What is the point of sidelights?

[Shambler]

Driving in fog yesterday and amazed at the amount of drivers with just sidelights on. It was far easier to spot a vehicle with its main beam or led DRL's. What is the point of sidelights, I really can't see a purpose for them.

[thatdude]

I have my sidelights on when it's gloomy, but full beams would just be silly. Or if I'm going through a well-lit tunnel. Or if I want my dash lit up (because it's in a shadow) but I don't want my full lights on.

[Rushjob]

Parking on a road not being subject to a 30 mph speed limit during the hours of darkness?
They come in useful for that........

[richs2891]

Rushjob said:

Parking on a road not being subject to a 30 mph speed limit during the hours of darkness?
They come in useful for that........

ha ha and how many people use them for that (in the UK)?

With the event of LED DRL's and auto headlights which seem to go to dipped when sidelights would cover most situations, I'm beginning to see less and less need for sidelights.
I wonder in a few years if they will be quietly dropped ?

[kambites]

richs2891 said:

I wonder in a few years if they will be quietly dropped ?

If they did that, how would you park at the side of the road if you needed to?

I never drive on sidelights (in fact I always drive on dipped beams) but I do use them when parking occasionally.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 23 April 08:42

[mnkiboy]

thatdude said:

I have my sidelights on when it's gloomy, but full beams would just be silly. Or if I'm going through a well-lit tunnel. Or if I want my dash lit up (because it's in a shadow) but I don't want my full lights on.

Do such conditions exist? The ones where you want to be seen, but not too well?

I always think if it's dark enough for sidelights, then it's dark enough to put the headlights on.

[Dog Star]

They're only really used in a couple of circumstances, and that is by drivers of silver or black cars when it's foggy or pissing down with rain.

[Mr Will]

They were designed for use in street-lit areas where you don't need lights to see with - only to be seen. It has the advantage of not destroying everyone's night vision, so unlit people/objects are easier to spot.

Unfortunately this only works if everyone just uses their sidelights. It only takes a few people doing otherwise to destroy the benefit, so I wouldn't recommend trying it in this day and age.

[kooky guy]

mnkiboy said:

Do such conditions exist? The ones where you want to be seen, but not too well?

I always think if it's dark enough for sidelights, then it's dark enough to put the headlights on.

Quite. Driving with sidelights on is just stupid as they're mostly invisible (especially the ones incorporated into the headlights) and give the driver a false sense that they have made themselves visible.

I queried a colleague about this once and he genuinely thought he was saving elelectricity!

[Shambler]

Dog Star said:

They're only really used in a couple of circumstances, and that is by drivers of silver or black cars when it's foggy or pissing down with rain.

This is an example of when dipped beams should be used. If you want to be seen sidelights have a very poor beam.

[Lowtimer]

Mr Will said:

They were designed for use in street-lit areas where you don't need lights to see with - only to be seen.

Er, as Rushjob said, they are designed for parking where lights are legally required. The clue is that on about 99% of cars they are switched on by moving a control to a 'P' position.

[powerstroke]

richs2891 said:

ha ha and how many people use them for that (in the UK)?

With the event of LED DRL's and auto headlights which seem to go to dipped when sidelights would cover most situations, I'm beginning to see less and less need for sidelights.
I wonder in a few years if they will be quietly dropped ?

maybe they will leave them off ,they already have with indicators on German cars !!!

[V8forweekends]

Anyone remember dim-dip?

That didn't last long.

I never use sidelights when moving any longer - as others have said, if it's dark enough or foggy, dipped headlights.

[Martin_Hx]

If I park at the side of a road to nip in a shop etc and it's dark or getting dark I'll flick them on our as others have said I'll pop them on in dusk or low light

[Matthen]

Side lights are preferable to DRLs, if only because the light the rear up as well.

Dipped headlights would be better though.

[Bennet]

In my early 20s I used to think it was dorky to use headlights at dusk when sidelights would do.

These days it's either bright enough for nothing, or it's headlight time.

If it's raining and you're on the motorway, get your damn headlights on, no matter what time of day it is.

[cptsideways]

They are for the parking of stationary vehicles, and streetlit 30mph zones. Dimwits seems an appropriate name for those who use them at any other time.



I'm loving the latest fad of DRL's & fog lights at night, seems almost everyone is doing it round my way.

[Monty Python]

Probably to increase the visibility of the car to other road users before the advent of DRLs.

[CrutyRammers]

They actually serve 2 separate purposes.

1 is as position markers, to show where the edges of the vehicle are (which other lights do not necessarily do). Large vehicles have additional side marker lights as well.

2 is as parking lights. Not often used these days but there will still be dark places where they are useful.

A bit of an anachronism these days I think, but those are the reasons AIUI.