|
|
|
Headlights... learn how to operate, please.
- Thread starter Bike Cop
- Start date
N3WMAN
Well-known member
People kept flashing their lights at me on the way to Grand Bend at night. I was confused because I was running low beams. Then Brian P (He's an engineer) surmised that we had so much weight in the back it was aiming my low beams right at peoples eyes.
So yeah, sorry about that.
So yeah, sorry about that.
Malks
Well-known member
This is my biggest complaint regarding "auto on" headlights. In NY state, and a few others, they actually have signs along the highway reminding drivers of the state law to turn on their headlights if they are using their wipers.
kiwi
Well-known member
I dont think some US vehicles have DRLs either?
I82l8
Well-known member
That is correct. Some of the states don't require DRLs so the cars sold there don't have them.
Except some cars suck at this (Hyundai, I'm looking at you). My wifes car normally turns off it's lights, but it's not guaranteed. The auto switch just makes things worse, manual isn't a big deal.
I do agree that auto manufacturers are substantially to blame. Dashboard lights should never be illuminated without taillights and proper headlights. If you can't see your gauges, people can't see you, how complicated is that. Idiots.
I wonder why they even went with DRLs and not just auto full lighting systems... No stats to back this up, but I would think not seeing a car from behind accidents and rear ending would out number a head on collision.
daught
Well-known member
The 2014 elantra is not that bad. It shuts the lights when you lock the car. BTW the projectors in it are amazing for HID retrofits. 4500K DDMs. Perfect cutoff.
I thought cars with DRLs light up the dash all the time, but other controls are on only when headlights are turned on (radio/AC controls...) Not perfect, but it still gives you a clue.
And really, high-beams on (turds who don't even know they are on), and lame HID that light-up treetops... common, time to start cracking down on that nonsense... Isn't there already a 2-point thing for that? What's the point if it's not enforced...
Found this on interwebs, it's lols
How cops deal with high-beams offenders
And really, high-beams on (turds who don't even know they are on), and lame HID that light-up treetops... common, time to start cracking down on that nonsense... Isn't there already a 2-point thing for that? What's the point if it's not enforced...
Found this on interwebs, it's lols
How cops deal with high-beams offenders
The concept of DRL is fine, but a lot of implementations are not, and the motor vehicle safety standards did not anticipate some of the poor decisions that some auto manufacturers have made ...
Problem #1 - The DRL light source. The correct way to do DRL is for the lights to be aimed well down the road but somewhat upwards - the light is intended to reach oncoming drivers and is NOT intended to illuminate the roadway. In order to do this properly, the beam pattern is unique to the DRL function which means the DRL needs its own light source. A lot of newer and mostly European cars do it this way (because UNECE lighting standards require it to be done that way). Take a look at late model Mercedes and Audi vehicles - the strip of white LED that they use is designed to have the right brightness to oncoming drivers to maximize visibility but is NOT designed to illuminate the road for the driver. So, the driver won't be tempted to use DRL to light his way at night because he won't be able to see much using them. (Motivation to switch on the proper headlamps - if they're not automatic).
The cheap way to do DRL is to use the low beam headlamps, or the high beams but at reduced voltage, or the turn signal bulbs. Use the headlights, and owners will complain (rightly) about shortened bulb life and people will be tempted to not turn on their headlights at night. Use the turn signals, and it's the wrong brightness and colour for best effectiveness.
If DRL is done properly, drivers won't be able to use them as substitutes for the main headlamps. But it's more expensive because it needs its own light source and reflector/lens to aim the light correctly.
Problem #2 - Instrument lighting. Several auto manufacturers have gone to instrument panel designs that are constantly lit. The problem is that most people are used to the instrument lighting (or lack thereof) as the reminder to switch headlamps on. The little green indicator is not even remotely close to giving the same level of awareness. Some auto manufacturers have done it right, and made the headlights default to automatic (this is one place where GM has gotten it right). Others (notably VW) leave it to the driver - but my dad's Mk6 VW Golf kills the instrument lighting when it starts getting dark-ish outside, thus reverting to the standard visual cue of "can't see instruments - need to turn on headlights", I would consider this to be acceptable. But others - mostly Asian brands - Acura, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Subaru, Hyundai are the most notable offenders - have the instrument lighting on all the time and don't default to automatic headlights.
