Early lights on

[Jocko]

I have noticed how drivers are lighting up early these days. I think it is down to the preponderance of DRLs and auto lights. The rest of us have to switch our lights on just to stay safe. I can remember, back in the 60s, when the RAC started advising drivers to use headlights in built up areas. I followed their advice and would get flashed by every second or third car coming towards me. How times have changed.

[trebor1652]

I always used the adage ' see and be seen '  before automatic lights.

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[Jocko]

I always used the adage ' see and be seen '  before automatic lights.

I agree, but you wouldn't put your lights on as 2:30 on a clear afternoon. However, on a busy dual carriageway/motorway, so many vehicles have some form of lighting on, that the only way to be seen is to put your own lights on. As more and more cars with DRLs flood the road, cars without DRLs will have to have lights on or be overlooked, even on a summers day.

[MartinJG]

I have noticed how drivers are lighting up early these days. I think it is down to the preponderance of DRLs and auto lights. The rest of us have to switch our lights on just to stay safe. I can remember, back in the 60s, when the RAC started advising drivers to use headlights in built up areas. I followed their advice and would get flashed by every second or third car coming towards me. How times have changed.

Actually, I remember back in the seventies when Volvo decided to be different and implement full time side lights (I think it was just sidelights) much to the irritation of many Volvo owners who often found themselves being flashed by other 'helpful' drivers in an attempt to draw their attention to the oversight.

Happy New Year all.

[sparky Paul]

Actually, I remember back in the seventies when Volvo decided to be different and implement full time side lights (I think it was just sidelights) much to the irritation of many Volvo owners who often found themselves being flashed by other 'helpful' drivers in an attempt to draw their attention to the oversight.

Indeed, that was still happening in 1989 when I bought my first Volvo. They actually dim-dipped by switching a resistor pack in, so somewhere between sidelights and dipped.

Happy New Year all.

Ditto! 

[Jocko]

I believe that when Volvo first introduced it you could not override it (may be mistaken here). By the time I got my 2000 Volvo there was a fancy sequence for setting them on or off. On my S40 it was full dipped headlights (and tail lights), so I would set them for off in the summer and on in winter. Never replaced as many headlight bulbs as I did over the nine and a half years I had that car.
I am also surprised at the number of cars I now see with faulty DRL, considering most are LEDs.

[sparky Paul]

I believe that when Volvo first introduced it you could not override it (may be mistaken here).

You're not mistaken, I couldn't turn mine off - they came on with the ignition.

I can remember some old chap telling me through my open window that i had my lights on in broad daylight. I told him I couldn't turn them off and I'm sure he thought I was mad.

[culzean]

I always used the adage ' see and be seen '  before automatic lights.

So did I - but even more important in these days of distracted drivers and higher traffic density,  and of course that most vehicles have DRL ( most only on the front though ) so it is a bit of an arms race with lights. It is even more important than ever now to have headlights / decent auxiliary lights on motorbikes all the time,  the ones without just disappear into the background - a line of motorbikes appeared out of the gloom the other day and I only really noticed the ones with lights on, shockingly some of the darker coloured bikes had no lights on, even push-bikes have pretty good lights these days ( when they bother to fit them ).