# When "road safety" bullshit makes the road LESS safe **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 12, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204 "2018-09-12T02:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/21 "2018-09-14T14:49:28Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I took a job not too long ago teaching adult driver education. At my school, we teach to stay well back from emergency and construction vehicles and not to look directly into oncoming lights or emergency vehicle lights. Those blue ones on police vehicles are especially hard on the eyes at night or in rain. If you are having trouble seeing, you can always look at the [fog line](https://forum.officer.com/forum/public-forums/ask-a-cop/72428-fog-line-what-is-it) and follow it, at least far enough to pull over safely. Yeah. This doesn’t work. For instance, doesn’t work when you need to pass a snowplow or piece of construction equipment. Doesn’t work when the cop car/emergency equipment is parked on the side of the road having pulled someone over. Should we stop 100 yards away and wait until they are done with their business? Just today, a cop car had someone pulled over on the the other/oncoming side of the road. Not just where all of his lights going, but he had his spot light on (I know this is SOP, and a safety issue for the cops.) BUT he did not have the spotlight aimed at the car as much into oncoming traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/22 "2018-09-14T15:10:28Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Yeah. This doesn’t work. > > For instance, doesn’t work when you need to pass a snowplow or piece of construction equipment. > > Doesn’t work when the cop car/emergency equipment is parked on the side of the road having pulled someone over. > > Should we stop 100 yards away and wait until they are done with their business? > > Just today, a cop car had someone pulled over on the the other/oncoming side of the road. Not just where all of his lights going, but he had his spot light on (I know this is SOP, and a safety issue for the cops.) BUT he did not have the spotlight aimed at the car as much into oncoming traffic. Yeah, what do you recommend instead? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/23 "2018-09-14T15:17:04Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Yeah, what do you recommend instead? Have them dim the lights. And use fewer of them. They weren’t always this bright and or numerous. It’s my problem, but not my fault that I/we are being blinded by these vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/24 "2018-09-14T15:20:32Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Have them dim the lights. And use fewer of them. They weren’t always this bright and or numerous. > > It’s my problem, but not my fault that I/we are being blinded by these vehicles. I wasn’t aware we were assigning blame. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/25 "2018-09-14T15:24:13Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Yeah. This doesn’t work. > > For instance, doesn’t work when you need to pass a snowplow or piece of construction equipment. > > Doesn’t work when the cop car/emergency equipment is parked on the side of the road having pulled someone over. > > Should we stop 100 yards away and wait until they are done with their business? > > Just today, a cop car had someone pulled over on the the other/oncoming side of the road. Not just where all of his lights going, but he had his spot light on (I know this is SOP, and a safety issue for the cops.) BUT he did not have the spotlight aimed at the car as much into oncoming traffic. After re-reading this, I am curious why you “need” to pass snowplows and construction equipment, especially the plows? I suggest you leave earlier if you are cutting your arrival times that closely. As for the rest, don’t look directly at the lights. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/26 "2018-09-14T15:35:19Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > After re-reading this, I am curious why you “need” to pass snowplows and construction equipment, especially the plows? I suggest you leave earlier if you are cutting your arrival times that closely. As for the rest, don’t look directly at the lights. Because otherwise you’re not going anywhere until the end of their shift? ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/27 "2018-09-14T15:51:46Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > My area has been installing merging lanes and round-a-bouts, which are great, if you know how to use them. > > Unfortunate, since nobody seems to, and chaos ensues. Fucking idiots. Bingo! Not only drivers, but pedestrians and bicycles don’t follow the rules either which makes them a clusterfuck. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/28 "2018-09-14T15:57:00Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Because otherwise you’re not going anywhere until the end of their shift? If he is passing a vehicle, I take that to mean both vehicles are moving. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/29 "2018-09-14T15:58:45Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > After re-reading this, I am curious why you “need” to pass snowplows and construction equipment, especially the plows? I suggest you leave earlier if you are cutting your arrival times that closely. As for the rest, don’t look directly at the lights. Oh please. I’m not going to follow a snowplow or construction equipment going 20 MPH under the limit for 20 miles. You know exactly zero about the conditions that I drive every day. My arrival times aren’t being cut it close at all. Don’t suggest things that you know nothing about. Of course you don’t look directly at the lights :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/30 "2018-09-14T16:26:47Z")
There seems to have been a contest among the makers of those lights to see who could make their’s the brightest. I remember one ad that something like, “Visible from 20 miles away!”