Apr 7th, New wiper and head light law

[Falko]

I was just informed by our staff that the new headlights on with wipers on law goes into effect tomorrow. It is a minor surchargeable offense. Rain later in the week, don't be revenue...

[Tunertype]

I really have to move. The moronic traffic laws are really starting to get excessive. I can think of better places for my tax dollars.. Like flushing it down the toilet.

New state law requires headlights to be on whenever windshield wipers are on | masslive.com

Unless there's more to this law than is listed in the article I am reading "whether stationary or moving" as meaning if you are parked in the street after dark and your lights aren't on you are in violation. Fucking idiots.

[number9]

It's been the law in ME for a few years now. I've never seen it enforced though.

It's one of those things where you'd think people would use common sense.. and you'd be wrong. In a rainstorm doing 70mph on the Interstate, a silver car without its lights on can be surprisingly hard to see.

On the other hand, I fucking love it when people put their hazards on when driving down the road just because it's raining or snowing heavily

[tls25rs]

True that cars without their lights on can be hard to see in the rain but the newer vehicles with their ridiculously bright headlights, when reflecting off of every wet surface there is, can be completely blinding to oncoming traffic or traffic traveling the same way in a lane beside the vehicle.

On the surface this rule sounds like a good idea but dig a little deeper and there are negative aspects of it as well. Too bad the people making the laws aren't exposed to the negatives prior to voting them in.

This is also similar to passing a police cruiser with the new LED light bars, they all seem to have now, when it is raining or wet out. Can't see a damn thing. They wonder why more and more police on the side of the road are being hit, probably because the traffic attempting to drive by is either blinded or having a seizure from the lights.

[SVRACER01]

i dont use wipers, so i guess im good.

[-Dutch-]

Yeah, grew up in Maine, this is no big deal. I think about it every time I (almost don't) see some Derpatron driving along in his grey sedan with no lights while it's raining.

[RandyO]

i dont use wipers, so i guess im good.

RainX and drive faster

[TheIglu]

I'll be driving in my silver truck without wipers from now on because of liberal nanny staters. So much for safety!

[nhbubba]

NYS has this law. I have seen it enforced. One of those instances where you wonder if you are on one of this hidden camera shows. "This is a joke, right?! You can't be serious."

Dumb.

[TheIglu]

In other news, MA now requires jumper cables and jump packs to be registered and licensed with the state. Only union approved state employees are allowed to use them. They get $30/hr, with time and a half overtime starting after the first half hour each week.

[SVRACER01]

waiting for someone to tell us how this is against our human rights.

[TheIglu]

"A vehicle, whether stationary or in motion, on a public way, shall have attached to it headlights and taillights which shall be turned on by the vehicle operator and so displayed as to be visible from the front and rear during the period of 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise; provided, however, that such headlights and taillights shall be turned on by the vehicle operator at all other times when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, visibility is reduced such that persons or vehicles on the roadway are not clearly discernible at a distance of 500 feet or when the vehicle’s windshield wipers are needed; provided further, that this section shall not apply to a vehicle which is designed to be propelled by hand; and provided further, that a vehicle carrying hay or straw for the purpose of transporting persons on a hayride shall display only electrically operated lights which shall be 2 flashing amber lights to the front and 2 flashing red lights to the rear, each of which shall be at least 6 inches in diameter and mounted 6 feet from the ground."



So I can get out of it if I load up the back with some straw or hay and say I'm on my way to go pick up some hay riders?

[SVRACER01]

if im reading that right, then cars with "day time running lights" are not sufficient enough since usually the tail lights are not on when the "DTRL"s are.

[xrocket21]

Are you guys really complaining about a law that makes us all safer? Turning lights on when wipers on is just good practice, but some people don't do it, so it is nice there is a law now to help keep us all safer.

[GingahNinjah]

This actually makes sense because even with daytime running lights the running taillights dont come on unless the headlights are actually turned on. In heavy rain without taillights and alot of spray cars can become virtually invisible. This can also aid drivers in judging distance better when coming up on traffic in front of them whether stopped or otherwise. In a State that puts the driver in back automatically at fault in the case of a rear ending this law may help to reduce the number of incidents in rainy conditions.

