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Hi Andrew

I think it's a beam pattern issue with DDLs. DDLs seem to have a beam pattern like aircraft landing lights. I think it is self evident that a car with its headlights on, in the daylight, is more noticeable than one without. The more noticeable, the better, especially if the viewer's attention is distracted.

 

I don't beleive that is the main reason for the headlights law (it's not that dark here, you know ), even if that is one of the more difficult situations for spotting a car (low sun in your eyes).

Having your lights on simply improves detection in most conditions.

Drivers also tend to see a car with headlights on as being closer than one with lights off; this improves the margin that most people use when for instance driving into an intersection with crossing traffic or starting a passing maneuver with on-coming cars in the other lane.

 

Absolutly untrue. There have been many studies undertaken which give adequate proof, with statistics, that the use of headlight/DDLs significantly reduces traffic accidents - in town, on rural roads, and on the highways. I believe the Scandinavian countries adopted permanent DDLs after a 2-year trial study. It didn't just become law as a result of shorter daylight hours or because someone thought it was a good idea. (Bassman, am I correct?)

It's like the seatbelt law - everybody hated the thought of having that regulated, but I think most people will probably now agree that only idiots would think of driving without using their seatbelts.

If you took a census of traffic on my way to work (7:40 am PST), 90% now drive the freeways with headlights on, even though it is broad daylight. And the same on my return from work at 4:30 pm. (Sunrise & Sunset = 7.01/5:13) People are beginning to realise that they want to be seen.

Anyone for a poll?

 

Yes, driving lights have been thoroughly evaluated, and the statistics prove that the number of accidents decrease significantly.

Some people say that using the lights during daytime is either wasteful, looks ugly or both. I think that really is beside the point if you know that you increase your chances of surviving your daily commute...

 

While most people have backed up the reason for DRL's It is true that they add to saftey. On a bright sunny day if you had 2 cars comming at you from 200' away, you would notice the one wit the lights on first. The tests back this up. Also in Canada, At least in Ontario, Its never dusk during the day. The sun always goes directly above our heads. While it is true that we may have less hours of daytime, The world is still round. This dosen't change.
To tell the truth when DRL's became mandatory I thought it was stupid, and didn't like it one bit. As time went by I appreciate every saftey advantage I can get.

P.S. No word yet on the wire harness. I will post soon!

 

Haven't you heard...we're having blackouts here in Cali and need to conserve energy. Leave it up to PP&G and they'll find a way to turn our headlights off, too!

 

In Texas, school busses are now required to have DRL's.

As for the legality in some states, most new GM cars have DRL's as default options. What are those folks to do? I don't think there are any laws against it.

 

I think some of the laws are against foglights in the middle of the day. I remember in the town where I went to college (Oklahoma State Univ. - Stillwater, OK) passed a law outlawing fog lights in the middle of the day. I think there were a lot of students at the school from Japan that had modified civics, accords, and preludes that drove around with those on. Maybe that's the type of law he's thinking of.

Mark

 

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE ( @ Jan 19 2001, 02:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> While most people have backed up the reason for DRL's It is true that they add to saftey. On a bright sunny day if you had 2 cars comming at you from 200' away, you would notice the one wit the lights on first. The tests back this up. Also in Canada, At least in Ontario, Its never dusk during the day. The sun always goes directly above our heads. While it is true that we may have less hours of daytime, The world is still round. This dosen't change.
To tell the truth when DRL's became mandatory I thought it was stupid, and didn't like it one bit. As time went by I appreciate every saftey advantage I can get.

P.S. No word yet on the wire harness. I will post soon! [/QUOTE]
From what I understand, theoretically we should be able to connect up a DRL control unit to a USDM s2k, but most people on this board say it's not that simple. I would think that all the s2k's roll off the same production line, so wouldn't it make sense to build them all with DRL, and just remove the DRL control unit for the US market cars?