FAO: Chet, and any other Oirish folk...

:)

Well, with all the cars I've had, side lights and parking lights have been two totally different entities, including buzzers that sound when you leave on your side lights (or ignition controlled side/headlights) but not when you have the lights in the park position.

I almost always have lights on. Why on earth would I not have my lights switched on? They even help in bright, low sunshine if the sun is behind you - for others being able to see your car, anyway.

No foglights. Just headlights. I'd say always but I don't like having to have the Supra's headlights up all the time, it looks daft. Still, first thing I do after the engine is running is switch on the lights before putting it in gear.

Richard

I'm pretty sure that you can have any power you like on main beam, but not more than 55w on dipped. Is this not the case?

I thought constructions and use regs required any headlights for on road use to be 55/60. Or whatever the appropriate normal wattages are. Hence

Richard

All the cars I've ever had, have only had one entity below dipped-beam - that of piss-poor candle mode, unsuitable for any use whatsoever !

When the law says I aren't allowed to fit bulbs that are actually bright enough to let me see where I'm going, then the law is an ass. I happily flout it :)

They're actually 100w bulbs, that allegedly give out 130w of light. No idea if they really do or not, but they're a damnsight better than the stock 60w jobbies.

Yep, I do exactly the same. Lights are great !

That makes perfect sense. Seeing as no other road user should ever see your headlights on full beam, then I don't see why it matters how bright they are ?

Having said that, why does the 60w limit exist for dipped beams ? HID lights are *MASSIVELY* brighter than 60w filament bulbs - yet they're perfectly legal.

Are 130w filament bulbs legal for dipped beam, if you fit the same self-levelling malarky that HID lights have (which doesn't actually work) ?

Any chance you two could divulge your approximate whereabouts, so the rest of us can avoid the area ?

i'm sorry but I dont see the problem posed by someone having their headlights or sidelights on during the day, fogs on are bad yes but I really dont see your issue.

Perhaps we should have a day where everyone drives around with headlights on, then. They can dazzle, they can mask indicators, and they can screw up your distance perception. Shame you can't see this.

Ah you see, underspecced cars that you've had.

Even a Skoda Estelle had proper side lights, and parking lights.

Parking was sides at low wattage, side was sides at full wattage. Dim dip was when you put on the parking lights and started the engine. It would light up the headlights on low wattage.

I think he was suggesting that all sidelights are inherantly crap, and not worth using.

Neither can the Swedish, or most of Europe when it's raining.

Then again, neither can I.

It would seem that you clearly can't see, period. Headlights - not full beams/high beams, not foglights - rarely dazzle in daylight. They may mask indicators, but I assure you that I never assume anyone's actions from their indicators - just because I know when to use them doesn't mean anyone else does. Distance perception? What are you on about?

Richard

perception. Shame you can't see this.

I've drawn my own conclusions about what he's on (about) and he's clearly either:

Mason

(light dawns)

Good reply. Someone with an id like ibrox© from ntlworld News Service would more than likely need this kind of advice, usually to wipe their mouth too.

in news: snipped-for-privacy@news2.newsguy.com, "Nom" slurred :

Exactly, plus you can have 'driving lights' which are switched with the main beam, which can definitely give a total of more than 120W.

I think that's an oversight. When the regs were written the only option were filament bulbs, and it's much easier to specify electrical-power in than light-power out, but this means that the more efficient HID and similar lights can have a much larger light power output.

I wouldn't think so.