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There is talk of introducing running lights on cars, I like! Is there a kit on the market for me to convert my headlights into running lights, not turning on all my lights thank you. thanks
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just increase the wattage of your front parking lights,not to much though.
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But do they actually make you more visable than runing without lights? Research quoted in Motorcycle News suggests that bikers who use dipped headlights during the day are no less likely to have a car pull out on them than those who don't. In fact it may be more difficult to judge the speed of an approaching vehicle if it is showing a bright light, as the definition of it's outline against the surrounding terrain may be lost.
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I have just come back from holiday in Canada, all vehicles there have front daytime running lights, probably because of the changeable climate. It was much easier to spot and be aware of traffic even in bright sunlight, it's a shame that they don't do the same in the UK.
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I find the biggest problems with running lights is when it is just going dark and the road is wet. The light is reflected up of the road and gives the impression of lights appearing from everywhere.
The ones who annoy me the most are car drivers who keep their headlights on in the daylight.
I wonder if any of you saw the programme on drivers about a year ago who could not stand being overtaken under any circumstances. One idiot said he kept his headlights on all the time to hopefully give the impression that he was a disguised Police car so all the traffic would move out of the overtaking lane to allow him past.
Since seeing that I have always taken more time deliberately to move in when a car with headlights is behind trying to encourage me to get out of his way.
Alvin
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If everyone in the UK ran on daytime dipped beam running lights all the time accidents would increase because there are too many cars on the road and too many drivers would be dazzled or confused too much of the time. As usual, Andy Bairsto makes the very sensible suggestion of increasing the wattage of the car's side lights/parking lights and using them for daytime running. If Europe had stayed with dim dip, then dim dip daytime running lights would have made sense. But every time a Volvo V40 wallows over a road hump its quarz iodine headlights dazzle oncoming drivers sufficiently for them not to see a small child who suddenly ran out into the road in front of their car. There is a UK campaign against daytime running lights for these reasons.
HJ
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Interesting all this talk about new regulations on lighting, but has anybody else noticed that manufacturers are placing front indicators INSIDE of headlights rather than on the outer edge!
During daylight hours, whether the headlights on or off, indicators mounted in such a position are difficult to see. The situation gets worse after dark, with indicators becoming invisible against the comparative brightness of the headlamps!
Also, what is this obsession the motor manufacturers have with clear plastic for indicator and brake lights? Coloured plastic with a suitable wattage lamp is much more visible.
A designer was quoted as saying "headlamps are the new jewelery for cars", but are major safety issues being swept under the carpet in the name of fashion?
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When I went on a4x4 driving course once in Scotland compulsory if you drive a off roader for business (insurance claim Purposes)We drove at night and it was proved without doubt that your vision is better without ligts at night .we had to sit in a black room first for half an hour before driving ,even the ignition light on the Landie was removed but you had wonderful peripheral vision something you lose the moment you put your lights on .When people drive towards you with to strong alight then it can take upto 30 minutes for your eyes to readjust .This is were we look and no matter how bright the motor cyclist light is we do not see it.Have you noticed these trucks that look like Christmas trees they are totally illegal do the police do anything ?.Light and the brains respones are of great interest to the armed forces who spend billions looking into the problem.HJ is correct there are to many lights and to many to bright.
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i have been trying to make roof mounted indicators, so that which ever way you are going, you can see where other cars are turning.
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Agree 100% with Colin. Also I would add I like Volvo owners having lights always on so you get advance warning of them!
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I have recently seen newish Volvos, apparently without running lights. Is this a sensible modification or have both headlights failed and they haven't noticed? I totally appreciate the need for motorcyclists to be seen, they have a high incididence of hitting or being hit by cars that "Didn't see them" but do we have to have their main beam? Dipped would do IMHO
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The reserch quoted in MCN found that drivers were more likely to see Bikes which ran with their lights on, but were also more likely to emerge into their path because the approach speed of the machine was more difficult to judge.
Agree with HJ about dim-dip lights, whatever happened to them?
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I am fairly ambivalent about day time running lights on cars, although I run on dipped on the motorbike (and I emphasize dipped, I don't think that I have ever been flashed for dazzling, although on the odd occasion I have knocked the switch by accident and only realised it when I came up behind another vehicle and the light pattern was wrong).
However, I cannot understand those drivers who either do not put lights on, or only parking lights, when the weather is misty e.g. November mornings.
Surely they should have the sense to see that if weather conditions are such they can see a vehicle coming towards them with dipped headlights before one with sidelights and that before one with no lights, then they should be using their own lights appropriately.
The other matters concerning lights that bug me are the number of faulty lights, headlamps, rear lights and brake lights, that the police do nothing about; and also the dismal rear lights on some lorries which means that you come up to a slow-moving vehicle without adequate warning. Are there any standards for rear light visibility, I wonder.
On a positive note, full marks to a number of Boots lorries and some others, that have reflective tape all round the rear. They show up heaps better.
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Always assuming, Chris, that the other drivers bother to use them!
Whatever happened to the driving tuition adage of "Mirror, Indicator, Brake"? Nowdays it seems to be brake, indicate (maybe) and forget about the mirror bit.
Or, at a traffic lights with two lanes where the offside lane has arrows for both turn and straight on, wait until the lights change before you put the indicator on, so that the guy behind who is going straight on and would have used the inside lane if you had indicated when approaching the lights has to sit behind you for the whole sequence or take his life into his hands trying to get back into the inside lane.
What are they trying to do, save battery power or something?
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Interesting thread but I'm surprised my pet hate hasn't reared its head yet. I find that the quickest way to have your night vision impaired is by the idiots who don't know, or don't care, that front fog lights are for use in fog and not on a nice clear, moonlit summer evening. What surprises me is the extent that it affects vision even in a bright street-lit environment.
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Women drivers seem worst in this respect. Every day I see lots of them in their Clios, Fiestas & Puntos driving around with their front spots on. They think it's some kind of fashion accessory. Some manufacturers make things worse by calling them 'Driving lights'.
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Andy wrote:
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> Women drivers seem worst in this respect. Every day I see
> lots of them in their Clios, Fiestas & Puntos driving around
> with their front spots on. They think it's some kind of
> fashion accessory. Some manufacturers make things worse by
> calling them 'Driving lights'.
I thought the full name was "Watch out there's a prat about" lights.
/John
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In the US we call them Yuppie Lights
~R
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Randolph Lee wrote:
>
> In the US we call them Yuppie Lights
What about the way that some US cars have the main beam turned on
whenever you've got the headlights turned off (seen on an Alero). - bleedin' stupid if you ask me!
Having said that the NJ law which states "Wipers on, lights on" is a pretty
good idea...
/john
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