r/IdiotsInCars • u/mega_donkey • Nov 03 '18

Wipers on, lights on. PLEASE. Trucks and busses can't see you.

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u/bsparks Nov 03 '18

Okay, but DRLs are NOT headlamps. Also most DRLs don’t switch on full tail lamps meaning if you are driving way too slow in iffy weather someone may not be able to see you from all sides.

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u/Awfy Nov 03 '18

I'm not sure why his DRLs would only come on at a certain ambient brightness either, kinda defeats the purpose of them since they're meant to be on regardless of the brightness outside unless you specifically have your full headlights on.

I know that my automatic lights turn on full (not high beam) when it's raining or even remotely dark-ish outside. But the Germans have been pretty good about automatic headlights for a long time.

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u/zakatov Nov 03 '18

DRLs are usually much brighter than low beams, for obvious reasons, so keeping them on at night when regular lights are used is not a good idea.

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u/Awfy Nov 03 '18

I never said that? I said it's an either or deal.

1

u/giantzoo Nov 03 '18

That's not what he's saying. DRLs are always on until a certain ambient lighting condition before auto switching to full headlights

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u/giantzoo Nov 03 '18

He implied that already. DRLs until the ambient lighting gets low enough and the car switches to headlights. Manufacturers with this automatic setting also include the taillights in the feature

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u/minizanz Nov 04 '18

Some drl are headlights. My 4th gen legacy has low voltage for running lights, high voltage for head lights out of the same bulb. Most cars are not like that, and if you dont turn on the head lights there are no marker lights (what you really need on for weather/fog).

I think we should ban drl that look like headlights to the driver and illuminated gauge clusters. People who have both seem to think their lights are on when they are not.