Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Headlights on when it rains is safer...who knew?

When I got up this morning and saw it raining outside my window I immediately thought of two things:

1. The commute this morning will be extra slow for safe defensive driving on wet roads

2. There will be idiotic drivers out there without their headlights on

Low and behold, wouldn't ya know it, surprise surprise, and any other phrase that fits, but there were people driving in a rainstorm without their lights on. I should have known the drive was going to be "interesting" as I got no less than 20 feet from my parking space when I was confronted with a driver sans headlights in my own parking lot! I stopped to flash my lights and even hand signal to him that he needed his lights on, but it was no use. He's Just another driver infinitely making things more unsafe in these conditions.

The beltway didn't fair much better as I was able to see 2 other cars without any lights on, despite the pour rain. I also saw a few people with only parking lights illuminated. While this is better than no lights, it really doesn't hold a candle (haha, anybody? hello? anybody out there?) to the real headlights.

The GW parkway part of the drive went quite smoothly with few of the normal backups I experience on a regular basis. Despite slower speeds, people kept their distance and things kept moving at a brisk pace. I'm sure this was due to the clouds overhead so that annoying sun couldn't do its famed sun glare action.

I don't understand why someone would drive in the rain without their headlights on. I swear it's one of the first things you learn when you drive. Wipers on, headlights on. A pretty simple concept that some people don't get that just keep putting the rest of us in danger.

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