Anyone noticed more cars driving without lights at night?

silverharp

I'd be damned if I dont notice at least one car a week driving without lights, I started to notice it when I was out jogging last year and had to wave at a couple of cars to get their attention, but am seeing it more driving, obviously still one 1 in hundreds of cars that pass me but still, the other strange thing im sure in at least one occasion, the front lights were off but the back lights were on, are there some weird imports? are people driving with 2 front bulbs out ;-) , otherwise are people just dopey, started out when it daylight and didnt notice it going dark.

Lofidelity

The dials are permanently lit up on most cars so people think the lights are on. Then you also have daytime lights on the front but no lights on the back. If everyone left the lights in auto we wouldn't have this problem

chinwag

Alas, not all cars have auto setting for lights.

Southern Jebus

Auto doesn't always sense low visibility due to rain or fog. People should just get in habit of switching to dipped lights when start car.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614540#Comment_121614540

I don't know what you drive but I've always found that auto lights picked up poor visibility, or low light, regardless of the cause. No point having Auto if you're manually setting dipped lights every time,

accensi0n

I've noticed a lot of cars recently with front lights on but not on the back.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614570#Comment_121614570

Daytime running lights, generally, are front only.

silverharp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614559#Comment_121614559

I notice it when I drive into an underground car park

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614540#Comment_121614540

My auto lights (Hyundai Tucson) always pick up fog or low light conditions fairly early.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614575#Comment_121614575

I always have my lights on auto so they come on automatically when it gets dark enough (as you would expect!).

But whenever I leave the car in for a service, they turn off auto, and I drive around oblivious to the fact that I have no rear lights on - the daytime running lights are on so its not obvious that the headlights aren't on.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614716#Comment_121614716

Ok. Fair enough. Not sure of the relevance though.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614721#Comment_121614721

It's kinda related to the topic of the thread.

reubenreuben

The AUTO setting on cars is a design mistake. Loads of drivers leave it this way and only have the daytime lights on even when its foggy or raining/reduced vision.

dulpit

I just leave mine on all the time (no auto option).

A load of cars with DRLs and no back lights on, it's scary. It's about once a week I've had to flash someone ahead of me completely unlit because their DRLs make them think they have lights on...

mcburns07

Auto on my BMW works perfectly, turning on the lights whenever you’d expect. On previous cars I generally just left them on permanently this time of year, can’t do any harm to be more visible!

Economics101

My Auto lights (15 year ole VW) work perfectly when light conditions deteriorate.

What I find quite common are numerous instances of only one headlight operating (we call the "one-eyed gunners"). I wonder do they routinely fail their next NCT.

Worst of all are cars with no iights whatsoever (invariably in urban areas) . They don't notice anything because they rely on street lights. Obviouly thay never look at their speedometer or other dashboard instrumentation. Says a lot about their sheer carelessness.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614830#Comment_121614830

Auto switches to main headlights when visibility is reduced.

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121615003#Comment_121615003

Yes if its working properly. I'm sure some aren't as not all tech works correctly. Can't beat a human to make the decision instead.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121615157#Comment_121615157

TBH that's a bit lame. The vast majority work just fine.

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121615415#Comment_121615415

yes because you are obviously an expert, Sorry master yoda

Rubberchikken

Always turn my lights on when I start the car. It's a pure habit at this stage.

Was funny years ago to have cars flashing at me that the lights were on. Times have changed and I'd say most cars drive with lights during day too but yeah I definitely come across at least one car a week with no lights on in the dark.

How driver doesn't realise is beyond me.

fullstop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121614570#Comment_121614570

Every. Single. Day.

ofcork

I don't use the auto settings but I have never forgotten to turn my lights on.The lit up dashboard is the problem alright I think and also the same symbol on the dash for parking lights/dipped beams.

dulpit

Drove home last night. 20 minute drive. Encountered 2 cars with no lights on at all, and a 3rd had only 1 rear ligg bulb faintly working.

Madness.

2Mad2BeMad

I changed my car last year from a newish audi to and very old petrol passat purely because I'm doing alot less mileage now and don't really need the car anymore.

I won't lie the first couple of times I kept forgetting to turn on the headlights due to the fact it was always done for me in the audi, the passat is so old it doesn't have that auto lights feature.

Got into the habit of turning it on myself now everytime I'm in it whether it's bright out or not.

Miss the audu though 🤣 not just for the lights!