Loads of cars with no lights

puppetmaster · 15-11-2011 10:04PM

yeh crazy amount of people driving around with one headlight. and as said earlier most people dont even notice. The parking lights as mentioned earlier are also more commonly referred to as DLR's or daylight running lights. (for those of us without the Audi led's etc)

There was romours that they will be bringing in penalty points for missing lights at the end of the year, which should help with all the 3 litre 2 tonne motorbikes drivin around at night in the winter. I understand the annoyance with people driving round with rear fogs on , as they can be blinding . But i really dont see the problem with people having their front fogs on either day or night (not as a replacement for dips) if their set properly fogs point low and have little chance of dazzling anyone.

TheUsual · 16-11-2011 01:49AM

I don't know, maybe people are waiting until they get the car serviced by a mechanic and get the bulbs replaced at the same time to save money ?

But it's dangerous, and a very very cheap and quick fix to do yourself.

It's just a bulb. Like when a bulb goes in your house, you don't phone an electrician.

Voodoomelon · 16-11-2011 02:08AM

Whats the logic in making it an offence to drive with parking lights on?

The offence should be not using the correct lights for the correct conditions. My parking lights are the first thing I turn on when I start my car during the day, and if it requires, my low beams are turned on (dusk, heavy rain, fog etc).

Mc Love · 16-11-2011 02:26AM

Not sure if its related to all SUV's as on the way to work I passed out a Landcruiser and the lights werent blinding at all.

TheUsual · 16-11-2011 02:34AM

Mc Love wrote: »

Not sure if its related to all SUV's as on the way to work I passed out a Landcruiser and the lights werent blinding at all.

Yeah but his was brand new so the lights are going to be at their brightest. Clean out of the factory.

Some have the HID extra-bright lights, have noticed a few BMW's and Merc's with them and they are brighter in your mirrors at night.

heate · 16-11-2011 03:03AM

TheUsual wrote: »

Mc Love wrote: »

Not sure if its related to all SUV's as on the way to work I passed out a Landcruiser and the lights werent blinding at all.

Yeah but his was brand new so the lights are going to be at their brightest. Clean out of the factory.

Some have the HID extra-bright lights, have noticed a few BMW's and Merc's with them and they are brighter in your mirrors at night.

HID's or Xenons?
I have xenon headlights that turn whilst cornering (which works very well) but I am aware that they are that bit stronger whilst tailing people! I wouldn't go back to a car without Xenons to be honest.
I have photo chromatic mirrors so you can drive with full beams behind me all night long in your SUV.
It's a bit annoying that items like quality lights are still optional extras on nearly all cars. The increased safety at night is amazing.

TheUsual · 16-11-2011 03:46AM

heate wrote: »

HID's or Xenons?

Am not too sure of the difference, HID are high voltage and VERY expensive and the Xenon's are just the bulbs right ??

heate wrote: »

I have xenon headlights, but I am aware that they are that bit stronger whilst tailing people! I wouldn't go back to a car without Xenons to be honest.

I wouldn't complain about you having them, it's the way technology is going. Everyone will have them at some stage.
It's badly lit cars and jeeps that are dangerous.

Mc Love · 16-11-2011 05:50AM

TheUsual wrote: »

Yeah but his was brand new so the lights are going to be at their brightest. Clean out of the factory.

Some have the HID extra-bright lights, have noticed a few BMW's and Merc's with them and they are brighter in your mirrors at night.

What that doesnt make any sense! How was his SUV brand new? And btw it was filthy dirty

dulpit · 17-11-2011 01:40PM

Has anyone noticed an increase in the amount of cars driving around with dodgy lights, broken lights or even no lights at all...

Seems to me in the last few weeks I'm passing multiple cars on each drive with a broken light or lights only working on parks or something similar. It's crazy, nights are getting longer, it's dark now for the commute, why aren't people fixing their lights? Bloody dangerous...

HeidiHeidi · 17-11-2011 01:44PM

Yep. Never ceases to amaze me.

I also find scary the amount of cars who drive around in appalling conditions and visibility with no lights on, or only the piddly little sidelights. Would it kill them to turn on the headlights?

Light up folks!!!

galwayjohn89 · 17-11-2011 01:44PM

I will never forget driving towards the roundabout near my house 2 lanes, during a powercut. No lights what so ever. Was about to move into the other lane when I saw a car beside me. No front lights working at all and only one rear one working. Bloody idiot.

vicwatson · 17-11-2011 02:00PM

Have to agree, it's become more noticeable with the longer nights, the gas thing is is that most of these cars I've seen are relatively new and would have a warning light on the dash board, pure laziness to change a bulb.

Does my head in people driving around in this weather without lights, in this weather it's virtually dark all day.

Switch on your goddamn lights.

RandomAccess · 17-11-2011 02:07PM

they're hypermiling

mailforkev · 17-11-2011 02:08PM

This comes up here every year.

Your average €104 motor tax loving Irish motorist is afraid of wasting their bulbs or maintaining their car.

One dark morning last year while waiting for the bus to work (on the N11 in Dublin, so a busy road) I passed the time by trying to count 10 cars in a row with correct headlights, never did it.

It's either a bulb out or fog lights on, or no headlights/only foglights etc. I'd love to be a traffic Garda for a day or two.

dulpit · 17-11-2011 03:21PM

What baffles me is the people driving with no lights at all at night time with their hazards on, I don't see how that is a valid warning for people. If all my lights go at night, it's pull over and ring for a lift time, don't be so bloody stupid and drive home...

Jimoslimos · 17-11-2011 03:26PM

Don't understand how more cars don't get pulled over for this. Is there penalty points for this sort of offence?

Having driven in Australia, and in particular in rural areas, police take a very dim (excuse the pun) view of this.

Payton · 17-11-2011 03:31PM

I have also noticed a lot of new (yrs 08-11) with one or no lights working.
I stopped beside a guy one night about 2 yrs ago to let him know his tail lights weren't working...so I rolled down the window and was just about to tell him when he put his hand up and said "I know....its going back tomorrow to the garage, the car was 7 weeks old" . Totally light failure....

Robbo · 17-11-2011 03:34PM

I once heard a tale about a Connemara farmer who whenever he bought a new car would instantly take one bulb out and keep it in the glovebox.

"To have a spare in case the other one went".

There's also a shocking amount of people who drive only with their parking lights on, which confirms my view that many in this country don't have a clue what half of the switchgear on their car does.

elaverty · 17-11-2011 03:38PM

I hate to be the one to break the news,,,but some people out there are so strapped for cash at the minute,that they might not have the price of a bulb to replace,,,,i know its onla 5/10euro but thats how bad things have got,,,

dar83 · 17-11-2011 03:45PM

elaverty wrote: »

I hate to be the one to break the news,,,but some people out there are so strapped for cash at the minute,that they might not have the price of a bulb to replace,,,,i know its onla 5/10euro but thats how bad things have got,,,

Yet they can run a car?

Payton · 17-11-2011 03:53PM

elaverty wrote: »

I hate to be the one to break the news,,,but some people out there are so strapped for cash at the minute,that they might not have the price of a bulb to replace,,,,i know its onla 5/10euro but thats how bad things have got,,,

So its worth risking your life aswell as other road users for the sake of a bulb.....never mind worn types??

dulpit · 17-11-2011 04:00PM

elaverty wrote: »

I hate to be the one to break the news,,,but some people out there are so strapped for cash at the minute,that they might not have the price of a bulb to replace,,,,i know its onla 5/10euro but thats how bad things have got,,,

:mad:

This is a terrible attitude, if you can't afford the bulb then you can't afford to drive...

George Dalton · 17-11-2011 04:47PM

I reckon it is a side effect of a lack of routine servicing. Generally due to lack of money. Sign of the times really...

Fey! · 17-11-2011 04:59PM

elaverty wrote: »

I hate to be the one to break the news,,,but some people out there are so strapped for cash at the minute,that they might not have the price of a bulb to replace,,,,i know its onla 5/10euro but thats how bad things have got,,,

George Dalton wrote: »

I reckon it is a side effect of a lack of routine servicing. Generally due to lack of money. Sign of the times really...

If they can afford a car up to 4 or 5 years old, then they can afford the €2-€10 bulb. Otherwise let them park it.

As someone else already pointed out, a lot of these cars will have warning lights on the dash to let them know that a bulb is gone. Even if it doesn't, ignorance is no excuse.

C4Kid · 17-11-2011 04:59PM

About 2 weeks ago there was a driving instructor in a marked car with a student reversing around a corner, he had no lights at all and his reversing light was gone as well. :eek: I saw him on another ocassion with a tail lamp out

I went out anyway and told him, of all people he should have his car 100% roadworthy.

vintac34 · 17-11-2011 05:16PM

Use of lights increases fuel consumption due increased load on the alternator.

Fey! · 17-11-2011 05:21PM

vintac34 wrote: »

Use of lights increases fuel consumption due increased load on the alternator.

non-use of lights increases likelihood of crashing, causing increased loading on insurance.

sean1141 · 17-11-2011 05:22PM

Fey! wrote: »

Otherwise let them park it.

so if someone has to take kids to school etc they should let them walk in the dark just because one light is not working on their car

:rolleyes:

i aggree a lot of the time its just pure lazeyness or they dont even know it is gone but some people just dont have the money.. just because they have a car 4 or 5 years old dose not mean they have money lying around. they could still owe a lot of money on the car..

plus on a lot of cars its not just a matter of taking out a bulb and popping in a new one. some may need the headlight taken out and sometimes the bumper has to come off to do this

pudzey101 · 17-11-2011 05:34PM

I have spare sets in my glove box in case of emergencys

I think everyone should be the same, its not worth it

Fey! · 17-11-2011 05:35PM

sean1141 wrote: »

so if someone has to take kids to school etc they should let them walk in the dark just because one light is not working on their car :rolleyes:

Why can't somebody think of the children!!! :P

If they're that concerned with their childrens safety, then surely they'd want the car their children are in to be as visible as possible? There are plenty of cars out there with NO lights working on the back and only one on the front.

This includes a large number os PSVs, too, which are for some reason ignored by the Gardai despite them being driven by "professional" drivers and spending more time on the road than the average family vehicle.

sean1141 wrote: »

i aggree a lot of the time its just pure lazeyness or they dont even know it is gone but some people just dont have the money.. just because they have a car 4 or 5 years old dose not mean they have money lying around. they could still owe a lot of money on the car..

Just because someone has over-extended themselves (living beyond their means) doesn't give them the right to endanger the rest of us by driving a vehicle on the road which is invisible in the dark.

sean1141 wrote: »

plus on a lot of cars its not just a matter of taking out a bulb and popping in a new one. some may need the headlight taken out and sometimes the bumper has to come off to do this

Bad car design is, again, not the problem of other road users. While lights on some cars (Peugeot 206 and Audi A4 come to mind) are a pain in the arse to change, repairing your car after a collision (or being without a car after someone hits you due to your lack of lights) is an even bigger pain in the arse.

Loads of cars with no lights

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