Re: Headlight Switch / Signaling with your lights

["Jan van de Wouw" <jvdwouw@xxxx>]

--- In dmcnews, Robert wrote:
> Hmm, that's odd. I was always told that flashing your lights
> was aggressive, and blacking them out was passive.

I hadn't thought of it like that, but personally I see one or two 
SHORT flashes as a courtesy signal, a LONG, un interupted 
flash on the high beams is to warn someone on a dangerous 
manouver.

> For instance, if I'm driving and someone wants to turn
> in front of me (lane change, or entering roadway),
> and it's unsafe, I will flash my high beams to tell them 'no'.

That's where I would give them a LONG flash 
and/or a long honk on the horns.

> But, if someone needs to get over, and it's safe to pass
> (like a truck changing lanes to get to an off ramp, etc...)

I've allways learned to give trucks on hard manouvers some 
extra spaceand knowing some truckies I know it is an 
international rule of the trade to give a truck a short flash 
when it is safe to get into your lane. To thank you for doing 
this the truckdriver usually gives a LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT 
on the turn signals.

So when signaling something is Okay tot do 
a SHORT flash is the thing to do for me.

> I've always killed my lights to let them know 
> ther're clear to move.

I like the idea, but when driving in the dark you can't see 
where you're going because of this. 
That's the reason that the Low Beams stay on when you
PULL the stalk for a flash; this way when you release the 
stalk the lows don't heve to come on again. 
When you PUSH the stalk the lows go out and the highs 
come on permanently, cutting the lows cuts down on power 
usage AND limits heat build up in the light units.

> I guess it's just differant all over...

I guess it is, but that is what makes being part of 
such an international group fun.

Greetings from the Netherlands,

JAN van de Wouw
Thinking Different... Using a Mac...
Living the Dream... Driving a DeLorean...

#05141 "Dagger" since Sept. 2000

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