Ummmmm....... I'm sorry but IF you can't see either the red or green light how do you know who has the "right of way" and who is to yield?????I'm sorry guys, but the argument about the confusion of the red and green lights is invalid...
The lights are there (and color coded for a reason and it's NOT Just so you can tell a boat is coming "at you")
I have on our pontoon "docking lights" , side lights (both very handy in boating fish at night while tied off or anchored) as well as hand held spotlight,(1,000,000 candle power) we fish Laurel often late at night, so they get a bit of use (marking navigation bouys etc.) but IMO are not needed to "run the lake" at all , the glare is terrible(at best) and also IMO blinding other boats IS dangerous, rude and unnecessary, it takes time to get one's "night vision" back and it's not only illegal but bad manners (IMHO) to turn on "docking lights" or headlights facing another boat (especially one underway)
What I often see when this happens is someone driving WAY too fast (again IMO) for the conditions and not being at all concerned with other boats or their safety so long as the "captian" of the fast moving boat can see where THEY are going
Like Ryan, I turn them on/off in a second (or few at least ) and try very hard to never blind another boat, the life you save (as they say) may be your own!
Not to "argue", but the taking away from the nav lights IS very valid, and the Water Patrol will let you know (at least on Laurel from what I've been told/seen)
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