I was telling my wife a couple of weeks ago people would only have the lights on during the day for holidays, funerals, and inclement weather. Of course, flashing for LEOs up ahead is and was in fashion.

I don’t mess with my lights on my ‘24 Subaru Forester Wilderness since the come on automatically at night, and I don’t even know if I have DRLs activated.

My auto light sensor is not functioning properly so the lights stay on.

The daytime running lights are on in the new car when it starts; the old car doesn't have them, but I will turn them on in parking garages, etc. Also, I'm in a state where if you are using your wipers, it's lights on also. Newest car has an auto-on headlight feature on the stalk (IIRC) but I have that off. As P250UA5 said, I hate when folks think the DRLs are bright enough to drive with, and don't switch the full power lights and rear lights on in iffy weather or at night.

Motorcycles have had them automatically on for years...helps people see them... why not a car?

Newer cars are LED, less draw, no alternator worries-they spin charging or not and diodes are not much of a wear item...

You'll never know if they saved you from being hit but you will see plenty of people who forget to turn their lights on as it gets dark, or rains hard etc...

60

My Pilot has daytime running lights so, by default, my lights are on. If my windshield wipers are running, I turn my headlights on. My lights have an integrated light sensor so they go on when the ambient light drops below a certain level.

quote:

Originally posted by 1860ARMY:
Motorcycles have had them automatically on for years...helps people see them... why not a car?

This is one of my gripes with the whole DRL premise. In most places, motorcyclists are required to have their headlights (and taillights) on. Why? To help them be seen.

So let's go forward with that and require that all the cars and trucks and buses and such run DRLs. Great. Guess who gets lost in the sea of too-bright DRLs? Yep... the motorcyclists. Did we really gain anything in this exercise? My magic 8 ball says "no." Two-wheelers are now no more visible in the crowd than any other vehicle.

One more reason I've given up on motorcycles....

The first thing I did, was turn off the daylight driving lights with my new truck. Same for when I drive Mrs. Mike’s new Lincoln (there are 3 settings for who is driving and it keeps those settings).

Did the same with my police car when I was working. The cars sit for long periods of time running and the lights can distract other drivers if you’re by the side of the road-so I always turned that setting off.

I prefer a dumb car, less electronic stuff the better. I want to be the one who turns things off and on.

In the opposite vein. misty/spray filled commute this morning in pretty poor visibility.
No one with their 'forcefields' [emergency flashers] on for once, but a large portion with no lights at all. Nearly merged into one that was running dark.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
My auto light sensor is not functioning properly so the lights stay on.

Just on the off chance you don't know because I didn't know myself. Do you know where your auto light sensor is? I didn't realize it was somewhere on top of my dashboard and I had tried putting a dashboard mat that covered it.

Here in PA we are required to put lights on when wipers are on, ie: rainy days. It's pretty much become a regular habit for me.

The people that make me scratch my head are the ones with flashers on driving, what the hell is up with that?

oohh this is a strong subject for me!

Most modern cars have automatic lights. There is no reason to disable or leave off the daytime running lights.

Leave them in automatic mode and they will switch from daytime running to On when it is dark and you don't have to think or forget.

Only use flashing lights if there is a wreck or hazard ahead. Not for rain.

We have plenty of overcast and or wet weather where I live. Most people have figured it out, but plenty live in their own world.

Motorcycles have nothing to do with this. We ride with our lights on all the time.

Cheers~

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Here in PA we are required to put lights on when wipers are on, ie: rainy days. It's pretty much become a regular habit for me.

The people that make me scratch my head are the ones with flashers on driving, what the hell is up with that?

Most newer cars [that I've driven] automatically turn the lights on once the wipers have been on for a certain period of time. A good feature, IMO.

The flashers, just annoying & a major source of glare & sometimes reduced visibility for those around them.
Around here, they're still driving as if the conditions are clear & dry, when it's a deluge. But, they have their 'forcefields' on, so they're good.

My Ram has an auto setting for the lights that will burn the front driving lights all the time and switch over to the full lighting when the sensor determines that it is getting dark.

I never use it because a cloudy day will be enough to trigger the sensor and when the full lights are on, the dash and touch screen dim to the lighting level I have set for driving in the dark, which is pretty dim since, you know, its dark out. I got tired of glancing down to check something just to see a blank screen because its dimmed, but there is still too much light out to see anything on the screen.

quote:

Originally posted by Chowser:
I voted Yes for other reasons. My car constantly automatically turns them on at the slightest hint of shade. I'm always turning them off when I get out of the garage, but it turns back on before I hit the street. Still trying to figure out how to keep them off and turn off the stupid start/stop crap. My previous car was easy, it always stayed off but I did turn on rear DRL on it.

If you go into the vehicle settings you'll find that you can adjust the sensitivity of the automatic lights sensor.

I don't have the auto headlights and plan to NOT use them for my next car, I see way too many people driving around in the dark or on a dark rainy day clueless that their headlights aren't on because they aren't working and they can't tell because all the screens in their car interior are so bright.

Maybe I'm old fashioned but I like being able to turn them on and off myself.

I have a set of Denali D4 lights on my Africa Twin 1100. These things are super bright. They have made a huge difference but nothing you can do is fool-proof. Several months ago, I had an idiot pull out in front of me as they were leaving a church parking lot. The driver never looked in my direction (left) until he was in the middle of the road. Nothing can fix that level of stupidity. Fortunately for me, I anticipated his stupidity.

I leave my lights on the AUTO setting . The only time I go manual is when it's foggy . Fog alone will not trigger the sensor .

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

One more reason I've given up on motorcycles....

"given up" ?

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:
"given up" ?

I've pretty much quit riding.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:
"given up" ?

I've pretty much quit riding.

I hate to hear that but I do understand, vthoky. I've had a few close calls over the last couple of years. I came inches from hitting a deer while I was doing 50 MPH and less than 2 minutes later, a dog ran out in front of me, barely missing me once again. Needless to say, I was done riding for the day.