driving with lights on

[GHGH]

Nonononono! I don't do any modifications! Cross my heart!

Since I don't have xenons, I'll just going to leave the switch set at "auto"!

[Dankert]

Originally Posted by GHGH

Nonononono! I don't do any modifications! Cross my heart!

Since I don't have xenons, I'll just going to leave the switch set at "auto"!

Can I ask what happens with your light early in the morning with the switch set to "Auto"?

Does it agree with itself to stay on when the sun begins to "Work"?

[GHGH]

Originally Posted by Dankert

Can I ask what happens with your light early in the morning with the switch set to "Auto"? Does it agree with itself to stay on when the sun begins to "Work"?

I will investigate - starting now - and revert in less than a week.

[cjthompson321]

Personally I drive with my lights on if it's overcast or worse. I'm not bothered if anyone else on the road has their lights on. I just want to make sure I'm visible.

But what really gets my goat is people who use their side lights when it's foggy or dawn/dusk. They are completely ineffective.
Because the dash lights up when side lights are on people will forget to switch to dipped when it gets dark.
Side lights should be banned as they have no purpose whatsoever.

[cjthompson321]

I Ugree ug ug

[czechplastik]

Originally Posted by TTDegs

Yes - there are some nutter bike riders out there - but there are also a lot of nutter car drivers.

Credit to the to the 3 bikers I came across on the way home from work this morning, all had their lights on. However lights on or off I certainly would not have missed the bike all over my exhaust (like some kind of STD) in a queue of traffic, eventually he went past several cars at high speed on a country road before having to dart into a tight space at the last minute before he was flattened by an artic. Thats where my dislike stems from.

[Adictdi]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

The UK are unlikely to adopt DRLs, due to the "fact" that motorcyclists become less visible compared to cars. This seems odd to me - it is an acknowledgement that DRLs on bikes are a help, so we shouldn't have them on cars too.

True, plus we need to bear in mind that motorcyclists are already "less visible" due to their size and in some cases the way they ride. I believe the reason they don't want DRL on cars is that it takes away any perceived 'advantage' a biker has by having a light on.

I personally drive with my lights on probably 9 times out of 10. the reason is simply because people don't look properly, the standard of observation shown by a lot of people these days is poor and i feel that by having my lights on i give prior warning to other users who may look at me but not 'see' me.

Ad

[GHGH]

Originally Posted by Dankert

Can I ask what happens with your light early in the morning with the switch set to "Auto"?

Does it agree with itself to stay on when the sun begins to "Work"?

I have tried Auto through a lot of tunnels lately. And, I recall what's happened when I uesd "Auto" (before I read the warning in the manual).
The system has not hesitated at all so far. I got the car in februar, and were driving through a few dusks with the switch in "Auto" without any problem.

[P@tje]

Originally Posted by GHGH

I think that's correct.

as mensioned before: it's NOT correct.

sensor in dashboard is for climate control for registration the amount of sunbeams and adjusting the program for this situation.

sensor behind the windscreen glass is for rain / light.

when this sensor is cover by for instance some black adhesive tape, the light will turn in on AUTO mode, and the rainsensor won't work anymore. The mode that the wipers are in then, is the 'variable interval mode'.

There must be some other way to turn the lights on in AUTO mode. But my dealer said it isn't programmable.
Maybe the car's in Finland have a hardwired correction to turn the lights in 'always on' mode ? Some bridged relay or something?

[P@tje]

Originally Posted by cjthompson321

Personally I drive with my lights on if it's overcast or worse. I'm not bothered if anyone else on the road has their lights on. I just want to make sure I'm visible.

But what really gets my goat is people who use their side lights when it's foggy or dawn/dusk. They are completely ineffective.
Because the dash lights up when side lights are on people will forget to switch to dipped when it gets dark.
Side lights should be banned as they have no purpose whatsoever.

YES and this is the reason that use of side lights when driving in some countries, ie Holland, is forbidden.
Manufactures have to be much more clever then the are.... The dashboard light must not be on when using side lights while driving.

I don't understand this. It's the root of this problem.

Postscript : Side lights are only there to be used for parking (city lights)

[Charles_Harding]

Aren't 'side lights' now reffered to as 'position lights' anyway?

Indicating that they are not really suitable for driving, just parking!

I usually run on dipped as soon as I feel it is necessary, usually before official lighting up time and when overcast.

"I feel like a million today, but one at a time tho'!"

Charles H.

[cb550]

Originally Posted by Charles_Harding

Aren't 'side lights' now reffered to as 'position lights' anyway?

Indicating that they are not really suitable for driving, just parking!

I usually run on dipped as soon as I feel it is necessary, usually before official lighting up time and when overcast.

