Why do folks hate DRLs?

[LittleBlueGT]

You will burn out your hand-brake, big time!

 

Not like the hand-brake uses the disc (like some other cars) but has its own drum, not meant to slow the car at all.

 

Another area that Subaru has failed us is having the lights go on and off with the parking brake. All the other cars I have owned (including a civic) have the DRLs off when the car is first started, then once they are on they don't go off when the parking brake is engaged.

[hutru01]

^ You car stands out more with DLR which is the entire point of DLR. How visible is your car in snow?

 

 

You almost got me there. If it were snowing, I would definitely have my lights on.

[Speedracerx]

You will burn out your hand-brake, big time!

 

Not like the hand-brake uses the disc (like some other cars) but has its own drum, not meant to slow the car at all.

 

 

Actually, I have used this "trick" for many years, with most of the cars having an internal drum brake...never had to replace the shoes (even in my modded WRX). I always pump the lever, never leave "on" for more than an instant...that's why I turned off the DRL: Flashing headlights attract attention.

 

On my '71 Pantera, I had a set of switches and relays to turn off the brake lights, tails and side markers...worked fine until I forgot to turn the brakes lights back to normal:lol:

 

I probably should hook up a momentary contact switch, but old habits die hard, especially when you get to my age!

[Vimy101]

You almost got me there. If it were snowing, I would definitely have my lights on.

 

It doesn't have to be snowing for there to be snow on the ground.

[subeysnow]

i have never not seen a car coming at me, if i can see its lights in the day, i can see the car without the aid of their lights. Lots of people around here leave porch lights and street lights on 24/7, so a light is a light to me anymore, just like a car on the road is a car on the road. If you need them to have their lights on in the DAY LIGHT to see them, you either need corrective lenses, surgery of the eye or dont need to be driving. the only timne i have found lights are seen before the car are on vast stretches of highway where the car is many miles away, which could concern me less. All of this is simply my opinion of course.

 

Not so much a concern with oncoming traffic, but rather in the same direction, in the lane next to you. The lights help you see them so you can determine when to cut them off

[pillboy]

I want my headlights to alternately strobe back and forth like a police car so all the effin idiots stay the eff out of my way. I like DRLs because way too many people are too dumb to turn their lights on during precipitation or at dusk.

[Trax]

What Subaru screwed up on is not having automatic lights. Many people (including my wife) have driven LGTs at night w/o the lights on and only DRLs, which is also very dangerous. Can you say rear-ender?

 

This is the real answer to the question of this thread. I don't doubt DRLs can be effective during the day, but Subaru's implementation is dangerous.

[KartRacerBoy]

On my '71 Pantera, I had a set of switches and relays to turn off the brake lights, tails and side markers...worked fine until I forgot to turn the brakes lights back to normal:lol:

 

OK, now you're just bragging Mr. Eye-talion muscle car. Hope your feet are always toasty!

 

In high school, our bus driver showed up one day at school with his Kawasaki KZ1000 (aka "Flexible Flyer" due to a flexible frame not strong enough for the hp generated). Turbocharged. Brave man. He had a little lever under the tank that flipped the license plate to the horizontal position. He bragged that he only used it twice under duress.

[LittleBlueGT]

This is the real answer to the question of this thread. I don't doubt DRLs can be effective during the day, but Subaru's implementation is dangerous.

 

Bingo!

[KartRacerBoy]

Only if the driver is an idiot who cannot remember to check for the low-beam light or the switch position on the light stalk...

 

If you can't figure out wether your lights are on, you need to surrender your licence.

 

Hard as I try, I'm not perfect like you. Every once in a while, I make a mistake and think my headlights are on when it's only the DRLs. And I think Subaru might've done a better job reminding us of this small problem. If it wasn't for the stupid "electro" somethingorother gauges that light up whenever the car is on (as opposed to normal gauges that aren't as quiche and only light up when headlights are on), this wouldn't happen too much.

 

Silly me.

[LittleBlueGT]

My 00 Maxima had auto lights.

 

My dads 1990 grand-prix had auto lights.

 

 

Sensor has got to be worth $10.

Why can't a new Subaru have them?

[Trax]

Only if the driver is an idiot who cannot remember to check for the low-beam light or the switch position on the light stalk...

 

If you can't figure out wether your lights are on, you need to surrender your licence.

 

 

I, who have never been involved in an accident in my 27 years of driving, will promptly surrender my license at the nearest DMV office. I must be a total idiot!

[Beanboy]

Uh-oh, I had better surrender mine as well! Has happened to me a couple of times for about five minutes before realizing.

 

Not just gauges for me. The DRLs seem so bright I can't tell much of a difference in light output between fully on and just DRLs. Anybody else notice this?

[hutru01]

Yes, hence why my DRLs are no longer engaged

[TravisS]

And I've already made a comment to that extent earlier as well.

But also, and something I forgot about, I too hand brake for cops. And yes, one of the biggest reasons I disabled mine was to prevent flashing headlights (and for what it's worth, many DRL enabled cars have the lights off when you use your handbrake).

 

BUT, that said, I will often drive with my headlights on during the day anyway. Not on a bright, sunny day. But on rainy / snowy / cloudy days. Even on sunny days I'll go with at least my parking lights on.

