Moving On

I'm glad to be able to blog today. I am in the process of relocating locally and that has severely impacted my ability to write on my novels until it runs it's course. I do have a gripe that I want to put out there for comments. I am about to write a letter to the paper with an article entitled "People that are too bright are selfish". I don't mean that I don't like Mensa applicants, what I'm referring to is the driver's that drive with their 'driving lights", "road lights", or even, "accent lights" on against on-coming traffic. Driving lights add 30% to 50% additional illumination out in front of your car. While this is usually helpful to the driver with the extra lights it is totally un-helpful to the on-coming drivers!

Case in point, coming down a highway through the mountains (I live in Idaho) on a dark night with a slight mist obscuring the roadway (even with good wipers) and a car pops up coming at you with their extra driving lights on. Even without the mist your vision is reduced significantly and that can be very dangerous. Not even considering the deer and elk that are committing suicide by impact the glaring light can make a person miss a curve or anything on the road.

Come on people! We're all in this together and it is not only inconsiderate to add extra lights against on-coming traffic Idaho law states that a vehicle should not blind the oncoming driver.

I have a pair of 100-watt driving lights for my car. I only use them when I am alone on the road or on a place where there are no on-coming vehicles. I also have a Commercial Driver's License and drive vans and buses all over the western United States. The problem is not only in Idaho, it's widespread and according to police records it is causing accidents.

Common courtesy or even respect for other drivers would keep a person from using extra lights that could blind and on-coming driver. At least think of your own safety. If that doesn't interest you then notice how other inconsiderate drivers blind you when they come at you with their driving lights on.

If you don't care what problems you cause for on-coming drivers then expect to subjected to more cars using their high-beams or real driving lights to see pass your inconsiderate use of your driving lights.

Lastly, the only drivers that are more inconsiderate (on purpose) than the driver that leaves their driving lights on when facing traffic is the dolt that has four lights (2 low beams and 2 high beams) and switches the wiring so that they run with their high beams on all the time. Thanks a lot!