Side Lights - why?

[pjdow]

Now the nights are darker why do people insist on driving with just their side lights on, and in the fog too?

Why do cars still have these stupid lights fitted?

[funkyrobot]

As mentioned in another thread, I usually see them being used in conjunction with fog lights. Cuz it's cool, innit!

I know what you mean though, sidelights instead of proper headlights. I do wonder if people think that they are using them so they can be seen, rather than using them to light up the road ahead.

[simoid]

Only times I've ever got my side lights, with no headlights, on is if I've stopped at the side of a dark road, and very occasionally if I have sides + fog lights on because headlights are simply lighting up fog.

If I think people won't see me with no lights on, I think it's usually time to stick my headlights on. If I've got the headlights set to auto, they come on a bit before I would usually consider putting them on anyway.

[SuperchargedVR6]

Probably don't want to wear their bulbs out, or are saving the electricity for when it's dark enough for the big bulbs.

Seriously. These people exist.

My Aunty for instance. She never used 5th Gear. It was her 'spare' gear.
And the idea that cars generate their own electricity completely baffled her. I don't really know what else she was thinking, or expecting, a monthly bill from N Power?

[kambites]

pjdow said:

...
Why do cars still have these stupid lights fitted?

Well for one thing, because when parked at the side of an unlit road with a speed limit greater than 30mph, it's a legal requirement to display lights and headlights would flatten the battery.

They are useful in fog if you have front fog lights, because dipped beams reflecting off the fog ruin the extra vision that the fog-lights give you. Although I've only seen fog thick enough to use front fog lights once in the 15 years that I've been driving in the UK.

[y2blade]

So you can have sidelights and front fogs on together.

[funkyrobot]

y2blade said:

So you can have sidelights and front fogs on together.

It seems to be the way forward around where I live. Pitch black at night, people driving around with only sidelights + fogs. I guess it emphasises the fogs. Don't want any nasty dipped beams on to take away the shine.

Twonks.

[LuS1fer]

I think this would be better titled "Front fog lights - why?" as they are incredibly abused and now seem to have found a new "function" as "cornering lights" which I have always loathed but having recently tried them on a Citroen C4, they do work and I suppose are no worse than the turning headlights on Citroens of old.

[joebongo]

Side lights are a misnomer I think. They are parking (marker) lamps, but I seem to remember it is technically legal to drive on sides only in an area which has streetlamps. Indeed my main lights broke on my 1st ever car (Austin Metro 1.0L) in 1991 and I drove on sides in London for many months never getting pulled for it.

[kambites]

joebongo said:

...but I seem to remember it is technically legal to drive on sides only in an area which has streetlamps...

Correct, it's perfectly legal to drive on sidelights in street-lit 30 limits. Not very clever, but legal.

[y2blade]

LuS1fer said:

I think this would be better titled "Front fog lights - why?"

There is already one:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by y2blade on Thursday 25th October 12:41

[Boydie88]

I use side lights when driving in low sun just so the rears light up. Much better depth perception to a pair of lights than just a silhouette caused by the low sun.

[Riknos]

REALLY don't understand the hatred of front fogs on here - They don't blind you, they aim to the sides and down, not up like a full beam? I've never been blinded by foglights. But I get blinded all the time by modern german cars with ridiculously powerful xenon / HID lights etc.

[kambites]

Riknos said:

REALLY don't understand the hatred of front fogs on here - They don't blind you, they aim to the sides and down, not up like a full beam? I've never been blinded by foglights. But I get blinded all the time by modern german cars with ridiculously powerful xenon / HID lights etc.

So what you're saying is they don't blind you. Or do you truly believe you know exactly how every person in the world's eyes respond to light? Yes they aim down, but in case you hadn't noticed our roads aren't perfectly flat.

I agree that HiD dipped beams are worse, though.

[Big Fat Fatty]

I use my side lights around dusk so the rears light up then put the main beams on when it starts to get darker, no idea why and it's not to save electricity or the bulbs, it's just something I've always done.

If I had fog lights, in fog I'd use them with the side lights instead of main beams because as someone said earlier the main beams reflect back effectively blinding you anyway. As I don't I have to put up with slowing down and having less visibilty.

Those who use their full beams unnecessarily and then don't turn them off in time when someone comes the other way are far worse than any of the above imo. HID lights are the devil incarnate, it's great that you can see better but everyone coming the other way can't see st!

[AB]

Riknos said:

REALLY don't understand the hatred of front fogs on here - They don't blind you, they aim to the sides and down, not up like a full beam? I've never been blinded by foglights. But I get blinded all the time by modern german cars with ridiculously powerful xenon / HID lights etc.

If it's wet, they light reflects up from the downwards pointing fog lights.

I see people carriers all the time with sides and fogs on, probably because they want their 'sporty front fog lights' on but they don't work without having other lights on. fking cock sprockets.

[simoid]

I said that, but it really is a VERY rare occasion that my dipped headlights are less effective than sidelights and fogs - i.e. 2 or 3 times in the 6 years I've been driving

[LuS1fer]

Riknos said:

REALLY don't understand the hatred of front fogs on here - They don't blind you, they aim to the sides and down, not up like a full beam? I've never been blinded by foglights. But I get blinded all the time by modern german cars with ridiculously powerful xenon / HID lights etc.

For me, it's a cumulative thing - it's not that I am "blinded", it's just that I don't need over 200 watts of light from four sources shining at me as it erodes my visibility and the older your eyes are, the less quickly they re-adjust after dilating and closing of the pupils.

On their own, they are probably no worse than haedlights but sometimes harder to see behind cars and headlights do a much better job so they are largely pointless or excessive and most are used SOLELY for a perceived "posing status" (modern day neons) despite most cars having them.

[kambites]

simoid said:

I said that, but it really is a VERY rare occasion that my dipped headlights are less effective than sidelights and fogs - i.e. 2 or 3 times in the 6 years I've been driving

Indeed - front fog-lights are next to useless in most of the UK.

[Big Fat Fatty]

simoid said:

I said that, but it really is a VERY rare occasion that my dipped headlights are less effective than sidelights and fogs - i.e. 2 or 3 times in the 6 years I've been driving

Indeed and very true for a lot of areas around the country but I live very close to the channel and when you get a thick fog come in from the sea it's very difficult to see through it with main beams, but I slow down and expect something to come out of it with no lights on at all and drive accordingly.

Point taken though.