| Pages:
1
2 |
Correcamino
Junior Nomad
Posts: 78
Registered: 4-6-2013
Location: Sabre Springs, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Using Off Road Lights on the Highway
I agree that slower/more stops is better and safer on the way down to BCS. But every Xmas-New Years I only have two days to get down to and back from
La Ventana (from San Diego, CA). Because the days are so short at this time I must drive almost non-stop and keep the speed higher than I would
really like to - that is, if I do not drive at night. I kind of cheat by starting about an hour before sunrise and use tricks like following a
troque or other large vehicle to wipe out the ganados of death. I am going to buy some off road lights (Hella, e.g.) anyway, but
the question is: will the cops nail me for using them on the Highway? Anybody with lotsa lights (DavidK?) have any experience? BTW,
this pre-dawn departure method nets you some awesome views:
Si sirve, sirve.
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
I don't think there is a problem as long as you dim, or turn off the lights for approching or when overtaking other vehicles
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
we drive at night with KCs leading the way. it is almost like driving in the daytime it's so bright. i aim one down the centerline and one just to the
right of center to get a good spread and, hopefully, light up that cow on the shoulder.
it's a non event....
|
|
|
vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
|
|
My Hella 500's are keyed to my high beam switch. When I dim as I would normally if I only had high beams, the Hellas go out.
...leaving me with low beams only and the contrast feeling like my way is now being lit by a candle. 
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
|
|
|
Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
The only problem with the powerful HID lights:
you can't see the oncoming traffic's headlights until it's too late - for them
|
|
|
Correcamino
Junior Nomad
Posts: 78
Registered: 4-6-2013
Location: Sabre Springs, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Good God almighty! This array would make you look like something from Close Encounters. Never any problems with the cops?
Si sirve, sirve.
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
LED Lightbars
I think you should be looking at these:
http://okledlightbars.webs.com/
|
|
|
güero
Nomad
Posts: 141
Registered: 1-17-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Correcamino
I agree that slower/more stops is better and safer on the way down to BCS. But every Xmas-New Years I only have two days to get down to and back from
La Ventana (from San Diego, CA). Because the days are so short at this time I must drive almost non-stop and keep the speed higher than I would
really like to - that is, if I do not drive at night. I kind of cheat by starting about an hour before sunrise and use tricks like following a
troque or other large vehicle to wipe out the ganados of death. I am going to buy some off road lights (Hella, e.g.) anyway, but
the question is: will the cops nail me for using them on the Highway? Anybody with lotsa lights (DavidK?) have any experience? BTW,
this pre-dawn departure method nets you some awesome views:
|
You bring up a subject that really bothers me, since I don't have these lights on my
rig to counter your oncoming lights, I can't see f-all when you are a mile away if you don't dim to regular. This is more of a problem when the lines
on the highway haven't been painted in a while. My worst experience's have been when off-road racing teams are either going north or south and I'm
going the opposite direction. I try not to drive at night but some time I have no choice.
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
no problems with cops. and like said above, use a switch/relay thru your hibeams that can be turned on or off.
|
|
|
Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Correcamino
Good God almighty! This array would make you look like something from Close Encounters. Never any problems with the cops?
|
No, it is just daylight ahead of the truck.
So far, I never had a problem with the cops - driving 6 to 8 times a year to La Paz and back. Some times at night, LA to San Ignacio next day to La
Paz.
|
|
|
güero
Nomad
Posts: 141
Registered: 1-17-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
no problems with cops. and like said above, use a switch/relay thru your hibeams that can be turned on or off. |
Woody, I'm not talking about your driving ethics but the problem is the majority of the oncoming traffic that have these powerful lights don't dim
soon enough. Like I said previous, when one of these rigs are a mile out, it is blinding to someone with regular lights that can't light the road in
front of them to counter the incoming light.
|
|
|
güero
Nomad
Posts: 141
Registered: 1-17-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by güero
| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
no problems with cops. and like said above, use a switch/relay thru your hibeams that can be turned on or off. |
Woody, I'm not talking about your driving ethics but the problem is the majority of the oncoming traffic that have these powerful lights don't dim
soon enough. Like I said previous, when one of these rigs are a mile out, it is blinding to someone with regular lights that can't light the road in
front of them to counter the incoming light. |
My bad, It is not a problem with the cops. Sorry, I took the subject a different direction.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65411
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
THEY ARE CALLED OFF ROAD LIGHTS...
... for a good reason!
and we recommend NO NIGHT TIME DRIVING south of El Rosario... range cattle, burros, chupacabras, oncoming traffic that don't lower their beams (soon
enough)...
That all said, I have driven a couple times after dark south of El Rosario... and I have kicked on the HIDs or halogens when there was no traffic...
