The Law and the CHP

[rrich]

There has been a law out here for about a year that says, if you are running your windshield wipers, your head lights must be on.

OK, at the Toyota All Star Showdown race there was an "Expo". Mostly people trying to sell stuff that I didn't want. The California Highway Patrol had 4 cars, a recruiting tent and just general Q & A stuff.

So I walk up to one of the officers.
Me: I have a stupid question.
CHP: There is no such thing as a stupid question.
M: The new law is that my headlights must be on when I'm using my wipers.
C: Yes.
M: If my wipers are on in intermittent mode, should my headlights be on in intermittent mode?
C: <Laughing very hard> Yes it is a stupid question.
Then he proceeds to hand me a brochure about volunteers needed.

[imahic]

Since this is California we are talking about, I just have to ask. Why, praytell, do your headlights have to be on if the wipers are going. If it is dark I can understand but....I will have to ask my neighbor (state trooper) if Texas is going go or has already followed suit.

Mike

[Joe Lyddon]

In a heavy rain, it does make it easier to see cars ahead of you... coming and going... ;D

[Beamer]

That was in the DMV book when I had to re-take my license test when I moved here about 8 years ago ... you sure it's only a year old?

The reason is because the drivers here are so ADD they are distracted when the wiper goes and your headlights will snap them out of it so they don't drive right the hell into you.

[imahic]

I usually have my headlights set on auto so they come on all the time I am driving and I can see it if it darkens during the day but to need a law to require it. I guess it just seems strange to make it a law. I guess it is the same as seatbelts and motor cycle helmets. It just seems to be a common sense thing to me.

Mike

[sawduster]

It used to be a fairly common practice to turn on your headlights in inclement weather during the day time. While it doesn't help you to see any better, it makes you more visible to oncoming traffic or traffic entering from a side street.

Sometime around the mid to late 90s, GM vehicles were set up so that the headlights came on when the ignition switch was turned to the "On" position unless the parking brake was set. My 98 S-10 was that way. I don't recall if there was a setting on the headlight switch to over ride that, but it could have been the case. I also don't know that they are still set up that way.

I think most state laws concerning turning head lights on for night time driving are arbitrary enough to be unenforceable unless it is really totally pitch dark when a violation occurs. Generally, the laws stipulate something like headlights having to be on from 1/2 hour before sunset to 1/2 hour after sunrise which are pretty arguable points. Does make good "probable cause" for a cop to stop a vehicle he believes might be suspicious otherwise. Used that law to stop vehicles I thought were suspicious on an occasion or two. Caught a couple of burglars who had just broken into several storage lockers when they pulled out onto a street when it was almost dark one time and didn't have their headlights on.

Anyway, the headlights on when the windshield wipers are on mandate creates a pretty objective determination of headlights being needed.

[maxwellsmart007]

All cars made in the last 15 or so years up here have had automatic headlights that come on once you turn on the car...

[TDHofstetter]

Feb 1, 2010 9:29:06 GMT -6 maxwellsmart007 said:

All cars made in the last 15 or so years up here have had automatic headlights that come on once you turn on the car...

My 2007 Tacoma doesn't...

[dcarter636]

Feb 1, 2010 9:29:06 GMT -6 maxwellsmart007 said:

All cars made in the last 15 or so years up here have had automatic headlights that come on once you turn on the car...

My 2002 F-150 don't too.

[larryh86gt]

My 2004 Olds Alero does, Itsuko's 2004 Toyota Rav4 doesn't.

[rrich]

OK, Daylight, In the Rain...

Headlights on is not for you but for the guy BEHIND you. Your tail lights come on too.

I gather some idiot ran into a vehicle in the rain because the vehicle that was hit didn't have its headlights on.

Of course, the idiot going 25 over in the rain did nothing wrong.

S A R C A S A M
I N T E N D E D ! ! !

Perhaps a perfect example of fixing something thast isn't broken?

[sawduster]

Headlights on is not for you but for the guy BEHIND you. Your tail lights come on too.

As well as to make you more visible to oncoming traffic and folks turning onto the street from cross streets. But you're probably right, some idiot(s) blamed lack of visibility for an accident in which he/she/they were doing something stupid.

Used to be we didn't need laws like this and just let Darwin run his course ridding us of the weakest links in the genetic chain. It is common sense (to me anyway) to make your self as visible as possible on the highways and byways to give yourself every chance of avoiding meeting the idiots in a crushed metal conflagration. ;D

[oakridgeboy]

As Andrew stated,up here in the great white north,your car has to be showing a white light on the front.Problem is-it's sorta a lower beam than your reg. headlights and the rear lights are not activated.Some morons can't tell,therefore,when it's really dark and don't turn on their proper lights so are running down the road with lower beams and no tailights at all ! Mike

[TDHofstetter]

Feb 1, 2010 18:39:56 GMT -6 oakridgeboy said:

As Andrew stated,up here in the great white north,your car has to be showing a white light on the front.Problem is-it's sorta a lower beam than your reg. headlights and the rear lights are not activated.Some morons can't tell,therefore,when it's really dark and don't turn on their proper lights so are running down the road with lower beams and no tailights at all ! Mike

THAT is a curious thing. Marie's Yaris has running lights that come on when she lights the car up. They're front-only, and if they're any dimmer or lower than her normal lowbeams, I can tell the difference. I've been caught out a few times, driving after dark with only the running lights on - the only clue I had that the headlights weren't on was that her dang dash lights weren't lit. I could see perfectly well to drive. Her car sure would've made a good target for a speeding logging truck, though, with no buttlights.

[imahic]

I guess you are right Jerry. Some laws have to made for the stupid amongst us. Just like the seatbelt and helmet laws. Common sense tells one it is smart to use them just like turning on your headlights so you can be seen. Just seems strange to have a law mandating lights if your wipers are on. All of us have seen those times during the day when it is not raining enough to really need the wipers and even on the slowest of intermittent speeds it's too much. Would really be tough to have to eat a ticket because of something like that.

Mike

Mike