Headlamps

[The Moan Ranger]

I don't know if this is a phenomenon particular to this north east corner of Surrey, but it staggers me how many cars I see who have defective headlamps.

Only this morning, on a 4.4 mile (7km, BM) round trip, I counted FOURTEEN cars who had a headlamp out. FOURTEEN!  It's particularly dangerous when it is the offside as from a distance, it appears that a motorcycle is approaching and only at the last second you realise it's a car - and you have to adjust your road position accordingly. And if it's not feckin' headlamps then it's feckwits who drive along on side lights with their foglights on. I'm pretty sure that that's an offence. Doubtless our resident Chisholm will advise.

When I was younger you simply wouldn't get away with it - there were a lot more patrol cars and they'd pull you straight away. Nowadays though, there are hardly any patrol cars as they jut rely on the speed/red light jumping cameras, so there's scant enforcement.

Is it because there's no enforcement or is it because these new-fangled Xenon lamps cost a bleedin' fortune? Either way, it's bleddy dangerous and plod should e doing more 

[Barman]

I don't know if this is a phenomenon particular to this north east corner of Surrey, but it staggers me how many cars I see who have defective headlamps.

Only this morning, on a 4.4 mile (7km, BM) round trip, I counted FOURTEEN cars who had a headlamp out. FOURTEEN!  It's particularly dangerous when it is the offside as from a distance, it appears that a motorcycle is approaching and only at the last second you realise it's a car - and you have to adjust your road position accordingly. And if it's not feckin' headlamps then it's feckwits who drive along on side lights with their foglights on. I'm pretty sure that that's an offence. Doubtless our resident Chisholm will advise.

When I was younger you simply wouldn't get away with it - there were a lot more patrol cars and they'd pull you straight away. Nowadays though, there are hardly any patrol cars as they jut rely on the speed/red light jumping cameras, so there's scant enforcement.

Is it because there's no enforcement or is it because these new-fangled Xenon lamps cost a bleedin' fortune? Either way, it's bleddy dangerous and plod should e doing more 

Good rant! 

I think it is the outrageous lack of enforcement. As you say, plod rely on scameras and are too busy waiting outside pubs to catch somebody that has had a couple of glasses of wine to bother about such things...

That is also why (when we lived in Maidenhead) scum raced around the backstreets (no scameras) in their Corsas with complete impunity...

[Just One More]

It's not confined to your neck of the woods TMR. Maybe they could get the four coppers off the A33 last week to nab a few. Two coppers in nice shiny BMW No. 1 sat on the verge N/bound, 400m further on, two other coppers in nice shiny BMW No. 2 sat on the other verge S/bound, clocking passing motorists. Thank god there's no proper crime around here and that they can now concentrate on these revenue raising henious crimes 

[Tipsy Gipsy]

I rant about this every morning and most evenings.  It recently cost me £2 for a back light and Saturday £16 for a dipped headlight plus other illuminating lights, this is at the main dealerships.

[Nick]

It's not confined to your neck of the woods TMR. Maybe they could get the four coppers off the A33 last week to nab a few. Two coppers in nice shiny BMW No. 1 sat on the verge N/bound, 400m further on, two other coppers in nice shiny BMW No. 2 sat on the other verge S/bound, clocking passing motorists. Thank god there's no proper crime around here and that they can now concentrate on these revenue raising henious crimes 

You are Growler and I claim my £5

[The Moan Ranger]

Same journey this evening, I counted a further 11. I'd suggest that it is unlikely that they were the same ones I saw this morning, going the other way...

The problem is I have it in my head now and I start counting as soon as I get in the car. I didn't really notice it when I was on the 4pm-4am shift as it was light when I was going in and there were very few cars on the road when I was coming back. Now it's turned into some sort of psychotic fixation 

[Pastis]

My loud expletives are getting louder.  Not so much the missing lamp but the full-beam feckers, the dented front wing which has sent the beam higher and of course the high-style 4x4s in the rear view mirror 

[Barman]

My loud expletives are getting louder.  Not so much the missing lamp but the full-beam feckers, the dented front wing which has sent the beam higher and of course the high-style 4x4s in the rear view mirror 

And front fecking fog lights! 

[Barman]

Same journey this evening, I counted a further 11. I'd suggest that it is unlikely that they were the same ones I saw this morning, going the other way...

The problem is I have it in my head now and I start counting as soon as I get in the car. I didn't really notice it when I was on the 4pm-4am shift as it was light when I was going in and there were very few cars on the road when I was coming back. Now it's turned into some sort of psychotic fixation 

What do the voices tell you to do...? 

[Miss Demeanour]

"Don't dazzle , dip " of course 

[Darwins Selection]

On the other side of the coin, what about these super-bright LED bicycle headlights? I can't see a thing after one flash of those going the other way.

[The Moan Ranger]

Right, I'm driving up to London in half an hour's time. How many will I count?

[Barman]

Right, I'm driving up to London in half an hour's time. How many will I count?

Thirty-seven! 

[Barman]

On the other side of the coin, what about these super-bright LED bicycle headlights? I can't see a thing after one flash of those going the other way.

Cyclists should not be allowed on the roads... 

[The Moan Ranger]

Right, I'm driving up to London in half an hour's time. How many will I count?

Thirty-seven! 

Feck moi     Spot on BM!