noteven wrote:
So in rolling hills / desert dips and curves country, is that shape that shows up a couple hilltops ahead - is that a vehicle you will meet in a few seconds, or is it a feature of landscape or trees or cows? These objects don't have lights on...
You know when I drive in the USA coming from a daytime running lights country it takes a while to get used to no running lights vehicles again and how invisible they can be against certain backdrops.
It's ok, that's the law of the land. But it is sure easier to see a running lights vehicle.
No need for bubble wrap it does not make your vehicle more visible to other road users :)
Once again, if EVERY vehicle had "lights on" and "everyone" gets accustomed to seeing vehicle after vehicle with lights on, it simply "blends" into the landscape and will be ignored by your brain.
Your brain does this automatically, don't see how you can "legislate" ones brain into verifying every single object within view as a automobile or not a automobile especially when it becomes common or normal.
If one cannot identify the shape of a big shiny object coming towards you verses a small fuzzy animal shape object then one is not paying attention to the job at hand.
DLRs are a misnomer and for some a very false "comfort". But in reality, the only time they may play a safety role is during dusk (sunset) and dawn (sunrise) where there is just enough light to drive without headlights on and perhaps inclement weather events like fog/heavy rain (but in reality one should be turning on their headlights at dusk and dawn and inclement weather and not relying on the weaker DLRs).
The real problem is folks ignoring good driving practices.
Things like driving "defensive" which means driving safely for OTHERS.
That means putting down the cell phones, stop texting, don't fiddle with the entertainment system, keeping your eyes on the road, checking conditions and traffic in front of you.
The biggest safety issue is folks completely ignoring one simple object.. The road center lines, here in the States, secondary roads wide enough to meet width standards will have acceptable "passing zones" clearly marked via the Yellow center lines.. Those zones are only marked when visibility is acceptable to allow one to pass WITH CARE. The visibility standards used takes into account posted speeds and how long of a clear visible path there is. Many drivers now days ignore the no passing zones lines intentionally and no amount of flashy bling lights can fix that.
I live by a intersection which has flashing red (stop) on one side and flashing yellow (caution) on the other side. Plus the stop sides have nice big red stop signs with red flashing LEDs.
Hasn't stopped folks from driving through the blinking yellow lights at speeds in excess of 20 MPH above the speed limit.. Hasn't stopped folks on the flashing red (Stop) side from blowing through the intersection without ever touching the brakes.
More accidents have happened at that spot than I care to count, quite a few fatal deaths on top of that.. Worst one was a trucker that barreled into the intersection from the blinking red side, hit a mini van, killing the entire family inside the van..
Mandating DLRs won't fix that, as that is plain ignoring rules and laws of driving..
Driving on public roads is a privilege, not a right.
As a privilege it requires not only your full time attention and adherence to the rules of the road but other drivers also.. No amount of lights hung on the front of a vehicle can replace lack of attention or lack of following the rules of the road.