[nhbubba]

You actually believe this law will have any measurable impact on real safety?!?

[xrocket21]

You actually believe this law will have any measurable impact on real safety?!?

how is added visibility in low visibility conditions NOT going to improve safety?

[PhilB]

waiting for someone to tell us how this is against our human rights.

Other people micromanaging every aspect of our lives IS against our human rights. We are not children, the government isn't our parents.

With regard to this law, most of the time having your lights on when your wipers are on increases safety by a measurable amount. But not always. Which is the problem with this and many other laws -- they are written as a one-size-fits-all, all the time everywhere, and thus you can be punished for making a different decision even when your decision is the right one. At any given time on the road, those legislators are not there to observe the conditions specific to that situation; you are.

PhilB

[PhilB]

Are you guys really complaining about a law that makes us all safer? Turning lights on when wipers on is just good practice, but some people don't do it, so it is nice there is a law now to help keep us all safer.

The law does not make anyone safer, not one tiny little bit. Turning your lights on makes you safer, most of the time. It is not nice that there is yet one more law to micromanage yet one more decision, and one more way for them to take some of your money if you don't agree with their blanket requirement.

PhilB

[jasnmar]

waiting for someone to tell us how this is against our human rights.

Human rights, meh. Does it infringe on my personal liberty? Yes, but pretty much all new laws do. If for some reason I elect not to follow this law, the eventual punishment is loss of my rights.

if im reading that right, then cars with "day time running lights" are not sufficient enough since usually the tail lights are not on when the "DTRL"s are.

Correct. Daytime running lights are not adequate for the purposes of this law.

Are you guys really complaining about a law that makes us all safer? Turning lights on when wipers on is just good practice, but some people don't do it, so it is nice there is a law now to help keep us all safer.

Use headlights in when wipers are on. It's safer.
Use headlights all of the time. It's safer.
Don't drive over 25. It's safer.
Don't ride a motorcycle. It's safer.
Don't have pointy objects. It's safer.
Don't leave your home. It's safer.
Where do we stop?

Just because something is a good idea, doesn't mean that it should be a law.

I'll also disagree with almost any new law. We have far too many as it is. We have so many that we can no longer even count them, so it's almost impossible to always obey them.

The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws

[carsick]

"Originally posted by Tacitus" I didn't know he was a forum member... Lotta old guys on here.

[JackFrost]

When the consequences of you not caring for your safety are reflected in my insurance rates, I can reasonably say that you've got my attention and willingness to have the law step in and modify your behavior.

Sure, I understand the desire to live free and without any encumbrances or inconveniences. But grow up and realize that, to accommodate the fact that we are living in a world where we have to share resources (roads, etc), and because there are many fools out there, we need some basic laws to gently guide some onto a way of behaving that least stresses, inconveniences and/or endangers everyone else. Clearly the law won't be perfect and I'd expect that the enforcement side of it will basically gloss over the times when it isn't appropriate. Just like speeding: largely cops ignore speeding within safe limits when it isn't endangering anyone else.

[jasnmar]

... we need some basic laws to gently guide some onto a way of behaving that least stresses, inconveniences and/or endangers everyone else.

Laws do not gently guide. Laws punish those who do not follow them by means of removal of their rights / and government endorsed violence.

Again, it would be less stressful for everyone if the law said everyone should stay home.
Your insurance would be cheaper if there were no pointy objects.

... will basically gloss over the times when it isn't appropriate. Just like speeding: largely cops ignore speeding within safe limits when it isn't endangering anyone else.

Which is the worst kind of laws. Those that can be "randomly" enforced, so that it is only enforced for certain people at certain times, but might be applied at any time. If it is something that shouldn't be applied all of the time, it should not be a law, it should be a guideline.

[RandyO]

the law could be interpreted to mean every time you push your windshield wash button and the wipers swipe 3 times, the headlights need to be on to wash your windshield

next, they will be arresting you for flashing your lights cause it appeared you were warning other motorists there is a leo ahead

[jasnmar]

So I can get out of it if I load up the back with some straw or hay and say I'm on my way to go pick up some hay riders?

LOL. Some legislator must have had a hay ride business .