DRL / Daytime Running Lights / Driving Lights

[prise]

A good reason to use the DRL's (provided you leave your headlights on auto or remember to switch headlights on when it gets dark)

ACRS: Daytime Running Lights

[night_flight]

when I turn on my fog lights my headlights turn off is this how it is suppose to happen?

[Idle]

Yes, that's why they exist — to cut through/under the fog where the headlights would just reflect back and blind you.

[AdamD]

when I turn on my fog lights my headlights turn off is this how it is suppose to happen?

Yes, that's why they exist — to cut through/under the fog where the headlights would just reflect back and blind you.

Not true. Your headlights should remain on when your foglights are turned on. I've never seen a car that turns off its headlights when foglights are switched on - including my GTI.

[MkVIGTI]

when I turn on my fog lights my headlights turn off is this how it is suppose to happen?

You need to flick the headlight switch to ON before you pull it out for the fog lights to come on, then your headlights should remain on.

[night_flight]

You need to flick the headlight switch to ON before you pull it out for the fog lights to come on, then your headlights should remain on.

thanks MKVIGTI this car suprises me daily....

[slipshot]

I'm making my first post here, so forgive me, but only because I had the DRL's on on my Golf and I wanted them turned off since I am not a fan of them on my own car.

One of the key reasons it was introduced in Scandinavian countries was because of the numerous snow storms and general snowing and an inability of some (a vast minority) or drivers to remember to turn their lights on. Couple that with low evening/morning sun reflecting off the snow and some cars were hard to see. Now, Australia is a very different country and while I understand the benefits of the system I'm quite capable of turning my lights on and off when I know it is required. Fortunately, now turned them off.

And remember DRL's do NOT turn on the rear lights, but on some Volvo's and Saab's, when they were introduced, the rear lights were also on.

In regards some other posts, it is impossible in the Golf to have fog lights on and headlights off since you have to go past the point of turning on lights to have fog lights on. That bugs me in this country - the amount of people who think fog lights should be on to make their car more visible. Makes no difference - I still see you.

And let's not forget that daytime running lights are very different to fog lights which are different to driving lights.

Sidelights (sometimes called parkers) are for those initial periods of reduced light, when you do not need to see forward, but your rear lights are on as well. The comes headlights when visibility is more reduced.

Fog lamps in Aus are really for aesthetics since I've never seen fog here that would require them to be used. Some manufacturers convert rears to brake lights or side lights - others leave them blank.

Driving lights are often wired into main beam and for night driving when there is no oncoming traffic. Very rare, if at all, do cars have these as standard.

I'm getting of my soapbox now! Sorry for minor rant but it just bugs me how DRL's can be considered valuable when to my mind it would be far more beneficial to ensure that lights come on with wipers in rain for example. Far more dangerous, far less visibility and in some US states, the law (and indeed the Golf in Auto mode will turn on lights when wipers are activated via the rain sensor), yet not policed.

Later

Andy

[logger]

The words "Here endeth the Sermon" come to mind

[Banzai]

I can honestly say I have been in several situations in this country where fog lights were certainly warranted. Combined fog and rain in the NSW Southern highlands and the NSW south coast. Heavy fog in Canberra and the Victorian Alps. These have been rare occasions and I could have gotten by without the fog lights but with visibility of only 10 to 20 metres I felt safer using them. As soon as the visibility improved I happily switched the fog lights off.

Alpine and some coastal regions do get the right conditions for fog lights. Canberra, and sometimes Sydney, can get pretty heavy fogs but otherwise the need for foglights in this country is almost non-existent. People who use them unnecessarily are very annoying.

[slipshot]

The words "Here endeth the Sermon" come to mind

Fair enough. Did tell you the soap box was in use. Just bugs me that's all...