Passing with Oncoming Headlights

["Greg Koehler (Volt Computer)" <a-gregk@microsoft.com>]

Al said:

>I was not attempting to blame the other driver...

But Al also said:

>The point: his lights fooled me. 

My point:  you fooled yourself.  Don't blame his lights.  Take
responsibility
for your error.

>when driving at night, one MUST make judgements about 
>traffic based on perception.  

Everyone makes judgments based on perception, but we all have the
ability to evaluate those perceptions, i.e. to determine whether we
are possibly looking at an optical illusion or not.  If you see a bent
straw
looking through a glass of water, do you assume it is actually bent?

>Aw, come on, Greg. You're in Kirkland - you know how long some of 
>those straights around Ritzville are.  You could see a car that's 
>five minutes away.  Not practical to wait. 

I've been in Ritzville and you're right, my suggestion to wait is
impractical.
Wong had a good suggestion -- to gauge distance by looking at the
distance between headlights.  If both headlights appear very close
together, the car is probably far away (unless it's a Saturn).  As the
distance between the headlights widens, the car is getting closer.
Either
way, you are judging by looking at shift in position of the light
source,
not by looking at the luminosity.

Greg Koehler
Kirkland, WA
'90 80Q