h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So you're staying in a hut/bunk/B7B in the country. The pub is 1/4 mile down the road, there's no pavement, when who walk there it's light, when you come back it's dark. It's at this point that I refer you to the Highway Code section on marching in convoy.

If there's a group of you, you should have a white light at the front of the line, and a red light at the back. You should walk in single file, and try and wear something reflective.

A bike light will do for the back, but your best bet is the big half red, half white tubes on a rope you can get from most outdoor shops. That way you can just dangle it from your wrist, and it's visible to cars behind.

If you don't follow these directions, you are

A) Breaking the law.

and

B) Likely to get squashed.

And generally you should walk on the wrong side of the road. So you are walking into oncoming traffic.

Roz.

Yep. Although I'm not sure if that's true if you're carrying white and red lights.

"And generally you should walk on the wrong side of the road. So you are walking into oncoming traffic."

At which point you are, obviously, dazzled by their undipped lights!

(I'm agreeing with you, just pointing out drivers at night should take some care as well!)

A tip from night exercises in the Army: if you're walking at night, and you hear a vehicle approaching in front of you, close one eye until after it has passed.

And as far as I'm aware you should always walk facing oncoming traffic if there is no footpath.

Nah, big groups with the lights should walk with traffic. I don't think you are breaking the law without lights, though. Remember the highway code isn't the law.

I recommend getting yourself out of the road when something's coming - usually pretty obvious on quiet country roads. Wearing something reflective is a very good idea too. Doesn't have to be those yellow coat things - white clothing will make you more visible than dark.

Close one eye? Which eye should you close?

2of3

the one that you're not looking through

I'm usually looking through both. Do you mean I should keep the one towards the traffic open? Or do you mean I should keep my dominant eye open?

2of3

Close the eye you want to be able to see out of once the traffic has passed. The glare of a bright light will ruin your ability to see in the darkness for several minutes. Only red coloured lights are allowd aboard a ship,or even a small boat at night that are visable to people in the bridge ( this does not include required running lights ) as red has the least effect on night vision.

2of3 sorry, was in a totally facetious mood this morning. You have the answer already.

when me and his nibswere staying in a b&b in the middle of nowhere in suffolk, the pub was 1mile away. as we were staggering back in the dark, no pavements, lights etc and it was the sort of road that cars tend to do at least 60mph down, we found that a blasted big maglite did the trick. the cars could see us from miles away(each side of the road was turnip fields), and we would dip the torch so as not to dazzle the driver so he or she wouldn't crash into us. i just wish the oncoming motorists afforded us the same courtesy.

xx