Headlights On During The Day?

[oz. 2]

How about we make a campaign to remove all drivers who have a high lack of concentration off the road.

 

This would mean that none of us would feel the need to put our sidelights on. Would also remove the amount of rage on the road by people only indicating when they need to. Also you'd have less crashes because there wouldn't be any of this "I didn't see you" s*ite going about.

[KRISKARRERA 2 1 Cars]

They're the new LED washer jets if you ask me. I believe the technical term is "wanker lights".

Had this saved from years ago...

(Is the car in the pic a 205 or a Nova?)

[Richie 32]

If I had to put money on it i'd say it was a Nova.

 

Theres a lot of anger in this thread. To add to the hatred, another thing i hate is people that nearly kill you, and then after you find out they are on the phone.

[Cameron 16]

for example, i followed a middle age women in a ford ka today for a mile, she was in the outside lane at half the speed limit with her rhd indicator on, oblivious to her road position, big green flashing light on her dash, the empty lane inside her and the cue of cars behind her.

 

If she's oblivious to a green flashing light on her dash then what makes you think she's going to be checking her mirrors?

Edited May 25, 2010 by Cameron

[m_attt 31 1 Cars]

If she's oblivious to a green flashing light on her dash then what makes you think she's going to be checking her mirrors?

 

I ment if thats the general observation/awareness skills of some people, making yourself more visible wile approaching junctions etc can only be a good thing.

 

as to that women the safest place was probably behind her lol.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

All new cars have to have 'driving lights' on the front of their cars by 2012. These are the bright LED strips you see.

 

Otherwise it's just people who want to be seen - if someone pulls out on you and says "I didn't see you" It's even more questionable when they pulled out on someone with their sidelights on. The fact that you noticed these people show that it worked.

 

That's what sidelights are for - for people to see you. They're too low powered to be any use for lighting up the road. Driving around with fog lights on is stupid because of the way they're angled. The police can pull you over if you're driving around with full beam or your fogs on - can't remember what they call it though.

 

 

I always have my sidelights on because I've had so many people pull out on me - I've only been driving 18months!

 

I'm not so sure, sidelights (aka parking lights) are not supposed to be used when driving, they're supposed to be used when parked in unlit streets. They're usually too dim to be of any other use.

 

The daylight running lights on newer cars are 25w bulbs, many use a regular indicator bulb so its quite a bright light, but not quite a full halogen type light.

 

I'm not keen on them so I disconnected them in my Audi (25w bulbs), but the 08-on cars have the brighter white LED bulbs, which I'm not a fan of either. In fact it's something that spoils the look of R8s IMO. Why not just have the dipped xenon headlights on all the time if it's required by EU laws!!?

 

 

I use my headlights during the day when it helps, it can help in sunny weather, especially when the sun is low (and you're driving AWAY from the sun), I'm sure this might be in the highway code, but it is one of the reasons to use headlights in daylight as it makes cars easier to spot. Another example recently I nearly got caught out by a bike being followed by a car; they were oncoming out of a complete tree-covered part of the road and were pretty much invisible to me until they appeared in the sunny daylight. If they'd had lights on I'd have seen them much sooner.

[Richie 32]

I'm convinced many people have them on because they genuinely beleive it makes their car looks better.

[Veero 1]

Well I am glad there is so much hatred towards these things, I thought it was me being unreasonable and just grumbling in the face of change but I see I am definitely not the most vehement hater of them. I think this needs a focus group style round of applause.

 

Round my way though I think I need a big neon flashing light on the front sometimes, the number of people that think "oh it's just a 205" and pull out do my f****ing nut. Coming back from the FoD on Sunday, I went to pull into my own road which is off a mini roundabout. I had to turn right across the path of a Twingo Sport coming the other way (give way to the right and all so my right of way). So I make sure I am indicating well in advance, no bulbs gone, clearly doing so. The mini roundabout is a lumpy affair and being lowered my 205 doesn't like having its arse dragged over it. So I hang left to get a better angle in, just about to cross paths and I realise the Twingo is never going to stop so I stop to prevent a collision. Modern ABS is a miracle, the thing squeals and screeches and stops a few inches from where my passenger door would have been if I hadn't stopped.

 

So I give a stern look and a shake of the head at the 60 something duffer obviously on a budget mid life crisis who was doing waaay more than 30. So his fat fake tanned beeatch of a wife who's clearly spent too money much on trying to look 20 years younger starts proper agro shouting and giving me the finger. I mean FFS it's your lardy blind excuse of a man who couldn't see my indicator. Later testing revealed it clearly visible blinking away from the other end of the street... Some people eh.

