The curse of the automatic parkers

bemak

I've had this gripe for a while but as the evenings are getting darker earlier it has really started to annoy me. This trend from all new car makers to have these automatic led light strips on the front may have seemed like a 'cool' idea at the time but I think they've failed to see the issue it's causing.

When driving either early in the morning or in the evening I've been behind numerous new cars which seem to have no lights on whatsoever. I try to let them know by flashing but more often than not the driver doesn't realise and the main reason being is that they actually think, because of these led 'parker' lights (which can actually be quite bright), that they have lights on because they can see the glow at the front.

For this to work, youd at least need a similar led strip on the back (in red obviously) because I honestly don't think drivers of these new cars realise they have no lights on. Then again of course you will always get the eejit 'sparing' his lights until it gets really dark!

If I had my way all cars should be like Volvo's (I don't drive one before you presume) whereby the lights are on all the time. Until then, this craic of LEDs on the front with nothing on the back is going to cause accidents if it hasn't already done so!

Eric Cartman

if your stupid enough to drive without lights on you'll be stupid enough to drive without lights on. I would just say that the DRL's are the only thing stopping these people from being completely invisible.

colm_mcm

EU legislation doesn't require them on the back AFAIK.

I agree, they should have them in the back. Cars can be programmed to turn them on.

I think the drls made people more likely to not turn lights on.
It's 2015, auto lights aren't that exotic. They should be manditory.

Voodoomelon

Yup, see it every single day. Many people probably think great, automatic LEDs, one less thing to worry about. I've even seen Gardai driving with no rear lights on.

I flashed three drivers on the way home this evening, all three with no lights on at all, almost pitch black. All three got the message which surprised me.

bemak

Voodoomelon wrote:

I flashed three drivers on the way home this evening, all three with no lights on at all, almost pitch black. All three got the message which surprised me.

Voodoomelon wrote:

Yup, see it every single day. Many people probably think great, automatic LEDs, one less thing to worry about. I've even seen Gardai driving with no rear lights on.

Ya it drives me mental. I appreciate that the LEDs are better than no light at all but I think its causing the problem where people genuinely believe they have them on without realising that they've nothing on the back.

CIP4

The whole point of the DRLs is to make a car more visable during the day when coming towards cars or pedestrians hence why the tail lights don't light up (although in the very odd car the tail lights are programmed to be on with the DRLs my parents Octavia is like this).

Obviously they are no replacement for dipped lights I have them on my Megane and while I think they are beneficial id never see them as an alternative in other words if it's dark, dull, raining or any other bad conditions I have my dip lights on. As for DRLs tricking drivers into thinking they have lights on I think the permanently light instrument displays on new cars are a far more likely cause of this than the DRLs. With older cars generally your instrument gauges wouldn't light up until you have lights on where as most cars now have them lit all the time.

bemak

CIP4 wrote:

As for DRLs tricking drivers into thinking they have lights on I think the permanently light instrument displays on new cars are a far more likely cause of this than the DRLs. With older cars generally your instrument gauges wouldn't light up until you have lights on where as most cars now have them lit all the time.

Ya you're bang on there!

bazz26

The LED light strips are Daytime Running Lights that are designed to allow the vehicle to be seen by road users coming towards you during daylight hours where normal lights are not as effective. They are not intended to be a substitute for regular night time driving lights.

The problem here is between the seat and steering wheel where there are dimwits who either don't know the difference or are simply stupid and not concentrating on their driving. If the same dimwits didn't have Daytime Running Lights fitted to their car they would still probably be driving around with no lights on at all.

As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.

MuppetCheck

Why auto headlights aren't compulsory on cars at this stage I really don't know. Would probably be more beneficial than the drls.

Then rig them so that you get maybe 5 starts once a bulb goes before the car becomes immobile and the world's a better place:D

Voodoomelon

The issue with automatic lights is you still have to turn them on. And the gobshítes who don't bother now, won't bother with them either. Unless the dealer turns them on when they sell it in the hope the new owner never touches them again.

CIP4

Voodoomelon wrote: »

The issue with automatic lights is you still have to turn them on. And the gobshítes who don't bother now, won't bother with them either. Unless the dealer turns them on when they sell it in the hope the new owner never touches them again.