. I believe that there are at least two brightness settings on the newer strobes and the lower setting is encouraged at night. I think they’ve gone way past the point of practical utility and now are a hazard themselves. Speaking of Meat Cove… we tried to go camping there several years ago but a major rain event a couple of nights prior flooded the area and washed out bridges. Our whale watching captain in Bay St. Lawerence said, “Sorry, I have to run medicine and reporters out there.” Apparently, it was pretty bad. What a beautiful area, though. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/31 "2018-09-14T16:32:40Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Oh please. I’m not going to follow a snowplow or construction equipment going 20 MPH under the limit for 20 miles. You know exactly zero about the conditions that I drive every day. > > My arrival times aren’t being cut it close at all. Don’t suggest things that you know nothing about. No, but I’m getting a very strong vibe of you as an angry, impatient driver. They come from all over. Snowplows around here go slowly only when they are actually plowing. While they are plowing they are also, usually, spreading a salt/anti-skid mixture. So, you’re in a big enough hurry to drive through the flying salt/anti-skid (nicking your paint and risking a cracked windshield) in order to drive on a road that is likely still slick with snow or ice. From my point of view, you’re in a hell of a hurry to take unnecessary risks and make yourself into a hazard. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/32 "2018-09-14T16:40:17Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > No, but I’m getting a very strong vibe of you as an angry, impatient driver. They come from all over. > Snowplows around here go slowly only when they are actually plowing. While they are plowing they are also, usually, spreading a salt/anti-skid mixture. So, you’re in a big enough hurry to drive through the flying salt/anti-skid (nicking your paint and risking a cracked windshield) in order to drive on a road that is likely still slick with snow or ice. From my point of view, you’re in a hell of a hurry to take unnecessary risks and make yourself into a hazard. And you would be wrong. I have been driving a two lane mountain highway for every day for the last 26 years. I travel over the continental divide at 11,500 feet. I go into 4x4 every day 6 months out of the year. Passing snow plows is what is done. I happen to be the guy that drives the speed limit. I pull over nearly every day on this road for people that get behind me. It’s a very leisurely drive that I enjoy. Unless you come upon one of these traveling light shows. ETA - I’ve been driving since 1975 and have never been in any kind of accident regardless of fault. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/33 "2018-09-14T17:48:22Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And you would be wrong. I have been driving a two lane mountain highway for every day for the last 26 years. I travel over the continental divide at 11,500 feet. I go into 4x4 every day 6 months out of the year. Passing snow plows is what is done. > > I happen to be the guy that drives the speed limit. I pull over nearly every day on this road for people that get behind me. It’s a very leisurely drive that I enjoy. > > Unless you come upon one of these traveling light shows. > > ETA - I’ve been driving since 1975 and have never been in any kind of accident regardless of fault. You seem to think that makes you neither angry nor impatient. Try to remember that everybody on the road is just trying to get somewhere and nobody set out with the goal of discommoding you, as important as you are. Also try to remember that 4x4 does absolutely nothing when it is necessary for you to stop on slick road surfaces. You remind me of my dad, in conclusion. He was an angry, impatient, aggressive driver who was fiercely proud of never having been in an accident. My dad profited mightily from shit-ass good luck and other people on the road not having their egos caught up in their vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/34 "2018-09-14T17:50:46Z")
> **[\`Passing us is risking your life' : Plow operator](https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/02/12/passing_us_is_risking_your_life_plow_operator.html)** > > Now that winter's icy grip is firmly upon us, one of these days we're going to get a big dump of snow. Probably sooner, rather than later. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/35 "2018-09-14T18:17:35Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > You seem to think that makes you neither angry nor impatient. Try to remember that everybody on the road is just trying to get somewhere and nobody set out with the goal of discommoding you, as important as you are. Also try to remember that 4x4 does absolutely nothing when it is necessary for you to stop on slick road surfaces. You remind me of my dad, in conclusion. He was an angry, impatient, aggressive driver who was fiercely proud of never having been in an accident. My dad profited mightily from shit-ass good luck and other people on the road not having their egos caught up in their vehicles. Where did I even suggest that anyone is trying to ‘discommode’ me. Snowplows are just doing their job. I pull over for others that want to go faster than I nearly daily as I already said. I am just agreeing with the OP (and others) that many of these emergency vehicles now have lights that are ridiculously bright. I absolutely guarantee you that I understand driving in snow/ice and a 4x4’s abilities. After all we only average 30 feet of snow a year at my house. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/36 "2018-09-15T01:33:19Z")
