Daytime Running Lights Crisis

[rideforever]

These days driving along in the middle of the day, bright sunshine, and cars in long lines with their lights on blazing each other in the face, sometimes so bright hard to see.
Meanwhile on the radio, we are told there's an energy crisis, climate crisis .... the imminent threat of wasting energy, saving every drop.

Do you ever get the feeling someone is laughing in your face, in the face of your whole country?
That you are all being pulled and prodded and your whole way of life turned upside down whilst someone else is having a little party at your expense ?

 

[carmanmemoranda]

I don't really think those 2 things are related.

But I hate daytime driving lights because it makes people think they've got their lights on, when in truth it's only the front lights that are on

 

[johnny2007]

God bless old cars where you have to physically turn a knob or press a button to use something.

 

[motorbiking]

You always have the problem when you go over a speed bump of flashing someone to come out, when you didn't. DRLs should be separate. A ring LED can't give the impression of "flash" by mistake.

 

[securespark]

I have a lot of time for driving with lights on, be that full lights or DRLs.

"See and be seen", is what my driving instructor used to tell me in 1983.

I have always driven with lights on, both as a commercial driver and in private vehicles. My middle son does also and I have never discussed that with him: he took it up on his own.

Our new car has DRLs and I think they really work well.

 

[ellal]

More civilised nations such as Nordic ones have their car lights on all year round...

It's because even in the middle of summer driving lights are an advantage given that the angle of the sun can often be a hindrance to sighting another vehicle...

Plus the argument about the consumption of power as regards LED driving lights is laughable...

Can we assume that if the OP is so concerned about energy that he/she never uses air conditioning whilst driving?

Edit: I will say though that some of the bizarre rear LED indicators/brake lights can be a distraction!

 

[motorbiking]

More civilised nations such as Nordic

civilised ? grindadráp isn't civilised.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

I have a lot of time for driving with lights on, be that full lights or DRLs.

"See and be seen", is what my driving instructor used to tell me in 1983.

I have always driven with lights on, both as a commercial driver and in private vehicles. My middle son does also and I have never discussed that with him: he took it up on his own.

Our new car has DRLs and I think they really work well.

Agree with you about lights, apart from the fact some (lots) cars only have drl's on the front so they drive along oblivious to having no lights on the rear.

Never understood the logic of them being designed like that

 

[motorbiking]

They (if everyone has them) make cyclists and motorcyclists harder to see on built up roads.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

God bless old cars where you have to physically turn a knob or press a button to use something.

And they don't keep bonging at you when you neglect to do trivial things like empty the ashtray or refill the empty brake fluid.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I'm forever mystified by the amount of cyclists who have a rear light but don't use it, I use mine in all weathers, sunny or whatever, seems like a no brainer to me, it's not like they're not rechargable or cost very little to run these days anyway. Of course there are the berks on bikes who don't have a rear light to save the 50g but they're a lost cause.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Problem I sometimes get is the day running light and indicator are together. In daylight, the DRL LED is so bright I occasionally fail to see the flashing indicator. Guessing it's not just me, because some cars now dim or turn off the DRL when the indicator next to it is flashing.

 

[motorbiking]

No excuse for not having at least a couple of rear lights. They are a couple of quid from the £shop and you can attach a decent torch to the handlebars with old inner tube.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Meanwhile on the radio, we are told there's an energy crisis, climate crisis .... the imminent threat of wasting energy, saving every drop.

Your engine produces say around 100Kw of energy, 30w of lighting is hardly going to be noticed.

 

[Nige F]

Problem I sometimes get is the day running light and indicator are together. In daylight, the DRL LED is so bright I occasionally fail to see the flashing indicator. Guessing it's not just me, because some cars now dim or turn off the DRL when the indicator next to it is flashing.

Driving my Citroen C3 Aircross I saw another coming towards me and indicating left. Could hardly see the flashing ! So I have my sidelights on instead. Less bright @ front and on @ rear