[SurGie 54]

I agree, bunch of show of snobs, ooh look at my new Audi with strip lights on in bright sunlight FFS.

 

One thing that also annoys me is those blooming crystal clear front indicators, when the sun is facing them i cant see them flashing at all and on many occasions iv pulled out on people that look like the are going straight on instead of going right.

 

How can they have become legal FFS, do they test them with the sun light facing them, i think not useless new car makers.

 

(edit)

Rob Thomson,

 

I drive almost every night and in my area i always see at least one with no lights and i always flash them to let them know, with this in mind the main thing that annoys me is when they ignore me and carry on the useless drive against the steering wheel drips.

Edited May 25, 2010 by SurGie

[rescue dude 0]

If it's still a bit dull in the early morning I'll have my headlights on to hopefully wake up drivers who are still half asleep.

 

Never have them on in the day. Waste of time. If they haven't seen you without lights in full sunlight they aren't going to see you with your lights on and they shouldn't be driving.

 

Can't figure out what is mean't by "they help if you're driving away from the sun"? Do you mean to the other driver your coming at them from 'out of the sun'? So your headlights are brighter than the sun?

[Richie 32]

Another thing

 

These people with modern cars who automatically think its quicker than my 205 because its "newer" do my head in. They can be usually found pulling out on you/cutting you up. I know my 1.9 isn't as quick as modern hot hatches, but it'll blow most low cc new cars away because they are so fat and heavy. Yes, i'm talking to you with your Mini One's and your boggo Golf's. Back off losers

[Rob Thomson 6]

There's been loads of research that shows that headlights on during the day reduces accident rates by 5-10%. Very significant. The main reason this hasn't been made law is environmental concerns, though if you ask me using a bit of fuel to power your headlights is probably better for the environment than replacing your car when some dozy c*nt pulls out in front.

 

Foglights and those ridiculous daytime running lights fitted to most German cars these days are awful and serve merely to inform all around that the driver is a prick, but headlights have a proven and measurable benefit. What really pisses me off is the astonishing number of people who are so thick they don't notice when it's dark and drive round with no lights on at all, especially irritating when you consider this also means they haven't looked at their instruments.

[happygoron 2]

What really pisses me off is the astonishing number of people who are so thick they don't notice when it's dark and drive round with no lights on at all, especially irritating when you consider this also means they haven't looked at their instruments.

 

I almost got caught out doing that the other day, but because some new cars permenantly backlight their instruments! Pulling out of a well lit service station in a Zafira I could see the instruments fine, took me a few moments to realise the lights wern't on!

[DaveW 6]

Its the driving standard thats the problem, i nearly had a prang when comming off a slip road cos the dosey twat did'nt move over into the ohter clear lane grrr

[mfield 20]

For years my blood has boiled when people pull out in front of me on roundabouts forcing me to brake, they even look straight at you before hand and then go. Funny thing is since I now drive with my lights on during the day it hasn't happened once in the last three years

 

It's either the lights or the look of I'm going to s*it in your mouth and uppercut your chops if you f***ing move off the line

[B1ack_Mi16 67]

Over here it's illegal to drive without headlights even in the daytime.

 

I believe it has been proven that other motorists will spot you more easily even in the day when driving with them on..

[oz. 2]

One thing that also annoys me is those blooming crystal clear front indicators, when the sun is facing them i cant see them flashing at all and on many occasions iv pulled out on people that look like the are going straight on instead of going right.

 

How can they have become legal FFS, do they test them with the sun light facing them, i think not useless new car makers.

 

I've pulled out on a few VW/Skoda's because of this. It doesn't make the car look that much different having them clear but it makes a hell of a lot of difference in seeing weather they're on or not.

 

 

Its the driving standard that's the problem, i nearly had a prang when coming off a slip road cos the dosy twat didn't move over into the other clear lane grrr

 

Well that's your own fault. People already on the carrigeway are not obliged to make room for you. It's nice when they do move over but they don't have to.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

If it\\\'s still a bit dull in the early morning I\\\'ll have my headlights on to hopefully wake up drivers who are still half asleep.

 

Never have them on in the day. Waste of time. If they haven\\\'t seen you without lights in full sunlight they aren\\\'t going to see you with your lights on and they shouldn\\\'t be driving.

 

Can\\\'t figure out what is mean\\\'t by \\\"they help if you\\\'re driving away from the sun\\\"? Do you mean to the other driver your coming at them from \\\'out of the sun\\\'? So your headlights are brighter than the sun?

 

No, not brighter than the sun at all, but it's common sense to me why it helps. If you're driving toward the sun, espeically when it's low in winter, most of what you see on the road is darkened shadows. An oncoming car with headlights on is MUCH easier to see than one with out IMO. When you're driving away from the sun visibility can be awesome but it's the complete opposite for those coming the other way.

