Headlights in the daytime

[prolfe]

I was just wondering if anyone else uses their headlights all the time.

I get in my car and I turn them on. It doesn't matter if it is day or night, my car or a hire car, all the time.

I do this now out of habit, but primarily because i think that having them on is safer. It makes my car stand out a bit more, so that other drivers and other road users might notice me coming.

I even do this in foreign countries which doesn't go down to well with locals. I was constantly flashed in Spain, in America people flashed and made a funny hand signal that looked like they were telling me off for chatting.

These are headlights that I have on, not just sidelights. I do also use fog lights, but ONLY when visibility is down to 100m in conditions like: Fog, hard rain, mist and snow.

Any one else as mad/sensible as me?

:o

[Ben]

Rickt does, infact there was a rather long thread about it some time ago. Rickt refers to them as DRL Daylight Running Lights. He has a link to his website in the bottom of his signature.

[bora(ing) nick]

I turn them on if it starts to rain....

I agree, anything to increase your cars visability is good, (as long as it doesn't blind other drivers ;) )

[CmdrBond]

I use my headlights all the time too and have done since passing my IAM test in 1998. It was taught on the assessments that it makes the car more visible, especially when going from bright sunshine into shade under trees etc.

Also, on motorways and fast roads when the sun is behind the driver it gives a little more warning that something is behind you. Same works if the sun is in front of you.

But, as all sensible drivers do, I only switch the fog lights on in poor conditions.

[wallacebob]

When I was in Canada last year - N/Scotia and NFL - the hire car had auto "running lights".
Only front headlamps were on when driving, apparently some insurers give a discount if this is part of your vehicles wiring.
I had to keep remembering to turn on the lights at night tho', or in rain, as the rears were NOT on. Strange.
I did see a lot of cars with lights on all the time tho', mostly newer models, so must be common in North America.
ps if you go to Canada, go to "Canada Tyre" - buy a boat, a new set of tyres, a fishing rod and a pair of pliers in one place! little kids in sweet shop doesn't fully describe me and father in law!:Blush:

[MalcQV]

Daylights are for Volvos. If we all use headlights in the day then surely we won't be any more visible than the next car?

I did my IAM in 2000, they did not practice putting lights on in the daylight in my local group. I do agree though that headlights should be switched on if you need to use your wipers.

My edition of "Road Craft" purchased the same year I passed my IAM does note mention daylights either ;)

[RickT]

Hi Guys!!

Well im impressed...

I have done this for many years now, and all but a few of my mates do this also..

I took time to reseach this as i think it is a real gain for safety when on the road.

One little tweak i have done on my car is set the lights up via VAG-COM to the scandinavian setting so these are on all the time without moving the swtich. (ps, it passed the MOT like this as its not law to have them on all the time.)

I would like you all to have a look at my site i did over a year ago, I have not edited in 10 months as i have not had time, my plan is to progress this in the near future.

The site quality is low, i wanted to try my hand and creating a website using just HTML rather than using a website creation tool..

Have a look and tell my what you think inregards to the data etc....

When i was out in Sweden and Norway it was great to see all the cars running DRL's all the time!!!!



http://www.headlights247.com/index.htm


in regards to thread i created some time back, below is the link to it.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=8477&highlight=headlights247


Keep them headlights on and thank for the support!!!

RickT

[APRTuned_GTI]

I do it all the time, i just love the look of my new xenon headlights in broad daylight :D

Volvo's do it automatically, day or night there always on 'premonitary headlights' as there called, they say its a safety thing, you know what the swede's are like :p

[MalcQV]

Nice site Rick looks very pro, and writing HTML too.
Impressed ;)

[cbrpaul]

I cant say im a " headlamps on permantly " type car driver tbh

If conditions dictate , ie fading light , rain/snow storm , tunnels , etc then yes of course ,


One story about daylight headlamps for you all ,

A chap at work had a little knock at a junction , a few years ago , what happend was he was at a junction waiting to pull out it was broad daylight , but was very busy , he saw a car coming and " thought " he flashed him to pull out , so he did and BANG !!!!!

The car coming had his headlights on , and there was a sunken part in the road just before the junction , as the car dipped down and back up this guy thought he had been flashed out !!!!

draw your own conclusions !!!


On another note , I rode a motorcycle for 23 years ,and did indeed always put the headlamp on when i rode it , , I lost count at the amount of car drivers who used to flash/dazzle me for having them on each day !!!


I believe the Police volvos have the daylight headlamp function disabled !!! maybe to make them less noticable when pulling up behind you :D:D

:beerchug:

[Eshrules]

A chap at work had a little knock at a junction , a few years ago , what happend was he was at a junction waiting to pull out it was broad daylight , but was very busy , he saw a car coming and " thought " he flashed him to pull out , so he did and BANG !!!!!

The car coming had his headlights on , and there was a sunken part in the road just before the junction , as the car dipped down and back up this guy thought he had been flashed out !!!!

draw your own conclusions !!!





in regards to this, headlights on or off, would not have made any difference. When taught to drive, you are taught to ignore hand and light signals, instead you are supposed to assess the situation and the drivers 'stance' if they make positive changes to their direction, speed or otherwise, then all would normally be ok.

it's the same for when you are(for instance) pulling left, onto a road, from a T junction, if a car has it's indicator on to turn left (on the approach to you) you are not supposed to move out until they have made a definite move to take the left turn they indicate, as we all know, some fools leave their indicators on.....

