[FHW]

Light in Tata Punch switches on in low beam even if stalk left in high position during last drive.

Nice addition by manufacturer.

[Yesterdaysnews]

Do we have anyone from a legal background that can throw light on how to petition? What the process is, what the costs are, which court to appeal to and all of that?

[Briarean]

I do not wish to rant about the same things that most of the members have done before me.

Here are my suggestions on what all we should include in a petition to the Government/the court:

Government:

1. Headlights should definitely be considered a part of vehicle safety as well as a danger to Third-party because of their misuse.
2. Strict law in using (and positioning) after-market headlights (especially LED lights)
3. Road infrastructure (Especially highways & Expressways) should include a higher median which can be used as a light barrier.
4. Civic sense – how to encourage people to use low beam wherever possible.
5. Penalization – Traffic Cameras that check for seatbelts should also monitor for high beams in city limits.
6. Driving school:
a. Some kind of license should be given to driving schools and their instructors.
b. Qualifications and experience of their instructor must be verified.
c. Strict way of conducting Learners' exam and driving tests and it must include driving etiquette.
- No one knows the basics of driving or driving etiquette because most of the Learners' exams are given by a person sitting at a driving school.

The government/court should advise Manufacturers on:

1. The quality of headlights and their default alignment should be part of its safety profile.
2. The height of the headlight cluster should be designed in such a way that the beam should not blind oncoming vehicles.
3. Civic responsibility – how they can use their marketing to make people aware of headlight and horn misuse.

What else Team-BHP can do:

Every Team-BHP review must include:
1. The Vehicle’s headlight position and its quality. It's low beam and high beam Fluxmeter reading, its proper light throw and alignment in darkness, and how much it can affect the incoming car’s occupants.
2. The loudness of its horns using a Decibel meter and its harshness.
3. Any other component/part of the car that might cause danger to commuters.
4. Shortcomings of the car in terms of the above parameters.

Team-BHP is the most reputed forum for car enthusiasts, and we should be more proactive in making driving safer.

The meaning of safety for a car should be broadened from its occupants to other commuters on the road as well. All those issues that can affect other commuters by the car should also be addressed and must be part of the official review.

Unless we do not include these details in the official reviews, there will not be much visibility on this issue. Our reviews should not be similar to the reviews given by other motoring portals. It is time to raise the bar of driving and safety to a higher standard.

Regards

[arpan_spark]

Originally Posted by airguitar

Ah everyone's favourite punching bag - Bangalore! You could have avoided this subjective sentence and focused on what you wanted to convey. We all have opinions too about other cities, but usually hold back from dissing an entire city.

Truth hurts I guess. I have observed that traffic in Kolkata is way more sane and much more people use indicators, stand behind stop lines at traffic signals, etc. I would expect the opposite as Bangalore has a high population of educated, well-earning people.

[airguitar]

Originally Posted by arpan_spark

Truth hurts I guess. I have observed that traffic in Kolkata is way more sane and much more people use indicators, stand behind stop lines at traffic signals, etc. I would expect the opposite as Bangalore has a high population of educated, well-earning people.

I took exception to the adjective "ill-mannered" which was used without any clarification, not even a softening like "many ill-mannered" or "some ill-mannered". I, for one, drive in a very civil way, allowing passage of pedestrians (right of way), following lane rules, not nicking smaller vehicles, not driving dangerously, not splashing muck on others. I'm sure there are thousands of others that are as well-mannered on the road. Many on this forum too perhaps.

The truth is that not everyone in Bangalore drives in an ill-mannered way. There are a lot of civil people (a majority at that) that the OP broad-brushed. Bangalore's traffic problem has various roots (yes, we have the most popular traffic rants thread for any city in India). Name your city, I can offer you half a dozen stereotypes, and then I can say "truth hurts" too. I can even proffer some "feedback" on the OP's city, having lived there enough. For me to accept Bangalore drivers are more ill-mannered than some other cities, I need data some data, comparing it with other cities. In a broader forum such as this, one is better off sticking to the problem and solutions and not judging someone else's city.

I have made judgmental posts in the past on this forum and the forum members have respectfully corrected me.

[giri1.8]

Looks like attention seekers have gone one up and started using these annoying lights. Saw one idiot with these lights and led bulbs on reflectors on high beam.

