30 messages,
Last post on Feb 17, 2008 at 4:54 PM
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Car Safety
#21 of 30 Re: drl [joewalls]
by 210delray
Jan 17, 2007 (7:36 pm)
Just wondering -- does the car have to be inspected? If not, I was thinking you could just always turn on your low-beam headlights every time you drive. There's no way to readily tell the difference during the daytime.
If there is inspection, surely an independent shop could rig up the headlights to come on every time you turn on the car. I'd get recommendations from friends, relatives, or co-workers.
#22 of 30 Re: dasytime running lights [john_324]
by stmss
Jan 18, 2007 (7:39 am)
The rear fog light is the most useful of the fog lights. It is only on one side of the vehicle and shouldn't be confused with a brake light. I agree with front fogs - grossly over used. I am sure most people use them as they think they look cool!
I live in Canada and DRLs are a great safety feature. But the rear lights not going on is a problem. I am not sure why more manufacturers are not just going with auto lights (front and rear). I have these in my 99Volvo (have not used the light switch for 7 yrs!) my former Saab and even my new Ford.
#23 of 30 Re: dasytime running lights [stmss]
by john_324
Jan 18, 2007 (8:20 am)
No disagreement that fogs can be very useful, in the right circumstances.
I just hate how very few people...at least in the USA...maybe Canada has better drivers (which frankly, you'd almost have to...I can't imagine any drivers being worse than in the States...
) know when to properly use them.
#24 of 30 Re: dasytime running lights [john_324]
by 210delray
Jan 18, 2007 (8:25 am)
Around here (central VA), we don't get fog all that often.
Yet, lots of vehicles run around at night with their front fog lights on -- it's the "look at me" factor.
One of my cars has fog lights -- I use them VERY rarely. I've found one neat trick though with them -- at night I flick them on and off (instead of the high beams) to let a passing tractor-trailer know it's okay to pull back into the right lane. It works, because some thank me with a quick flick of their taillights.
#25 of 30 Re: dasytime running lights [john_324]
by stmss
Jan 18, 2007 (12:05 pm)
I just hate how very few people...at least in the USA...maybe Canada has better drivers (which frankly, you'd almost have to...I can't imagine any drivers being worse than in the States
I think we are close - not very disciplined and very distracted, just fortunate maybe the volume is less.
But I think the front fog light fad is fading and now being replaced with a bigger menace - aftermarket bumper or grill driving lights - especially on the pickups and large suvs - blinding on rural two lanes.
#26 of 30 Re: dasytime running lights [stmss]
by wale_bate1
Jan 18, 2007 (2:44 pm)
Amen.
Foggers are no big deal. Assuming they've been installed and aimed correctly, they shouldn't bother anyone coming or going, day or night. The aim is low and the spread wide to give definiton and contrast to the near roadway and periphery. Real ones are amber or rose, and should not only be aimed low, but mounted low.
Driving lights, OTOH, are meant for downfield viewing and are are aimed high, like extra high-beams. Most are also, BTW, illegal for on-road use.
Yeah, my low mounted, properly aimed foggers are on. I think they look cool, and to me, I'm right!
DRLs: I wish every car came with DRLs, whether they're separate low-beams, "demon-eyes" (I like), side markers, whatever. Too many morons are clueless about lighting at dawn and dusk, and need anti-idiot devices. The upgrade I definitely agree on with some here is that the tush should be so lamped as well as the front end.
#27 of 30 Re: dasytime running lights [wale_bate1]
by avs007
Mar 07, 2007 (11:45 pm)
Depends on your jurisdiction about the legality of driving lights on the road. The laws around here say that the restrictions for use of driving lights are the same as those for high-beams.
With that being said, if you can't turn your brights on becuase of oncoming cars, you can't have your driving lights on either. I hate people that leave them on and blind everybody.
I wish all DRLs came with auto headlights. I don't know how many people I encounter at night that only have their DRLs on, and not their headlights/tail-lights...
As far as GM auto-headlights being overly sensitive... You can adjust the sensitivity. At least that's what I did on mine... It's programmable.
#28 of 30 DTRL Canada/Ontario
by elshadow
Feb 15, 2008 (1:25 pm)
This might be a duplicate as the other message seemed to disappear.
I am looking for the legal definition of DTRLs in Ontario.
One MTO person told me that both front and rear lights must come on during day.
the other MTO person reading the Highway traffic act said only the front must come on.
Does anyone know the correct answer.
thanks
el
#29 of 30 Re: DTRL Canada/Ontario [elshadow]
by Stever@Edmunds HOST
Feb 15, 2008 (3:36 pm)
I don't see a dupe so your other post probably got stuck on an updating server or something.
It's hard to tell for sure, but the Transport Canada site seems to talk only about the fronts re daytime running lights. Nothing at all showed up on the official Ontario site for me.
#30 of 30 Re: dasytime running lights [john_324]
by oldfarmer50
Feb 17, 2008 (4:54 pm)
"...Maybe Canada has better drivers..."
Them's fightin' words pardner
Don't get me started on stories of Canadians and their antics coming down I-87 from Quebec.
As to DRLs I personally don't like the car to do my thinking for me. But you have a point, some drivers aren't smart enough to turn their lights on even when it's dark, so maybe they are necessary.
One thing I've noticed is that when, for instance it's raining and 99% of the cars have their lights on, the 1% who don't are almost invisible. If you made DRLs mandatory on all new vehicles you would still have a lot of invisible cars out there causing accidents for years.
I wonder how did this work out in Canada the first few years after the mandate?