DRLs are stupid

jim-00-4.6

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2005
2,037
6
61
Genesee, CO USA
Now when the DRLs are on, the dash lights are on, too.
So the fucking unwashed dickholes think their lights are on, since the dash is lit.
And there are NO LIGHTS WHATSOEVER on the back of the vehicle.
Maybe DRLs should include taillights.

And, the whole "when turn signal is on, DRL on that side must turn off" is fucking stupid.
Why?
Can't see the turn signal with the DRL on?
Maybe the headlight should turn off, too.

Fucking stupid fucking laws.
 

HiSPL

Well-known member
Aug 28, 2016
76
3
College Station , TX
This does absolutely drive me bananas. I live in a college town. Every time some poor kid pulls out with no taillights lit the popo are on their ass. Gives them an easy excuse to hassle the kids and collect that tax.
 

Axel

1
Staff member
Apr 1, 2004
1,857
11
Quebec, Canada
www.discoweb.org
I haven't touched my light switch in a year and a half. My car is smart enough to switch from DRL's to regular lights when it gets dark, or when the wipers go on. It even has a little car on the dash where it shows what's actually on.... :eek:
 

MM3846

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2014
1,221
161
LI, NY
Eh, only certain cars for a couple years. They seemed to have it fixed on new models. But yea, really annoying. My '12 Golf I had for a little bit would dim the fuck out of the dash lights in the dark so you'd know to turn the headlights on.
 

jim-00-4.6

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2005
2,037
6
61
Genesee, CO USA
I haven't touched my light switch in a year and a half. My car is smart enough to switch from DRL's to regular lights when it gets dark, or when the wipers go on. It even has a little car on the dash where it shows what's actually on.... :eek:
Obviously not a Land Rover.
1 of my jeeps turns on the lights with the wipers.
That's actually state law in Ohio; wipers on, lights on.
No DRLs on any of my current fleet.
 

squirt

Well-known member
Nov 13, 2008
824
13
Los Angeles
The simple solution (if your car doesn't automatically switch) is to always drive with your headlights on. My parents insisted on it when I was learning to drive, and now it's just part of the startup/shutdown procedure. If you drive an old car and want to have automatic on/off, install an ignition-switched relay for the headlight circuit, and you'll never have to touch the headlight switch again.
 

Maximumwarp

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
836
26
Fairburn GA
Just about all the newer cars have the "Auto" setting. Just set it to that and let the photo cell on the dash take care of the rest. Of course, this requires some input from the operator in the form of actually turning the dial to "A"...the most infuriating thing to me is when I see someone driving around at night with just parking lights on. No DRLs, just the orange parking lights. What the fuck happened? Did your hand get tired halfway through moving the switch?
 

az_max

1
Apr 22, 2005
7,463
2
...
And, the whole "when turn signal is on, DRL on that side must turn off" is fucking stupid.
Why?
...
.

That's one of my pet peeves. Every car I've seen with that, you could still see the turn signal if the DRL was left on.
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
the most infuriating thing to me is when I see someone driving around at night with just parking lights on. No DRLs, just the orange parking lights. What the fuck happened? Did your hand get tired halfway through moving the switch?

LOL.

I've thought the same thing.

Or that they are that lazy fucker who takes the trash bag out of the can and puts it next to the door, but can't take it the extra 50 feet to the outside trash bin.

Someone who does things half-assed. Basically, what's wrong with America.
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
562
Seattle
And, the whole "when turn signal is on, DRL on that side must turn off" is fucking stupid.
Why?
Can't see the turn signal with the DRL on?
Maybe the headlight should turn off, too.

I have also observed this on newer cars, particularly on Audis since their headlight designs have distinctive and eye-catching shapes. I'm not an engineer, but my guess would be that since new headlights are fancy-shmancy assemblies that integrate DRL, low beams, high beams, and turn signals into a single unit, paired with the widespread use of LEDs in the headlights, designers want to make sure that the turn signals are clearly distinguishable from the other lights. If you and an Audi are both approaching an intersection as opposing traffic, a yellow turn signal may not stand out from the bright white LED headlight/DRL. So the car turns off the headlight/DRL so others can more readily see the turn signal. It makes sense from an Abundance Of Caution safety regulation perspective, but that doesn't make it less annoying.

I think a better solution would be to position turn signals far enough away from the headlights that they are easily distinguished no matter what the lighting conditions are.
 

Axel

1
Staff member
Apr 1, 2004
1,857
11
Quebec, Canada
www.discoweb.org
Obviously not a Land Rover.
1 of my jeeps turns on the lights with the wipers.
That's actually state law in Ohio; wipers on, lights on.
No DRLs on any of my current fleet.

Not a Land Rover, no. It's a Canada spec Ford Escape. DRL's are mandatory up here. I just leave the switch in Auto and let the computers deal with the rest.

The Land Rovers had to be left behind in the States. :mad: