Daytime running lights on road vehicles

[woodbury22uk]

Now that almost all new cars have daytime running lights I seem to have become psychic. On dark nights catching up with a car with no rear lights I can predict that the registration mark is 14 or 64. For some reason these drivers seem to feel the daytime running lights provide better illiumination of the road which is not surprising as they are generally brighter than headlights to be more visible in daylight. However, with daytime running lights in use there are no red lights showing to the rear, which is a ootential danger on roads with fast traffic.

Strangely I do not recall being overtaken by a car with daytime running lights in use at night. Most of my finds are 50mph motorway lane hoggers. My wife counted 12 on a thirty mile section of the Northbound M40 last evening!

Am I the only one experiencing this?

[oscar]

No, and they are dazzlingly bright after dusk.

[Zakalwe]

nope seen it before,

glad our car has auto lights because the running lights do make it look like the main lights are on especially under street lighting, been caught out once or twice on hire cars tho.

[mr bachmann]

if the dreaded big E get their way day time front and rear lights will be compulsory when the engine is running/vehicle moving . The FHVCC are fighting this (Federation of Historic Vechical Car Clubs) , this law will drain a lot of power from already overloaded 'classic/micro car' electrical systems , I for one have 90 wats comming from the Siba dynastarter and the car lights and ignition consume 85 wats thats with out the wipers etc .

[MJKERR]

On dark nights catching up with a car with no rear lights I can predict that the registration mark is 14 or 64. For some reason these drivers seem to feel the daytime running lights provide better illiumination of the road

Are you sure it is not just in areas with street lighting?

The main issue is cars manufactured from 2013 onwards have to be fitted with Automated Headlights
Drivers sadly don't need to make any settings changes
However, if the module is faulty then the driver would not be aware; the instrument panel is fully illuminated and the front DRL only are on

At least then there are front lights on, and this is the point of this new feature

[PLD]

Been there, seen that... and in me experience they're mostly French cars at fault...

But when they were doing 50mph in the middle lane of the motorway with just the DRLs on, did they hit and pedestrians? No? so they have done their job of improving pedestrian safety then... ...

[Michael Shillabeer]

I regularly see the same 64 reg Range Rover without rear lights after dark!

You'd have thought they'd be smart enough to realise that being flashed by other motorists every day means they need to switch the lights on...

LED headlights are a pain - as they approach I find them very dazzling even on dipped.

Best regards
Michael

[Luke Piewalker]

LED everything lights are a pain, I'm regularly blound by LED brakelights whilst sat at les lights du traffic.
And those bluddy halogen headlights regularly blind me in my wing mirrors!
Usually the car behind goes over a bump and OUCH!

[Greybeema]

On bmw's auto headlights are an option even 2014 models, only DLRs are now set to be on permanently when the headlights are off.

Not sure this is completely correct.  My last three BMWs ( two 3's and a 4 Series) have had auto lights as standard. 

As far as the DLRs are concerned, they are on on all four corners.  You need to go into the car settings to turn them off default being on.  The rear lights come on with the front lights..

[Sprintex]

I presume you're referring to the HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights Luke as all headlamps have been halogen since about the mid-eighties?

HIDs are a pain especially on higher vehicles like 4x4s and big MPVs - Audi Q7, etc. Just the right height to shine in your door mirror!


Paul

[Greybeema]

On bmw's auto headlights are an option even 2014 models, only DLRs are now set to be on permanently when the headlights are off.

Not sure this is completely correct.  My last three BMWs ( two 3's and a 4 Series) have had auto lights as standard. 

As far as the DLRs are concerned, they are on on all four corners.  You need to go into the car settings to turn them off default being on.  The rear lights come on with the front lights..

Thats not quite true, auto headlights are part of the 'sight and light (Rain sensor with auto. headlight activation)' option, although it is a standard feature on M Sport and SE models and above... From 03/13 the ability to turn DRL's off on new BMW cars has been removed from the IDrive options menu as an EU directive.
PS I would hope the rear lights come on when the front lights turn on too

I stand corrected...   As I tend to buy the larger engine model they tend to come as standard..

[Maurits71]

Maybe I miss the plot completely but I have a lexus with ' auto ' lights , so day time running and normal lights when it gets dark and I have always in both setting rear red lights. Also doing 50K per year I haven't experienced cars with no rear light but front lights only.

but again, maybe I miss something

[Michael Shillabeer]

As far as the DLRs are concerned, they are on on all four corners.  You need to go into the car settings to turn them off default being on.  The rear lights come on with the front lights..

I've never seen rear DLRs

UN ECE Regulation 87 http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/2013/R087r3e.pdf says:

2.1. "Daytime running lamp" means a lamp facing in a forward direction used to make the vehicle more easily visible when driving during daytime

Best regards
Michael

[oscar]

  ...............doing 50K per year................

You have my deepest sympathy; (from a long retired lorry driver).

Driving became a pain in the butt in the late 80s and has gone downhill ever since, mainly due to the eu!  :'(

[Maurits71]

right, I have to recall my previous answer. on the ' auto ' setting I have front running lights but NO rear red light.

they come on once the car switches from day time to night settings

apologies

M.