High intensity headlights should be BANNED!

[hech54]

Both of my old Toyotas (1985 and 1993) had built in factory driving lights. I could not have both the high beams AND the driving lights on at the same time....the circuitry would not allow it.
SOOOOO many "Buy American" ******* inspection mechanics tried to fail my "Jap Scrap" cars on some little state (Pennsylvania) technicality about driving lights it wasn't funny. Finally the phat phuckers gave up after showing them a dozen times how ingenious those little Jap Bastards really are compared to the bozos at GM.....where you can STILL lock your keys inside your brand new Cadillac. Oh sure you can hit your Onstar (or whatever it's called)button....but that is locked in there with your keys.....
My new VW Touran has normal headlights BUT they are also self levelling....AND I can override them manually to make them lower....but not higher.

[shoozleboy]

Interesting.... you must have had some hill-billy mechanics telling you that. Only things the PA inspection mechanics ever cared about with any set of driving lights on any vehicle that I owned was this:

1. they must work - meaning have power, working bulbs, and an off/on switch.
2. must turn off when A. engine is turned off, B. switch is off, C. when 'high beams' were on.
3. must only be able to be turned on when the car's headlight switch was on - meaning, they can't be wired hot to the battery, they could only be activated after turning on the headlights - whether they were automatic or switch activated.
4. must be mounted no lower than bumper height and no higher than the car's headlights.
5. driving light switch must have an indicator lamp that lights up when the fogs are on.

I got in trouble with this when I was younger. I purchased a beater car (ford Pinto) that the previous owner had installed a set of fog lights on. Was pulled over a few weeks after purchasing it because the fog lights were on and I didn't know it... had to get the whole vehicle re-inspected...

[zzyzzx]

Finally the phat phuckers gave up after showing them a dozen times how ingenious those little Jap Bastards really are compared to the bozos at GM.....where you can STILL lock your keys inside your brand new Cadillac.

I personally consider the Japanese practice of having to hold open the door handle to lock the car to be a nusiance (I think this practice has been discontiuned, correct?). I think that you would have to be pretty careless to lock your keys in your car.

[hech54]

No not that feature.
If you leave your keys in the ignition and hit your power door lock button...the door locks (both) FLY back open (unlocked) instantly.
You can however leave the keys on the seat....with the PDL button and you will lock them in the car...

On the older VW's....you HAD to use the key to lock the driver's door.

[rubenoff]

Good Morning happy new year, Listed below are questions and answers to fog and Driving lamps and The B.C Canada Vehicle regulations
Can you please review these and comment on your local area laws etc.

I agree with better control of Blinding light on all highways systems


(1) May we use fog lamps on high beam lamp operations ??

ans. No only auxiliary driving lamps are allowed on high beam operations M.V Reg 409.3

and for proper control of auxillary driving lamps on high beam an illuminated on/off control switch with additional relay and proper fusing is recommended to ensure the main light circuit is not overloaded

(2) May we use fog lamps instead of low beam lamps ??

ans. Yes providing the unit has the fog lamps wired up so that the tail lamps, marker lamps and park lamps are operating
M.V regs 411.3
This is normally done with an extra relay and fuse so that the fog lamps operate on the first park lamp position of the main switch.

(3) May we operate the fog lamps along with low beam lamp operations??
ans . Yes providing the fog lamps can be switched off when the weather is CLEAR
M.V Regs 411.4

This is normally accomplished with the installation of a relay and illuminated on/off switch
c/w proper fusing and a feature that prevents the fog lamps from operating on high beam

(4) how do we ensure that our vehicle is fitted to meet the B.C Motor vehicle act regulations
for auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps.??

ans. Have the unit inspected at an approved I.C.B.C inspection facility
a copy of an approved electrical wiring and switching drawing is available from ------

[rubenoff]

Agree however we must take a look at what effect Daytime Running Lamps are having and may be contributing to this topic as they are interrelated somewhat
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What have we learned about the implementation of Daytime Running lamps on vehicles in Canada ??

For a number of years we have been using DRL on vehicles in Canada The following are comments from a retired Vehicle mechanic and provincial Vehicle inspector.

One of the better DRL systems is the DRL1 that operates the low beam in the main lighting system at aprox 60% of the low beam brilliance. ( we drive two vehicles with this DRL feature and like them very much)

What does this design of DRL offer??
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ans.
(1) No additional lamps are required on the vehicle to accomplish DRL operations

(2) The low beam is suited for the DRL because it is focused low for oncoming traffic.