Somehow only common man gets fine for silly offence, while these fools make our life on road stressful.

[electric_eel]

Originally Posted by giri1.8

Somehow only common man gets fine for silly offence, while these fools make our life on road stressful.

Oh my god, this is criminal.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by Sam800

I've lost the count how many times I've fought with my father when i switch to dipper headlight when required and I would get scolded for doing so. For him, lights will be in upper position no matter what. He says "khudko dikh nai raha aur dusro ko dikhana hai" ( you aren't able to see that well far ahead in dipper and you want to let others see well).

Please explain to Sir that his thinking is actually counterintuitive. Vehicles travelling with high beam on make their speed less discernible to oncoming traffic as well as their indicators become less visible so if you are taking a right turn into a lane off the main road for example, if you’ve got your high beams on, nobody would know what your intent is as the extreme light thrown by the high beams will conceal the vehicles nose dipping down indicating that it is slowing down, as well as conceal the turn signals blinking. Perhaps you should have your father’s eyes checked or windscreen checked for micro abrasions?

[Sam800]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

. Perhaps you should have your father’s eyes checked or windscreen checked for micro abrasions?

I need to get an arrogance check here

[Yesterdaysnews]

We are still discussing and debating instead of talking about actionable points for change through petitions and education.

[Anijsh]

Few actions from Manufacturers possible

1. Problem# People have high beam on by default and they do not realize this, especially with 2 wheelers this is more common.
Solution# Simple. Manufacture vehicle with low beam as default when vehicle is switched on.

2. Problem# High beam usage even at low speed (<30 kmph), or just standing still on side of road. Major issue in city.
Solution# High beam cannot stay on more than few seconds unless speed exceeds (say 30kmph). It should auto-change to low beam after minimal period of use in low speed.

3. Problem# Low beam not strong enough so most switch to high beam.
Solution# Better quality lights for low beam.

4. Problem# Lazyness.
Solution# Option to Auto switch to low beam when vehicle is approaching and near.

[teknophobia]

Originally Posted by airguitar

I have made judgmental posts in the past on this forum and the forum members have respectfully corrected me.

I normally do not jump in like this, but as someone who has lived in various large cities in India and abroad, I have, sadly, observed that, generally speaking, the vast majority of drivers in Bangalore should not be allowed behind the controls of a vehicle, 2, 3, or 4 wheeled.

You might also like to check out the statistics on car accidents in major cities.

[CannedShroud]

Amazing initiative, sadly it doesn't stop at just using the high beam. Even aftermarket mods like cheaper LEDs in reflectors (that were not designed for LED). And HIDs in Reflectors. Not to mention the neon and green-yellow auxiliary lights. And the holy grail of blinding lights - Laser fogs.

There has to be some way to fight against this on a driver basis.. I've seen multiple authorities' official cars (with police livery) run on high beams themselves.

Is there any way to defend our eyes on a personal basis? Rather than trying to sign to the oncoming driver to lower theirs? The worst is if a person behind you is also with their high beams on! Genuinely no escape..

[akash.yadav001]

I don't personally think Challans and strict policing will work as High beams unlike Black films can be easily switched from a distance. And policing needs to be done only at night.

I think the only solution is what BMW is doing with their laser headlights. Where they switch to low beam on detecting incoming traffic. It will increase the prices but is much needed solution for safety. Just like the switch to BS VI from IV.

Also there should be a challan for people installing LEDs in Halogen reflectors. It can be even monitored at night.

Going a little off topic, but e-Richshaw case is quite opposite, most of them don't even have functional headlight and backlight, along with No reflectors. And they usually don't follow rules, suddenly stop in the middle of roads, abruptly change lanes, even travel on high speed lanes on main roads, come at you from wrong side which also needs. High beams are our only saving grace from them.

[anshumandun]

Just like how the 80 kmph and 120 kmph beeps were made mandatory by government, there should be another beep that should sound every 2 minutes or so if the high beam is continuously on and the car speed is less than 60kmph (City driving). It will keep the driver aware that he/she is on high beam. Awareness is the first step towards educating people that high beam is a menace in city driving and the car is the best tool to bring that awareness.

Plus we should sue Honda for coming up with the blinding high beam on the Activa. It's the most irritating thing that I encounter almost daily. I just signal to such people that they their headlight is blinding but not everyone gets it.