[hutru01]

And I've already made a comment to that extent earlier as well.

But also, and something I forgot about, I too hand brake for cops. And yes, one of the biggest reasons I disabled mine was to prevent flashing headlights (and for what it's worth, many DRL enabled cars have the lights off when you use your handbrake).

 

BUT, that said, I will often drive with my headlights on during the day anyway. Not on a bright, sunny day. But on rainy / snowy / cloudy days. Even on sunny days I'll go with at least my parking lights on.

 

Hand brake for cops eh? Does that work well? I haven't tried it, then again, I usually slow down for the places that cops usually sit at. They are pretty visible here in Northern VA.

[VTsullyman]

Yeah when you engage your handbrake at all it turns off your DRL's. One click is really all you need.

[spinski]

For 07 Subaru figured out how to solve most of these problems AND make more money on light bulbs. All the lights are on in DAL, when you turn the lights on, the headlights power up, the dash dims, you have access to the foglights and the high beams.

[pillboy]

The other reason this happens is with the drivers who have their instrument lights turned down. If you have them set on maximum illumination, they almost blind you at night if you don't have the exterior lights turned on. I really see no good way to solve this issue when you have electroluminescent gauges other than to have auto on / off exterior lights. Never had them...is there a rain sensor to turn them on during the day? For me, turning the lights on at dusk is an automatic reaction like putting on a seat belt when you first get in the car.

[TravisS]

Hand brake for cops eh? Does that work well? I haven't tried it, then again, I usually slow down for the places that cops usually sit at. They are pretty visible here in Northern VA.

 

Same as Speedracerx, I've been using the handbrake for years, and in all my cars (except my '79 F-250 which had a foot parking brake).

There's no front end dip, and since I'm just slowing down 5-10 MPH, I don't need to do it quickly and I don't need to alert then to the fact I'm slowing down.

 

Does it work? Well, in the 9 years I've been driving, I've had only 1 ticket and I can assure you I drive 10 MPH over the speed limit significantly more then I do at the speed limit (on highways, NOT side streets!!!). That wouldn't mean much if I only drove like 5k miles a year, but I average a little under 24k a year.

[hutru01]

Same as Speedracerx, I've been using the handbrake for years, and in all my cars (except my '79 F-250 which had a foot parking brake).

There's no front end dip, and since I'm just slowing down 5-10 MPH, I don't need to do it quickly and I don't need to alert then to the fact I'm slowing down.

 

Does it work? Well, in the 9 years I've been driving, I've had only 1 ticket and I can assure you I drive 10 MPH over the speed limit significantly more then I do at the speed limit (on highways, NOT side streets!!!). That wouldn't mean much if I only drove like 5k miles a year, but I average a little under 24k a year.

 

I guess my fear would be going into a skid, but I am assuming you don't just yank it up. You do it gradually right?

[TravisS]

Right. Very, very little. You're basically just assisting engine braking. If you need to yank on the brake, you're either going too fast or not paying attention.

A skid would be bad

[Jedi Pimp]

Its funny that we have Canadians and Norwegians arguing in favor of DRL's. Can anyone guess why DRLs were created and why they might be mandatory in the countries above?

 

Scandinavian countries were the first to impose DRL regulations on manufacturers and on consumers. But Scandinavia, which is located in the far northern latitudes (i.e. North Pole,) has much less ambient lighting than the United States, especially in the winter. Naturally, then, DRLs would have a different impact on motorists and on highway safety. Yet it is to 20 year old studies from these countries that our government and our automobile manufacturers point to in support of DRL regulations. Because the United States does have more ambient lighting than countries where DRLs have been embraced, DRLs are NOT currently required in America!!!!

[Vimy101]

^On average, all countries recieve the same amount of light so there goes your theory.

 

The studies are older because the regulations have been in place longer.

[JensL]

Its funny that we have Canadians and Norwegians arguing in favor of DRL's. Can anyone guess why DRLs were created and why they might be mandatory in the countries above?

 

Scandinavian countries were the first to impose DRL regulations on manufacturers and on consumers. But Scandinavia, which is located in the far northern latitudes (i.e. North Pole,) has much less ambient lighting than the United States, especially in the winter. Naturally, then, DRLs would have a different impact on motorists and on highway safety. Yet it is to 20 year old studies from these countries that our government and our automobile manufacturers point to in support of DRL regulations. Because the United States does have more ambient lighting than countries where DRLs have been embraced, DRLs are NOT currently required in America!!!!

 

Yeah, you're absolutely right. In winter it's bloody dark over here, and not using your lights in daytime is near suicide.

 

However, in summer we got much more daylight than for example the US. In the south, dusk sets in at 10.00 to 11.00 PM. In the northern parts, there's the midnight sun, so at midnight it could be as bright as noon.

 

And yes, I still want to use my headlights in summer daylight. It helps visibility no matter what.

 

And no, DRLs aren't required in America. Doesn't mean that you shouldn't use'em.

 

By the way, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned maybe the only negative thing about DRL (except burning out the bulbs).

The cars will use more fuel, and pollute more. :-)

 

It's worth it anyway.