I was thinking the exact same you'd get idiots that would think the sensors in the auto lights would use electricity and increase fuel costs therefore they would not use them. I mean I know so many people that genuinely believe even parking light add majorly to fuel consumption. I mean lights do obviously use electricity and increase fuel consumption but to such a small basically un noticeable degree but some think otherwise.

Hachiko

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Why auto headlights aren't compulsory on cars at this stage I really don't know. Would probably be more beneficial than the drls.

Then rig them so that you get maybe 5 starts once a bulb goes before the car becomes immobile and the world's a better place:D

are auto lights standard on cars in Ireland now? My brothers 14 reg Avensis did not have them (1.4d), he is getting a new car next year w/sat nav, no idea with auto lights.

bazz26

Hachiko wrote: »

are auto lights standard on cars in Ireland now? My brothers 14 reg corolla did not have them, he is getting a new car next year w/sat nav, no idea with auto lights.

Most cars in that class would not have auto lights as standard either here or in the UK.

Odyssey 2005

Boils my fkcuin piss. Every day now I see dozens without lights on,driving on DRL's (as someone already said even Garda cars). I thinl the main problem is that the dash lights come on as well so the thicks think they have lights on. As Colm says auto lights should be mandatory. This evening I saw an i40 travelling in the road at about 7.30 with only his DRL's on the front on....madness.

Voodoomelon

Hyundai drivers are the worse offenders IMO.

JoeA3

A lot of new cars have auto lights now so there's little excuse. I know all but the most base spec VW's have them anyway for sure. You simply leave the main light switch in AUTO and never touch it again. Lights also come on automatically in heavy rain. My current car also has high beam assist - so it dips/sets the high beam automatically too.

evo2000

id just like to say! **** LED lights in general blinding annoying ****s of things, whats wrong with the good ole normal lights???!!

Hachiko

bazz26 wrote: »

Most cars in that class would not have auto lights as standard either here or in the UK.

do astras and others not have auto lights, its not exactly HUD technology these days.

La Fenetre

The problem is that some of the DRL's are so bright in the dark, that the driver is easily mistaken into thinking they already have the dips on. Either they shouldn't come on at night, or manufactures should also be fitting said cars with auto lights. A small light sensor wired into any electronic circuit is extremely cheap and costs only cents.

JoeA3

Hachiko wrote: »

do astras and others not have auto lights, its not exactly HUD technology these days.

Yes most new cars above the base line rental car poverty spec would have them now.

colm_mcm

Hachiko wrote: »

do astras and others not have auto lights, its not exactly HUD technology these days.

not as standard, no.
I know your Lexus does

ThisRegard

Nothing to do with LED strip lights, it's an issue that arose on this board years ago when DLRs started to become widespread. And it's surprisingly not a big a problem as I expected anyway.

bazz26

Hachiko wrote: »

do astras and others not have auto lights, its not exactly HUD technology these days.

Not the base models.

Hachiko

bazz26 wrote: »

Most cars in that class would not have auto lights as standard either here or in the UK.

was an avensis i realised.

Jesus.

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I flashed three drivers on the way home this evening, all three with no lights on at all, almost pitch black.

Are you sure it was almost pitch black? I've seen an increase in people flashing other people when the sky is a little grey.

Voodoomelon

Yes, Kells to Dundalk at 5.30, it was dark.

Jesus.

Fair enough. I get irritated though when I see someone flashing someone else when there's no need to have full dips on. They should keep shtum and get their eyes tested which is possibly where the real problem lies.

BMJD

crap drls are the new front foglights

blackbox

Jesus. wrote: »

Fair enough. I get irritated though when I see someone flashing someone else when there's no need to have full dips on. They should keep shtum and get their eyes tested which is possibly where the real problem lies.

DRLs are OK if it's not fully bright (prefer dips myself because tail lights come on), but people who drive with parking lights on do my head in. You can see the car before you see their stupid candles. Are they trying to save electricity or what? Doesn't the name give it away - they're only for parking.

The other thing that gets me is the "safety conscious" guy with about eight cars behind him because he's slowed down in poor visibility - e.g. rain, and still hasn't put his lights on. Do some people think at all?

BE SAFE, BE SEEN.

Jesus.

I don't agree Blackbox. I use my small lights when appropriate. They're fine if its a grey day or there's some drizzle etc. The full dips shouldn't be used until actually necessary in my opinion. Be safe be seen is a catchy line but it doesn't mean anything. You'll be seen plenty in the situations I described above and if you aren't then the other Motorists have vision problems and are actually quite a real threat to road safety.

