I learned an important lesson last week.

[GFC]

So there we were on our way back from AZ where we picked up our 13' Whaler. The trip back was long but driving conditions were good until we got to Cabbage Hill in Oregon. We had fog like I have not seen in many years. Cabbage Hill is a 6 mile long 6% grade that winds it way across the face of a couple of pretty big hills.

In good weather it's a 50-55mph drive because you don't want your momentum to overrun your ability to use the brakes to slow down.

So there we were in the fog, driving about 25-28mph with my emergency flashers on. My wife was watching all the signs and reading them to me because I didn't want to take my eyes off the road or my rear view mirror. A few cars came up behind us and that's OK because they had their headlights on. But then I noticed the first one didn't have any taillights. Or the second one or the third one, etc.

That got my feeble old brain to wondering why so many cars with their headlights on didn't have any taillights. Then it hit me--when you are driving with your daytime running lights (DRL) on, only your headlights are on, but no lights in back.

I checked my GMC Terrain and sure enough, with the DRL on you have no taillights. Neither does the trailer. It's only when I turn on my headlights (using the switch on the blinker arm) do my taillights work.

That's important to know in situations like heavy rain, snow, fog, dusk, dawn, etc. You might want to check your rigs and see if they're the same.

 

[Lou_tribal]

Some cars does have tails light on some don't. In any situation like rain, fog or snow I put my lights on. But in heavy snow or even heavy fog, having strong light on reduce your vision field (so why fogs lights are low down near the road).

I cannot understand people who do not put light on in rain, especially those with white or gray cars that are almost not visible in the mist.



L

 

[BruceK]

Most headlights are automatically switched on/off by light conditions. The light stalks on both our cars have an "Auto" position which works well,except whenever I have the car serviced it comes back not set to auto.

 

[oscar]

I am not aware of any cars that have rear lights activated by DRL.

Law says you have to turn ALL lights on in reduced visibility. Most people don't know or follow the law. Or read their manual.

 

[Lou_tribal]

I am not aware of any cars that have rear lights activated by DRL.

I have one.

L

 

[oscar]

I have one.

L

Maybe that's a Canadian thing? Tell us what make and model that is?

 

[Lou_tribal]

Porsche.

But came across some others that had too.
Maybe European imported? Not sure.

L

 

[O C Diver]

Nice thing about driving my 18 year old truck, no Daytime Running Lights. You have all around parking lights and then you add headlights.

Ted

 

[Northern Spy]

Nice thing about driving my 18 year old truck, no Daytime Running Lights. You have all around parking lights and then you add headlights.

Ted

That would have to be a 30 year old truck in Canada. DRLs since 1990.

Mine is a '88.

 

[BruceK]

DRLs or not. Headlights on,manually or automatically, rear lights on. It`s not difficult. DRLs are no substitute for headlights.

 

[O C Diver]

Guess that's part of what I like so much about my old truck, everything including the transmission is manual. You have to think about what you want, not some computer making decisions for you.

The old girl just crossed 500,000 miles last month.

Ted

 

[jleonard]

The old girl just crossed 500,000 miles last month.

Ted

Awesome

 

[rslifkin]

No DRLs on either of my cars (not required in the US). BMW had them originally (2001), but after retrofitting the headlight projectors with bi-xenon ones, I had to disable the DRLs (dimmed high beams) in software to avoid damaging the projector high beam solenoids. 98 Jeep never had them, although it does have auto headlights which the BMW doesn't.

 

[oscar]

DRLs or not. Headlights on,manually or automatically, rear lights on. It`s not difficult. DRLs are no substitute for headlights.

This. In fact, two of my vehicles do not have DRL's and I just turn the headlights on. Every time. This covers me in tunnels, construction areas where it's mandatory, and when the wipers come on, and of course at night. Lights on. Period.

 

[sunchaser]

Porsche.

But came across some others that had too.
Maybe European imported? Not sure.

L

My Porsche tail lights only come on when dark enough for auto to function or manually switched on.

 

[Lou_tribal]

My Porsche tail lights only come on when dark enough for auto to function or manually switched on.

Maybe a specificity of models sold in Canada?

L

 

[porman]

Maybe a specificity of models sold in Canada?

L

At the Porsche dealership I worked for in Washington state we sold quite a few used Porsches to customers from Canada. Using the Canadian Porsche wiring diagrams I converted the lights to Canadian specs. The tailights are on when daytime running lights are on. This had to be done so they could be registered in Canada.

 

[Lou_tribal]

At the Porsche dealership I worked for in Washington state we sold quite a few used Porsches to customers from Canada. Using the Canadian Porsche wiring diagrams I converted the lights to Canadian specs. The tailights are on when daytime running lights are on. This had to be done so they could be registered in Canada.

Thanks, that is interesting.
I would have thought that they would sell the same model on each side of the border to simplify

L

 

[oscar]

Thanks, that is interesting.
I would have thought that they would sell the same model on each side of the border to simplify

L

HAHA! There you go thinking again..... The things we see sometimes...

 

[Lou_tribal]

HAHA! There you go thinking again..... The things we see sometimes...

