I am not sure if it is all around, but in Pune, people believe, motor vehicles are suppose to be driven with high-beam headlights. People who drive know, how killing this can be. Specially for people who drive 2-wheelers back home (like me ofcourse) at 8-8:30pm. Trucks, Buses, SUVs, Cars with neon lights drive with their high beams as if they did never heard of a low-beam headlight. Yes Yes, there is a low beam. Can you go back to your vehicle and please check and please keep it there.
The high beams at night are very very offensive. It blinds you totally. Most city roads in Pune are well-lit and pretty crowded too. Everyone can very well do with their low-beam headlights.
We need better laws and regulations than the petty penalty of Rs 100/- for "Using High Beam where not required.".
So when is the high beam supposed to be used?
Will Quote "Zack" from yahoo forums to answer that. I think he says it pretty well. Plain common sense actually.
"High beams are meant to be used to give you more visibility at a greater distance in front of you. A driver is supposed to keep them ON as long as he needs to be able to see that maximum distance, EXCEPT when another car approaches in the opposite direction, or, when comming upon another car, ahead, going the same direction.
The lights should be dimmed to prevent blinding the other drivers with the glare of the high beams.
In the case of the car ahead of you, HIS headlights will illuminate the road ahead of him, so you won't need your high beams to do that.
Similar reasons apply to a car approaching yours from the opposite direction. His headlights illuminate the road between his car and the extent of your regular beams."