THE Motor Vehicles Act clearly states that extra lights on your vehicle are not allowed. You should have only those supplied by the manufacturer.

The trouble, however, is that the manufacturer has kept a provision for extra lights and this allows owners to get more lights, usually powerful ones, fitted to the car.

Owners of the new breed of cars can often be seen driving around the streets of Chandigarh with their regular lights on full beam, which are in turn backed by an extra set. The idea being to blind the oncoming motorist!

It should be remembered that City Beautiful enjoys the reputation of being the best-lit city in India.

Do we need to drive on full beam? Do we need to have extra lights? The answer is a simple No! The need to have extra lights, is simply a case of ‘Look at me’.

Driving around like a yahoo, showing off, overtaking from the left, using the horn needlessly or driving with full beams does not lend dignity to the car or your status.

The driver must behave in an exemplary fashion. It will make the road friendlier and safer place.

Overtaking from the left and driving on full beam are cited as the main reasons for road accidents. Only you can do something about it.

If you have to have extra lights fitted, there should be a reason for it. Fog! A three-letter word that brings traffic to a dead halt.

Traffic has been held up on the National Highway 1 for eight hours. The fog on the Jaipur-Delhi highway can cause darkness at noon in winters.

Fog lights can be extremely useful at such times. The normal white light cannot penetrate the white of the fog. Yellow, the colour of fog lights, because of its different wavelength provides better illumination, it does not scatter as white light does. It is easier on the eye and reduces eye fatigue, one of the prime reasons for driving error.

Because of its penetrating ability through fog, yellow can be seen from a greater distance. It gives advance notice to an approaching driver.

You should adjust your speed according to visual conditions. Overtaking is not recommended. Follow the car in front and, most important, maintain a safe distance.

It would be of great help if you knew all the controls regulating the flow of air in the cabin. There is likely to be a demister in you car, which will keep the windscreen dry and clear from the inside. Does you wiper work? The fog condenses on the glass outside and makes it opaque!

If you do have extra lights, they should be kept covered. You should not be driving around Chandigarh on a clear winter’s night with fog lights on.

The easiest way to get fog light is to put yellow cellophane over the light. Halwais use it to pack sweet boxes. It is very effective. Even without fog, yellow lights have been known to be very useful. In France, only yellow lights are permitted as headlights on cars. In Chandigarh they invite a challan!

There are also special bulbs available these days that do a multitude of jobs — you have the normal light plus fog light built into one. It’s expensive. Check it out.

Happy motoring!