Yes I am thinking too much, I will stop or I risk to hurt myself

L

 

[Peter B]

At the Porsche dealership I worked for in Washington state we sold quite a few used Porsches to customers from Canada. Using the Canadian Porsche wiring diagrams I converted the lights to Canadian specs. The tailights are on when daytime running lights are on. This had to be done so they could be registered in Canada.

This is an interesting discussion to us down-under as well. There has been quite a few folk writing in to the paper and motoring magazines lately complaining about this very thing. So many folk, myself included, are now driving cars with automatic daytime driving lights. Something we've not had before often. However, quite a few don't realise that DRLs do not bring on the rear red lights - except it would seem, for some European countries, and Canada.

Sounds like a damn good thing to be made world-wide. Many of the letters also point out that quite a few of the makes with auto headlights, while they do bring on the tail lights, don't seem to be light sensitive enough to come on under certain conditions where the sensors don't activate, but the conditions are such that having them on would be decidedly safer, as the OP found. Sure, it's not hard to just over-ride the auto function and flick'em all on, but clearly many are not. This sort of publicity can only be good, even though not strictly boating related, so thanks for posting that Mike and Tina (aka GFC).

 

[Northern Spy]

The cops love DRLs. It is so easy to pull over the drunks driving home without their headlights on. Gives them a reason to pull them over.

A new law in Canada (after 30 years of DRL) going in effect soon, makes it mandatory for one of three options. Taillights to come on with DRLs, or all lights to be on when car is in gear, or dash lights off if DRLs are on.

BTW, most automatic on headlights can be adjusted for light sensitivity if one reads the manual. I set my wife's MDX to the lowest setting.

I just got into the habit of always turning my lights on after starting my truck. After 30 years of DRLs, the average (poor) driver has been conditioned to only see headlights as indicative of a moving vehicle. No headlights on, must be parked.

 

[ssobol]

... But in heavy snow or even heavy fog, having strong light on reduce your vision field (so why fogs lights are low down near the road).....

So the solution would be to have the fog lights on and the headlights off, right?

Nowadays, any a car with OEM fog lights you will find that they only come on when the regular headlights are on. There is a separate switch for the fog lights, but it is in series with the headlight switch.

If you add after market fog lights where you control the wiring, you can make the fog lights separate from the headlights. However, if you drive around in the fog with just your fog lights on (and the parking lights) you will draw the attention of the police. Ask me how I know.

 

[kwerges]

Law recently changed in California regarding lights on in the rain. If you have your windshield wipers on constant, you must have headlights/taillights on as well. Doesn’t mean anyone does it, but...

 

[ssobol]

Law recently changed in California regarding lights on in the rain. If you have your windshield wipers on constant, you must have headlights/taillights on as well. Doesn’t mean anyone does it, but...

VA has been this way for as long as I've lived there. There are signs on most roads when you cross into the state that say to have the lights on with the wipers.

 

[stubones99]

Now they mandated backup cameras in all new cars, but failed to turn on headlights when the wipers are on... Back in 1998, my trusty old Ford Expedition had automatic headlights and it turned them on when you needed them, tunnels, dusk, etc. I miss that truck!

I see lots of people driving around at night, thinking DRLs are their headlights. With No tail lights lit, in the dark, often dark colored cars, LOTS of them.

Why are they harping on gun safety when we have thousands of idiots rocketing around with 2500 lb battering rams and don't understand how to turn their lights on? I think DRLs are the opposite of safety, since idiots don't think to use headlights.

 

[FF]

DLR used to be just headlights , but many cars today use some sort of LED to mark the vehicles presence.

I think this is the reason there are fewer road rage stories in the news.

 

[Phyrcooler]

See it ALL THE TIME. Most drivers have no clue, especially if there is a relatively high level of ambient light. They see their lights shining on the road in front of them, or reflections on other cars, and their instrument lights are on. How are they supposed to know? That’s why I think it’s so stupid that most cars with DRL’s have the instrument panel lights come on! Who’s brilliant idea was that?! If the instruments are dark, they’d know to turn their lights on.

We’ve had it happen to us a couple times because the mechanics turn our lights OFF while servicing, and we drive away during the daytime and don’t think about it.

 

[GFC]

"This sort of publicity can only be good, even though not strictly boating related, so thanks for posting that Mike and Tina (aka GFC)."

Pete, you are absolutely welcome. I'm a bit surprised by the widespread response to this thread. I guess I never realized the breadth of this issue.

 

[ssobol]

.... How are they supposed to know? That’s why I think it’s so stupid that most cars with DRL’s have the instrument panel lights come on! Who’s brilliant idea was that?! If the instruments are dark, they’d know to turn their lights on. ...

I'm driving a rental Elantra right now. The instrument lights actually get dimmer when you turn the headlights on.

In a lot of cars these days the instrument panel is LCD, LED, OLED or some sort of similar display made to look like conventional gauges. If there is no lighting you can't see anything. Even the Toyota I had that was a 2001 model had EL displays. You couldn't see anything if they weren't on. Those too got dimmer if you turned the lights on.