It is amazing how safe it makes it when you turn night into day along the road!
Here are the two Hella 4000s (in the center of the four on the light bar) with 100 watt halogen bulbs, before I converted them to HID. Note they are a
little yellowish. The outside two are the Kragen HID lamps, on Shell Island:
Against my garage wall, note how much whiter and brighter the four HIDs are compared to the yellowish stock halogen headlights. The round beams are
the Hella 4000 spot beams (35 watt, 5000ºK HID) and the wider beams to either side are the Kragen HID 'Euro' beams (35 watt)...
|
|
|
aguachico
Senior Nomad
Posts: 602
Registered: 3-23-2007
Location: tijuana
Member Is Offline
Mood: logic cannot get thru to the illogical
|
|
I have two lights on the bar of my truck. I aim one down the right side looking for cows, the other goes down the middle of my lane. Driving at
night... no worries
|
|
|
Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by güero
Woody, I'm not talking about your driving ethics but the problem is the majority of the oncoming traffic that have these powerful lights don't dim
soon enough. Like I said previous, when one of these rigs are a mile out, it is blinding to someone with regular lights that can't light the road in
front of them to counter the incoming light. |
Good idea to never flash your lights at oncoming traffic as it could be a Caminos and they don't like that much. 
|
|
|
J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
|
|
When I was trucking in the U.S. the people with those bright light's hurt more when they approached from the rear the glare in my two big rear view
mirror's was Blinding.
I installed two Aircraft landing lights on my step's facing the rear. When I hit them with those they got the message.
Seriously they call them OFF ROAD lights for a reason.
If your eyesight is so poor you need them to drive at night maybe you shouldn't drive at night.
|
|
|
motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
|
|
I agree that it is more about driving etiquette/ethics than legality, although the laws in some places restrict types of lights used. Check out local
laws.
But even if they are "legal', the etiquette issue remains as the determining factor. 
Don't believe everything you think....
|
|
|
DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
|
|
A Plea From An Old Phart...
Incredibly bright lights can dazzle at extreme distances. I have been on straight stretches when an oncoming gringomobile has forced me to come to a
complete and total stop a half mile before they passed. Yes, they dimmed at 300 yards. A lot of good THAT does.
Can I beg that if you SEE headlights coming at you and you have night-football grade lighting to REDUCE your lighting? At least until you pass?
All it would take is one super bright gringomobile encountering an inebriated driver with one weak headlight to perhaps cause him to swerve and offer
the kiss-of-death. All those roadside capillas you see down here are not shrines to careful drivers. More than one PFP has told me more than 90% of
fatalities in both Bajas Californias occurred between sunset and dawn. When you have a sixty ton KenMex hurtling at you with seven working brakes and
one headlight, a chofer fighting the wheel, IMHO it ain't too smart to dazzle him.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
|
|
|
J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
Mood: Easy Does It
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
A Plea From An Old Phart...
Incredibly bright lights can dazzle at extreme distances. I have been on straight stretches when an oncoming gringomobile has forced me to come to a
complete and total stop a half mile before they passed. Yes, they dimmed at 300 yards. A lot of good THAT does.
Can I beg that if you SEE headlights coming at you and you have night-football grade lighting to REDUCE your lighting? At least until you pass?
All it would take is one super bright gringomobile encountering an inebriated driver with one weak headlight to perhaps cause him to swerve and offer
the kiss-of-death. All those roadside capillas you see down here are not shrines to careful drivers. More than one PFP has told me more than 90% of
fatalities in both Bajas Californias occurred between sunset and dawn. When you have a sixty ton KenMex hurtling at you with seven working brakes and
one headlight, a chofer fighting the wheel, IMHO it ain't too smart to dazzle him. |
|
|
|
Correcamino
Junior Nomad
Posts: 78
Registered: 4-6-2013
Location: Sabre Springs, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks for all the responses, Nomads! Glad I asked this question. Looks like it's more a matter of good sense and courtesy than problems with the
Policia. I am intensely aware of the danger of night driving and avoid it if at all possible: as far as I'm concerned my nights in BCS are for Dos
Equis and staring at the fire, not getting behind the wheel. Nevertheless, I am often in La Ventana around Xmas/New Years - so short days. Sometimes
I have to go into La Paz when it's dark. If you're familiar with the road from La Paz to San Jose de Los Planes you know it is lousy with
ganados, seemingly all black. I do not see off road lights in use, gringo or local, but I'd sure like to use them! Anyway, here's my rig
without the lights (those pop-gun roof lights are sales gimmicks - they do a good job of blinding you with glare on the hood and windshield!) Guess
the location?
Si sirve, sirve.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