9/10 times, i have my sidelights on, just as a marker light more than anything, headlights only usually go on in conditions that require my windscreen wipers or when dusk/dark.

[cbrpaul]

in regards to this, headlights on or off, would not have made any difference.

But if the headlights were off and not on , when the car hit the dip , it would not have gave the guy at the junction waiting to pull out , the impression the on coming car was being courteous, and flashed him out , would it ?

True you are not supposed to act on this gesture as per highway code , and it did infact come down to the guy pulling out, being guilty of the accident !!!

But how many times a day do we all get flashed out , or flash others in a courteous gesture ? ,ie busses to pull out , to let a car through a tight gap list goes on , ?

We know we shouldnt act upon it or do it , but I think most all do !!!

I know I do

:beerchug:

[Eshrules]

But if the headlights were off and not on , when the car hit the dip , it would not have gave the guy at the junction waiting to pull out , the impression the on coming car was being courteous, and flashed him out , would it ?

True you are not supposed to act on this gesture as per highway code , and it did infact come down to the guy pulling out, being guilty of the accident !!!

But how many times a day do we all get flashed out , or flash others in a courteous gesture ? ,ie busses to pull out , to let a car through a tight gap list goes on , ?

We know we shouldnt act upon it or do it , but I think most all do !!!

I know I do

:beerchug:

i was merely stating the legalities of it in regards to an accident. if i flash someone, i usually follow it with a hand gesture and an obvious slowing of my speed, i never just flash someone across my path,thats a bit silly IMHO, if there are pedestrians nearby they can mis-interpret signals like that too.

[cbrpaul]

i was merely stating the legalities of it in regards to an accident. if i flash someone, i usually follow it with a hand gesture and an obvious slowing of my speed, i never just flash someone across my path,thats a bit silly IMHO, if there are pedestrians nearby they can mis-interpret signals like that too.

yip , legally wise you have not got a leg to stand on so to speak !!!

we all do lots of things, thaen afterwards we realise may have been abit silly to do !!

but we wont go there lol ;)

:beerchug:

[bora(ing) nick]

we all do lots of things, thaen afterwards we realise may have been abit silly to do !!

but we wont go there lol ;)

:beerchug:
Lets go there....

Last night i got absolutely hammered on a works night out in anglesey.....

On getting back to the digs around 12ish, i wanted some crisps from the bar in the hotel.

It was closed :(, i decided in my drunken state to "try another route". Through the kitchen i strolled, into the bar.

Don't know why, but i grabbed a hand full of mars bars and went up to my room :confused:

Woke up this morning, (late for work, with a bad head) fully clothed with 5 mars bars on my chest :confused:

Damn holsten export :biglaugh:

Nick

[cbrpaul]

Lets go there....

Last night i got absolutely hammered on a works night out in anglesey.....

On getting back to the digs around 12ish, i wanted some crisps from the bar in the hotel.

It was closed :(, i decided in my drunken state to "try another route". Through the kitchen i strolled, into the bar.

Don't know why, but i grabbed a hand full of mars bars and went up to my room :confused:

Woke up this morning, (late for work, with a bad head) fully clothed with 5 mars bars on my chest :confused:

Damn holsten export :biglaugh:

Nick

classic Nick :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

[Eshrules]

going slightly off topic here, but whilst training in nottingham, someone decided it would be a good idea to have a bar crawl, come 1 am (supposed to be up at 7.30) i was rather worse for wear and retired to my hotel room.

upon arriving there, i noticed the curtain slightly open, but could not close it from the bottom, so had to climb on top of the futon next to the bed, closed the curtain and that was fine, until i fell off the damn thing getting down.

8.15 my mate comes in and informs me im 20 minutes late and everyone is waiting for me, up i jump, to notice i've sprained my ankle with my drunken antics.

you try explaining to the warehouse manager why you smell of booze, look like a tramp and are now walking with a limp when you're on a training course :Blush2:

[MalcQV]

But how many times a day do we all get flashed out , or flash others in a courteous gesture ? ,ie busses to pull out , to let a car through a tight gap list goes on , ?

We know we shouldn't act upon it or do it , but I think most all do !!!

I know I do

:beerchug:

With this and the problem of people leaving indicators on, it is about watching the driver of the car, making eye contact (where possible) and looking at their road position and speed.

When I did the IAM test the [retired I think] police training driver told me to turn left as the oncoming car had flashed me. I was waiting until he had gone past and the road was clear. It is all about making a decision at the time based on the circumstances.

However as mentioned if you did act and then had an accident....

[RickT]

As said above... if someone Flasdhes you it does not mean go... also in regards to people saying it looks like the car flashes you... put it this way.. at least you saw the car... if you car did not have the headligghts on you may have failed to see it at all and pulled out..

In regards to flashes people out etc etc... there is differance between a dipped beam and a full beam, and most drivers notice this....

In regards to saftey... if it was not proven to increase saftey, if it was not proven countries would not use them...

Also think about motorbikes in the UK????? where do they have there lights on all the time??

This is a subject were people love it or hate it...

All i say is be safe, visabitly is everything....

RickT