On our recent Connemara Run I noticed some people running with some lights, some without.

I believe in the safety benefits in using "Daytime Running Lights". I believe the presence, position and speed are more easily judged on an on-coming car with lights on. There are some arguments against using DRL's but I think the advantages outweight the disadvantages.

In my native Denmark it is required by law and it is legal to use front foglights as an alternative to headlights (outside of hours of darkness, where only headlights must be used).

In many US States dipped headlights are required by law when it rains.

I choose to run front fogs in daytime hours and switch them off when I switch on my dipped headlights.

What do you do?

Dipped headlights as soon as it gets a bit overcast.

Front fog-lights only on when visibility is

legal wrote: seriously impaired generally i.e. when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet)

And........ please turn off those pesky rear fog-lights!!!!!   

I use dipped when the daylight is poor i.e. overcast and raining, threatens to rain with dark clouds above, tree lined dark country roads, dusk/dawn conditions or non raining wet driving conditions with surface water.

[edit] an also tunnels  [/edit]

Rear foglights are next to useless and a nuissance except when fog is so heavy that more than 10 kph is irresponsible.

I have never seen a US BMW equipped with rear fogs and I think they're right.

Overheard on morning radio (AA Roadwatch) "turn on your foglights in the fog but more importantly (my italics) remember to switch them off when the fog has cleared". Surely it is never more important to switch your lights off than it is switching them on!

In this day and age of the silver car on a grey road

That is perfect camoflage.

One of the reasons dims work so well in full daylight is

The person thinking of doing an iffy overtaking move will see the lights a lot sooner than a unlit car and back off

Hence my wife and I use dims all the time

I must say I am very impressed with the amount of people driving with lights on.

I remember in the '80's when I first arrived, half the cars coming against you would flash to politely remind you that you had forgotten to turn off your lights. Life for most Volvo/Saab drivers (wired for DRL's from factory) was so unbearable that most had the DRL's disabled.

UK drivers still seem afflicted with the unwillingness to turn on lights inside of daytime, regardless of conditions.

Dipped light all the time, front fogs only in bad visibility conditions.

Rear fogs occasionally used

a) when the idiot behind is trying to drive so close to me that he could be in my boot

b) when the idiot behind won't turn down his headlights (this is sometimes coupled to slowing down to an unbearably slow speed).

I think it is a very good idea to drive with daytime lights on, I used to drive with my side lights and front fogs but I have been pulled over by the Gardai and the PSNI in the north and told that it is illegal unless the visibility is less than 50 metres to drive with front fogs on so now I just use my side lights.

Regards,

Bayerische

I use the side lights when the conditions are overcast an side lights and front fogs when its really bad.

Never really use the rear ones other than to get idiots of my tail. (not that that happens to often tho)

DRL's do have to be quite bright to be effective in daylight. My fog lights are not much more bright than my dipped headlights (they both use 55 watt bulbs. I am almost never bothered by other peoples front foglights, unless they're "upgraded" to 110 watt).

I find it odd that the legal requirement (as quoted by some posters) is "visibility of less than 50 meters", since front foglights are specifically designed to spread light wide rather than far forward.

In my view the best use for front foglights is as DRL's.

I would consider daytime front foglights an extremely minor traffic violation that, in my view, redeems itself by having demonstrable safety benefits. I think there are many far more serious offences deserving of enforcement: Unstrapped children, unaccompanied learner drivers, inadequate or faulty lighting, mobile telophony etc etc.

beemerchris wrote: I use the side lights when the conditions are overcast

Normally can see the car before spotting side-lights (which should be re-named Parking Lights, f-all use for anything else )

What ever happened to the good old Dim-Dip Headlights I used to have on my old E30 325i? That made it impossible to drive on only Parking-Lights

thepits wrote: beemerchris wrote: I use the side lights when the conditions are overcast Waste of time IMHO Normally can see the car before spotting side-lights (which should be re-named Parking Lights, f-all use for anything else )

My car can been seen from far away cos I fitted the Blue LED parking lights... Looks strange from far away because you only see 2 bright blue dots... Combined with fog lights...it looks the dogs bo$$ocks on my silver 5...

Only problem with using your lights in the day is that it halves the life of uber expensive Osram Cool Blue light bulb

I end up putting my lights on when I leave work because I wear dark glasses when driving and forget that I have them on...so everything looks 3 times darker than it actaully is ...

BB

BeemaBoy wrote: My car can been seen from far away cos I fitted the Blue LED parking lights... Looks strange from far away because you only see 2 bright blue dots... Combined with fog lights...it looks the dogs bo$$ocks on my silver 5...BB

So even more illegal then  - lol

thepits wrote: BeemaBoy wrote: My car can been seen from far away cos I fitted the Blue LED parking lights... Looks strange from far away because you only see 2 bright blue dots... Combined with fog lights...it looks the dogs bo$$ocks on my silver 5...BB So even more illegal then  - lol

is coloured reg lights

I always drive with my dipped headlights on. I have done it since I started driving 9 years ago when it was me and 7 other people in the whole country and I'd get flahed every 4 seconds. Attitudes have changed a lot since then and more and more people are copping on. I sometimes use my front fogs too as this adds to my visibility. I don't think front fogs do any harm because they are aimed low. I'm also careful to check my bulbs are aligned properly.

Right now I'm in Toronto where everyone must use running lights. Most use dipped lights but some just have the factory set up which is the indicator bulbs on full time. It's much safer as the cars go in and out of shadows because of the tall buildings.

thepits wrote: BeemaBoy wrote: My car can been seen from far away cos I fitted the Blue LED parking lights... Looks strange from far away because you only see 2 bright blue dots... Combined with fog lights...it looks the dogs bo$$ocks on my silver 5...BB So even more illegal then  - lol

Not in SA

BB

Into car - switch on dims.

Out of car - switch off dims.

Sin é.

I never use front fogs. I think they're pointless even in fog, after some experimentation. Reef em out and put in more brake ducts

I've used dips during the day for years, to be seen. Especially having a black car.At night, I also use my front fogs, to light up the sides of the road close to the car, for potholes etc

(Didn't help the other night as I drove home from footie in celbridge, just at the end of westin airport near lucan, there is a mother of a hole in the road. BANG...  all ok though.)