Why are so many motorists so lazy that when a headlight bulb goes out, they don't bother to change it, but instead drive with the one remaining headlight on full beam? At night it's like a one-eyed monster staring you down. It's so bright that it's dangerous to oncoming vehicles and a bloody pain in the arse in the mirrors of others. Are they really that lazy that they can't spend 5 minutes changing a bulb?
I think this is symptomatic of a larger problem nowadays - that people just don't have any pride in their possessions any more, cars being a prime example. So often I see relatively new cars with cracked windscreens, dented and rusted bodywork, broken lights and all manner of other cosmetic issues. If the owners can't be bothered to fix stuff like that, it makes sense why you see so many people driving around with one flat tyre, or tyres with no tread. Cosmetic things are easy to fix, mechanical things take a little more thought and I think people are just too lazy nowadays to do this routine maintenance. A classic example is the person who routinely buys a small bottle of oil "because my engine leaks". Just get the leak fixed! The excuse is always "but that costs money". Really? And all that oil you're buying is free? These drivers spend more money on temporary remedies than it would cost to just get off their lazy backsides and have the problem fixed in the first place.
3 comments:
Some cars are almost impossible to change headlamp bulbs on. VWs are a particular offender, or were for a while. I don't condone the practice of not changing dead bulbs, in fact I would cheerfully string the culprits up by sensitive portions of their anatomy, but when you damned near have to take the thing to the dealership so they can dismantle the front end to do it, it becomes a little more understandable. Lazy, irresponsible and stupid, but understandable.
I also see people who've bought a car they can barely afford payments on, and obivously didn't budget anything for servicing and repairs. Again, sheer stupidity.
One burnt out headlight? Pfft, that's nothing.
I routinely see burnt out tail lights, signal lights and third break lights.
There was even one time that I came across a car with NO working break lights or running lights or signal lights, and to make matters worse it was at night! Fun times.
What's worse is the occasional idiot who'll deliberately make their lights worse. Like the imbecile in front of me at the lights this morning; his tail light covers had been smoked to the point of opacity. The only reason I could tell he was braking was the CHMSL!
I'm all for the mandating of a "you've got a blown bulb, moron" idiot light. My car has one. My dad's cars had them - and they dated from 1979! Apparently, some recent Saabs go even further, and will actually figure out what other lights they can use to keep things working while the one light is dead...
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