Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!petrus!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!nsc!curry
From: curry@nsc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: Headlights during the day.
Message-ID: <3590@nsc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-May-86 19:25:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: nsc.3590
Posted: Mon May 19 19:25:48 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 23-May-86 07:11:55 EDT
References: <234@axiom.UUCP> <453@vaxwaller.UUCP> <175@fai.UUCP> <496@watmum.UUCP>
Reply-To: curry@nsc.UUCP (Ray Curry)
Organization: National Semiconductor, Sunnyvale
Lines: 25

>>silly law
>not silly law
I must beg to differ on this one.  First of all I personally find it a silly
law because it puts the burden of the activity on the victim.  Second of all
while it is true that the headlight being on does improve the distance that
any vehicle is noticed at to cross traffic, the improvement does not take 
unsafe to safe but only close to safer.  The only times that I have seen
the headlight be a factor was because the light through off the drivers depth
perception and they though I was closer than I was.  The danger of the lights
on law is that one, the tail light is also on meaning a dangers drop in the
driver behind being able to perceive of the brake light being on and two
it gives the driver failing to yield an extra excuse to rationalize away the
carelessness.  I seldom get angry over a close call because I have them in
my car as well.  Those close calls are because the other guy misjudges the
speed or they look, wait for the decision process, and then go, after the
oncoming traffic has arrived.
I wouldn't mind the European system.  Their bikes have a three position switch;
Off-headlight (or city light)-all lights.
My last objection to making things like lights on a law is that what happens
in case of a mechanical failure.  In a car, you might get a repair order to
fix it but it is legal to drive to get it fixed.  With the headlight law, it
is illegal to drive to get it fixed.  
Actually, my last-last objection is that not all states have the law.  Before
the manufacturers jumped in anticipation of the law, the states with lights
on law had higher accident and death rates than states without.