I don't know about you, but I am quite sick of seeing cars driving around with one headlight not working, oblivious it seems to the carnage they could potentially cause. I was in Durham city again today, this time unusually, late afternoon (and being icy, too much salt on the roads to safely use the scooter) and whilst waiting for the invariably late Arriva bus, I could not believe just how many cars drove past with just one headlamp working, plus two quadbikes without rear number-plates.

Nothing new, I know - perhaps I should just stop standing at bus-stops!

Now, I do realise that your average 'motorist' and, sadly an increasing number of two-wheeler riders too, are completely ignorant regarding even simple, basic maintenance and repairs to their vehicle, leaving it all to their annual, dealer servicing and the odd MoT, but I think this is really going too far.

I wonder, would it be possible that some of the 'safety' cameras aimed at speeding motorists be used for faulty, unroadworthy vehicles too?

Probably a combination of owners not knowing how to replace bulbs and some need half the car taken apart to change .
But mostly the first one

At least they had their lights on! So many drivers with DRLs seem not to realise that you actually need to have the rest of the lights on when it's dark. Grrrr...

When buying a new car I look at how easy it is to change bulbs and the oil filter, then look under the car to see if I can remove the oil filter and sump plug. Salesmen think I am very strange. A headlight bulb failure gives the police an invite to stop and search.........

Add to that the dangerous practice of drivers who park on the wrong side of the road to visit the local takeaway (at the bottom of my road) leaving head-lights on, not thinking that lights which dip to the left shine down the road and dazzle on-coming drivers and riders.... apart from the fact it's illegal.

I was puzzled lately by several cars with spotlights going on and off alternately on different sides of the car, depending on which way they were going...nearly pulled out in front of one which was 'flashing' left as it approached.
Now I discover that amazingly, unbelievably, it's a 'thing' - yet another automated gimmick; supposedly to help drivers 'see around corners'.
Beware...

My last 3 cars have had the 'turning lights'. I've turned mine off as you only find them useful when on very dark country roads to be honest. They are just a waste of power most other times.

Dave Weller wrote: Sat Dec 11, 2021 12:18 pm When buying a new car I look at how easy it is to change bulbs and the oil filter, then look under the car to see if I can remove the oil filter and sump plug. Salesmen think I am very strange. A headlight bulb failure gives the police an invite to stop and search.........

Dave, you're just like me! I bought my Citroen after ascertaining that every single external bulb on the car can be changed without needing to jack the car up, pull out the wheel arch liner just to get to the offending spotlight, headlight or whatever just to change a bulb. My new Golf and Skoda's all required massive amounts of work to change a headlight or any other bulb. Designed by F**k heads! I've had many a happy hour crawling about under a new car in the showroom. And you're right, sales guys think we're nuts for doing that even when you explain what you are doing.

Greyerbeard wrote: Sun Dec 12, 2021 8:28 amNow I discover that amazingly, unbelievably, it's a 'thing' - yet another automated gimmick; supposedly to help drivers 'see around corners'.
Beware...

Turning lights are not new though. The Citroen SM had swivelling headlights in 1970 and the DS even earlier, in 1967!

The current fad for them uses the foglights instead though, I think I first noticed them on Mercs but they are common now. Don't like it personally, the Citroen idea is surely more effective.

StephenC wrote: Mon Dec 13, 2021 4:00 pm

Greyerbeard wrote: Sun Dec 12, 2021 8:28 amNow I discover that amazingly, unbelievably, it's a 'thing' - yet another automated gimmick; supposedly to help drivers 'see around corners'.
Beware...

Turning lights are not new though. The Citroen SM had swivelling headlights in 1970 and the DS even earlier, in 1967!

The current fad for them uses the foglights instead though, I think I first noticed them on Mercs but they are common now. Don't like it personally, the Citroen idea is surely more effective.

Exactly - swivelling is fine - it's what a motorcycle headlight does, after all - it's the going on and off at random that's disconcerting.

The old “one eyed monsters”. Plenty of them about at this time of year. Unbelievably many cars up to 10-12 years old now have a light on the dash to tell you that a bulb has blown and they still don’t check it!!!