Driving and Headlights

[Jimbouk]

Can anyone shed any light (excuse the pun) on the headlight use while driving at night in the Philippines. Where I come from (the UK) we use hi-beam when there are no other cars in front then switch to low-beam if any road traffic appears. Here in the Philippines it seems almost the opposite! First you get a brief flash of hi-beam from an on-coming car/van/bus then a full on blinding hi-beam until you are past them reducing your ability to see anything else on the road. You are then left with bright dots burnt into your retina for about 30 seconds after! What possible reason could there be for this behavior??

 

Jimbo UK

[Jack Peterson]

15 minutes ago, Jimbouk said:

What possible reason could there be for this behavior??

 Mainly because they are only concerned about their own safety and not anyone else's, most have never been taught good and safe Road manners. It is has always been like this as long as I have been here BUT  better that than NO Lights at all  

Edited April 21, 2019 by Jack Peterson

[manofthecoldland]

13 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Mainly because they are only concerned about their own safety and not anyone else's, most have never been taught good and safe Road manners. It is has always been like this as long as I have been here BUT  better that than Lights at all  

Whether high beams or no lights, the underlying assumption may well be that its not their problem. Its YOUR problem to deal with it if you want to drive at night. The fact that it endangers them as well, is apparently not so obvious to them as one would think, judging by its common practice. If you can't adapt to it and are involved in an accident, I don't know if, and doubt, it would be an acceptable defense (that you were blinded or didn't see them running black).

That's just one of the many reasons I prefer not to drive here, despite the sometimes inconvenience of not doing so. Many expats, depending on where they live, have no choice but to drive at times, and many of those don't drive at night, unless absolutely necessary.  IMHO

Of course I could be very wrong on this, since I don't drive here.

[sonjack2847]

4 minutes ago, manofthecoldland said:

don't drive at night, unless absolutely necessary.

I know plenty of expats who adopt this method for sanity and safety reasons. I have seen glasses advertised that are for this purpose and will stop you from being blinded, how good they are I don`t know. One friend, I have put a halogen lamp on the front of his bike and would turn it on when somebody put full beam on him.

[Jack Peterson]

15 minutes ago, manofthecoldland said:

Whether high beams or no lights, the underlying assumption may well be that its not their problem.

 I agree with you  and as with many things everything is everyone else's problem but theirs 

[Mick]

When this happens to me, I put mine on high beam as well to blind them, might as well both have burnt retina's, I have also been given the finger for doing it back, so I'm sure some don't even know its either on, or it's the right thing to do as it's "dark" 

[Gary D]

This may or may not be relevant but when out walking at night with Filipinos they don't seem to have as good night vision as myself. This I assume is due to their eyes being adapted to the brighter tropical daylight levels, a bit like they are waring sunglasses at night.

[Jack Peterson]

 Maybe there should be a warning in the car about the Headlamp Indicator lights 

[Arizona Kid]

3 hours ago, Mick said:

When this happens to me, I put mine on high beam as well to blind them, might as well both have burnt retina's, I have also been given the finger for doing it back, so I'm sure some don't even know its either on, or it's the right thing to do as it's "dark" 

I used to do that also. Then I just gave up. I rarely drive while it's dark out anymore. Only if my son has a school function that goes late or something like that. 

[sonjack2847]

I thought this might go well on this thread.