When you're turning onto the road from another road and looking left to see if there is traffic coming from that side, the headlights are not pointed that way and can't help you.

Having said that, I like your attitude about being extra-careful on the road, not overriding your headlights and being on the lookout for ninja peds and cyclists. But that still doesn't guarantee you'll see them if they try to be invisible, which some of them seem to.