[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Copie

If your travelling at 100kmh, and have a distance of around 100-150m (what most people should give space wise for safety etc) that gives you 4-6 seconds of reaction time, now most peoples reaction times from seeing the obstacle (say the roo) to doing something about it is generally 0.5-1.0 seconds, leaves you at least 3 seconds to swerve, brake etc out of the way.

Obviously you don't do alot of night driving on country roads. Weather you're at 100 or 150m or even 200m, you're still only as safe as far as you can see with your low beam cos you're following someone. Most low beams, if adjusted properly, will only illuminate to about 75-90m at best and many much less so that's you're starting point.(if they're not, they're dazzling the guy in front and he'll either drive away from you or slow down till you go by) At 90m you've got just over 3 secs, less your perfect reaction time is now 2 secs. Now the 2 second rule comes into play so what are you going to do?, stand on the brakes and probably hit the roo?; stand on the brakes and swerve and hope you don't wind up in the trees,ditch, bank or safety rail? Or how about into the path of an oncoming vehicle cos you are going into a blind bend and can't see the headlights coming cos of the car in front or the said trees, banks, safety rails. All this assuming you are alert and on the ball and haven't been driving for an hour or two and are just getting a bit fuzzy round the edges at which point you can double or triple your reaction time by which time it's too late to do anything, say hello to skippy. This is for a car of coarse. If you want to sit behind a truck, well, that's different but then you run the risk of suddenly having a mangled roo appearing out from under the truck cos he's not even flinching and just runs right through/over them. Easier to dodge I imagine but potentially as, if not more dangerous to you if you're not on the ball. If you hit a big one it might just tip you over or go under your car and destroy your drive train or part there of, not to mention the mess and smell, lol.

No, you need to be out on your own in front or far enough back that you can use your high beam (and spotties if you're a regular night driver). If someone goes by me at night I'll ease up till they are far enough away that I can get back up to speed and use my lights. But that's just me and my opinion.

Bushbasher