(3) the glare is controlled through lower low beam brilliance

(4) The DRL1 has a DRL off, feature with the parking brake applied, especially for police cars who want to hide in the boonies,
and do not want to be seen,

The other system of having 2 additional DRL lamps operating at the front of the vehicles has less desirable features due to.
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(1) More front vehicle lamps can be required to operate DRL on the vehicle

(2) The lamps must be extinguished at night unless they are operated within the parking lamps ( at 2 candlepower nightime )

(3) if the added lamps are called DRL in the daytime
and or fog or driving lamps in the night time
there must be an auto off feature, or an illuminated on/off switch for the operator to shut off the added lamps otherwise

Oncoming drivers will be required to experience more frontal vehicle lights shining onto their eyes.when meeting vehicles at night

Historical vehicle lighting safety supplied over the years
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Most vehicles have 2 park lamps operating at 2 candlepower brilliance, along with the main head lamps to provide added front vehicle depiction of the outsides of the unit in event a headlamp burns out during vehicle operations,

This prevents the vehicle from being mistaken for a motorcycle at night, (accident prevention through lighting design)

However to ensure a minimum amount of lights are lit to effect the oncoming drivers vision there must be a design in the DRL operations that for safety

extinguishes the added lamps automatically at night time or have an

illuminated on/off switches near the operators fingers so that the additional lamps can be used to meet on site road and weather conditions and or / to respect the eyes of the oncoming drivers,

If we do not speak up as concerned drivers who meet many oncoming vehicles, the design engineers will simply supply more and more frontal vehicle lighting to promote additional vehicle sales,

And our public highway safety can be lost in the engineering race for product sales,

and Where the oncoming drivers vision has not been respected and our right to accident prevention through proper vehicle lighting designs implemented with all road users in mind. you and I and our friends and family

In the worst case scenario, we as drivers could be required to wear welding helmets to drive on the highways,

We wont be able to see the road But the oncoming vehicles light will not bother us,

BJ

[rubenoff]

Happy new year ! to view the website from the inventor of Canadian DRL systems please visit the link below

http://www.pacificinsight.com/

They have a factory in Nelson B.C. Canada and employ 250 plus employees ( we are not associated with the firm)

They are a success story and started in a mans basement in Prince Geroge B.C.

The DRL1 is the model that shuts off the DRL when the park brake is applied, And operated the DRL in the low beam operation of the main head lamp system, at a lower brillance aprox 60% to avoid glare to oncoming drivers in the daytime low light situations

Have a nice day and 2005

BJ

[handyguy]

Have fun cause Calif has a new law that states you have to have your lights on if its raining. Wipers on - lights on....

[ViRaL1]

Have fun cause Calif has a new law that states you have to have your lights on if its raining. Wipers on - lights on....

Many states have had that law for years.

[shelbyGT]

Please don't hate me, but I disagree.
Yes, if they were not aligned properly by an aftermarket installer, than they CAN be annoying. Same goes for any car with headlights pointed in the wrong direction.

However, I have not had a problem with them at all. I notice it more when a truck is behind me than when a car with HID lights is behind me.

I have them on my Acura TL and for the life of me would never want to go back to normal beams. The light dispersion is so much greater that it makes for much safer driving, imho.

/end counter rant

[rubenoff]

Thanks for the comments as a retired auto tech and vehicle inspector I agree with the adjustments totally

Its the added DRL lamps that are not able to be shut off that is my beef

The DRL1 is the model of DRl that operates within the low beam of the headlamp system and requires no added lamps to operate the DRL

That has superior qualities for oncoming drivers, Because there are less light to meet and stare into.

have a nice week
BJ

[hudsonf]

I feel the should be banned because they are very distracting. I don't know how anyone can think they make driving safer when the driver coming at you is blinded.

[handyguy]

"Yes, if they were not aligned properly by an aftermarket installer, than they CAN be annoying. Same goes for any car with headlights pointed in the wrong direction."

Or if there are fat people in the back seat, trailers or heavy stuff in the trunk, these can make them point higher.

[rubenoff]

Greetings as vehicle buyers and users, we should maintain the right to select vehicles that do not have additional lamp to operate the DRL systems

That cannot be switched off or automatically shut off at night

and that do not allow the driver to choose when the fog and or driving lamps are lit to meet

Road and weather conditions and or

To demonstrate our common sense safety concern for the eyes of the oncoming drivers

Its our safety and our lives and our dollars being spent

chers BJ