25 replies to this topic

[Corey96Williams]

Some drivers without the 'idiot proof' Autolights option on their cars now have their LED daytime running lights blazing at night which will only dim down when normal headlights are switched on.......many are also totally unaware that their rear lights are off when on daytime running lights for most modern cars. The other reason for confusion is most cars now have LED instrument lights on day or night so the dash is never in darkness which previously gave drivers a clue that they had no lights on at all.

 

Daytime running lights and always-on dash lights are confusing increasing numbers of drivers:-

http://www.telegraph...ghts-turned-on/

 

We also now have those 'see round corner' spot lights low down in front bumpers coming on and off as the driver weaves in and out of parked cars!

I used to work nights at a Esso garage, and every night at 4 in the morning a black new shape Fiesta would drive passed with no rear lights on, you could barely see it, just a shadow on the road. Once a car went flying up behind it not knowing it was there. 

That must be why

[1984mini25]

Keeps quiet about fitting 60% brighter xenon bulbs and led fog lamps to the mini...

[mingy]

 

if i am out in the mini and some Dick ( or Tom or Harry ) has got his LED lightshow in full operation i just switch on all four spots and main beam and see what happens.... sreknaW.

It is not every modern car owners fault your lights are crap in comparison, and you happen to be sat lower in a mini which makes the problem worse.

 

I did not say " it,s every modern car owners fault " i said " some. My mini lights may not be the quality of today,s modern vehicles but i can still see where i am going at night without a row of needless LEDS, self levellers and corner activated lights.I also own a Mitsubishi Outlander but still find it difficult in that at times when such a vehicle approaches in the opposite direction and i have 20/20 vision. 

[Cooperman]

I recall when the French had their silly 'yellow lights' laws that I was driving south towards the Spanish border one night in my Cortina rally car which had white Cibie halogen headlights. A Frenchman coming the other way didn't like my white dipped headlights, even though I had set them to 'dip to the right'. So he gave me full yellow beam. I could only imagine his surprise when I switched to full beam and turned on the 4 halogen auxiliary lights. He soon turned his silly yellow lights down! Vive les Anglais  .

[Big Sam]

 

Have to agree with all your comments folks , it,s damn annoying, I have also noticed that on certain modern cars i find it hard to see a rear indicator being used at times because of the flaming light show going on 360 degrees around the indicator when the car brakes before turning.

How the hell did we ever see where we were going all those years ago?. The pea brains who think driving lamps are there to be used on sunny days and those self levellers are a pain  so, if i am out in the mini and some Dick ( or Tom or Harry ) has got his LED lightshow in full operation i just switch on all four spots and main beam and see what happens.... sreknaW. 

 

I find front indicators worse as a lot of modern cars have them buried so deep in the cluster they are difficult to see if at all.

 

 

 

Quite a few modern cars now turn off that head light, i'd presume to make it more obvious. When i got my present golf i thought my bulb had gone at first.

 

I quite often wonder "does that car have its high been on?" only to find it is actually normal main beam lights. they are crazy bright thee days. 

 

in a related note the amount of folk which don't use there rear fog light in fog really sacred me during a foggy drive home last week. it comes down to people not knowing what light should be used when. 

 

I had a women ask me in supermarket car park some months ago how to turn her high been off. 

 

 

I'll admint about 8/9 years ago i was driving home and some fog rolled in off the fields on the bypass, i suddenly realised i hadn't the foggiest idea how to turn it on, had to pul over at the next safe place to go through the handbook.

Of course, 5 mins later it had all gone.

[idlethumbs]

I have a new car with all the stupid lights on. Self levelling hids. Daytime running leds as well as 2 stage cornering lights. It's a lovely car but the lights are unnecessary. I get flashed all the time by other drivers thinking my main beams are on when I'm just on dip.
Nothing I can do about it though, they just came on the car I wanted.
I wouldn't want to meet my new car at night especially in the mini, it's dangerous.

[Timini]

Agree! Gave myself arc eye about 6 weeks ago and genuinely thought i had done permanent damage when i recently drove on the motorway at night due to the ridiculous lights on some cars. I've spoken to many about it and its a very common complaint. It's not aftermarket kits (which i thought were now banned) but newer cars and in the rain last night made it very tricky at times. Wasn't in my mini but a 55 Alfa (yeah i know.....its an Alfa) and the white light from some made it feel like my lights weren't even on.

Will be fun in the mini when its back on the road! 

[Broomer]

We're you driving the wrong way down the motor way timini?

Edited by Broomer, 30 January 2016 - 10:20 PM.

[WPD]

 

Have to agree with all your comments folks , it,s damn annoying, I have also noticed that on certain modern cars i find it hard to see a rear indicator being used at times because of the flaming light show going on 360 degrees around the indicator when the car brakes before turning.

How the hell did we ever see where we were going all those years ago?. The pea brains who think driving lamps are there to be used on sunny days and those self levellers are a pain  so, if i am out in the mini and some Dick ( or Tom or Harry ) has got his LED lightshow in full operation i just switch on all four spots and main beam and see what happens.... sreknaW. 

 

I find front indicators worse as a lot of modern cars have them buried so deep in the cluster they are difficult to see if at all.

 

Quite frustrating, also frustrating when someone gets right up your backside with fog lights on..

[Bob the mini]

We've been having this problem with our insignia over the last few months, kept taking it back the garage as we were getting flashed all the time. After a software update for the lights it turns out we have been driving with the lights setup for left handed traffic i.e. France. The best bit is that the garage checked the beam alinement in this mode and said all was ok for the UK!!!!!!

[Leesey]

I gave the mini i just bought a jaunt down the motorway yesterday and drove it back up when it was dark only to be blinded!