ScoobyChris wrote:By evidence, I was hoping for a more reliable independent source rather than pointing at blatantly biased and emotive web sites titled "drivers against DRL" or similar.
WS wrote:I am personally strongly for using lights during the day at all times. In my opinion they:
1. improve the visibility of vehicles, i.e. allow to more reliably, and earlier, identify all traffic around
2. they remove the risk that some drivers will forget to turn their lights on in "uncertain" conditions, e.g. at dusk, when it starts to rain or becomes foggy, i.e. visibility starts to deteriorate.
manilva15b wrote:WS wrote:I am personally strongly for using lights during the day at all times. In my opinion they:
1. improve the visibility of vehicles, i.e. allow to more reliably, and earlier, identify all traffic around
2. they remove the risk that some drivers will forget to turn their lights on in "uncertain" conditions, e.g. at dusk, when it starts to rain or becomes foggy, i.e. visibility starts to deteriorate.
There is a difference which needs to be appreciated; that of using DRLs and headlights. I have always been and will continue to lobby against daytime headlights for many of the reasons discussed, particularly in respect of the more vulnerable road users. DRL is different, and I particularly agree with WS's point 2 above (tunnels being a particular issue here in Spain).
WS wrote:Hi
http://www.ibiblio.org/rdu/DRLs/studies.htm
I am personally strongly for using lights during the day at all times. In my opinion they:
1. improve the visibility of vehicles, i.e. allow to more reliably, and earlier, identify all traffic around
Horse wrote:I don't understand how you draw a distinction between the 'benefits' of AHO & DRL. How do you see (sic) them differently?
And things like tunnels are really irrelevant - we shouldn't be bringing in Big Nanny laws 'just in case'. A lot of cars have light sensitive headlamps anyway.
Horse wrote:As long as that 'traffic' doesn't include cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders . . . etc.?
WS wrote:Intuitively, in my personal opinion, I don't see how cars with their lights on during the day could distract me and make me not see a pedestrian.
fishter wrote:WS wrote:Intuitively, in my personal opinion, I don't see how cars with their lights on during the day could distract me and make me not see a pedestrian.
The problem arises when you expect all cars to have lights showing. At that point when the "average" driver glances out of the side window they simply count the lit up cars and don't see the cyclist between them and the first lit-up car.
manilva15b wrote:By AHO I presume you means headlights. DRL are "sidelights" or "position lights". DRL allows you to see the vehicle more easily under most conditions without the drawback of either being dazzled or distracted. There is an advantage for the vehicle with DRL in that it still allows the use of the "passing" light function without having to actively cancel it afterwards.
I strongly disagree with tunnels being irrelevant. Round here at least many tunnels are poorly lit or unlit (and still many drivers fail to light up ).
I would also disgree with the statement that many cars have automatic lights. This is an option on many new cars, but the majority of cars on the road do not have this. I have not heard of this feature being made mandatory; so it is not relevant to the arguement.
The point has been made many times on this forum that although the forum users are either actually or aspiring advanced drivers, the majority of road users are not (and wouldn't recognise advanced driving if it ran over them ). Legislators in this case really do have to make rules for the lowest common denominator in order to protect other road users.
Gromit37 wrote:If I am correct, rear end shunts make up the largest proportion of accidents on the road. In which case, DRL should include rear lights too. Although if people can't see a five foot by four foot expanse of metal and glass directly in front of them with bright red brake lights glaring, I doubt it would make much difference. Or perhaps they *DO* see them, but just take no notice? In which case DRL will not help.
PeterE wrote:AIUI all proposed schemes of DRLs include rear as well as front lights. Arguably that could make rear end shunts more likely as brake lights would become relatively harder to distinguish.
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