DRLs and front end car discos....

slight aside from the drls or headlights in Poland topic, got me annoyed again.

Do these DRLs actually make a difference now "everybody" has them, and its not a novelty anymore?

The other thing, which I've noticed is how the front end of modern motors is starting to resemble a disco when it comes to going round a corner.

Noticed a couple of trends,
1. when the headlights are on, when you turn to go round a corner the fog light on that side illuminates so you can "see" where your going.
2. in the daytime, when a car indiicates, the DRL on that side turns off, presumably so you can see the indicator better.

think Ill leave any earthing problems I have as is, and call it a safety feature...

Also, now everyone is lit up during the day, does it make motorcycles that little bit more unsafe, as they have been reccomended to run with lights on to improve being seen, but now they are just the same as every other road user...

rant over...

The most useful Part is the fact that the Twunts that would normally not run with Any kind of lighting no matter the conditions unless it was dark now must have lights on at all times, this is a complete bonus. As for bikes being at a disadvantage, are you saying that putting everybody else at a lower level of visibility purely to enhance the bikers chance of being seen is better?

I can honestly say there have been times in low light conditions or with silver\ white cars when if it wasont for the lights I may not have seen or noticed them as soon as I did with the drls. Imo it's a good rule.

some new cars have automatic lighting when it becomes dark enough to have them on..
my old lexus 2001 model gives you a choice of switching them on, or switch to automatic mode on lights, a sort of switch and forget thing..
as I live near Harwich, I see lots of european vehicles with headlights on during the hottest of days, who have arrived from hollands port..
its normal for them, most being wired in from ignition..
Oh, my sons latest piaggio skipper scooter is a few years newer than my Identicle model,
but he has no lighting switch, mine has....(which is left on all the time)
so as soon as you start, there lights are on..

Oh how people created at Volvos back in the mid 1970`s for having driver awareness lights on...

hindsight is great to look back on........

a few years back, the firm I worked for all had to do advanced driver training, and tbh, I thought it would be a pita, but the bloke was ex traffic police, and my day was brilliant.

one of the things he taught me, and I have stuck to it to this day, is to always have dipped headlights on, day and night. His justification was increased visibility, and greater road presence.

Since then, I have experimented many times, and I am firmly convinced that instances of people pulling out in front of my are reduced when I have my dipped headlights on at all times.

As the instructor told me, there are more accidents caused with people saying "sorry I didn't see you" than with people "sorry, I did see you"

to this day, engine on, headlights on.

not saying everyone else should be at a disadvantage, but after being on the receiveing end of a twunt who "didnt see me" despite a high vis jacked and headlights on on a bike think that those at greater risk do need a higher level of visibility than "protected" road users.

Im aware many bikes have no option for lighting thesedays, they are always on, which IMO is a good thing.

I had a 406 with automatic headlights, and frequently felt the need to override them, if you were already on the road, it had to get dark to an innapropriate level IMO for the lights to come on. likewise they didnt operate in poor visibility in daytime.

Volvo have had a good number of innovations that were scoffed at at the time, but later taken on board, Laminated windscreens (1940s) 3 point seat belts (59) to name a couple.
Volvo Safety Record full list (not all created by volvo, but a good number were

IMO running lights of a volvo nature were better than the brighter DRLs we have now, still gave enhanced visibility to vehicles, but still allowed for one brighter for those who need it (ie bikes) I know im sounding a bit bike bias, but when youve been pranged its hard not to be.

The number of twunts i see on bikes on high beams though.... :fighting:

vilguy said:

The number of twunts i see on bikes on high beams though.... :fighting:

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At least you saw em

Freetime101 said:

At least you saw em

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Particularly when you hit them because they've dazzled you

These cars where the DRL turns off when they're indicating irritate me more, more than once I've been distracted by one turning back on as I see it light up in my periferal vision and turn to see what it is.

The older Peugeot automatic lights 2001 were dangerous as there was no delay on them, as going under a motorway roundabout I was surprised at a lorry pulling out in front of me. I then realised the lights had automatically flashed the lorry. Close call and auto lights switched off and never used again.

Nigel-S said:

Particularly when you hit them because they've dazzled you

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makes me want too swerve into them!

i ride 20,000 + miles per year and im not a #### blinding other people!
when i worked at a kawasaki dealership this CBT instructor came in once telling the 2 students how they should ride with the high beams on.

####.

I always have my lights on (dipped) in every vehicle I drive , my mates an boss scoff at me "youll be replacing bulbs every 5 mins " but tbh it does make a difference so I don't care

plan to fit DRL's in the future to the defenders

vilguy said:

makes me want too swerve into them!

i ride 20,000 + miles per year and im not a #### blinding other people!
when i worked at a kawasaki dealership this CBT instructor came in once telling the 2 students how they should ride with the high beams on.

####.

Click to expand...

got shouted at by a policeman on the Isle of wight rally because my headlight was accidently switched on mainbeam during a scorching hot day during the traditional mass ride out....

was a wonder he saw me in the plume of 2 stroke exhaust caused by many many hundreds (1000`s actually) of scooters all pulling out of the ice arena at ryde....


thank god scooters are changing over to 4 stroke gradually

naff off, nowt like the smell of a 2t engine

these lil 4 stroke engines are faffy, specially the 50s wish I still had my 125 2T twin

Drl that aint hids or leds or wotever their called are bright eniugh to drive on a night and its becoming more common to see this happening. Means the muppets havent got rear lights on though.