Attention idiots and morons

trigun7469 wrote: We should make it easy and have our lights always on, just like Canada.

I disagree in the strongest possible terms. All that does is raise the visual background noise. If all vehicles have their lights on, it is that much harder to distinguish individual cars, let alone motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, vehicles that require extra attention, etc.

When weather or nighttime conditions make it hard to see a normal car, then (only then, and always then) the lights should be on. But DRLs under good conditions actually make visual perception worse, not better.

My pet peeve is when people use hazards while driving in Florida's biblical downpours. These are the types of thunderstorms that look like a solid wall of gray mist looming ahead.

Visibility is often so bad, that the best way to navigate is to keep the next person's taillights just in view. When flashers pop into view, it's quite difficult to see whether it's someone moving in the next lane over, or parked on the shoulder.

Duke wrote:

trigun7469 wrote: We should make it easy and have our lights always on, just like Canada.

I disagree in the **strongest** possible terms. All that does is raise the visual background noise. If **all** vehicles have their lights on, it is that much harder to distinguish individual cars, let alone motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, vehicles that require extra attention, etc. When weather or nighttime conditions make it hard to see a normal car, *then* (only then, and always then) the lights should be on. But DRLs under good conditions actually make visual perception worse, not better.

Agreed, DRLs are just a way to burn out bulbs faster, and a massive waste of energy, not to an individual, but across the whole US fleet its a crapload of oil.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Agreed, DRLs are just a way to burn out bulbs faster, and a massive waste of energy, not to an individual, but across the whole US fleet its a crapload of oil.

DRL's have a demonstrable, negative effect on fuel economy?

bravenrace wrote: I just wonder what made me answer the call to come in here....

Like many of us, I have to interact with people that fit either description. I just wondered if there was something here they would actually understand that was worth forwarding to them.

BenB wrote:

ryanty22 wrote: State law here in nc called WOLO wipers on lights on

And yet still there is a sizeable number of morons who don't turn them on. Didn't they used to have signs along the road saying "Wipers on, lights on," or did they take them down when they took down the "Slower traffic keep right" signs that these same morons ignored?

I've seen some of those signs ….

the way around the WOLO is …. "I'm just using intermittent wipers" … which is actually true … if the wipers aren't on "full" then headlights not required

In reply to oldsaw:

As I said, negligible to the individual, but significant when multiplied by all the cars in the US so equipped, millions of gallons of fuel wasted.

Having the headlights on is one thing, but having the high beams on ALL THE TIME is another. Knock it off. No high beams if you can see another car anywhere in front of you, especially on the interstate. Pretty sure I'm going to die because some idiot has his high beams in my face and I drive into something hard.

In reply to ncjay:

I have a theory that some city dwellers out here think the high beams are some sort of redundant lights for when the lows go out.

I actually had to use my beams as headlights once.

Just got to Hungary, had a rental Ford Focus. The driver's side light went out so I went to Tesco (grocery store) to buy another the next morning (early, because I wasn't used to the hours yet) and on the way back to the hotel the danged passenger side went out too!

I felt awful. I eventually figured out where the fog-light switch was and started using those when people got close, but I couldn't see crap with those on...

Good times.

We have had the law here in NJ for a few years... still see people driving in the rain with their lights off.

And yes.. Cops are among the offenders

But what if I use Rain-X instead of my wipers?

I sometimes wish they made forklifts capable of driving highway speeds and removing cars from the road.

when the sun is shining you don't need no freakin head lights.

BenB wrote:

ryanty22 wrote: State law here in nc called WOLO wipers on lights on

And yet still there is a sizeable number of morons who don't turn them on. Didn't they used to have signs along the road saying "Wipers on, lights on," or did they take them down when they took down the "Slower traffic keep right" signs that these same morons ignored?

I think they still have them in some places, on the radio stations locally they mention that law just about every time its raining out and they do their traffic report too. Still people dont listen