speedking

£millions of wasted electricity = wasted fuel and less mpg. IMO.

DaveD

iTrader: (2)

Must admit that I drive the winter months with my headlights on all the time. With low sun / long shadows, it almost seems silly not to?

I found that when living in Derby, around half the cars I saw drove with lights on in the daytime during the winter. However, around Bristol, I would say that maybe only 1 in 5 or 10 use lights during the winter.

It does make it easier to see other cars when they have their lights on, so why not use them? There still seem to be far too many people stuck in the 1950's thinking that 120W of lights is going to flatten their battery, and that the lightbulbs won't last 5 minutes These people tend to use their lights only as a means to see where they are going - I almost had a head-on a few years back, and only pulled in when I saw my lights reflected in the approaching car!

For the sake of turning a switch, I'd much rather reduce the chances of not being seen due to being in a shadow or hidden in the glare of the low sun.

However, now we are nearing the equinox, I might brave driving without lights on this weekend.

Tuts

I drive with mine on for 3 reasons:

1. Lazyiness. I leave them on all the time because they switch off when the ignition is off. Aren't all scoobs like this?

2. The alternator charges the battery when there is a load on it.

3. It is arguable as to whether it is safer or not but it can't hurt.

ru'

I could be 6; I'm not sure as I can't really understand your post. Perhaps try again, but in English?

Or get the nurse to do it.

Obviously I can understand your frustration with me (not just with your mental capacity ), after all I must've done something really bad to deserve an outburst like that. Killed some children? Drowned some puppies?

Er, actually no - can't see I've done anything at all.

Anyway, shame we're only on 5 or 6 so far but I'm sure this will increase.

Chris L

Bearing in mind that so many people seem incapable of actually turning on their lights when they are really needed, perhaps this isn't a bad idea. I couldn't see the point until I spent some time driving through parts of Scandinavia - I think it is Denmark that has a rule about using your headlights all the time. It certainly helped on the motorways - just seemed to make the cars more obvious.

Also bear in mind that the primary purpose of dipped headlights is to be seen rather than to see - which is why you should never drive with just your sidelights on as they are utterly useless, I think there is some value to having your lights on all the time. It doesn't cost anything and if it helps, then why not?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Osram make a perfect description of the point of using headlights during the day....

http://www.osram.com/products/automo...day/index.html



(but a critic will say that they do this to sell more bulbs )


The only issue I have with having dipped headlights on, is that with many modern cars with intergrated headlights (indicators commbined in the main headlight cluster), you cannot see the front indictors flashing whenever the headlamps are on. IMO, from a safety stance, indicators should be seprate units to the headlamp units, or must be clearly visible when headlights are operating (most aren't).

(same goes for LED brake lights and indicators on the rear of New Range Rovers and the new VW Passat )

danwrx1980

My lights are never switched off, but this started purely because I drive a lot of 'green' military vehicles, and at one stage you had to have your lights on, so became a bit of a habit. Now I look back tho, if turning one little switch makes it so much easier for you to be seen, I'm all for it. I was driving down the M6 from Stoke the other day in some of the worst visibility I'd ever seen, the spray was that bad, and some **** in a new Focus didn't even put sidelights on, when people are driving past you with rear fogs on that kind of gives you a hint doesn't it?

I also heard of a couple of guys who've been pulled for having lights on in the day, and I also heard the Army had to have exemption from that law as they need lights on so you can see the vehicles. I'm sure our friendly neighbourhood bobby will soon be along to clear all this up tho

Anger

iTrader: (4)

Some people dont want to do there hair everytime they leave there house so itdoesnt make us chavs you wnaker

I drive around with my side lights on all the time

ReggieMY99

Im from Denmark, and we must have our headlights on all day by law, i think this law came into effect in 1990

was a bit sceptic i remember in those days, but today i do beleive that it helps traffic safety, we have the same kind of weather as you over there

and no i dont spend more money on replacing bulbs then i did before the law, i think i changed my bulbs once in 2 years

thats 2 hours of driving every work day

wrxmania

Always drive with my side lights on - anything that makes me more visible to other road users is a good thing.

Brian

Hol

iTrader: (1)

Ha ha to Ru,

I guess the majority of people really do think anyone who drives around with their foglights on looks like a complete ****.

How does it feel to be in the minority Ru?

And YES!, You are the minority. Its about time you started admitting it.

Before you send an email to the mods begginning them to close the thread again, because you are getting slated

gotmashed

heres one

JCScooby

In winter i pretty much always have some lights on and in summer if its a really sunny day and the sun is at my back i always have headlights on.

Mr Jiggerry Poke

Over the winter month in Ireland, the Gardai (Irish Police) were advising people to drive with their lights on, dipped headlights. I don't know if it is a road safety law now but a lot of cars in the republic drive with their dipped headlights on all of the time. Personally i like the additional warning the lights give to other traffic and would tend to drive with the dipped headlights on if it is a typical grey irish weathered day.
i think we should all be able to make an intelligent decision to decide to turn on our headlights or not.

