PistonHeads.com: Daytime Running Light Plan Revived

[MSC Robotnik]

All new cars to have daytime running lights in three years under EU plans

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News article from PistonHeads.com

 

[solarice]

personally i dont see how a couple of extra little lights, can all of a sudden make a bus more visible...its a bus ffs, if you cant see them now then theres a problem somewhere.

 

[Arnold]

Agree. If you can't see a car, lights on or off then you shouldn't be driving! Cyclists and Motorcyclists need to stand out, not blend in with other vehicles

 

[curtis]

I agree with you solarice, but the audi light are nice and do light up good, even in the day!

 

[rlees85]

its just dumbing down the human race even furthur, automatic lights, automatic wipers.... then fully automatic cars... wow that would be fun ^o) stupid goverment. as said before, if you cant see a bus with its lights off then you should not be driving, end of.

 

[Pete]

I've made it very clear before on here and everytime I get shot down in flames, lights make a car that is moving visible against cars that aren't. Yes I can see a bus but is it parked or is it abandoned by the side of the road? Driving up the road in sun/drizzle/slight overcast it can be very hard to see silver and grey cars if they didn't have their lights on.

I just think people don't like change.

It is safer, end of.

 

[Simonh]

i agree with pete...there is nothing wrong with the idea

 

[rlees85]

I've made it very clear before on here and everytime I get shot down in flames, lights make a car that is moving visible against cars that aren't. Yes I can see a bus but is it parked or is it abandoned by the side of the road? Driving up the road in sun/drizzle/slight overcast it can be very hard to see silver and grey cars if they didn't have their lights on.

I just think people don't like change.

It is safer, end of.

dont mean to start an arguement but i leave my car parked on the side of the road with the sidelights on a lot... so it doesnt really distinguish between moving and stationary vehicles.

 

[Arnold]

I've made it very clear before on here and everytime I get shot down in flames, lights make a car that is moving visible against cars that aren't. Yes I can see a bus but is it parked or is it abandoned by the side of the road? Driving up the road in sun/drizzle/slight overcast it can be very hard to see silver and grey cars if they didn't have their lights on.

I just think people don't like change.

It is safer, end of.

So as a biker, you'd be happy blending in with the traffic? Being put at risk because you can't be seen as clearly? If the conditions are as such people need to turn there lights on, then they can.

 

[rlees85]

also for the record im not moaning becuase i could easily take the lights thing or leave it. but when they bring out automatic cars in 10 years or so and ban driving the way as we know today dont say i didnt tell you so

 

[ollyc98]

I've had my lights on dipped beam and still had cars not see me, people are stupid and confusing them with more lights won't help anyone, I ride my bike for about an hour a day and I don't want to blend into the background, it's dangerous enough as it is.

 

[whipit]

I've made it very clear before on here and everytime I get shot down in flames, lights make a car that is moving visible against cars that aren't. Yes I can see a bus but is it parked or is it abandoned by the side of the road? Driving up the road in sun/drizzle/slight overcast it can be very hard to see silver and grey cars if they didn't have their lights on.

I just think people don't like change.

It is safer, end of.

Thirded, with the amount of idiots not turning on lights when either raining, misty or in the evening this is needed. People assume that lights are only required so you can see but there also there so people can see you.

As for "blending" in thats a load of rubbish, firstly I'm not going to drive into a bike because i think its a car secondly the lights are only to draw your attention, then you work out whether its moving, the direction and speed etc.

 

[Pete]

Arnold yes, as a biker I'm happy to have my car lights on (and do). The whole point of bikes having lights on them is so you can see them, spot them against the background. For example you will spot a light out of the corner of your eye so you probably won't pull out on it, whether it be car or bike. I don't mind bikes blending in against cars, you wouldn't pull out on either. What I'm worried about is vehicles blending in against a background, especially if it's sunny or overcast, the stupidly two extremes we get a lot here.

People say "if you can't spot a car then you shouldn't be driving" but how many times have you been driving down a suburban street and gone to execute a manovure around a parked car only to find that car a little bit further down the road was tanking it and is heading right for you? With his lights forced to be on you would have judged his approach speed much easier.

Or on a motorway when it's slightly overcast, someone in a grey/silver car is sat in your blindspot, well you think they are but the rain on your side and rear quarter windows is blocking your view. Are they still there? did they drop back? have they gone to undetake you instead?

Just about to cross a street, can't hear anything because the ambient noise is high (thinking city centres), you go to cross but that car that was double parked has just decided to set off without looking, with DRL's if his engine was on you'd have caught the lights and perhaps looked a little further into the car to see a driver in the drivers seat.

 

[Arnold]

When your going up a motorway, in slow moving traffic for example, you usually see the motorbikes coming up behind you, weaving in and out of traffic, because of the lights reflecting in your mirrors. If all cars have their lights on, they won't stand out. It's that simple. In situations where you need to see them, you won't!

if the conditions are crap and you can't see this fictious grey car in your blind spot, you wouldn't just pull out anyway. you'd stay in the lane that your in! Most idiots don't move out the middle lane anyway.

