--

 

Possibly, but...

It's my understanding that legally, if your driving ability is impacted by someone else's rudeness or unwillingness to abide by the law, you are required to take whatever (legal; flashing your high beams at someone to get them to turn down their own high beams is generally not legal) steps may be required to avoid an accident. This principle applies in many (but probably not all) states. What this means is that if there is so much glare from an oncoming car's front-mounted lights that you are unable to see well enough to drive safely, you are obligated to slow down or even stop; if you have an accident you are likely to be found liable by reason of negligence.

All that said, the law in most states is clear on how driving and fog lamps must be wired, aimed, and used; failing to do so can result in failing a state safety inspection, or a (possibly expensive) ticket. If improperly wired or operated auxiliary lights result in someone else having an accident, there's also a certain personal guilt that at least should apply, whether the law recognizes it or not.

And finally, I Am Not A Lawyer.

 

Ken see post 6 also.

 

The issue of liability is ultra-complex and could vary state-to-state, accident-to-accident.

But the issue of law involving high beams and driving lights is not. Nor is the issue of common sense and common courtesy.

 

I don't disagree with the statements made in post #6. However, I feel that (as driving a motor vehicle requires co-operation with those with whom one shares the road) there are additional obligations which cannot be clearly captured in the law. The law does generally state:

• when you must dim your headlights
• how and where auxiliary lights may be mounted on your vehicle
• how many auxiliary lights you may mount
• how auxiliary lights must be wired
• (sometimes) when auxiliary lights may be used
• (sometimes) other things as well

All of this will vary somewhat by jurisdiction, and not every jurisdiction will legislate every aspect. What the law doesn't generally state is "Don't be an ***." (Instead it has things like "rules of 'right of way'" and the like.) One would think that would be a given, since we're all out there on the same highways maneuvering our ton and a half of steel, plastic and rubber at the same time. Unfortunately, it seems it's not a given.

All of this is why many people (myself included) think that someone who asks e.g. "how do I get my driving lights to come on without my high beams?" is, umm, well, just see the appropriate thread for chapter and verse and for all the bad words (on both sides) you want.

And to stick with the original topic, which (I believe) was "tell me your horror stories"... I was rear-ended once by someone who claimed that he'd been blinded by someone's high beams. This was a lie; I was stopped at a red light, and there was no oncoming traffic for the guy to have been blinded by. He was probably just distracted. Is that close enough?

 

 

 

 

The fact that almost everyone already does this (reflexively, and not in response to DMV's obvious suggestion) is likely the reason there aren't many horror stories related to temporary blindness.

 

But it's a good kind of suck, Huh?

Dave

 

No its definitely the bad kind.