Equipment

"Are you allowed to drive with both headlights and driving lights on at the same time?" asks a reader. The question was prompted by this person's complaint of being blinded by the lights of many of today's vehicles. These vehicles display two headlights and two of what many people assume to be driving lights.

QUESTION: I'm an Alberta driver visiting BC. I went through a check stop where I was told to pull over and they were going to write me a notice and order for my windshield. One of the other cops walked over while she was in the middle of writing that ticket and told her to make it a number two. Now is this even enforceable on an Alberta vehicle?

The lights that our vehicles are equipped with serve two important functions. They allow us to see and they allow us to be seen by other road users. The messages conveyed to others by our vehicle's lights must be clear with no opportunity for confusion. This convention is followed worldwide.

One of my preferred enforcement practices was to use an unmarked car and drive in the right hand lane at or just under the speed limit. This gave me plenty of time to look at and into whatever passed by on my left. Tinted windows, failing to wear a seatbelt, distracted driving and other things of interest to a traffic cop were often easily discovered.

My article on driving lights led to a number of requests to write a follow up article on fog lights. The original question involved vehicles that were driving with four lights on all the time and two of them were not being dimmed for oncoming traffic.

I remember putting chains on my father's tow truck and plowing snow with the front bumper at 30 mph to go and drag a hapless motorist back onto the highway. I also remember my time in northern BC where one didn't leave the driveway without a shovel, tow rope, extra winter clothing, tools and a collection of small spare parts at this time of year. Are you really ready for your next trip in winter conditions?

There sometimes seem to be two types of people when it comes to the sounds emitted by their vehicle's mufflers: those who hate it and those who try to balance calling attention to themselves yet not provoke a response from traffic law enforcement.

One of the more frequent vehicle equipment complaints that I receive is about blinding blue headlights. I am told that they are horrendous to an oncoming driver and it is hazardous to be driving because of the glare. Drivers want to take their eyes off the road or look to the side to avoid them. Are they legal?

Outside temperatures have dipped below 7 degrees, so it's time to consider installing your winter tires if you use them. Residents in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island might be able to get away with good all season or all weather tires if they stick close to home, but vehicles being driven in the rest of the province really should be equipped with true winter tires.

The next time you get into your vehicle, start it up, set the parking brake, turn on all of the lights and the hazard flashers. Walk around your vehicle and check all the lights. Are they all lit as they should be, and are the lenses clean, intact and still the right colour? If so, you are good to go from the standpoint of lights at least.