall of water that is caused by a truck going over a big puddle, you don't slam on your breaks, causing you to hydroplane and skid into the lane that someone else is in.

Someone did this, seriously. There was a puddle and a large construction truck drove through a dip in the road that had accumulated water. If there had been a car in the lane next to me, I might have been in another broadside accident. I was lucky and able to swerve to keep from being hit.

[blas]

For the majority of the week, I'm a day sleeper and by the time I get out and about, it'd be more than absurd to not have your lights on.

The past couple of days, I've been kind of a "normal" person and have been out and about or in someone else's vehicle right at about dusk.

When it starts getting dark, you turn on your effing headlights. Again, no wonder newer vehicles come with auto lights.

[roothorick]

When it starts getting dark, you turn on your effing headlights. Again, no wonder newer vehicles come with auto lights.

"Newer"? My 98 Chevy has auto lights. Since it's my first car, I've quickly gotten a bit too used to it; I'd probably forget to turn them on if I was in a car with manual lights.

[blas]

New to me is anything before 2000, after having driven nothing but cars in pretty close comparison to my age before my new baby boy.

I have auto lights but I can change it to manual if I want. There are times during the day they turn on and I don't want them on.

[CaroPhoenix]

I want a car where the lights come on automatically! My 2000 Honda Civic & my 2005 Mazda Tribute don't have automatic lights. That would be awesome.

I think, please don't quote me on this, the state of Virginia makes it law that you have to have your lights on when your windshield wipers are on. If not, I think you can be pulled over and fined. Since I always turn on my lights and then my window wipers, I've never been pulled over for that.

But I really do think that when the weather gets bad, everyone has their brains put on autopilot or something.

[Mikkel]

I want a car where the lights come on automatically! My 2000 Honda Civic & my 2005 Mazda Tribute don't have automatic lights. That would be awesome.

Strange, my 1984 Mazda 323 had automatic lights as has my present car (2001 Suzuki). The law in Denmark is that your lights must be on when you drive, that may be why it's standard on most cars.

[blas]

You're not kidding.

We just had a lovely ice storm right before Thanksgiving and a lot of sideroads and parking lots are completely glazed over, like hockey rinks. You wouldn't believe how many people are driving like normal over them......

It's so great, I have to take alternate routes now to get around so I can avoid the slick areas. I love winter so much.

[protege]

The law in Denmark is that your lights must be on when you drive, that may be why it's standard on most cars.

In the US, it wasn't until recently that the automakers started doing that. Pennsylvania supposedly has it as a law that if your wipers are on, the headlights are supposed to be as well. However, I've never heard of anyone being pulled over for that.

[Stormraven]

California has a similar law. If the wipers are on intermittent, you don't have to have your lights, but otherwise, you do.

[Andara Bledin]

My latest car has auto headlights, and I love it. Although it's kind of funny to watch the dash lights dim when going through a tunnel, then brighten again on the other side as the lights go on and off.

^-.-^

[Geek King]

In the US, it wasn't until recently that the automakers started doing that. Pennsylvania supposedly has it as a law that if your wipers are on, the headlights are supposed to be as well. However, I've never heard of anyone being pulled over for that.

Ohio just passed that law last year, and it just came into effect this year. It didn't really matter to me, as I turn them on anyway.

[Chromatix]

Most Volvos have automatic running lights - they come on with the ignition - and that's sufficient for daytime in Finland. At night you still need headlights to see with, but at least you can be seen.

[Kogarashi]

And New York has the lights + wipers law too, to the point that there are big signs about it posted along the Thruway, along with things like fastening your seatbelts and fines in constructions zones being double.

While still at college, I once encountered a rather dark blue-grey car driving through a shadowy part of the city at dusk with no headlights. It literally blended in with the pavement.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

I have to wonder...
is this the municipal version of "idiot tax", these tickets? I mean, how difficult is it to turn on/off your lights? How inconvenient is it to drive with your lights on?
Being a police officer has its' horrifying times, but being able to say "Respect mah Authoratiah" and pwn/ticket idjits?

[Food Lady]

I never knew there were laws about headlights and wipers, but I've always turned them on 'cause that's what my momma taught me. And I's a good daughter. [/southern]