HEADLIGHTS ON when its nasty out...

[k0ua]

Most of my vehicles have DTR lights and an auto sensor that turns on all lights at dark. These are two seperate sensors. DTR like mine only turn on the front lights and not the rear tail lights. For those with DTR, start your vehicle during the day and check to see if your tail lights are on as well. During daytime conditions such as driving into a whiteout people should manually turn on their headlight switch so they have rear lighting.

Agreed, and who was the absolute moron that decided that If DRL's were a great idea, and they are, why in holy heck should we not turn on the tail lights too!.. Someone actually decided not to turn on the taillights. Why I will never know.

 

[jlgurr]

The people who don't use lights also forgot where the turn signal lever is. Used to bug me but now see signals on with no intent of turning just as often as not used so you can't trust em either way.

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[kevin37b]

I think they made turn signals illegalin Illinois .

 

[dshontell]

Just run withe the hazards on all the time... covers lane changes, problems and indecision.

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[jlgurr]

Just run withe the hazards on all the time... covers lane changes, problems and indecision.

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:laughing: I like that.

 

[Bird]

Most drivers in this area turn on their headlights in rain, fog, etc., but there's always a few who don't. As far as I know, all the motorcycles don't even have a headlight switch; can't turn them off anymore, and it would be OK with me if cars were the same way.

 

[MoKelly]

In Missouri all motorcycles must have the headlight on at all times when driving. I assume it is for safety and to help other drivers see you.

If it works for motorcycles I imagine it can work for all vehicles.

MoKelly

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I drive with my headlights on all the time. Not because I need them to see, but because I desperately want the other folks to see me.

Standard operating procedure when I was in Transportation with the Air Force.

Clean the snow and ice off the top of the vehicle, all of it: hood, top, trunk, lights on all sides. Use the long handled broom on the top of the trucks and buses. After cleaning off the vehicle, check the fluid levels and general condition (no leaks, parts missing or about to fall off, lights all working, brakes work, etc.) Only after the check did you actually drive it some where.

 

[3930dave]

In Missouri all motorcycles must have the headlight on at all times when driving. I assume it is for safety and to help other drivers see you.

If it works for motorcycles I imagine it can work for all vehicles.

MoKelly

Same for MC in Ontario. I go one better on my MC, and usually run High beam during the day.

I've read where Grayhound started instructing their drivers to use headlights during the day, back in the 1930s. By then, there was already enough data available on the crash reduction benefit.

With no annual inspections here, we also have plenty of problems at the other end of the vehicle. On the long commute I used to do, it was typical to see many vehicles (some not that old) with most Brake lights burned out. I always watched for that - it is one thing I think about, when reminding myself about following distance.

Burned out brake lights are worth a ticket here, but apparently that isn't effective as a deterent.

Rgds, D.

 

[rockinmywaypa]

I disagree, hazard lights are brake lights blinking rythimically until the guy actually does decide to stop and then the poor sucker behind has lost two or three seconds of his reaction time realising that the blinking has stopped and his safe distance is becoming nonexistant in a hurry. I know whose fault a rear end collision is but you all will disagree.

 

[Looking4new]

3930dave:

High beam can blind oncoming drivers in the day time, too. Just not as bad.

 

[aczlan]

I disagree, hazard lights are brake lights blinking rythimically until the guy actually does decide to stop and then the poor sucker behind has lost two or three seconds of his reaction time realising that the blinking has stopped and his safe distance is becoming nonexistant in a hurry. I know whose fault a rear end collision is but you all will disagree.

I agree. One interesting feature on Volvos was a "Fog Taillight" which was a brighter taillight on the drivers side which can be turned on in low visibility conditions to make it more visible. Less distracting than 4 ways (also, doesn't disable your turn signals like 4 ways do).

Aaron Z

 

[k0ua]

In Missouri all motorcycles must have the headlight on at all times when driving. I assume it is for safety and to help other drivers see you.

If it works for motorcycles I imagine it can work for all vehicles.

MoKelly

Exactly. Makes sense to me.

 

[3930dave]

I agree. One interesting feature on Volvos was a "Fog Taillight" which was a brighter taillight on the drivers side which can be turned on in low visibility conditions to make it more visible. Less distracting than 4 ways (also, doesn't disable your turn signals like 4 ways do).

Aaron Z

Rear fogs like that are common on European cars. Really useful in low viz conditions - blizzard or fog, day or night. That setup presumes the driver is capable of turning a switch On/Off at the relevant time... so domestic manufacturers don't bother installing them here.

About 15 years back, there was a really bad pileup in daytime fog, on the 401 in Western Ontario. I remember reading a really haunting account of the aftermath, told by a guy who managed to get his truck clear by driving well off the shoulder. I wish rear fog lights were common here, they would have helped quite a bit in that situation.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

3930dave:

High beam can blind oncoming drivers in the day time, too. Just not as bad.

Noted and understood. It's not something I'd do running HID lights.

Once my finances are back on track, adding a daytime headlight modulator to the bike is on my To Do list - that will accomplish what I need, w/o being quite as irritating during the day.

Just trying my best to manage the risks presented to me.... during the day, I've almost been picked off by trucks rolling out of rural lanes around here - and that's when driving my DRL equipped car.

Rgds, D.

 

[Clint S]

The people who don't use lights also forgot where the turn signal lever is. Used to bug me but now see signals on with no intent of turning just as often as not used so you can't trust em either way.

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What's worse up here are the morons who run with their hazards on when there really is no need. They do not realize that signals cannot be seen and brake lights are tougher to see

 

[aczlan]

Once my finances are back on track, adding a daytime headlight modulator to the bike is on my To Do list - that will accomplish what I need, w/o being quite as irritating during the day.

If you install a modulator, PLEASE make sure your headlights are aimed properly and don't use it after dark. There is someone around here who has the headlights on his bike aimed way too high so it blinds you when he goes the other way and he uses it after dark.

Aaron Z

 

[3930dave]

If you install a modulator, PLEASE make sure your headlights are aimed properly and don't use it after dark. There is someone around here who has the headlights on his bike aimed way too high so it blinds you when he goes the other way and he uses it after dark.

Aaron Z

Yep, all my lights, including MC, are aimed correctly.

Those modulators drive the high beams. That was either installed wrong electrically, or the guy is being a Richard and has bypassed the daylight sensor. The default for those bike modulators is they only operate during the Day. He deserves a ticket, if he is using it that way at night.

That said, I see plenty of cagers driving with mis-aimed and high ouput bulbs; it's not just a MC issue.

Rgds, D.

 

[BarnieTrk]

I don't suspect it was a case of 'no headlights', but it was obviously a case of 'driving too fast for conditions':
911 call: Family in minivan stuck under semi, towed 16 miles - NewsTimes

BarnieTrk

 

[cqaigy2]

This is my first modern car, i just assumed the tail lights came on when DRL were on. I really need to check that out. Thanks for the heads up!

Speaking of mis-aligned, back in the day, when halogen car lights first became available in our area, I thought they would be great on my 71 Torino. I didn't have much money, so only replaced the hi-beams and left the low beams for the next paycheck. Next day some friends and i go for a road trip up into the Okanagan. We got a late start and i'd been working all day so one of the other guys said he'd drive for a while. It's late night now and i wake up hearing him cursing about how crappy the high-beams are. I take exception to his observation and say the i had just put in those brand new, hi-tech, really bright head lights in. I say, hit the high beams, and i have to admit, they weren't too good and i started to laugh. He says what's so funny? I say if you were a line man, these lights would be great, cause they were lighting up the power lines pretty good.