I'm sorry who are you?

There is one thing you can always be sure about at this time of year - it gets dark early. The UK is not always known as the sunniest of climes, nor the warmest, or the friendliest. But the dark, the cold and the rain? Those we have in plenty. That and sarcasm.

Right now though, especially after the clocks have changed, it starts getting dark incredibly early, and with very few street lights around if you happen to be out in early evening you very much need a torch. Everyone has one, be it on their phone, their head or a good old fashioned hand held one. I have all three, or at least somewhere. Packed amongst a myriad of boxes I have a wonderful little, but powerful head torch, perfect to have in your pocket for those times you forget, or worse, you find your phone is dead.

The uncertain battery life is not the only issue trying to navigate whilst out in the dark using your phone. As mentioned above the UK is not only dark, but also wet. Very wet at times. With the water lashing from above, the sea spraying you from the side, the last thing you want to be doing is holding out your phone hoping it survives the elements - you don't really have much choice, it's that or grope around in the dark, and ending up in the sea anyway.

Of course head torches don't win hands down either, they have the annoying habit of blinding anyone around you, the moment you turn to them. This happened to me just the other night as I head home. I had my phone, the torch on it firmly pointed downwards at the road ahead, more than enough to get me home. I see someone else across the way, they wave at me, but all I can really see is the white glow of their head torch as my night vision fades away, replaced by searing white.

Still, I want to be polite, waving back. But all I can think is "Sorry, who are you?"