People can’t seem to manage that these days even for darkness, and you expect them to do it for fog?!
(I blame DRLs. SO MANY people driving around with what appear to be headlights on, but no tail lights because they didn’t actually turn the switch or something. SMH.)
of all the mandated safety systems on vehicles, the fact that automatic headlights arent one of them is astounding to me. I’ve had automatic headlights in nearly every vehicle I’ve owned for the last 20 years, none of which were particularly high end, and seeing there’s vehicles out there that still don’t come with it is nuts.
It’s mostly newer cars that I see going around without their tail lights on. I only drive older cars so I don’t know from personal experience, but I think ‘automatic headights’ might more likely be part of the problem.
automatic headlights turn on when a light sensor on the dash detects that it’s dark enough out to need the headlights on, when the headlights are on, the tail running lights are on as well. If you see a car at night with it’s tail lights off, it either doesn’t have automatic headlights or the dumbass at the wheel turned them off.
I share your pain. I drive with my lights on at all times unless it’s fully sunny, in which case I use just the DRLs. I truly think having your lights on hugely reduces your risk of an accident.
Honestly they should just be designing cars to include tail lights in RDLs, there’s no reason for them not to be on all the time tbh.
I did hear recently that authorities are informing people not to use hazards just to be seen during inclement weather and that they should actually be saved for emergencies.
That said, I’ve driven in a sudden thick fog before on a freeway and the hazards helped everyone see each other. This was like 1 meter of visibility and everyone just moved at a slow speed until we were out of it. I think it was slightly more reliable than break lights, but only just.
This was in response to everyone using them during a blizzard.
I think the reason specifically is because the hazards are meant to indicate reduced speed, so maybe they were stating not to use them if not driving at reduced speed? I know our drivers handbook tells us to use them in reduced visibility “if driving at a greatly reduced speed”
According to a different article I just read, you should only use your hazards when your vehicle is posing a hazard to other vehicles. Its a small distinction.
Yes, that tracks. In very heavy fog, you should be at a reduced speed since you can’t see more than a meter in front of you. I imagine that’s true in a blizzard too. Your second reading is a little confusing though, I imagine in most cases like this a slowed vehicle is a hazard to others…
Austria had a day time lights law when I learned to drive, it just made sense. Then they abolished that law again :(
Which means you do get idiots driving in fog or at dusk with their lights off.
Hell, the automatic lights aren’t perfect either on my new car, in bright fog I still have to make sure I turn the lights on manually as otherwise the back lights are turned off (front is okay with the LEDs). Stupid design.
The real answer is you turn on Mr. Lights
Low beams only
That’s Mister Low Beams to you!
Goddammit I was Mister Low Beams for years while I did my undergrad, my masters, and my PhD. Now I’m Doctor Low Beams. Don’t you forget it!
People can’t seem to manage that these days even for darkness, and you expect them to do it for fog?!
(I blame DRLs. SO MANY people driving around with what appear to be headlights on, but no tail lights because they didn’t actually turn the switch or something. SMH.)
of all the mandated safety systems on vehicles, the fact that automatic headlights arent one of them is astounding to me. I’ve had automatic headlights in nearly every vehicle I’ve owned for the last 20 years, none of which were particularly high end, and seeing there’s vehicles out there that still don’t come with it is nuts.
It’s mostly newer cars that I see going around without their tail lights on. I only drive older cars so I don’t know from personal experience, but I think ‘automatic headights’ might more likely be part of the problem.
automatic headlights turn on when a light sensor on the dash detects that it’s dark enough out to need the headlights on, when the headlights are on, the tail running lights are on as well. If you see a car at night with it’s tail lights off, it either doesn’t have automatic headlights or the dumbass at the wheel turned them off.
I share your pain. I drive with my lights on at all times unless it’s fully sunny, in which case I use just the DRLs. I truly think having your lights on hugely reduces your risk of an accident.
Honestly they should just be designing cars to include tail lights in RDLs, there’s no reason for them not to be on all the time tbh.
Sometimes Mr. Lights can be a tricky man to turn on he’s complicated with rapidly evolving interests and kinks.
Clearly a lot of people have trouble keeping up with them 😪
Don’t forget Mrs. Hazards. All those ladies let each other know where it’s safe to be.
I did hear recently that authorities are informing people not to use hazards just to be seen during inclement weather and that they should actually be saved for emergencies.
This is a battle that they have been fighting (and losing) in Florida for decades. People still do it.
Oh wow I didnt know that, this was the first I had heard it
Tell that to everyone who is double parked, lol.
That said, I’ve driven in a sudden thick fog before on a freeway and the hazards helped everyone see each other. This was like 1 meter of visibility and everyone just moved at a slow speed until we were out of it. I think it was slightly more reliable than break lights, but only just.
This was in response to everyone using them during a blizzard.
I think the reason specifically is because the hazards are meant to indicate reduced speed, so maybe they were stating not to use them if not driving at reduced speed? I know our drivers handbook tells us to use them in reduced visibility “if driving at a greatly reduced speed”
According to a different article I just read, you should only use your hazards when your vehicle is posing a hazard to other vehicles. Its a small distinction.
Yes, that tracks. In very heavy fog, you should be at a reduced speed since you can’t see more than a meter in front of you. I imagine that’s true in a blizzard too. Your second reading is a little confusing though, I imagine in most cases like this a slowed vehicle is a hazard to others…
Yeah thats just the wording I’ve read, it seems ambiguous to me as well. I wish it was more clear-cut.
No! If you think you need hazard lights to be seen while driving, the weather is so bad you just need to pull the fuck over and wait it out.
Hazard lights are for when your car is disabled on the side of the road, not for when you’re driving.
Here in Sweden, all cars are required to always have their lights on when the car is moving/active, regardless of time of day or weather.
I was about to reply that sometimes it is better to not use your high beams in fog, as it is can reduce your visibility.
But then I realized that most places don’t have our laws of lights, so I wrote this commwnt instead.
Austria had a day time lights law when I learned to drive, it just made sense. Then they abolished that law again :(
Which means you do get idiots driving in fog or at dusk with their lights off.
Hell, the automatic lights aren’t perfect either on my new car, in bright fog I still have to make sure I turn the lights on manually as otherwise the back lights are turned off (front is okay with the LEDs). Stupid design.