Failing to light up ~ backlit dials and 'day running' lights

[Gary T]

Cyder said:

Regs are changed now in Europe and you can illuminate rear lamps with DRL.

Interesting as current IVA regs (amongst other things I'm building a kit ) say that if DRL are fitted only DRL should show from front with NO lights showing at rear when DRL are illuminated. It also says DRL should go out once normal driving lights are switched on.

[Cyder]

I just checked the ECE vehicle lighting reg (48) and found the following. It's interesting that the IVA seems not to have caught up yet with the updated legislation.

6.2.7.6.2. Daytime running lamps operate in conjunction with the lamps listed in paragraph 5.11. where, as a minimum requirement, at least the rear position lamps shall be activated; or

5.11. The electrical connections shall be such that the front and rear position lamps, the end-outline marker lamps, if they exist, the side-marker lamps, if they exist, and the rear registration plate lamp can only be switched ON and OFF simultaneously.

[Gary T]

Cyder said:

I just checked the ECE vehicle lighting reg (48) and found the following. It's interesting that the IVA seems not to have caught up yet with the updated legislation.

6.2.7.6.2. Daytime running lamps operate in conjunction with the lamps listed in paragraph 5.11. where, as a minimum requirement, at least the rear position lamps shall be activated; or

5.11. The electrical connections shall be such that the front and rear position lamps, the end-outline marker lamps, if they exist, the side-marker lamps, if they exist, and the rear registration plate lamp can only be switched ON and OFF simultaneously.

Makes sense to have rear lights a must with front DRL, the recent problems I have encountered in the sticks, people driving with just front DRLs (I am sure these are genuine mistakes rather than intentional), wouldn't happen

[Riknos]

It's not DRLs that are the problem - it's the backlit dashes.

Most of the cars I see driving around without lights on (and this seems to be every day now!) don't have DRLs, so must have backlit dash.

My car has a backlit dash and I've had it for 18 months and never once forgotten to put lights on. It's no excuse, if it's dark you use lights, if it's light you turn them off, if it's cold you use heat, if it's warm you use aircon, etc, it's pretty simple stuff.

[Gary T]

Riknos said:

It's not DRLs that are the problem - it's the backlit dashes.

Most of the cars I see driving around without lights on (and this seems to be every day now!) don't have DRLs, so must have backlit dash.

My car has a backlit dash and I've had it for 18 months and never once forgotten to put lights on. It's no excuse, if it's dark you use lights, if it's light you turn them off, if it's cold you use heat, if it's warm you use aircon, etc, it's pretty simple stuff.

The original post covered both backlit dash 'and' DRL due to incidents in rural locations where a backlit dash on its own wouldn't be a problem i.e. you cant drive around in the dark (no street lighting) with a backlit dash as you simply cant see where you are going. However if you have backlit dash and DRL it might appear to some that auto lights have come on (the DRLs on my sons Fiesta a very bright and dash is backlit and I can see how easy it would be to drive off thinking all is ok).

Now in built up areas/towns/suburbs with street lighting I can see how back lit dash on its own can be a problem where people don't realise they haven't got any lights on at all. However in these locations these cars can be seen by other road users so usually wouldn't prove the same hazard.

In rural locations, no street lighting, and in times of poor visibility, mist/fog, a car showing no rear lighting at all could easily get rear ended and if by an eight wheeler result would be dire.

Edited by Gary T on Friday 7th November 08:29

[Europa1]

I'm worried by the number of people saying that fully automatic lights/taillights coming on with DRLs is the answer.

I think a lot of the reason that driving standards in the UK are so piss poor these days is the amount of technology fitted to cars leading people to believe that any degree of personal judgement/responsibility is removed - "I have ABS so it's OK to drive right up the jacksy of the person in front, I have airbags so a crash won't hurt, I have cruise control so i don't need to concentrate on maintaining my speed"...If we are going to rely on technology so that total F^%&tards don't even have to take responsibility for judging the visibility before setting a 2 tonne chunk of metal in motion, I am going to get really depressed and have a bit of a weep for the future.