Bhubaneswar, Aug. 18: Imagine this - it's a lovely balmy night and you're driving down a city road humming a tune. Suddenly, flashing lights blind you. For a moment, you feel disoriented and almost lose control of your car.
Switch to reality. This is a common reality.
The use of high-beam headlights has emerged as a challenge for motorists in the city. Although the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (amended in 2011), states that headlights on vehicles should be between 35-50watts, their misuse in the city at night has become a nuisance for motorists. Not using the dipper at night has compounded their woes.
High-beam headlights inconvenience both two-wheeler and four-wheeler drivers as they cause momentary blindness leading to loss of co-ordination. Manoj Kumar Sinha, 58, a Prasar Bharati employee and resident of Rasulgarh, said the use of such lights is rampant across Bhubaneswar. "Motorists use high-beam lights in the city and some suddenly switch from low beam to high beam while a vehicle is approaching from the front. This causes problems for drivers," he said.
The use ofHe added that motorcycle riders driving on the wrong side of the road and using high-beam headlights pose a grave danger to others on the road. the use of xenon headlamps, which are easily available in the market, has become common among youngsters in the city. Mohapatra said the use of high-beam headlights should be restricted to areas outside the city and rural areas alone.
, due to the presence of street lights,Motorists should switch to low-beam headlights or use dippers when another vehicle is approaching from the opposite side within the city, he added.
the judicious use of headlights depends on drivers. "Nowadays, vehicles come with proper company-fitted headlamps that are strategically placed, eliminating the need for painting the top portion of the headlights in black," he said.
It is up to the drivers to ensure that the sudden flashing of high-intensity headlamps does not inconvenience others, Sethi said. He advised drivers to use the dipper at night. ," Sethi said."