"I feel like a million today, but one at a time tho'!"

Charles H.

'Sounds sensible to me!I also agree with the theory suggested on an earlier post(Adictdi) that driving with dipped during daylight could diminish the presence of bikes who do ride with their lights on-why?Well,an example might be,given a busy stretch of road cluttered with traffic travelling both directions,I think a bike might quite likely become lost in a sea of headlamps

[richierich]

Seems to work okay in Denmark and Sweden. Besides bikes always stand out, they are the blur passing between 2 lanes of traffic rather than in it.

[cb550]

Originally Posted by richierich

Seems to work okay in Denmark and Sweden. Besides bikes always stand out, they are the blur passing between 2 lanes of traffic rather than in it.

About the blured bikers already standing out.I was thinking more about the safety of the responsible biker who is bothered about his/her safety and that of other road users.

Just to go off that,as a car driver I've seen many examples of reckless riding,and as a bike rider I've been on the receiving end of many examples of reckless driving.

[Pottsy]

Originally Posted by Charles_Harding

Aren't 'side lights' now reffered to as 'position lights' anyway?

Indicating that they are not really suitable for driving, just parking!

Exactly. I wish they were called parking lights. Why on earth do people drive with these on, especially in poor vis or even at night? What are they thinking?

[AubreyS]

I have not read all the posts here, but some years ago, the manufactures started fitting "dim dip lighting" My Ford Orion had them.

When you turned on even just the 'sidelights', the headlamps came on also but at about 50% or so of the brightness. But for some reason they stopped fitting cars with these lights.

It’s not difficult to have the headlights come on as soon as you start the engine when any lights are turned on at all. So, I don't know why they just don't make it law that the manufactures fit this as standard.

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

Exactly. I wish they were called parking lights. Why on earth do people drive with these on, especially in poor vis or even at night? What are they thinking?

Only time I ever use them for anything at all (cos even for parking they're pretty useless!) is when it's a bit grey and I'm on a motorway / dual carriageway.

I'm happy enough that I can see what's going on ahead, and that I'm watching out for people pulling out in front of me.
It's not dark enough to really warrant dipped beam, but I do like the idea of the people behind me having something extra to see...

[richierich]

Originally Posted by cb550

About the blured bikers already standing out.I was thinking more about the safety of the responsible biker who is bothered about his/her safety and that of other road users.

Just to go off that,as a car driver I've seen many examples of reckless riding,and as a bike rider I've been on the receiving end of many examples of reckless driving.

I can see your point, the reckless ones don't need the lights, you've got little choice even if you do notice them. I guess the issue is not when moving with traffic, it is when approaching a side road with a car behind, a bike just looks like a third headlight.

Wikipedia has a few reasons for daytime running lights, although it seems they were always supposed to be lower wattage, its the car makers that complained and changed to low beam. In Sweden they were initially called perception lights.

With an interesting quote....

"Thousands of complaints regarding glare from DRL were lodged with the DOT shortly after DRLs were permitted on cars, and there was also concern that headlamp-based DRLs reduce the conspicuity of motorcycles,"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp

[cb550]

Originally Posted by richierich

I can see your point, the reckless ones don't need the lights, you've got little choice even if you do notice them. I guess the issue is not when moving with traffic, it is when approaching a side road with a car behind, a bike just looks like a third headlight.

Wikipedia has a few reasons for daytime running lights, although it seems they were always supposed to be lower wattage, its the car makers that complained and changed to low beam. In Sweden they were initially called perception lights.

With an interesting quote....

"Thousands of complaints regarding glare from DRL were lodged with the DOT shortly after DRLs were permitted on cars, and there was also concern that headlamp-based DRLs reduce the conspicuity of motorcycles,"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp

Well researched sir! and Good points As summers get shorter(I get older?)I guess I want my car with some of the characteristics of a bike -instant overtaking etc.The Cdti is certainly on the right track there

[dan123]

Just my twopence worth;

In 1996 I had a Volvo S40 with DRL (you could disable them but I didn't), they seemed to wind up a lot of drivers but I don't know why.

A subject which no one has mentioned is rain. On a company safe drive scheme an ex traffic cop told us "when it rains, headlights on". I couldn't agree more. The number of Morons who who barrell down the motorways in pouring rain with no lights never fails to astound me.

The other factor is (which someone has already mentioned) is the number of people who will not put their lights on in fading light at the end of daylight hours. They remind me of the deaf woman in Fawlty Towers who when Basil asks her why her hearing aid isn't on answers "because it runs the batteries down."

For these two reasons (ie idiocy of a large section of the public) I think we should have Daytime Running Lights.

Rant over.

Dan