Daytime running lights...what's the deal?

See

"Headlights ON" is the normal night-time position, and allows you to use the high beams.

You have to wonder why high-intensity lights are a safety problem during the day (when the ambient light is orders of magnitude higher than at night, your pupils are contracted, etc.) but they "aren't" at night (when the headlights are vastly brighter than any other light source around). But we're talking laws here, not logic.

Gary

Oh BTW I don't know about your 9-3, but my 9-5 has an option to disable the DRL. Pull a certain fuse and DRL becomes "OFF". I figured this was a good idea, since it will greatly reduce the on-off cycles on my xenon headlamps. That's supposed to be the major lifetime-shortener on those very ex$pensive bulbs.

Check your manual and see if you can disable DRL on your car. Assuming you're in the US, it's not at all clear DRL adds any safety factor here anyway. It's more intended for high-latitude countries where the average light levels are much lower, especially in winter.

Gary

Well, mainly, I was wondering what difference there was between the two. I understand what DRL are, but in terms of how much light comes off the front of the car, I can't see a difference--other than that I thought my fog lamp and high-beam switches were bad...

But thanks for the info...

~jp

Gary Fritz wrote:

DRL mode: lights always on, always low-beam. High-beams are blocked to prevent excess glare during the daytime.

ON mode: lights on, high-beams work.

So "ON mode low-beams" is basically the same as "DRL mode". Same amount of light. You just can't hit the high-beams in DRL mode.

Gary

What a useless...um..."feature".

But many thanks are in order. At least I understand the way that works now. The switch has been moved from DRL to ON and will stay that way.

I do think it's strange that the high-beams are unable to be permanently turned on, yet the switch will still allow them to work as long as it's pulled back and held in position. So technically you could "blind" someone during the day... It would make much more sense if the DLR mode of the switch bypassed the high-beam circuit altogether.

~jp

Gary Fritz wrote:

The purpose of that is so you can flash someone in front of you -- usually as a gentle reminder that you'd like to pass. Here in the US I'm not sure everyone knows what it means, but I have used it occasionally.

But flashing the headlights at a car in front is not part of the UK Highway Code, it's usually seen as aggressive. Flashing is sometimes used for prompting someone out from a junction, but again this is not official and hence dangerous to rely on.

I have been "flashed" a few times... Usually by someone who feels that my travelling 10mph over the posted speed limit isn't quite fast enough. If I see someone coming up faster than me, I'll usually move over. But if someone comes up and flashes...well they can just wait for a break in traffic in the next lane, and go around that way.

I unfortunately don't have a "gentle" response for that sort of rude behavior... Perhaps I might feel better about it if the folks that do that sort of thing didn't feel the need to come within 3 feet of my rear bumper at 80mph.

I've found that the brakes in my tank...er...I mean 1986 Chevy Blazer (full-size) work *quite* well at those speeds, and in that vehicle I often use the above mentioned situation as a good time to test them.

Sounds like the folks in the UK still have road manners...something people here in the US, particularly my town, lost a long time ago.

~jp

Johannes wrote:

Just turn your side lights on as you accelerate away, and watch them stand on their nose thinking it's the brakes going on!

Just wondering where it is the law. I haven't heard anything about it being illegal to use hi-beam during the day.

Other replies indicate that you can pull a fuse to disable the DRL's it's in the manual.

When I got my '00 9-3 they told me to just turn the switch all the way and leave it there. I said OK and it hasn't been off since.

Wayne

Saabs, unlike some other makes, don't have "special" light arrangements for DRL's - it's just like turning the headlights on. That leads us to the question - why do they bother with the DRL feature at all - why not just let people who want their headlights on to turn them on?

Personally, I don't like DRL's. I turn my headlights on when I think they are needed. That might be in the day, or as the sun sets, but it's my decision. I also like to be able to turn on my parking lights independently. I had the dealer reprogram my car so that the headlight switch operates as they did in the past. off/parking lights/headlights with no DRL's. I also had the fog lights reprogrammed so I could turn them on and off as I wish with any combination.

Ha! That reminds of something that happened to a friend of mine...

He was working at the time with the local police and was riding along in an unmarked car one night, doing about 80mph down the interstate. In the rear view mirror, they saw a tall, 4x4 Toyota pickup *quickly* gaining on them. They estimated his speed to be well in excess of

By the way, just touching the brake pedal in my truck will engage the brake lights without actually braking. It simultaneously unlocks the torque converter in the tranny, raising the RPMs slightly. Someone got up on my bumper one night, and I touched the pedal to "brake". They backed off, and at the same time I floored it. When they caught up, they made sure to wait their turn to pass in the other lane ;-)

~jp

Richard Sutherland-Smith wrote:

Sure Fred, it's called selectivivity. Anyone else doing it is a fool but it's OK when he does it.

I think the technical term here is "asshole".

Yup. See previous.

Yeah, it's pretty funny that after his litany of bad road manners, he laments the loss of good road manners here, isn't it?

I do from time to time, but only when I'm driving an emergency vehicle. Then there's plenty of flashing and audio going on, and sometimes the idiots _still_ don't pull over. (shrug) that's what the Motorola is for. Tends to get expensive and maybe they learn from it.

I certainly always get well out of the way at the slightest sound of an emergency vehicle. Police drives killed 44 in the UK last year in road accidents.

Well it is if you're warning them of your presence...

Yes.

Correct. In Europe it means "see me? see me? stay where you are!" :)

Anyone going slower than me is an idiot; anyone going faster than me is a moron. (George Carlin).

^^^^^ Maniac, isn't it?

Anyone driving in front of me is a bad driver.

Even trying to be reasonable and accommodating won't keep you from incurring the wrath of some a**hole drivers.

Back in the '70's I read something from an insurance company that indicated daytime accidents were significantly reduced by using the headlights in the day to be seen better. I was driving a Saab 99 LE at the time, and I noticed the headlight switch was connected to the keyswitch - I put 2 and 2 together and realized the intent on Sab's behalf. I started driving this way, and every day dozens of cars would flash their lights at me, thinking I had "forgotten" my headlights, and that they were saving me from a dead battery situation!

Years later, driving in Sweden and Denmark, this made much more sense, as the sort of semi-dusk that prevails there through half the year easily explains why all cars there are wired this way, and everyone drives with lights on all the time.

I believe this use is much more pertinent in places like this than say southern California, where it's blazing sun every day - people will hardly see your lights - nevertheless it is a good practice to bear in mind. In fact, it is now the law in Italy, and will soon be in France as well.

The reason the DRL position doesn't allow the high beams is that you may not be aware you have them on (you cannot se the effect of course, and the little light on the panel may not jump out at you in daylight conditions eitjher) but it could still be aggressive to others, particularly as dusk approaches. The "flash" function remains available as this is how Europeans get others' attention - not only to pass them, but for any reason. Sometimes it's used to say "I see you, and I'm letting you go ahead of me". Other times it means 'Look out, I'm not stopping". You have to understand which is meant!!

Now I notice in New England, where everyone used to flash at me for driving with my lights on 30 years ago, many many cars are driving this way, and no one sees it as odd any more. At present, I always drive this way, unles it is a very bright sunny day, in which case I turn them off and probably save a few drops of precious fuel.

GF