The reasons given to justify it run on different lines—a necessity to reach home safely when driving on bad roads, bad streetlighting, a competitive urge to flash a beam more powerful than an approaching driver or just a whim. However, no kind of reasoning appears acceptable in the face of the grave danger posed to life and limb.
Automobile spare parts dealer and workshop managers are worried about this trend of using blinding lights. “We are helpless as the customer demands it,” is their collective opinion. The traffic police claim this poses a problem only on highway roads. However, the huge numbers of cases booked against violators within City limits for the last five years are pretty high.
Going strictly by law, the bulb permitted for usage on headlights is 60/55 watts. This figure is also etched on top of the headlight boxes in cars. However, higher wattage bulbs are the ones that are vanishing quickly off the shelves of spare part shops. So much so that there is a shortage for them now. “The 130/100 watt bulb is most sought after now. When the high beam is switched on with it, this simply blinds your eyes,” says J K Srinivas, a reputed spare parts dealer on J C Road. “I keep warning my customers to play safe and go in for atleast 100/90 watt. I am forced to give them what they desire as I know other shopkeepers will be ready to supply them I refuse.” His partner J K Satish lays the blame on one thing, poor streetlights all over the City.
This was the first line uttered by a customer who walked in to replace broken headlight bulbs, “Give me the brightest possible bulb.” To a query on why he wanted it, he said, “Some cars coming in the opposite direction use very powerful bulbs which blind my eyes as I have normal bulbs on my car. If I also have powerful ones, it can negate the flash and allow me some vision.” Shyam Prasad, Works Manager, India Garage concedes it is a huge problem. “One person starts violating the rule and others follow suit.”
Rally racer Kiran, who has spent Rs 22,000 on attractive headlights said, “The need to satisfy the ego too works in some cases.” Service supervisor at a multibrand workshop, William said, “Some people bring their car to the workshop on the day they take delivery itself and ask for powerful lights.”
In comparison two-wheeler riders fare better. “The vehicles are expected to have a 12V35/30 bulb and most abide by it,: says Vinod, proprietor at Comed Bulbs.
Perhaps the cheap price of the bulbs when compared to other car accessories makes many opt for it. Most bulbs range between Rs 100 and Rs 185. A recent innovative bulb which emits blue light touches Rs 1000.
Police version
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) K C Ramamurthy said, “Dazzling lights definitely create obstacles for an approaching driver. However, they cause problems only on highways. The speed with which vehicles move inside the City is too less for it to affect them.”
The black painting of one half of each head bulb or a `Bulls Eye’ in the centre—steps that were mandatory for vehicles earlier are no longer compulsory in the City, he added.
“This is because the whole concept of bulb manufacturing has become hi-tech now and light flashed from a vehicle is controlled and does not hit the eye.” ACP (Planning) Narasimaiah says, “Drivers are ignorant about the implications of using high beam. Most do not use the dim/dip facility to caution other vehicles.”
Many car manufacturers, acutely aware of menace caused by high beam lights, have created some inbuilt safety measures like a protective cap at the portion where the top of the bulb sits and plastic headlight casings which would melt if high watt bulbs are used but many owners do their best to negate these safety nets. On the other hand, cars from a few leading manufacturers roll out of the plant with high-powered bulbs.
Can steps be taken to reduce the headlight menace?
