When dusk falls and the light starts to go, it can make driving a challenging proposition, particularly when you’re talking about driving away from well-lit urban areas. The good news is that ditch lights – typically fitted in the wing mirror area of your vehicle – offer extra illumination exactly when it’s needed.
Country roads can be challenging at the best of times, but throw in some bad light and some poor weather conditions and you can feel like you’re driving…well, in the dark. Come with me now as I take you through an occasion when my ditch lights saved mine and my family’s lives.
Back in the Fall of 2011
We’d been out camping towards the end of Summer near Wyoming and we were all tired and looking forward to getting home. You know what it’s like, you reach that point where you know that it’s time to head home and you suddenly realise how much of your energy has been sapped over your break.
Everything was fine, with me and my wife up front and the kids already asleep in the back. Suddenly out of nowhere, I see deer eyes reflected back at me from the side of the road and they were moving fast! So, I did what anyone would in that situation – I slammed on the brakes, trying to avoid what seemed like it would be a certain collision.
In truth, I braked a little too hard and we span out, missing the fast-travelling deer by about ½ a meter, coming to an abrupt halt and facing the wrong way down the road. We’d had a close call and no mistake!
Our Ditch Lights Saved Us
The fact is that our near-miss would have been far worse had I not seen that telltale deer shine early and the only reason that I had time to do anything about it was because of my ditch lights. The guy who recommended them to me told me that they were worth the investment and until that moment, I hadn’t really understood what he was saying.
My truck’s standard lights are fine, particularly when on full beam, but if I hadn’t had what I call my ‘ditchies’ on, pumping out extra illumination, I wouldn’t have had those important seconds to play with and we’d have hit the poor animal for sure.
Take it From Me – They’re Worth It
As cautionary tales go, this is a brief one, but it serves to show you that small details can have big implications and without my extra lights, I’m not sure that I would be here writing this blog.
The investment I made was a small one in terms of dollars, but that’s not the point – it’s what they offer that matters. If you’re someone who likes to go out in the great outdoors in your truck, I recommend you get a set for yourself. In situations like the one I’ve described, they can make a big, big difference.