Lights

[aswearing]

for those of us who do not have lights that come on automatically, at what point do you put your sidelights and dipped beams on.

i usually put on my sidelights when its dusk, and now the nights are drawing in, dipped beams at about 7:00

i also use dipped when on the motorway in the morning and when its raining as visibility is generally poor.

[HDi fun]

Technically it's illegal (bit strong, but that's the reality) to drive on sidelights alone.

If you have the dim-dip arrangement which was popular during the late 1980's through 'til mid 1990's then you can use sidelights on lit roads at night. Dim-dips are a good idea - with engine running and sidelights on the dipped heads come on at about quarter brightness. That way you have the whole dipped headlamp assembly illuminated, thereby making your car visible from the front, but without the need to light dips to full intensity.

I suggest that using dipped heads ALL THE TIME is good. That way you're never invisible. If the sun is behind you you get lovely contrasty vision.

Sadly, an approaching driver has the sun in their eyes. Dipped lamps shoud come on when the engines running automatically. All current bikes have dips hard wired to the ignition.

[pgarner]

as soon as it starts to get dusky the the dipped lights come on

but am thinking of oing what half the other drivers do in lockerbie. go ohh theve got white streetlghts am not going to bother with anylights no matter how dark it is


with newer cars i think they should get rid of the sidelights as you can hardly see them anyway


auto lights window wipers etc should be removed from cars
if your too stupid to work out that you need lights or wipers on you shouldnt be driving

ma mates bike lights dont come on with the ignition he stilkl has to switch them on and thats an 06 plate

[xavier]

I thought you had to turn them on when the street lamps come on! I didnt realise that you had to turn them on at a set time. Volvos always have their side lights on. I see some cars parked with just one light on front and rear sometimes and Im pretty sure its not cos the other bulbs have gone.

[pgarner]

its really up do yourself when you put them on

ano the corsa c has a light on the back when its parked up with the ignigtion on only no this because the wifes mate bout yin and a said that she had left her lights on and one had blown but was told it was a parking light

other than volvos ive never seen ones that come at the front automatically but thats because its illegal to drive without lights on at any time in sweden

[aswearing]

not too fussed about sidelights at the front but the backlights are the same intensity with either dipped or sides on, which helps when visibility is poor.

would constantly having your lights on cost you more in petrol? more electrics causing pull on the alternator etc.

[pgarner]

Originally Posted by aswearing

not too fussed about sidelights at the front but the backlights are the same intensity with either dipped or sides on, which helps when visibility is poor.

would constantly having your lights on cost you more in petrol? more electrics causing pull on the alternator etc.

thats cause you only have 1 set of tail lights they come on with the sidelights which usually stay on with dipped/ full beam

side lights are 5w
dipped are 55w
tail around 10w
2 lots 140w around 11A youll find that your cd player draws more

volvo say that their day light (sidelight sidemarkers and tail total 40w) dont use any more petrol than if they were off

[oceaness]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

I suggest that using dipped heads ALL THE TIME is good. That way you're never invisible. If the sun is behind you you get lovely contrasty vision.

Sadly, an approaching driver has the sun in their eyes. Dipped lamps shoud come on when the engines running automatically. All current bikes have dips hard wired to the ignition.

I tend to have my dipped heads on most of the time, most of the roads round me are covered over by trees, there's never as much light as people think. Round some of the roads it's so dark under the trees that at miday my full beam lights up more road than the sun does.

On motorways I always have my dipped lights on. It's amazing how much quicker the brain reacts to a couple of car width dipped headlights than a car itself.

My mums old Saab had it's dipped heads wired into the ignition.

[HDi fun]

Agree totally, hardwire then to the engine. and keep dips on ALL THE TIME.

You can always add fogs front or rear if necessary. Mains if you need vision on a dark road.