The curse of the automatic parkers

bemak · 09-11-2015 11:15PM #1

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 · 09-11-2015 11:18PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:19PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:19PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:22PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:23PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:26PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:28PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:32PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:33PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:40PM

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 · 09-11-2015 11:50PM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:00AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:06AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:18AM

Hyundai drivers are the worse offenders IMO.

JoeA3 · 10-11-2015 12:19AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:22AM

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

Hachiko · 10-11-2015 12:36AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:40AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:43AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:43AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:44AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:44AM

Hachiko wrote: »

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

Not the base models.

Hachiko · 10-11-2015 12:49AM

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. · 10-11-2015 12:51AM

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 · 10-11-2015 12:55AM

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

Jesus. · 10-11-2015 01:02AM

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 · 10-11-2015 01:04AM

crap drls are the new front foglights

blackbox · 10-11-2015 01:29AM

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. · 10-11-2015 02:15AM

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 · 10-11-2015 02:23AM

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.

The curse of the automatic parkers

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