Vent: I used to laugh at people who leave their high beams on in the rain, now I get it

Back in 2019, I'd see someone driving with brights during a downpour on I-5 and I'd think 'what an idiot, you're just blinding everyone.' But after moving to Portland two years ago where it rains sideways for months straight, I finally tried it myself one night when I seriously could not see the lane markings at all. With regular lights it felt like driving through a cloud of milk, but the high beams cut through just enough to keep me on the road. Now I'm that guy I used to cuss at, though I do flick them off when I see oncoming cars. Has anyone else made the switch or am I just becoming a grumpy local?

3 comments

3 Comments

cora86322d ago

Rain on I-5 is different than the constant mist you get up here. The issue with high beams in fog or heavy rain is backscatter, the light bounces off the water droplets right in front of you and makes it worse. But Portland's rain is usually lighter droplets that spray up from the road, so the high beams actually light up the pavement itself instead of just the air.

bennett.nora22d ago

@cora863 totally nailed it with the backscatter thing, that's exactly why I always switch to high beams on the 405 in Portland mist. I've done the same thing driving through Grants Pass in similar conditions and it works like a charm.

diana_black22d ago

Bennett, high beams in Portland mist can be tricky. You're right that they light up the pavement, but on the 405 especially, you still get a lot of floating mist between the cars. The real issue is that the mist gets stirred up by traffic, so those smaller droplets can still cause glare if you're not careful. I've found that using fog lights with the low beams works better in that corridor, since the fog lights sit lower and cut under the mist. You might want to try that next time you're coming through the downtown stretch.