La Fenetre

Jesus. wrote: »

I don't agree Blackbox. I use my small lights when appropriate. They're fine if its a grey day or there's some drizzle etc. The full dips shouldn't be used until actually necessary in my opinion. Be safe be seen is a catchy line but it doesn't mean anything. You'll be seen plenty in the situations I described above and if you aren't then the other Motorists have vision problems and are actually quite a real threat to road safety.

I don't have the statistics to hand, but I done a commercial driving course a in a large organisation few years ago, that explained any fleet that made driving with dips on all the time compulsory in the daylight, regardless of season or weather, reduced their fleet's accident rates by 30%, and resulted in considerable savings. I asked on the course what about side lights / parking lights instead of dips, and apparently the accident reduction rate for side lights / parking lights is no where near as successful, so they insisted it had to be dips on all the time in the daylight, regardless of season, for their fleet of vehicles.

It convinced me to switch from driving with just sidelights on in the daytime / no lights, to driving with dips on instead.

Jesus.

That's interesting La Fenetre although some guy put up opposite evidence on another thread yesterday.

I'm unconvinced to be honest but its interesting nonetheless

La Fenetre

Jesus. wrote: »

That's interesting La Fenetre although some guy put up opposite evidence on another thread yesterday.

I'm unconvinced to be honest but its interesting nonetheless

Believe me this lot would have it well researched and costed and wouldn't buy a bulb if they could get away with it, but absolutely insisted on the driving with dipped lights and the savings it made for fleets.
If you were caught driving without dips on in the daytime, regardless of weather or season, you got a verbal warning, repeatedly caught and you were gone, and having sidelights / parking lights on instead didn't get you out of it.

Jesus.

So their reduction in accidents was related to other road users seeing them?

ikeano29

Jesus. wrote: »

Fair enough. I get irritated though when I see someone flashing someone else when there's no need to have full dips on. They should keep shtum and get their eyes tested which is possibly where the real problem lies.

Waiting until it's pitch dark before you turn on your head lights is not a good idea. When twilight hits everyone should turn on all thier lights.

Jesus.

ikeano29 wrote: »

Waiting until it's pitch dark before you turn on your head lights is not a good idea..

Now whoever said that?

ikeano29

Jesus. wrote: »

Now whoever said that?

I did, an hour ago ;-)

youtheman

I haven't turned on my lights in the last 8 years (literally). That is because my current car (Superb) and previous (Passat) have Auto lights, and the switch is left permanently in the 'Auto' position.

I think another contributing factor might be that a lot of cars now have the dash permanently illuminated, whether the lights are on or off. So you're driving along and the dash is illuminated and you think that the light are on as well !.

kirving

When my car was designed, they didn't account for LED DLRs. In later models, the standard fog lights were replaced with LEDs and act as DLRs.

But being a Volvo, the "Auto" setting on my model means dips on - 100% of the time, and also back lights. Apart from €50 extra in bulbs maybe, over the lifetime of the car, I really can't find a reason why not to have dips/rear lights on all the time. A very cost effective way to minimise accidents if you want to only look at the figures.


Even when the lights are set to on, the parking lights wont stay on after you leave the car, so even if I drove a newer model which leaves the DLR's on, and switches the dips depending on daylight, I could still leave the switch in the On position 100% of the time and not have to worry about it. Volvo have got it right, so people use it - no confusion.

The Auto setting on some of the other cars I sometimes drive (mainly Ford) are a pain. Either have to be switched to Auto each time I get in, "On" leaves the sidelights on, not switching in heavy rain, fog, or dusk, stupid things like that.

Something that became very evident to my cycling in in the morning/evening especially in the winter. It might seem very bright to me, and I can see everything clearly, but a low sun behind me made me almost impossible to see. In these cases, even in a car, front/rear lights are a major help.

ohnonotgmail

Hachiko wrote: »

are auto lights standard on cars in Ireland now? My brothers 14 reg Avensis did not have them (1.4d), he is getting a new car next year w/sat nav, no idea with auto lights.

my 05 peugeot has automatic lights. How can a 14 reg avensis not have them?