 

Eg, if you've got really low sun dead ahead on a road, most of what you can see is shadows, but if there were headlights you'd see those, not a shadow. Not the best example as there's a centra lreservation, but a car with headlights is far easier to see. In fact you can see two cars in the distance with lights on, these would be invisible without them.

There's a bit of mist in that photo too, but without that with a strong low sun it can be late at night on a summer evening, or winter night at 5pm with otherwise clear conditions, which is why I think many people don't bother using headlights in low sun.

 

In Scandinavia, where this all started, there is a good reason at certain times of the year to ride / drive with headlights or daylight running lights and that is when the sun is low on the horizon. This far north, this occurs for many months of the year and to enable vehicles to be identified by drivers who have the sun in their eyes, the lights are an excellent idea. You may wish to emulate this logic in this country just after dawn and just before dusk if the sun is low, by putting your headlight on when the sun is behind you. Note that it is only needed when the sun is behind you to allow the drivers coming towards you with the sun in their eyes to pick you out from the dazzle. It is pointless when the sun is in front of you as the vehicle is beautifully illuminated already by the bright sun.

 

 

 

I'm not an advocate for DRLs though (why I disconnected them on my Audi), but it is examples like the above which means stuff like daylight running lights becomes law; ie people can\'t appreciate/don\'t understand what\'s best and when to use lights so the goverment tells us what is! and that means blanket use of DRLs.

 

There's an example of tree-line roads on this osram flash image, it can be much more extreme than that where the tree-covered roads can look like dark tunnels, an oncoming car without headlights can be invisible.

http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Professiona...ghts/index.html

 

LOL, just found this website http://www.dadrl.org.uk/

 

 

What I would say is that some lights are currently dangerous IMO, those with modern rear clusters that incorporate the indicator INSIDE a brake light mean the indicator become invisible (Volkswagen cars, Passat are one example). Or where an indicator is inside a headlight encloser, I just don't undersand how they have passed design testing/law.

[AndyJ 1]

Daytime Running Lights are a violation of the Declaration of Human Rights Act.

 

Always a good place to start a serious argument!

[SurGie 54]

Voted against and let them know about them new indicators.

[swordfish210 20]

Since the topic is heading in this general direction i'll have a little rant as well. Due to the amount of miles i do at work I come across hundreds of the f***tards who by some miracle have managed to acquire themselvs a drivers licence and seem to spend their life making mine a frustrated existance.

 

The pricks who pull out on you on a roundabout and don't even realise what they've done....WANKERS

 

The pricks who get in the wrong lane, despite it being clearly marked, at roundabouts then try to cut you up on the exit without realising....WANKERS

 

The pricks who never indicate, except whent hey come to a bend in the road and don't have to indicate....WANKERS

 

The tailgaters....WANKERS

 

Those twats that pull out in front of you at a junction and don't have the common decency to even try and match your speed, causing you to have to severly brake so you don't plough in to the back of them....WANKERS

 

The retards who drive at 40mph everywhere....WANKERS

 

Those unobservant f***ers who sit in the middle lane regardless of traffic condtions....WANKERS

 

Those selfish pricks who blatently run the red lights at road works causing me to wait at my green light while they dordle through and see what the workers are up too...IF YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH TIME TO WASTE THEN WHY DID YOU RUN THE LIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE YOU f***ING MOUTHBREATHER

 

Anyone guilty of these crimes should do the world a favour and f*** off and die. Yes i've had a bad day and yes i'm not getting laid at the moment before any smartarse says something.

[muddatrucker 125]

Modern lights always dazzle me, too bright.

[DaveW 6]

I've pulled out on a few VW/Skoda's because of this. It doesn't make the car look that much different having them clear but it makes a hell of a lot of difference in seeing weather they're on or not.

 

 

 

 

Well that's your own fault. People already on the carrigeway are not obliged to make room for you. It's nice when they do move over but they don't have to.

 

Hardly my fault, i forgot to add that there was ppl in front braking as they too looked like they had been squeezed in by other drivers, it would be nice if ppl could read the traffic rather than looking at the car in front or just fixed into 1 lane

Edited May 25, 2010 by DaveW

[welshpug 1,626]

I don't drive with sidelights on, because my cars have dim dip systems

 

I do tend to drive with them on and believe it makes a difference, especially in a black car.

[oz. 2]

I saw some of those new 'daytime lights' yesterday on a DS3. WAY too bright for what is needed. I couldn't look directly at the car because they hurt my eyes. Surely this isn't right.