Driving with the lights on during the day

[Alex@POD]

Following the thread about sunglasses, I thought that:

On a related note, sunglasses can cause you to see very little it you drive under trees, with light hitting your car on and off. Which is why I always drive with my sidelights on (bright LED rows), so I can be seen in that case and many others...

I think it's mandatory in Sweden, and it is advised in some parts of France...

What do you think?

Edited by Alex@POD on Sunday 6th August 01:26

[Imperialism2024]

I always leave my lights on. At least except for those few times when I don't want my car to be visible, especially at night... but that's another story. I leave them on all the time for several reasons, first being increased visibility for my car, second being that I don't have to worry about turning them on/off due to rain, construction zones, tunnels, etc.

One of my biggest annoyances while driving is people who don't use their lights correctly. Driving at twilight without lights, driving in the rain with no lights. And it usually happens that the vehicles with on lights in the rain are asphalt-colored minivans. I'd say that most of the close calls I've had in the past 2 years were a result of not being able to see cars that should have had lights on.

[fid]

My car doesn't give me a choice, but that's fine by me.

[towman]

Headlights or nothing. I dont understand - if you feel the need to be seen, why do you only drive with sidelights (I thought they were parking lights anyway).

[The Londoner]

fid said:

My car doesn't give me a choice, but that's fine by me.

Nor does mine, and the stealer wants £80 for the privilege of plugging in a laptop to change a code that wil allow the daylight running lights to be switched off

[bob_defly]

I drive with my lights on all the time, as most of my commute is down country lanes and it helps loads to stop people pulling out on you. I agree, I hate it when it is a dark, wet morning and people don't put any sort of lights on to make themselves more visible.

[Ace-T]

I have a very small silver car (old school Mini). Even in broad daylight some morons just don't see me. Anything that helps these idiots notice that I am there is a good thing. So normal lights go on pretty much all the time and I am generally lit up like a christmas tree (4 extra spots on the front) during rain/spray etc...

Ace-T

[jatinder]

I always drive with my lights on, ever since some old bloke crashed into the side of my on a roundabout, claiming he didnt see me. I feel it does make peole take more notice of you though as another road user. A lot of people stop to let me know that my lights are on. So it must work.

[laser_jock99]

jatinder said:

I always drive with my lights on, ever since some old bloke crashed into the side of my on a roundabout, claiming he didnt see me. I feel it does make peole take more notice of you though as another road user. A lot of people stop to let me know that my lights are on. So it must work.

Conversly- I nearly killed some daft bint in Fiesta who pulled out in front of me at 40 mph. Her excuse? "I thought you'd flashed me out!" Yeah right....why wasn't I slowing down then?

So- I no longer drive with lights on the day unless the weather's really horrendous.

[69elan+2]

laser_jock99 said:

. Her excuse? "I thought you'd flashed me out!" Yeah right....why wasn't I slowing down then?

So- I no longer drive with lights on the day unless the weather's really horrendous.

Sorry to that laser_jock.... I'm on the fence on this one.... having had to Driver a volvo donkey for a few years I STILL have to put up with all manor of T*Ts flashing to tell me my side lights are on (however I think I can remember a time when we all used to flash volvos too - just to be annoying!.. so I'm sure I partly deserve it.. I also accept it as my punishment for driving a car that could well have been styled on the asthetics of a house brick)

Surly by now its an accepted fact that if you see a volvo with side lights on in the middle of the day... its not his choice!!!.... Dont tar them with the same brush as those idiots you see with a FOGLAMP still on three days after we last saw any FOG!

[fid]

towman said:

Headlights or nothing. I dont understand - if you feel the need to be seen, why do you only drive with sidelights (I thought they were parking lights anyway).

Yes, people that drive with only sidelights on make me almost as angry as people that drive with sidelights and foglights on!

[Jaik]

I use my headlights when it's anything more than a little cloudy and when I'm on the motorway regardless of the weather. My car's so tiny it car hide in even the smallest blind-spot so it would be stupid to not have my lights on really.

[wildoliver]

The danger of driving with headlights is over bumpy road to anyone in a lowish car (small hatch or sports) then it can look like your flashing, there will be times as mentioned above that it can cause problems.

[fid]

wildoliver said:

The danger of driving with headlights is over bumpy road to anyone in a lowish car (small hatch or sports) then it can look like your flashing, there will be times as mentioned above that it can cause problems.

Can't get around it at night, though, so probably best to assume you're not being flashed at regardless of the time of day.

[wildoliver]

I know but come on people always will, they teach in the driving test to only use lights as a warning to others, but how many of us never flash people out?

[Cotty]

fid said:

towman said:

Headlights or nothing. I dont understand - if you feel the need to be seen, why do you only drive with sidelights (I thought they were parking lights anyway).

Yes, people that drive with only sidelights on make me almost as angry as people that drive with sidelights and foglights on!

So what are your views on angle eyes

[imperialism2024]

wildoliver said:

I know but come on people always will, they teach in the driving test to only use lights as a warning to others, but how many of us never flash people out?

Oh, I don't flash, I just leave my high beams on for an extended period of time. But I only use this for gross moral infringements, like passing a truck that's going 55 while the passing minivan is going 55.5. Or when a vehicle is going 30 in the middle lane of a highway with a posted 65 limit. I figure that burning out their retinas is more direct than flashing...

[Alex@POD]

towman said:

Headlights or nothing. I dont understand - if you feel the need to be seen, why do you only drive with sidelights (I thought they were parking lights anyway).

As I mentionned I have added 2 rows of bright LEDs, very much like driving lamps on a lot of american cars if you like... They are not so bright so that I still need the dipped beam when it gets dark or rains heavily, but also I found that that dipped beam can bother other motorists during the day...

[Joe Letaxi]

More and more cars over here in the US are having DRL (daytime running lights) kits fitted as standard - I think it might be law in some states now - the equivalent of sidelights, my new Honda has them. They can be quite effective around here to pick out cars coming the other way as many roads are dead straight, dead flat and with the high temps and heat haze/shimmer. I *think* it is law in Hungary to have sidelights on too for the same reason, if not law then most people do it.

[fid]

Cotty said:

fid said:

towman said:

Headlights or nothing. I dont understand - if you feel the need to be seen, why do you only drive with sidelights (I thought they were parking lights anyway).

Yes, people that drive with only sidelights on make me almost as angry as people that drive with sidelights and foglights on!

So what are your views on angle eyes

There's no need to be racist...! Angel eyes are cool, but surely not as much use when driving as dipped lights? I don't have a problem with dipped lights during the day because they're not too bright, but sidelights are for when parked, they're bugger all use for anything else.