Anyway, Ireland are now playing Scotland in Lansdowne and it looks like its raining. Will probably need the dipped headlights on later on. We are all on! Yip Yip! Come on Ireland!

ru'

Ah, Hol! How's things? About time you joined the thread to provide your view.

Not sure there's been any statistics on your statement, but anyway why would I care about being in a minority? I don't feel the need to follow any herd for the sake of it.

I've never sent an email to the mods 'begginning' them to close a thread as I was getting slated, it doesn't worry me (this is assuming you meant 'begging'; it's hard to follow your posts sometimes as you seem to have some issues with English ).

You were, no doubt, referring to my comments on an old thread which wasn't going anywhere. It should've been closed as you were making yourself look pretty bad, and I felt sorry for you.

Anyway, back on-topic, I think drivers should know when to show lights and when not to. It's amazing that so many people drive in poor visibility (rain/fog/failing light) with no lights at all.

There is a train of thought that suggests if everyone has their lights on the affect is reduced, but I think in countries where it is compulsory this hasn't been the case.

I think there should be lots more 'public service' type adverts (during soap operas???) informing people about things like this (and motorway lane discipline etc.). I also firmly believe in regular re-tests for drivers.

This does, of course, assume that it's an education thing, so it wouldn't help if people really are just rubbish...

speedking

Yes it does. You can't generate electricity for free We're being encouraged not to leave tellys on standby overnight becasue they use say 6W of power. 20 million vehicles times 120W of light is a lot of additional fuel being burnt.

silent running

Mmm that's true, it would be nice to educate people over this kind of thing rather than efnforce it, but history shows us that the British motorist tends not to do anything safety related unless forced to - look at drink driving and seatbelts (in the front, let alone the back!) over the last few decades.

I can't see any reason not to drive with headlights on in the day. If they change the law to make it compulsory I won't lose any sleep over having to do it.

EVOLUTION

When on the motorway or dual carriage ways, i ALWAYS have the lights on.

I cant remember the amount of times pull out on me as the cant be arsed to use there mirrors. So, i try to make myself visable to all.

Never use the fogs, they are far to dazzeling for others, so when something is in front, there off and back on again if really needed.

So i dont have a problem with lights, so long as they are correctly adjusted....


John

Fuzz

That must be the same **** that was on the M5 the other day, A silver Focus in the pissing rain at dusk... it just blended in.
I Hope some artic educated his rear end as none of my making "gestures" at him made any difference. (that's "put your lights on you ******* dimwit" gestures, not "my wrist is aching" ones )
READ THE ******* HIGHWAY CODE YOU MORON.
Andy

Fuzz

I bet if you put this in the bikers forum you'd get 99.9% of them with their lights on at all times.
It makes you more visible to everyone.
110w is 9amps
I really dont think a 9 amp draw from the alternator is going have any major impact on fuel consumption.

As for people for driving with just sidelights on. Those things should be allowed to work only when the ign is off...


Andy

impreza414

In the day time light on/off/sidelights???????

lights on / light off / sidelights / fogs

yes

please fill in.

Fuzz

Lay off the cider and speak english.


Andy

Hol

iTrader: (1)

Ooh!, a spelling mistake, that add loads to your argument then??

Are you a lawyer looking for some technicality- cos you cant win fairly

Hey you were getting slated, Mrs Bucket, not me. You even posted that you were doing it, ya muppet.

What are you doing on here anyway?, no-one is going to agree with YOUR argument that its alright to drive around with Foglights on, all the time

The quicker some van-man slaps you round for being a complete to$$er the better for the rest of SN.

DevilHimSelf

Very funny thread.

Here Pete!

Classic's lights turn off when engine is switched OFF!

OFF being the word

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

Your original post was submitted with a devil's advocate slant so it is not entirely surprising the response you are getting. I should think twice before hijacking any future threads, kind of gets people's backs up. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion as Clint Eastwood said "opinions are like arseholes, everyones got one". However it should be a genuine opinion and not a rant to get some attention, do you suffer Munchausen's Syndrome? As for correct English, I think the word is 'effect' not 'affect'. Have a nice day (am I number seven)?

Regards Maz

speedking

But my tv = 6W / 240v = .025A and the govt. are getting all excited about that

Jazzy Jefferson

iTrader: (2)

I thought it was because the country they are built (sweden) has so little day light most of the time....?

Awd Chaddy

Then why do I end up driving home over country roads on a winters evening a can't see half of the cars coming the opposite way because they are either on sidelights or have forgotten to put them on. Same applies in the rain. We've been educated on these points for years and still we have the smart alecs who drive without lights!

Rant over!

windyboy

Over Xmas & New Year I had to drive from Belfast to Londonderry and back about 10 times in two weeks for work so driving to Londonderry just after dawn and back again just before dusk, on the long A roads it was harder to see cars in the distance coming the opposite way if they didn't have they lights on, so I always had the lights on so that the slower cars in front of me could see me overtaking them
I don't think that driving in rush hour with cars all close together and lights on is "so" important unless it's raining or snowing etc or unless it's dark, but definately cars should drive with their lights on under certain curcumstanes.

Windyboy.