Use your HEAD! Use your LIGHTS!

Our man in Havana

We will probably have some eco warrior on complaining that DRL will cause more petrol to be used and it's bad for the earth.
Does anyone know if if causes and increases petrol comsumpsion and if so by how much?

hugoline

Bond-007 wrote:

Does anyone know if if causes and increases petrol comsumpsion and if so by how much?

I used to live (and drive) in Switzerland where this change-over took place over the last 10 years (now about 75% of all cars on the road drive with dipped headlights during the day). The light obviousely use energy and therefore it will increase petrol consumption. The officials in Switzerland stated a few years back, that it is under 1% increase. I would say a cluttered boot and/or a 'bad' driving style would increase the petrol consumption by much more.

oleras

I agree with the dipped headlight during the day.... makes lots of sense.

BUT.... the fog light argument......in the fog, rear fog lights are fantastic, work a treat, without fog....PITA. Front ones on the otherhand..... in over 13 years of driving i have "NEVER" been blinded by front fog lights.... am i just very lucky ?:D .... As far as i know, all front fog lights do is light up the peripheral front of the vehicle and point twords the ground, so how would they blind the car in front ? maybe someone can shed some "light" on it for me..... (so sorry for the bad pun........)

oleras

_Kaiser_

oleras wrote:

I agree with the dipped headlight during the day.... makes lots of sense.

BUT.... the fog light argument......in the fog, rear fog lights are fantastic, work a treat, without fog....PITA. Front ones on the otherhand..... in over 13 years of driving i have "NEVER" been blinded by front fog lights.... am i just very lucky ?:D .... As far as i know, all front fog lights do is light up the peripheral front of the vehicle and point twords the ground, so how would they blind the car in front ? maybe someone can shed some "light" on it for me..... (so sorry for the bad pun........)

oleras

I'd have to agree. In normal daytime driving I've never had a problem with FRONT fog lights (rear fog lights however is a different matter). I suppose though it could be a problem at dusk/dawn, but neither is as bad idiots driving with full beam lights on and not dipping them when they meet traffic.

Eoin

Kaiser2000 wrote:

I'd have to agree. In normal daytime driving I've never had a problem with FRONT fog lights (rear fog lights however is a different matter). I suppose though it could be a problem at dusk/dawn, but neither is as bad idiots driving with full beam lights on and not dipping them when they meet traffic.

I do find them blinding - especially on 4x4 or tall vehicles in question. Was a killer when I was in the mini, as it seemed like all fog lights were at my eye line. If their purpose is to pierce through fog, then it stands to reason they shouldn't be used in non foggy conditions.

ballooba

Fey! wrote:

I meant to add, have any of you ever noticed the number of drivers who flash you to warn you that you have your lights on?

I always give people a good flash of full beams if they are lit up like a christmas tree. i.e. Full beams or Fogs and dips.

_Kaiser_

ballooba wrote:

I always give people a good flash of full beams if they are lit up like a christmas tree. i.e. Full beams or Fogs and dips.

You might as well leave the full beams on then given the amount of people that do this :rolleyes:

Silvera

oleras wrote:

I agree with the dipped headlight during the day.... makes lots of sense.

BUT.... the fog light argument......in the fog, rear fog lights are fantastic, work a treat, without fog....PITA. Front ones on the otherhand..... in over 13 years of driving i have "NEVER" been blinded by front fog lights.... am i just very lucky ?:D .... As far as i know, all front fog lights do is light up the peripheral front of the vehicle and point twords the ground, so how would they blind the car in front ? maybe someone can shed some "light" on it for me..... (so sorry for the bad pun........)

oleras

Front fog lights don't necessarily 'blind you' as is the case with say, full beams. However, they add extra 'glare' to oncoming drivers - and god knows, driving is hazardous enough without adding to it!

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

mine are on all the time, saab95. i think all Saab's and Volvo's are on all the time. one has to remove a fuse to turn them off.

oleras

eoin_s wrote:

I do find them blinding - especially on 4x4 or tall vehicles in question. Was a killer when I was in the mini, as it seemed like all fog lights were at my eye line. If their purpose is to pierce through fog, then it stands to reason they shouldn't be used in non foggy conditions.

I dont think there purpose is to pierce through fog ? you may have noticed this yourself the difference between full beams and dipped beams in the fog ? If they were a safety feature like rear fog lights why are they an extra on a lot of cars ? as far as i can tell all they really do is give an extra bit of light off to the left and right, where a pedestrian might be walking....... as i said, i dont see the argument in turning off front fog lights during the day.

oleras

zilog_jones

d4r3n wrote:

I heard something on Today FM that kind of shocked me the other week, the female radio presenter advised people to make sure their fog lights were on as it was raining

One of the Theory Test questions says you can use fog lights in heavy rain, snow and maybe hail too.

Kermitt

The factory fitted front fog lights - that are actually fog lights dont dazzle or blind. After market spotlamps- which generally aren't fog lights do dazzle. I have integrated fog lamps in the headlamp uinit in my Golf - they light up the sides and the area about 15 feet in front of the car. Porblem seems to be after market add ons

Eoin

oleras wrote:

I dont think there purpose is to pierce through fog ? you may have noticed this yourself the difference between full beams and dipped beams in the fog ? If they were a safety feature like rear fog lights why are they an extra on a lot of cars ? as far as i can tell all they really do is give an extra bit of light off to the left and right, where a pedestrian might be walking....... as i said, i dont see the argument in turning off front fog lights during the day.

oleras

Isn't it a known problem that the VRT in Ireland means that a lot of safety features are sold as extras in Ireland?

If all they do is give extra light to the side, then this will still affect oncoming drivers as they are to the side of you.

I think people turn them on because they think it makes the car look cool, rather than any perceived additional safety. It's not a big deal when the bulbs are the ones that emit the yellow type light, but I find the newer "super white" bulbs dazzling.

oleras

eoin_s wrote:

Isn't it a known problem that the VRT in Ireland means that a lot of safety features are sold as extras in Ireland?

If all they do is give extra light to the side, then this will still affect oncoming drivers as they are to the side of you.

I think people turn them on because they think it makes the car look cool, rather than any perceived additional safety. It's not a big deal when the bulbs are the ones that emit the yellow type light, but I find the newer "super white" bulbs dazzling.

once again.... i have never been dazzled by someone behind me with their front fog lights on, day or night..... what i do find distracting are the xenon bulbs in the rear view mirror, but then again thats why its dipable (if thats even a word) and if your car is high end, it will do this automatically for ya.......:D

Kermitt

Indeed many cars have headlight adjusters - Use them. I find Fiats, particularly Puntos always dazzle me - whatever they have in the light cluster, appears as a spectrum of colours -very distracting on the road.