People say "if you can't spot a car then you shouldn't be driving" but how many times have you been driving down a suburban street and gone to execute a manovure around a parked car only to find that car a little bit further down the road was tanking it and is heading right for you? With his lights forced to be on you would have judged his approach speed much easier.

you should be driving up to the obstruction/parked car/whatever and deciding way in advance if it's safe to proceed around it. you don't drive up to the car, stop, look ahead then make the move! Lights or no lights, you should be able to make decisions like this. I seriously think people that need to see lights to make decisions can't drive.

People should be intelligent enough to turn there own lights on. I do if the conditions require it, so if i can, why can't someone else?

 

[Pete]

But if a bike is filtering then you'll see a light approaching between the cars surely? And if there ARE lights coming up at you whether it be car/bike/flying horse you wouldn't pull out on it, which you might do if said mystical vehicle didn't have lights on and blended in with the side of that dirty van.

I do a ridiculous number of miles and find it hard to explain how backwards I think your argument is. It's hard to show you the benefits if you don't experience them yourself.

I've been in the situations I've put up, on a rain drenched m'way, lane one has a slow moving LGV, slightly faster moving LGV wants to overtake it and is signalling to come into lane two which is where I was overtaking convoy of said LGV's. Knowing that there are cars at speed in lane three but not being able to see them because they blend into the background leaves you with a) slam on the anchors and risk getting rear ended b) pull out and hope for the best or c) gun it and hope that LGV 2 doesn't take you out as he's not seen you.

I know your not going to see my argument Arnold, this issue has come up a number of times over the past few years and we've always been at polar ends of it.

Okay... IF the presence of a vehicle is going to be enhanced by it having DRL's then isn't that a benifit? there may be no need in your eyes for them all the time but what IF there's that one situation in, I don't know, ninety that the safety of other road users will be improved by that car improving its presence on the road, isn't that enough to warrant the fitting of DRL's on ALL motor vehicles? Unfortunately you can't rely on the morons behind the wheel to think "oh I'm driving out of the sun, the people coming towards me have the sun in my eyes I'd better turn my side/dipped lights on to increase other peoples awareness of my vehicle"

 

[richj]

When there is a sudden really heavy downpour, some people dont put their lights on, or take a while doing it. Its those rare times when daylights would be an advantage. For the other 99.8% of the time they are a waste of money.

 

[Ceirwan]

Its the nanny state again, i strongly disagree with driving lights i can't be bothered to get into an argument now, thats just my view. People can but as compelling an argument as they want, but my gut feeling just says 'no' as it does to ID cards, dna database etc.
When i used to ride a motorbike, i did have the lights on, but i had a few incidents of people pulling out because as i went over bumps they thought i was flashing them out.

 

[Pete]

Its the nanny state again... People can but as compelling an argument as they want, but my gut feeling just says 'no' as it does to ID cards, dna database etc.

Lucky we don't govern on gut feelings then. Someone said recently that science by its very nature is open to change its mind in the face evidence. There is a lot of here say on this subject which is annoying but every study done gets poo poo'd by people with gut feelings that its not right.

 

[Ceirwan]

Because maybe some people think you can take H&S to far, implementing a scheme that could cost everyone money in the long run to save a few people from looking as hard as they could. Its impossible to eliminate accidents, and the more measures are put in place the more the law of diminishing returns applies/.

 

[joesouthgate]

Well all arguements aside, I don't plan to have a new car...ever lol. I like older cars, much easier to work on, less to go wrong! and anyway a switch for driving lights would take 5 mins to wire in if anyones that bothered.

 

[ollyc98]

Well all arguements aside, I don't plan to have a new car...ever lol. I like older cars, much easier to work on, less to go wrong! and anyway a switch for driving lights would take 5 mins to wire in if anyones that bothered.

Same and good point about the switch. However older cars are getting harder to find as they all turn to rust. My next car is gunna be a reliant kitten - no rust lol, although I'm pretty sure no lights either....

 

[solarice]

My driving style, is to treat everyone around as idiots...regardless of what they are doing...that alone (i feel) gives me more time to think ahead...and has so far helped me avoid potential accidents.

To me what they are trying to do, is remove the logic and common sense that everyone whos driving/walking/riding should use...

im sure you wouldnt want your tea or coffee served lukewarm just because one idiot out of every ninety, decides to try and drink it while its still boiling hot.

but then thats just my opinion

 

[Demarest]

I think its great idea, as some people have already said, not only does it make sure people have there lights on in the rain / twilight hours (which alot of people dont),

In Canada, it is law to drive with at least side lights on at all time or to have day time running lamps fitted, and from driving over there for a month, i can how it is slighly benifical, since you notice a car a lot sooner in less visible situations.

I drive with the side lights on all the time, not only for reason above, but the bulb look cool to lol

 

[Pete]

I've got a new friend

 

[Dragonmaster_uk]

i always drive with sidelights on because then i know people can see me better as soon as it begins to get dark i will switch to dipped beam for the same reason the k12 has a brilliant feature that auto switches the lights off when you leave the car so i never get a flat battery or forget my lights either i think it would be a good idea with the amount of idiots around although i think most of them drive in older cars so this plan would be flawed

 

[Craig]

I've got a new friend

I agree with Pete - can I be your friend twice?

Also, when some berk has parked in a row of cars and put their hazard lights on, if you can see their lights on, then you know they aren't pulling out (you can only see one side of their car) and can scoot on by.