running lights on cars and trucks

[tomman58]

We have driven the USA many, many times in good weather and bad, day and night. There is one thing that really bothers me while doing what I like ....rving. The thing is the lack of cars and trucks that have running lights on in the daytime. I am not sure but seems like GM is the only one that has daytime lights. Point being while on the roads of our country sometime you need to pass a really slow car or truck. I do it often when I want to do the 55mph speed limit as that is slow enough. The problem is the on coming traffic and visibility.
We all know that passing can be doable but we need all the road we can get. The downside is seeing others coming our way at dusk, early morning, or in rainy weather.
The absence of running lights seems to me to be a real and present safety issue.
What do you think ? Should there be a national law to make people safer? Jus' wondering.

[D_E_Bishop]

rhagfo wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:
We have four motor vehicles and only one has DRLs. I looked for aftermarket kits for the others and they all seem to have so many other functions I don't want or need and they include LED head lights. Can anyone offer a after market kit that uses the existing lights and wiring?

I can and do add things to my electrical systems in the vehicles and the S&B so it's not a biggy.

I am also looking for a simple lights on when wipers are on kit. I can built my own but really like potted or weather tight products rather than just hanging switches and relays all over the place.

That would be the kit that I have used for the last 48 years, I turn on the light switch when I get in the car, it is called a habit.
In the 48 years I lost one battery because I left them on. now with almost all cars having a buzzer that warn the lights are left on, not a problem.

You can't take the fisherman out of this camper wrote:
Wow.. interesting responses! I didn't think this was THAT big of a deal!! My Chateau Motor Home does not have DRL's. The first time I drove it on a very foggy day (near Ottawa by the way) my wife had to remind me to turn my headlights on because my other vehicles all have DRL's and headlights that come on automatically at dusk. I've taken the Chateau in for service and I'm told it did not come equipped with the relay required for DRL's! Too bad! At my age my eyes and brain clearly tell me I can see on-coming vehicles better when their DLR's or headlights are on.. so I think I would prefer to be safe rather than sorry... or dead. Even if I am already older than some of my friends who have 'gone on before'!!

rhagfo, I appreciate your comment, however, sometimes I just don't remember to turn them on and I'm not sure if my Winnie has the "lights on" alarm but my Bounder did not.

[john_bet]

I drive a 2013 school bus. All the lights come on when I turn on the wipers and they stay on till I turn off the ignition at the end of the run. I love it. that way I don't have to remember to turn them off when I finish run in the daylight.

I don't like the way wiper the auto feature works on my 2011 Jeep, not sensitive enough, or the way they work with the wipers. Wipers on they are on, I turn wipers off they go off even though it is still overcast. I just turn them on in that case.

[spoon059]

One other observation that I have that others have hit on... DRL's do not activate the tail lights on these vehicles. Dummies that expect the government to do everything for them don't seem to realize that and drive 24 hours a day with nothing more than DRL's activated.

My Ram has an AUTO lights setting with a light sensor on the dash. I simply cover the light sensor with a piece of electrical tape so that the truck thinks its nighttime all the time. That means my head and tail lights are on all the time. My Tundra and my wife's Camry allow us to leave our light's switched on all the time, but the lights turn off as soon as we hit the lock button twice when we get out.

I feel that the lights make me more visible day and night, so I chose to leave them on.

Just remember that you cannot legislate stupidity away... more laws are rarely the answer...

[spoon059]

GWolfe wrote:

WTP-GC wrote:


But people are ignoring the most obvious dilemma of all...being that GM vehicles are programmed to only ever have one working DRL at a time, meaning that in low light conditions they look like a motorcycle.

Maybe I am misreading this but GM has both headlights on for DRLs, just not as bright as they are at night. Most GM vehicles have auto lights that sense when it is getting dark and turn on the running lights as well.

Not sure if he was being sarcastic or not... GM products are supposed to have both lights on, but my observations are that the majority of GM products have one of those lights out most of the time. I think its hilarious that GM still is unable to make such a simple system work consistently...

[steveh27]

I don't like DRL and am glad they're not on my 1997 Class B Xplorer nor on my 2010 Toyota Yaris.

[WTP-GC]

gwh1bass wrote:

Total BS on all the GM vehicles I own and the the ones I don't but drive on a daily basis!

I guess that some people just can't pick up on sarcasm.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Bowti wrote:
With some saying we already have too many laws already, it got me to thinking what are the laws that everyone is talking about. I'm trying to think of some that bug me but I can't think of any off hand.

Maybe some of the speed limit laws, but not too many pay attention to them anyway. I'm not trying to stir the pot, it's just that I can't think of a time lately that I said to myself, "That's a stupid law".

Come to Kalifornia. I can give you a whole list of them. :B

[fj12ryder]

Bowti wrote:
With some saying we already have too many laws already, it got me to thinking what are the laws that everyone is talking about. I'm trying to think of some that bug me but I can't think of any off hand.

Maybe some of the speed limit laws, but not too many pay attention to them anyway. I'm not trying to stir the pot, it's just that I can't think of a time lately that I said to myself, "That's a stupid law".

I don't think it's the stupidity of the law that is the question. The problem is "Who's going to stop all those people and enforce the laws?" Who decides that it's more important to stop that guy driving without his DRL, or the guy that's texting right next to him, or the guy that's driving impaired, or the guy who just ran that red light, or the guy who's driving in the rain without his lights on?

You can't just keep piling on these stupid rules and expect them to get enforced.

[tegu69]

Cameo Phil wrote:
The reason GM vehicles have 1 DRL on is because the other DRL lamp is burnt out and driver doesn't check their lights and replace burnt out bulbs.

I think the reason is a particular GM vehicle. Had to replace a couple on my last Silverado. Now my newer GMC right side light is taking on water (bulb still works though).

[Bowti]

With some saying we already have too many laws already, it got me to thinking what are the laws that everyone is talking about. I'm trying to think of some that bug me but I can't think of any off hand.

Maybe some of the speed limit laws, but not too many pay attention to them anyway. I'm not trying to stir the pot, it's just that I can't think of a time lately that I said to myself, "That's a stupid law".

[jfkmk]

gbopp wrote:
Not everyone thinks DRL's are a good idea.

Association of Drivers Against Daytime Running Lights.

Personally, I don't think they really help. But, it wouldn't bother me if it was a law.

Interesting link, but these folks are a little strange. I've never been blinded by drl's. And, people will die due to them? Really, isn't that a little extreme?

[CavemanCharlie]

I'm not a fan of Daytime Running Lights. But, I always make sure my lights are on at dusk or anytime it is cloudy.

[Cameo_Phil]

The reason GM vehicles have 1 DRL on is because the other DRL lamp is burnt out and driver doesn't check their lights and replace burnt out bulbs.

[gwh1bass]

WTP-GC wrote:
Typical internet "my opinion governs" kinda thread.
So far:
DRL's will save your life
DRL's won't help you
Government should intervene
Government should not intervene
People should use lights when its dark, maybe a law will help that.

But people are ignoring the most obvious dilemma of all...being that GM vehicles are programmed to only ever have one working DRL at a time, meaning that in low light conditions they look like a motorcycle.

Total BS on all the GM vehicles I own and the the ones I don't but drive on a daily basis!

[mike-s]

fj12ryder wrote:
^^^^^^^^^Not me, I hate the bikes that run high beams in the daytime, very annoying to me. Almost as bad as those flickering headlights, those are really annoying.

Almost as bad as the idiots (who are apparently in a mental fog) who drive around with their fog lights on during clear weather, creating unnecessary glare for other drivers.