This is a problem with the motor vehicle standard. There should be a rule that if the numerals on the speedometer are illuminated then the taillights should be on if the ambient light level is below some threshold. Methods of compliance: 1. do it the old way (manual), 2. kill instrument lighting if ambient light is below some threshold (like Mk6 VW Golf) thus prompting the manual action, 3. turn on outside lighting - at least the taillamps and front running lamps - if ambient light is below some threshold.
I have two four-wheeled contraptions, both of European origin.
The old one uses low beam headlamps as DRL but it also has the taillamps on all the time. This is no problem because there is always exterior lighting on. If you forget to turn headlamps on, the consequences are: you won't be able to see the numbers on the speedo, and you won't be able to select high beam. No big deal. The bad thing about this is that the standard headlamp bulbs don't last very long (because they're on all the time). After two bulb replacements in six months (!) I fixed this by converting to HID ... they are projector headlamps and the beam pattern with HID installed is quite good. Newer models of this car use Mercedes current pattern of a strip of white LEDs as DRL, thus fixing the headlamp-bulb-life complaint. Speedo isn't backlit unless headlamps are manually switched on - no problem.
The new one uses a dedicated DRL bulb, whose beam pattern would never be confused with low beam, and there's no instrument lighting unless you manually turn headlamps on ... no problem. This one has a very complex headlamp assembly ... Low beam, high beam, DRL, turn signal, and side marker/running lamp all in the same housing, each with its own bulb and its own reflector - Not cheap!
I should add another problem ... Rental cars! The driver might not be familiar with the nuances of each vehicle.
I had a rental last-generation Chrysler 200 that had a headlamp switch with a bazillion different positions, each with a cryptic symbol that was meaningless to this particular operator. I'm sure one of those positions was an automatic set-it-and-forget position but I never did figure out what each position of that switch meant.
And, I had a rental US-market Ford Focus with the bad combination of instrument lighting on all the time (which I did not know), and a default switch position that allowed this with no exterior lighting on. I pulled out of a restaurant in town (streetlights on), noted that the instrument lighting was on, and thought nothing more of it until I started driving out of town and realized that I had been driving the whole time with no exterior lighting on!
GM got this right. The switch has a position labelled "AUTO" (Hmmm wonder what that does!), and it's a spring-loaded default position ... you can turn the lamps off if you would like, but you have to deliberately select "OFF" each time if that's what you want.
I had a rental last-generation Chrysler 200 that had a headlamp switch with a bazillion different positions, each with a cryptic symbol that was meaningless to this particular operator. I'm sure one of those positions was an automatic set-it-and-forget position but I never did figure out what each position of that switch meant.
And, I had a rental US-market Ford Focus with the bad combination of instrument lighting on all the time (which I did not know), and a default switch position that allowed this with no exterior lighting on. I pulled out of a restaurant in town (streetlights on), noted that the instrument lighting was on, and thought nothing more of it until I started driving out of town and realized that I had been driving the whole time with no exterior lighting on!
GM got this right. The switch has a position labelled "AUTO" (Hmmm wonder what that does!), and it's a spring-loaded default position ... you can turn the lamps off if you would like, but you have to deliberately select "OFF" each time if that's what you want.
I82l8
Well-known member
Happened to me in Florida a couple of months ago. I had a Ford Explorer as a rental. I start it up, I see headlights and the dash lights up.
It wasn't until somebody was nice enough to point it out to me that my tail lights were off, that I realized that I was only on DRLs.
Yup. My Sierra's auto lights work great... And were easy to figure out!
I do turn them in myself sometimes in inclement weather. I've often thought there should be a link between the auto lights and the wiper switch.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
eljay
Well-known member
Went on a date with a girl, she drove. Didn't turn lights on because she cared about the environment and wanted to save energy... those people are out there. Also said her father told her to minimize the amount she accelerates (to save gas) so she doesn't have to use her brakes as much (to save brake pads for when you really need them), and to minimize the amount of signalling she does (to save wear and tear). I asked if she minimized steering and use of seatbelts as well. I said you could save all that by not being alive.
You should periodically give us updates on this girl. I would like to read more in the future
Sent from my tablet using my paws
My RAM has this feature, I turned it off.
brucewayne
Well-known member
any updates on the crazy lady?
|
|
|
|
|