Cowsham wrote:Anyone bought a newish family car recently that has good indicators?
Trouble is, with that question, how would you know?
We have a white 2014 Yaris, and unless I see another one like our's at a junction/roundabout, I would have no idea if our car is good, bad, or indifferent.
If only there was a way to get the indicators to continue working after you've got out of the car, so you could retreat to a suitable distance and observe.
Cowsham wrote:Anyone bought a newish family car recently that has good indicators?
Trouble is, with that question, how would you know?
We have a white 2014 Yaris, and unless I see another one like our's at a junction/roundabout, I would have no idea if our car is good, bad, or indifferent.
If only there was a way to get the indicators to continue working after you've got out of the car, so you could retreat to a suitable distance and observe.
Park somewhere quiet, and put the hazards on, and walk away and around. It could be possible to see how the indicators perform out to the sides and away away as a cyclist might see them.
Mick F wrote:Just thinking about this ..................
Park somewhere quiet, and put the hazards on, and walk away and around. It could be possible to see how the indicators perform out to the sides and away away as a cyclist might see them.
For a total realistic scenario you would need someone in the car to flash main beam and lean out of the window shaking their fist and hurling abuse.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
Mick F wrote:Just thinking about this ..................
Park somewhere quiet, and put the hazards on, and walk away and around. It could be possible to see how the indicators perform out to the sides and away away as a cyclist might see them.
For a total realistic scenario you would need someone in the car to flash main beam and lean out of the window shaking their fist and hurling abuse.
That'll be my wife shouting " get in the car ye ( insert endearing term of abuse ) there'll be no toilet roll left at Tesco's.
fastpedaller wrote:My wife bought a new car 4 years ago, and (down our country lanes) was impossible to drive unless we used full beam - the dipped lights were aimed at a point on the road about 5metres away! We asked the main dealer to check them and he said they were ok....Hmm. So making sure the car was level i put bits of masking tape on our garage door and adjusted the lights. ll was good for our night driving (and as 'proof' nobody approaching flashed thier light in disgust) When it had its first MOT I asked them if the adjustment was ok - "yes,spot on' they said, 'which is unusual as most cars have them set far too low from new'. I then explained the problem we'd had, and the main dealer's dismissal of our concern.
It would never have occurred to me that I ought to be able to drive along unlit country lanes using only dipped headlights.
Depends whether you drive at a sensible speed or fast! With (the lights as the manufacturer set them) cars approaching it was like having no lights at all when they were dipped - To avoid danger to those approaching I didn't try them on beam
Mick F wrote:Trouble is, with that question, how would you know?
We have a white 2014 Yaris, and unless I see another one like our's at a junction/roundabout, I would have no idea if our car is good, bad, or indifferent.
Sometimes there are large windows (supermarkets etc) that act as quite reasonable mirrors. Give you an indication, maybe. I check operation of my front lights like that. Main and dipped etc.
Mick F wrote:Just thinking about this ..................
Park somewhere quiet, and put the hazards on, and walk away and around. It could be possible to see how the indicators perform out to the sides and away away as a cyclist might see them.
For a total realistic scenario you would need someone in the car to flash main beam and lean out of the window shaking their fist and hurling abuse.
In that case Mick only needs to get back in the car and I asked a passerby to observe
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
fastpedaller wrote:My wife bought a new car 4 years ago, and (down our country lanes) was impossible to drive unless we used full beam - the dipped lights were aimed at a point on the road about 5metres away! We asked the main dealer to check them and he said they were ok....Hmm. So making sure the car was level i put bits of masking tape on our garage door and adjusted the lights. ll was good for our night driving (and as 'proof' nobody approaching flashed thier light in disgust) When it had its first MOT I asked them if the adjustment was ok - "yes,spot on' they said, 'which is unusual as most cars have them set far too low from new'. I then explained the problem we'd had, and the main dealer's dismissal of our concern.
It would never have occurred to me that I ought to be able to drive along unlit country lanes using only dipped headlights.
Depends whether you drive at a sensible speed or fast! With (the lights as the manufacturer set them) cars approaching it was like having no lights at all when they were dipped - To avoid danger to those approaching I didn't try them on beam
Modern cars have more refined distance adjustment, usually via a little wheel thingy, to allow you to adjust the pitch of the dipped lights. When I first used the dipped headlights on our Auris on a dark lane it was set very close, but turning the little wheel on the dash set it much further down the road so that even without resorting to full beam I could see well ahead. The idea of that adjuster is that if you put a lot of heavy stuff in the boot the back of the car can drop a little and the angle of the beam can rise too high, so you adjust it down to avoid dazzle. But then when you next use the car in the dark with nothing in the boot the beam is aimed too low so you adjust it up.
Unfortunately, there's little standardisation of minor controls like that and IME, they are usually under the dash around knee level: not ideal for something you may not realise needs adjusting till you are driving down a dark road in an unfamiliar car. The counsel of perfection is to familiarise yourself with the controls before setting off, but heater/demister, rear wiper, front/rear foglamp switches and more can be a lot to go at.
thirdcrank wrote:Unfortunately, there's little standardisation of minor controls like that and IME, they are usually under the dash around knee level: not ideal for something you may not realise needs adjusting till you are driving down a dark road in an unfamiliar car. The counsel of perfection is to familiarise yourself with the controls before setting off, but heater/demister, rear wiper, front/rear foglamp switches and more can be a lot to go at.
thirdcrank wrote:Unfortunately, there's little standardisation of minor controls like that and IME, they are usually under the dash around knee level: not ideal for something you may not realise needs adjusting till you are driving down a dark road in an unfamiliar car. The counsel of perfection is to familiarise yourself with the controls before setting off, but heater/demister, rear wiper, front/rear foglamp switches and more can be a lot to go at.
True.
Yep, put the headlight level control next to the rear electric window buttons, at knee level, and a partner insists on opening and closing rear windows
I think my headlights are a bit high.........
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
