I thought the EU were having second thoughts on this after evidence from Austria showed that accidents increased ?!!
Personally, great idea, especially driving a colour (galapogos) that has little contrast against tarmac. I have mine set to on. Get some flashing from other drivers who should spend more time concentrating on their driving - but at least it shows that I have been seen.
I usually keep mine on especially on motorways, this seems to help with my visibilty in other drivers mirrors as I approach them. I think it must minimise being side swiped as well, especially by left hand drive lorries.
I recently had to take a CBT test for riding a 125cc trials bike on the road, again they recommend that dipped lights are always on and show some horrific videos to re-inforce the message.
Of course its not a very green measure as nusing any electrical vehicle equipment wll use more fuel.
Keep em on thats my vote, I think it's safer, but would like to see the research that proves it's not.
When I used to ride a motorbike it was always the Volvo driver that gave me the near death experience.
Apparently my dipped headlight and high vis jacket made me invisible.
All new m/cycles have had permanently on dipped headlights for a couple of years now.
interestingly when i re-read the treg manual about the convenience pack recently i noticed that when set to auto it would switch on lights after attaining preset speeds for a number of seconds, eg motorway use.
I work for a large power utility company here in Ireland. We have been promoting the use of "dipped beam" lights on all our company fleet for a number of years. It has been successful in reducing accidents right across the country, and has also reduced our fleet insurance costs. There have also been benefits to our own private car insurance because of the safer driving policy.
i agree its a good thing, although i read in the papers yesterday about an MP who hates the idea
the points he makes are:
Increases MPG and CO2 emmisions (like anyone driving a treg cares)
Increase bulb usage hence enviromental impact again
Costs ?150 extra per year to run
Makes motorbikes more vulnerable as they become less visible in the sea of dipped beams .... (interesting concept...fool)
and some other dribble... not direct quotes but the points he made as i remember.
I did alot of research on this topic a few years ago for a university study and the facts spoke loud and clear, it reduces accidents, the most vulnerable times to drive are the twilight hours just before sunrise and after sunset when people should use lights but dont.
I'd say a it's a big thumbs up for daylight lights on then.
I've been lighting up during daylight for nearly a week now. I have noticed that people definitely think twice about pulling out infront of me. This is more so when i'm in the outside lane on motorways. makes you wonder about all those numpties who pull out without looking. Lights on shouldn't have to make a difference. I mean.......how hard is it to see a monsterous VW madge looming up in their rearview mirrors.
I must be the odd one out as I don't use mine for daylight driving unless road or weather conditions dictate.
I had a Kawasaki ZX9R until fairly recently and always used the headlight during the day for the obvious reason of the number of numpties that would never look properly at junctions and when pulling out for overtakes. If they can't see a motor the size of a Treg bearing down on them, a 2 wheeler has no chance of being seen by them.
IMO driving with lights on will help you to be seen, but not by everyone. I've witnessed plenty of emergency response Police, Paramedic and Fire vehicles, with flashing headlights, flashing strobes and sirens stuck behind drivers totally oblivious to their presence behind them.
Re: Daytime Lights
by jsmills on Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:52 pm
i agree its a good thing, although i read in the papers yesterday about an MP who hates the idea
the points he makes are:
Increases MPG and CO2 emmisions (like anyone driving a treg cares)
Increase bulb usage hence enviromental impact again
Costs ?150 extra per year to run
Makes motorbikes more vulnerable as they become less visible in the sea of dipped beams .... (interesting concept...fool)
I must be missing something in that last point, in busy/heavy traffic a motorcycle with a headlight on stands out somewhat at the moment, however if every vehicle is so lit, the bike disappears again..... Personal experience of surviving 30 years of sports bikes, especially when riding at night or in crappy weather.
[quote name='"s4tregI think that most 'good' drivers switch their lights on whether sidelights or dipped beam well in time' date=' before Twilight or weather condtions matters, i personally think that daytime running lights are for lazy absent, non concentrating drivers.[/quote']
Don't agree with you here, surely using daytime lights is to safeguard against the person in the other car who may be a lazy absent, non concentrating driver. Besides, isn't the use of daytime lights going to be a legal requirement in a couple of years time?
By turning on my daytime lights doesn't mean that I can drive without concideration for others, it's just a way of becoming more visible in someones rear mirror or approaching a junction where vehicles could pull out in front of you. Surely that is proactive safety.
Are you saying that you've never been cut-up by another driver, or had someone pull out infront of you.. I agree, as I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, you'd think that it wouldn't be too hard to see a shiny silver SUV with a glistening, giant size VW badge on the front, but some drivers do not concentrate and have pretty poor peripheral vision.
I can only claim, that since I've been using daytime lights, I have noticed that I get far fewer drivers pulling out infront of me or cutting me up... As I say, it's proactive safety and want me and my family to be as safe as possible.... so what's the matter with that?
Not from my point of view.. It's my decision to increase safety by becoming more visible. As a footnote, the Unlimited team always drive (drove) with daytime lights turned on..... lovely sight seeing a convoy of tregs zipping throught the cotswolds with lights shining brights.
I guess it is down to personal choice, it is partly defensive driving. Any competent driver will always take as many precautions as possible to avoid accidents and part of this is to ensure that you are visible to other road users. Unfortunately driving is a bit like posting on forums - you have to make accommodation for the lowest common denominator or the least competent users.
Given the number of to**ers on the road who cannot switch on their lights even when visibility is poor ( I guess because they feel that they can still see fine - especially if everyone else has their lights on :wink: ) then the automatically on option seems sensible.
If anyone believes that the auto daylight / lights is for lazy drivers, then I guess automatic gearboxes, auto wash/wipe, auto headlights, auto scanning on the radio, multi cd changers, .... are all for lazy drivers too
The nature of my job mean i have to drive around a lot during the day visiting customer to fix their puters, from having driven 30k a year to 15k a year and in between over the last twenty years, on motorways and roads like, M1 M25 M3 M4 A13 A127 A128 A30 the list goes on, I can tell you for a fact there are MORONS on the roads and anything you can do to make yourself more visible and safe is a good thing, I am not lazy and anyone who has this view IMO has a very blinkerd view and perhaps hasnt seen what can happen to the human body when its flung out of a car or crushed between metal and sliced, i've seen it all over the years, I think people have false sense of security in a car and can forget how lethal it is sitting in a metal can travel at velocity. ANY THING THAT CAN MAKE YOU SEEN MORE AND SAFER IS A GOOD THING.
Furion (Not Lazy)
Isnt driving with your lights on going to cause a problen, when everyone else havent got there's on....................................think about it???
Well its a distraction to other drivers, who's eyes will be drawn them and off the road where they should be
I've heared it all now... I've certainly never seen anyone drive off the road because they are destracted by my lights being on.... NICE TRY. What would you expect to happen at night.. Should we all drive with our lights off in case we destract other drivers....
S4treg... Now Now tut tut tut. I'm neither stupid nor blind. Now you are just being insulting. That is not appreciated!!
YES, I have seen the audi's with their daytime lights.. That's the whole point.. don't you get it yet, ... but it doesn't cause me to drive off the road because they are so dazzlingly destracting....... DO YOU??????
s4 - now i understand - the problem is not the day running lights itself, but the fact it distracts YOU from concentrating on your driving - personally i don't have this problem
:wink:
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