Reckless Drivers Turning Brights on to Initimidate?

Three times this has happened to me.

There is a stretch of road leading back to my house that I have to take to get home. There is no alternate route for me. It is 2 lane, 1 each way and passing is prohibited.

It is also notorious for speed traps. The speed limit is 45 mph and this is one road I do not speed on. I have seen people get pulled over for going 50 mph.

I cannot pull to the side since there is no side. Nice steep cliffs.

So three different times, I have been driving 45 mph in a 45 mph zone, and a driver behind me decides this isn't fast enough and puts on his/her high beams.

My question:

Is it illegal to install a retractable mirror that comes up and faces out my rear windshield to reflect the beams? The mirror wouldn't take up the entire rear plane of view and would get the beams to reflect back and my point across.

Since I cannot pull to the side, I am not going to speed up and I cannot stop what can I do?

todvango

Buy one of those 1 million candlepower, hand-held spotlights and blast away!

http://www.rewci.com/1micapohacor.html

Well... that might be just as illegal...

I agree, flip the lever on the rearview mirror, and ignore them. If they keep it up, I'd slow down, maybe that would give them the hint.

UCANTCME

WHY DON'T YOU JUST CALL YOUR LOCAL DMV OFFICE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU WILL BE GETTING THE CORRECT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

The Mr. Pine

I have a tab on the bottom of my rear view that turns it to reflect off the roof of the car. Look for it.

madraz

What I do when someone comes up behind me with high beams on is I turn my rearview mirror directly back at them. Their headlights will be reflected back and the glare should be enough to give them the message.

Shanty J

i would stop and let them go around if your stopped it is not passing..

Katie

Flip the little lever at the bottom of your rearview mirror. All of them have one. It will dim the brights dramatically. You can also call 911 and tell them you're being threatened.

logicalgal

Your rear view mirror should have a little lever under it which you pull up or sideways and it will cause the mirror to tip to deflect bright lights, sun, etc. up towards the ceiling of your vehicle, so that you can see down the road ahead.
I hear you.............if it's a dark area, some people have poor night vision and may use their bright lights anyway.....it's irritating isn't it.
The law requires drivers to dim their lights when within 150 meters from behind and 300 m from oncoming traffic here in Alberta Canada. You probably have a similar law.
Talk to your local law enforcement office about this...... maybe that cop in the so-called speed trap will stop THOSE guys too?

Rick B

You could install a set of back-up lights on a switch. I drive tractor-trailer and people seem to think that because there is this big wall behind me there lights don't bother us. Thats not the case.

Vicente G

It obviously depends where it is done.

On that road, as you describe it, with one lane and no passing zone flashing the brights is rude.

On the leftmost lane on the highway flashing the brights to warn slower drivers to move over is a courtesy.

If the speed limit is 65mph, the driver in front of me is going 75mph, but I am driving 95mph I think it's rather courteous to flash the brights well before I start tailgating, giving the person in front enough time to change lanes safely.

No one has the right to decide how fast someone else should drive. If they are driving too fast for your liking, kindly change lanes or pull over. It's safer for everyone.

The Ceej

No. It would not be illegal. Technically, you wouldn't be hurting him. He'd be doing it to himself. If it caused an accident due to his being blinded, he would be the one at fault. In fact, there are only two kinds of drivers. Those who drive with their high beams on by default and those who really want to reflect that bright light back at the arseshole behind them. The fact that you're in the latter group, and you have the time and money to install that mirror is a good thing. I say go for it. After all, if they're blinding themselves, they'll turn their brights off. I wonder why there isn't such a product in every automotive store in the world, considering the demand of these for people who deserve to be behind the wheel is unanimous.

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