MA Oppos: headlights on-wipers on law

"Sn210" (sn210) 04/07/2015 at 08:02 • Filed to: Laws

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I think it's common sense for most of us, but it's now a law in MA to have your headlights on if your wipers are on. It's a surchargable offense too, so this is just a reminder of you haven't heard it a million times already. It's effective today!

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:06

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I would say that there are certain rainy conditions when you dont need your headlights on, but if people dont have the common sense to turn them on when it is necessary, then that law is a small price to pay

505Turbeaux > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:09

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good!

nerd_racing > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:11

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This has been a law in NY state for quite some time, and people rarely follow it. I always drive with my lights on in non-pop up cars so it never really mattered to me.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:17

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Up here the rule is, car moving, headlights on. Simple and easy.

Sn210 > nerd_racing 04/07/2015 at 08:22

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it'll be interesting to see how well the cops enforce it. I bet it's heavy at first but in a few years people will forget about it.

Sn210 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 04/07/2015 at 08:25

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it's less about you being able to see or not, but more that I can see you coming down the road. Not that i'd miss a teal Ranger coming at me, but think of how hard it is to see a white Corolla in a snow storm.

spanfucker retire bitch > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:27

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Sadly, it'll be a cold day in hell before the majority of people realize that head lights are important not just for the benefit of the driver's visibility, but for everyone else on the fucking road so they can see you.

Sn210 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/07/2015 at 08:29

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I like that rule, it's not open to your interpretation of if its raining or not lol

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:33

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Indeed, quite common rule in Europe really.

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:33

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I wish this would pass in Kentucky. I have major rage/pet-peeve issues when I see people driving in the pissing rain with no headlights on.

I was nearly t-boned because a dark gray Saturn was driving down a 45 MPH road with no headlights on and I didn't see them until the last moment.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:36

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Oh I get that, but there are light rain storms and sun showers. Thats what I was talking about

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:39

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I'm 30 and I just heard of that last week. It's definitely a good practice, and I usually keep my lights on if there's any weather, or even if it's darkly overcast, but I had no idea it was the law.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 08:41

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Also, around here people have a hard enough time turning on their headlights in the dark. I see 4-5 cars/week driving though the city without their lights on or with just their parking lights on. Drives me nuts.

Sn210 > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 04/07/2015 at 09:09

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yeah I guess Deval signed it right before he left. Hopefully it gets enforced, it drives me nuts too

Cé hé sin > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 09:15

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Interestingly, Sweden used to have a wipers-on-headlights law.

Cé hé sin > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/07/2015 at 09:16

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Only in the frozen North though!

Forgetful > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 09:18

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As a personal rule, I always turn my headlights on when driving, regardless of conditions.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Cé hé sin 04/07/2015 at 09:25

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Frozen north? I'm sitting here in a Tank top, short trouser, bare feet and enjoying a cold beer.. Sun in my face, and a light breeze to cool me down. Must be 12 degrees Celsius at least.. "cold" huh.. :P

Mustafaluigi > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 09:29

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I get so annoyed when people fail at this but after I always wondered why this wasn't an automated thing. When I click my windshield washer on, at least my DRL should turn on if not my full on lights. I typically drive with my lights on all day err day since I got a Subaru because they are the first car I've ever drove where you can leave the lights on ON (not auto) and when you turn the car off and take the key out they turn off. I've left my lights on with my old Taurus so many times because that switch didn't care what the ignition was doing, when the switch said on they were on.

Brickman > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 09:33

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I can understand if it's a monsoon, but the usual spring showers aren't much of a visibility issue to put the headlights on.

Sn210 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 04/07/2015 at 09:42

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yeah I don't figure the police woukd be out in full force hunting people down when it starts to rain. It's probably something they'll tack on if you piss them off

Sethersm > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/07/2015 at 09:44

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I do not understand why manufacturers just don't wire it so ignition on = headlights on unless you override it, in which case a big fucking warning light shows up on your dash. I can understand that sometimes turning them off may be desirable (sitting in the car waiting for someone, driving around a campground late at night, etc), but that's why the override.

I suppose that the bulbs would have a shorter life span, and they do use power so lower mileage ever so slightly, but the benefits of not experiencing fiery death outweigh those drawbacks IMO.

Tekamul > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 09:45

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Now what?

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Sethersm 04/07/2015 at 09:50

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They do that here in Norway, so I guess it depends on the country.

Takuro Spirit > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 09:53

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Been a law here in WI but no one enforces it. Judging by the amount of asshats I see in the rain, fog, DARK without headlights on not getting pulled over that is.

kanadanmajava1 > Cé hé sin 04/07/2015 at 10:15

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Finland required "headlight washing device" but it didn't need to be a wiper. Water nozzle was the common method. They aren't mandatory anymore (except in vehicles with gas discharge lights).

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > spanfucker retire bitch 04/07/2015 at 11:31

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Yeah, yourself being able to see is not the purpose of headlights at all unless you are on a really dark road. Headlights are really only there so that everyone else can see you. This is why those super bright HIDs and stuff are silly because it is just unnecessary.

Blue2010SRT > Sn210 04/07/2015 at 17:08

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Excellent law. Dodge has an available setting that automatically turns the headlights on after the wipers have been on for 30 seconds. At least mine does when the headlight switch is in the auto position, which is where I leave it 100% of the time.

I'll bet many non-base-model cars have a similar setting if you dig deep enough into the menus.