WESTSIDE — Perhaps it's because of the hills and curves in northwest Arkansas. It could have to do with the fact that I am now driving a small, lowto-the-ground car rather than a pickup truck or sport utility vehicle. And, it almost certainly has to do with my aging eyes. But regardless of the cause, I'm complaining about bright and blinding lights on the roadways.

Though I really can't recall ever getting terribly irritated over approaching cars with bright lights when I lived in northern Kansas, it's become a real irritation of mine here in Arkansas. In Kansas, I recall working with a state trooper who used to stop people and at least write warning tickets, if not genuine notices to appear, for the simple infraction of failing to dim their headlamps when approaching within 500 feet. When I was on patrol, I don't think I everstopped a driver for failing to dim his headlights, but then I kept busy enough with other criminal cases that I seldom wrote tickets to speeders either.

Now, however, it may be a good thing I'm not a traffic cop because I'd probably be stopping folks and maybe even writing some NTAs for failing to dim their headlamps. And, it may be because all the hills and curves on Arkansas roads can mean the driver of an oncoming car has little time to dim his headlights before he's blinded me. It could be too, now that I'm driving a little car to save dollars at the gas pumps, that I'm sitting so much lower than I was when I drove a pickup truck or SUV that even lowbeams are blinding. And, unfortunately, I must admit that age makes a difference. My eyes don't adjust back and forth as quickly between bright lights and darkness.

As a result of these things and a larger number of inconsiderate drivers, I wish I could flip on those red lights again and have a talk with a few drivers who ignore the law and forget they have a switch somewhere - on their turn signal control or on the floor - to dim their headlamps for oncoming traffic.

Of course, it's not just oncoming cars that cause me problems. It's usually my misfortune to be followed wherever I go by a truck or SUV with tall off-road tires and headlights which double to spot deer. And the drivers of those vehicles who follow me are not satisfied to follow at a distance of a few seconds - it's usually a few milliseconds, meaning if I step on the brake or even suddenly let my foot slip off the accelerator, my little car will look like a squished armadillo with tire tracksover the top of it. What those drivers don't seem to realize is that I can't see anything but their blinding lights. If they're following me, it could be off the road or into a tree.

It's not only the high beams and the trucks jacked up high enough to run over my little car and not even notice; it's also those cars and trucks with after-market running lights and fog lamps aimed high enough to spot aircraft overhead. There are laws which specify where those lamps are to be aimed, but few seem to pay much attention to the law.

Occasionally, there are those cars with loose headlamps that seem to bounce up and down as they approach. There are those annoying blue-light specials. And, yes, some drivers have already hit someone or something and have one headlight pointing up into the trees - something which cannot serve any good purpose unless, of course, they are coon hunters and want to watch for treed animals as they drive down the road.

If it wasn't so dangerous to blind other drivers on the road with bright lights, I wouldn't complain and even wish, on occasion, I could drop a little gravel or steel shot on the road to put out those lights. Don’t worry, I’ve resisted those evil thoughts so far.

I've tried watching the white line on the right side of the road so as not to be blinded by oncoming traffic, but that's hard to do when the lights on the truck grill behind you are in your mirrors and just as blinding. I've adjusted mirrors, but it seems one mirror or another always catches the light and reflects it straight into my eyes. I tried wearing my sunglasses, but that left me groping in the dark when allthe bright lights were gone.

When people follow too close to my rear bumper, I usually let off the accelerator - slowly - in the hope they'll pass or at least back off. Sometimes a quick flash of the brights is enough to let an oncoming driver know his lights are a problem. But other times, when nothing else works, I just hold the wheel straight, close my eyes and hope for the best - well, maybe I just squint and do my best to stay to the right of the oncoming lights but close enough to them to stay on the road.

Anyway, I’m hoping by complaining just a little, a few more drivers will use the courtesy to dim their lights when approaching other cars or driving within 200 feet behind. After all, they’re endangering themselves too when they blind other drivers around them.

And for those who just don’t understand the problem because of their youthful eyes, just take my word for it. In a few years you’ll begin to understand my complaint.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by e-mail at rmoll@nwaonline .com.

Opinion, Pages 8 on 01/12/2011