Having your light's on for a daylight commute ?

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For new models type approved after a certain date, despite their being no link to casualty reduction in anything other than the Northern European sub arctic climate. It's the car equivalent of cycle helmets - it must surely work, because common sense says it does.

But we do need to do is look at the modern lights themselves

Rear lights are now a random series of LEDs in lines, circles waves and other patterns

This or more to do with the shape and design of the car than the lights being effective

Then the issue of the weaker indicator being centred within brighter rear / brake lights so that it is difficult to see

Have these designs ever been assessed for legality?
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
My lights are always on the basis that it can;t make things worse and they might help me be seen

I have a very bright Exposure front light that I noticed a difference on the first day I used it, people saw it in their mirrors i'm certain that wouldn't have seen me before

And yes to trendy car lights, my bugbear are the ones high up on the corners, I've missed those entirely sometimes if I'm close, the led circles are stupid too
 

AllanC

Regular
Location
Renfrewshire
Except in bright sunlight (I wonder what that looks like ???) I always run a rear light in daylight. Does no harm and adds to other road users being aware of my presence.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Always like to have lights in the rain and it has nothing to do with political correctness or hi viz brigade as others may have mentioned.

I also ride a motorcycle (and a scooter) and riding in the rain reduces my visibility dramatically (imagine driving without wipers).

In these conditions car lights, especially brake lights, blind you as the droplets of rain on the visor turn to a myriad of red disco balls. In those moments, a flashing cycle light will stand out more often than not.
 
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This is the latest craze amongst the HiViz/ Helmet road safety fanatics to divert attention away from the real issue of driver behaviour


Personally ...

Look around you and if if the lights that are on make a difference... Use yours

However DRLs are a waste of time

What are DRLs?
 

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
I use lights in daylight most of the time when riding alone.

My experience both riding the bike and when driving is that this helps in being seen earlier, leading to slower and wider passes by cars. When driving other people's daytime lights give me more opportunity to pass slowly and wide.

I'm happy to do anything which helps other road users in driving well. That includes daytime lights and doesn't include hi viz.
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
Daytime running light's, most of new cars have standed lights on all the time now.
All. it became mandatory for them to be fitted to a new car as standard in feb 2011.

Interestingly many cars only have front drls and it isn't uncommon for people to forget to turn their drls off when the sun sets and turn their headlights on.

Companies such as audi and bmw now turn off the left or right drl when the corresponding indicator is turned on to make them easier to see.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Not quite, mandatory for new models of car Type Approved from Feb 2011 onwards, not for cars made from that date.

Apart from some Swedish models, DRLs only operate on lights at the front of the car. DRLs remain on with the headlamps, though on some models they dim when the headlamps are activated.
 
OP
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Jamieyorky

Jamieyorky

Veteran
Location
York
All. it became mandatory for them to be fitted to a new car as standard in feb 2011.

Interestingly many cars only have front drls and it isn't uncommon for people to forget to turn their drls off when the sun sets and turn their headlights on.

Companies such as audi and bmw now turn off the left or right drl when the corresponding indicator is turned on to make them easier to see.

I work for Hyundai and they have only just started putting drl's on there new shape i20 and i10 so they must have been braking the law for the last 4 years then. ^_^
 
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