Daylight running lights

This is absolutely correct, plus, when the engine's idling, you actually *notice* the effect of the increased load as the engine bogs down. Switch on the A/C, or all four high beams, or whatever, and the engine bogs down due to increased alternator load.

My car's gas mileage is decidedly mediocre as things stand, and DRLs sure as heck don't help matters.

I have 20/15 last I was tested long ago, that's better than 20/20. My vision is certainly no worse than 20/20. Highbeams and the majority of DRL implementations cause me problems because I am glare sensitive.

I don't need highbeams at night, in fact I often don't need the headlamps and have on occasion driven with just the parking lamps on and not noticed until I entered a particularly dark section of road. No doubt the tradeoff for glare sensitivity is low light vision in my case.

What I am trying to point out is that the headlamp glare your vehicle is generating could actually be reducing the vision of people that you hope will see you. When somebody comes at me in GM or ford truck with the high beams on I am essentially blind on occasion. I 'fly by instruments', that is I slow while remembering the course and speed of nearby vehicles and don't make any moves until I can see again.

Now contrast that to the night driving I did in europe. I could see and wasn't blinded. I had some slight glare difficulty in the rain, but not like at home in the USA. Not only that but the headlamps of the car I drove functioned well and were actually useful and allowed alot more to be seen.

What the USA allows on the road as far as headlamps is just shameful.

Hello,

That is why I fitted my former Chevrolet Celebrity with Hella ECE H4 and H1 headlamp capsules and higher-watt bulbs (100/130). I commuted between school in Denton and home in Dallas through the rural areas. Be able to see further at 70mph gave me more edge in avoiding those sucidal cows or kamikaze deers (or armadillos).

Unless they are changed since the last time I visited, Texas does have the speed limit of 70mph on two-lane rural roads. Don't argue with me about the merit of night driving at 70mph.

Oliver

Steve wrote:

Evil. Be gone. Evil evil evil!

:-p

To the people that NEED brights

I never argued that bright lights dont change the aim or increase wattage. DID I????????????????

I work on cars. And i know about aiming headlights and the wiring harness that is used. BTW, i have the option of turning automatic headlights on my tbird, one of many cars that i own.

What i am stating is that you cant see. Not that bright lights dont work.

The other person that posts, doesn't need his brights either. so wheres your argument?

Remember, i stated that i fly planes. Planes dont really have headlights, besides landing. and some navigation lights for other planes to see them.

I guess, such a condition as flying planes will be tragic because they dont have bright lights. Im glad getting a pilots license is tougher to get, plus a medical exam is needed.

I usually wear sunglasses all the time, so im not too hurt by the incoming glare by idiots with DRL or just leaving their normal lights on during the day time.

But not looking at a car that is oncoming is a bad idea. I wonder how many motorcycle riders died because some idiot crossed over the line, and he said"hmmm ill take this internet guys advise and just look to the right"

If you are hitting deer, you do suck at driving. Cmon, even with your brights on. Are you just driving into them? Im glad your not riding a motorcycle either. When you see a car cutting in front of you, i guess your putting your life on brakes, and not swerving around the car.

I ride my motorcycle all the time at night. Safer for me. I have no problem seeing animals. I dont know what is worse, getting killed by a car during the day time, or wildlife asking to get killed.

Once again, im not saying bright lights dont work. I know how to drive, and i dont need them. I never had an accident, either by car or by motorcycle. And there is a greater risk on a motorcycle. Just like i stated before, i ride my motorcycle through a forrest preserve and there is always deer grazing on the side. But i dont drive into them unlike some people.

And to the other guy. YES, using more electricity in a car puts a load on the engine. But let me guess, your a mechanic? BTW, turn off your lights in the day time. IF it doesn't work for a motorcycle, how will it for a car?

"Matthew Russotto" <

I agree, but it'd be a bastard to fit!

That's it, there are so many idiots posting on this subject, I'm out of it. I sure hope you and people like you are never on my same highway. From what you wrote regarding deer and seeing them at night, you have no clue what it is like to live and drive on dark country roads that are heavily populated with deer. You may say you do, but you are full of it. Period.

Absolutely right. High beams allow you to see deer way ahead of you at night so you can slow down in case they dart into the road.

"Brent P" wrote

and have on occasion driven with just the parking lamps on and not noticed until I entered a particularly dark section of road.

You don't live in the deep northwoods then. You must use high beams at night here. No street lights here, and you hardly ever even see another car on the road--- just deer.

Doesn't matter how far _ahead_ you can see with a deer; you don't hit 'em when they're standing in the middle of the road. What matters is how far off to the side of the road you can see, because you'll hit 'em when they jump right out in front of your car.

This from another know it all who doesn' thave a clue

I usually see them at the side of the road far enough ahead to know to slow down. But I go slower through deer infested areas at night anyway.

From where I used to live, the deer were about 3 blocks away. I managed not to hit any. Then again maybe the deer around here are smarter, for the two major roads there are pedestrian/bicycle/horse overpasses and the deer use them too. But the lesser roads they have to cross.

No, no, no. He is an F16 pilot. He can just see things that aren't visible to mere mortals.

Sig for the benefit of Jaybird and other similar cops...

Cops are the cause of everyone's problems. My actions do not give them the right to break the law. Their illegal actions are the result of their idiocy. Their life is not my fault. If you can't handle being a cop, find a real job.

Oh, really don't need headlights? Well, hell, why not just drive with your eyes closed and get the same effect? What a load of horseshit. Yeah, buddy, at night, if you're not in the middle of some downtown with streetlights galore, you sure as s*it need headlights...yes, even you. It doesn't have to be "particularly dark". If you don't need'em, you would be some kind of medical miracle, which we all know you aren't. Moron.

Yours is a fairly asinine proposition.

Of course, it's always better to be seen earlier: the earlier you are seen the farther away you are. Please explain how it could possibly better for me when I'm driving down a rural two-lane when coming the other way is someone passing another car. Your saying that it's better that the passing car barreling towards me see me late (like when he's about smash into me) and see my postion accurately...and it's somehow worse that he see me much earlier but misjudge the distance? Nonsense. Also, it's interesting that all the anti DRL posse have such a troubles judging distances of cars with lights on during the day. It can't be any worse at night, but I don't hear anyone bitching about that. Chalk it up to preconceived notions: DRL bad!!

It sounds like you've got an idiological axe to grind about DRLs. Use your head; in a situation where time is distance, it's obviously much, much better to be seen as early as possible. I (and many others who have no irrational hatred of DRLs) experience this nearly every day when I pass or when someone who is passing is coming towards me. The mental contortions you have to go through to somehow arrive at the conclusion that later is better is really not worth the effort. Give it a rest.

When the highbeams lamps are placed too close together, then it's very difficult to judge the distance. A similar effect would occur if someone just left their highbeams on at night.

Read some other posts in the thread by him on DRLs before jumping to conclusions

Yes, you're right. You're not a scientist, mathematician or an electrical engineer. Okay, so what are you? Are you a truck driver? I heard that is the most common job in the USA, along with secretary. I guess one of the joys of driving a truck is to be able to say, I don't care about any one else? A fringe benefit? If it works for you ... but seems so vulgar and selfish.

As a lurker, I appreciate his pedantry, a bit of fresh air, just as I appreciate your pedantic comments. There's enough room in this newgroups for 2 pendants, actually, it could use a lot more, but for free answers we can only afford three at the most.

Why don't you read for meaning next time.

There's a big difference. US DOT headlamps on many cars are so s***ty that I have often driven and not noticed they were off.

No, just regular suburbia about one street lamp every 3/4 block or so.

Learn to read asshole.