Enipla, Do not mind the folks who have decided you are a hazard to the rest of us Colorado drivers. I highly doubt that you are a problem. If you have driven here in the hills east of me daily for 25 years, & have never had an accident, you are good. Some folks just like to hassle others. Blow the hassle off, & let the rest ride. I have chosen to put in my 2 cents worth here because you are wasting way too much energy trying to defend yourself. BTW, I concur that the bright lights on emergency vehicles can be so bright that they are causing a bigger hazard to the driving public & to the emergency crew than the original issue was. I wish that these crews would consider the created hazard before turning their light on so bright. Hang in there, 48. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/37 "2018-09-15T04:15:50Z")
> [@48Willys](#): > > Enipla, Do not mind the folks who have decided you are a hazard to the rest of us Colorado drivers. > > I highly doubt that you are a problem. If you have driven here in the hills east of me daily for 25 years, & have never had an accident, you are good. > > Some folks just like to hassle others. Blow the hassle off, & let the rest ride. > > I have chosen to put in my 2 cents worth here because you are wasting way too much energy trying to defend yourself. > > BTW, I concur that the bright lights on emergency vehicles can be so bright that they are causing a bigger hazard to the driving public & to the emergency crew than the original issue was. I wish that these crews would consider the created hazard before turning their light on so bright. > > Hang in there, 48. Yep, not worried about it. And I see that scumpup has his own special thread in the pit about snipping at people. I’ll bring up another special case of light problems. Here in the mountains, many snow remove equipment is big 6 wheel drive graders and articulated loaders. Of course they have a shit load of lights on them. But when roading it (traveling down the highway) the operators sometimes forget to turn off there rear ‘driving’ lights. It’s very interesting to come upon a vehicle IN YOUR LANE with head lights pointing right at you. The operators seem to think that it makes them more visible. Well, sure. But it’s sort of like looking into the sun. I manage fine. But it does aggravate me a bit that CDOT seems to think bigger and brighter is safer. It’s not. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/38 "2018-09-15T10:22:26Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Yep, not worried about it. And I see that scumpup has his own special thread in the pit about snipping at people. Somehow this does not surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/39 "2018-09-15T12:47:14Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > Those new super duper headlights, whatever they are, that look like they’re on high beam all the time. A bitch when they approach you on a dark country road, completely blinding. I hate those. You can’t tell of they have their brights on, but you find out if you flash yours because they turn theirs on and leave them on as they pass you. It’s even worse when they follow you. Of course, there are some people who do have their brights on constantly. It’s as if they are saying, “Look at me in my pretty truck! You should not be on the road when I am driving because my truck is so tremendous, so I will make you so uncomfortable you will want to pull off as I pass!” I use night-driving glasses, the one with the yellow lenses. They don’t darken the brights very much, but they do take down the brightness somewhat. When I get followed by these dimwits, I also end up aiming the side-view mirrors down. I figure not using them is a little safer than being blind. I created a thread about blinding headlights years ago, and came to the same conclusions. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204/40 "2018-09-15T12:55:50Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > My Wife was finishing the full marathon portion of and IronMan race. They always have ambulances at the finish in case. Well in this particular race, these morons welcomed the runners by having all there lights flashing. My Wife, now blinded, tripped in a pot hole and broke two fingers. I often run after dark and my path along a semi-rural road is enlivened by drivers who see me coming and for “safety” reasons turn on their super-bright headlights. Now, I make an effort to wear light-colored clothing and and LED-flashing bracelet, so it’s not like I’m difficult to see, plus when I spot an oncoming car I run on the far edge of the road in the opposite lane. By using their brights, these drivers are partially blinding me and increasing the risk that I’ll trip over something at the road’s edge - plus, they can see me just as well with their regular headlights. Twits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-road-safety-bullshit-makes-the-road-less-safe/821204.md?page=3)