Odyssey 2005

youtheman wrote: »

I haven't turned on my lights in the last 8 years (literally). That is because my current car (Superb) and previous (Passat) have Auto lights, and the switch is left permanently in the 'Auto' position.

I think another contributing factor might be that a lot of cars now have the dash permanently illuminated, whether the lights are on or off. So you're driving along and the dash is illuminated and you think that the light are on as well !.

Likewise, only reason for me to go near the light switch is turn on the fogs.

First Up

None of this matters a damn if the lights aren't working properly anyway. That's a far bigger problem.

kirving

Agreed. I think I posed the other day but on short drive into Galway the other week, I counted almost 40 cars with dodgy front lights passing me in the opposite direction. That should be an automatic, roadside €30 fine to the Gard. Maybe arrange it a bit like they do in the US, with the fine going directly to the local police force(station here). They'd all be totally clear-cut cases so the Gards couldn't embellish the case in the hope of raising more money.

Odyssey 2005

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Agreed. I think I posed the other day but on short drive into Galway the other week, I counted almost 40 cars with dodgy front lights passing me in the opposite direction. That should be an automatic, roadside €30 fine to the Gard. Maybe arrange it a bit like they do in the US, with the fine going directly to the local police force(station here). They'd all be totally clear-cut cases so the Gards couldn't embellish the case in the hope of raising more money.

What garda are you on about ?. Haven't seen one of those in yonks. ZERO enforcement since the speedy vans came along.

Alun

I have auto lights on my Qashqai, but the threshold at which they switch on is too high for my comfort, and they certainly don't turn on automatically when raining. I just leave them on dipped beam 24/7 now.

_Kaiser_

My A6 came configured with a DRL option that only lit up the front of the car and Auto lights which switches the rest on/off as needed. This includes the dash lighting

Thankfully it was a 5 minute job with a laptop and VCDS cable to set it so the rear LEDs are always on too. Always struck me as a stupid default setting and potentialy dangerous.

Some of the AGS in Cork seemed tthink their new Hyundai had DRLs on the rear as well as the front I reckon, it seemed to be months and months before they realised that wasn't the case :pac:

CelticRambler

bazz26 wrote: »

The problem here is between the seat and steering wheel where there are dimwits who either don't know the difference or are simply stupid and not concentrating on their driving. If the same dimwits didn't have Daytime Running Lights fitted to their car they would still probably be driving around with no lights on at all.

Not entirely fair ...

Alun wrote: »

I have auto lights on my Qashqai, but the threshold at which they switch on is too high for my comfort, and they certainly don't turn on automatically when raining. I just leave them on dipped beam 24/7 now.

I had the great misfortune to be given my sister's urban tank - 2015 Nissan X-trail - to drive a few weeks ago. After five days, I was ready to drive it off Howth Head and walk home. :mad:

One of my biggest griped (in a long list of complaints) was exactly this: the supposedly auto-on threshold was way too high and in the heavy rain we had that bank holiday weekend, I had to manually switch the dips on BUT all the while, the sat-nat screen was flipping in and out of "night mode" every time we went under a line of trees.

With that feckin' thing distracting me on the left, and a flat-screen display on the dashboard firing useless information at me all the time (like telling me to change gears, then sulking when it realised there was a reason I hadn't changed ... ) I can well understand that an average driver wouldn't necessarily notice they were driving without lights.

(Full disclosure: I'm a Volvo owner, though currently not driver of same, and have a HGV license, and have been seeing those "dipped lights save lives" statistics in both contexts for about twenty years. If it was a conspiracy, I think some of the studies, at least, would have been debunked by now).

DakarVert

Have noticed the problem myself, assume it's because the DRL being bright/instrument cluster lit up. Dim driver assuming lights are on.


What about the ****tards with HID
/Xenon retrofitted into reflector lights?

savagethegoat

automatic parkers? Parking lights are more or less the opposite to DRLs.

My pet hate (step forward Toyota and others) is a dash that lights up with the ignition. I believe this fools people into thinking their lights are on

creedp

savagethegoat wrote: »

automatic parkers? Parking lights are more or less the opposite to DRLs.

My pet hate (step forward Toyota and others) is a dash that lights up with the ignition. I believe this fools people into thinking their lights are on

Nothing wrong with the dash lighting up during the day - the problem lies with people who can't see that the dipped headlight display on the dash is not on when it is dusk/dark outside