Is it possible to purchase a brand new vehicle in 2020 not fitted with DRL?

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I’ve driven with either park lights or low beam on always, for years, and consider it part of responsibility to my insurer in respect of taking due care to avoid a loss.

I have to say that I've never understood those who use parkers as a form of making yourself visible whilst driving. In my experience, when approaching from the front, I tend to be able to see the vehicle well before I see the parkers, even in inclement conditions. And if it's dark enough to warrant having the tail lights on, then surely going the extra position on the light switch and having the headlights on would be warranted too?

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0

I have to say that I've never understood those who use parkers as a form of making yourself visible whilst driving. In my experience, when approaching from the front, I tend to be able to see the vehicle well before I see the parkers, even in inclement conditions. And if it's dark enough to warrant having the tail lights on, then surely going the extra position on the light switch and having the headlights on would be warranted too?

I'm still not convinced I need to have headlights, parkers or LED's on during perfect daytime driving.
We seemed to have managed and survived for years without this stuff. Next we will be sticking conspicuity (hi Vis) tape all down the sides of cars.
As a kid the only cars you saw with headlights on in the daytime were in a funeral procession or were Seventh day Adventist.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0

I have to say that I've never understood those who use parkers as a form of making yourself visible whilst driving. In my experience, when approaching from the front, I tend to be able to see the vehicle well before I see the parkers, even in inclement conditions. And if it's dark enough to warrant having the tail lights on, then surely going the extra position on the light switch and having the headlights on would be warranted too?

Parkers ... or positions lights are to show other traffic where you are located if stopped off the side of the road .... in the dark or inclement weather ... nothing more.

Although .... if fog in the dark is really bad ... parkers/position lists are fine when used in conjunction with low fog lights. Or if you don't have foglights .... you are allowed to use hazard lights.

I drive with low beam/main beam on when driving all of the time ... I have found that it is needed in traffic .... and I know when checking mirrors quickly ... a vehicle with lights on it picked up much quicker than one without. I did this more after starting doing courier deliveries around Sydney ... and have done it ever since.

People in silver/light grey cars that drive without lights in rainy conditions .... need to be shot onsite.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Parkers ... or positions lights are to show other traffic where you are located if stopped off the side of the road .... in the dark or inclement weather ... nothing more.

Yep, parking lights are called that for a reason )

[superfly]

The cheap Mazda's and Hyundai's don't come with DRL's. I'm sure there's others as well.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

I believe both SAABs & Volvos of the mid-70s were the first to have DRLs in Aust. I think it was compulsory in Sweden at the time.

They were just parking lights & tail-lights fitted with 21W globes, which dimmed to the 5W filament when the headlights were switched on.

Dr Terry

Cars in Sweden have to have their headlights on 24hrs a day.Cars built after 2009 fitted with DRL’s may use these.Most other Nordic countries have much the similar rules regarding this.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by superfly

The cheap Mazda's and Hyundai's don't come with DRL's. I'm sure there's others as well.

Depends on the models. I Regards to Hyundai I think everything is DRL now. Mazda is different. Some models it's on everything. I know current CX5 doesn't have them... For the lower models anyway.

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Depends on the models. I Regards to Hyundai I think everything is DRL now. Mazda is different. Some models it's on everything. I know current CX5 doesn't have them... For the lower models anyway.

Mazda likes to make DRL's model Specific.. Seems to be mid spec upwards has them from my experience...

Both my cars have them (and I love the look of the ones on our Jeep GC)...the fact they have them wasn't even a small part of the purchasing decision, they are just there. I would never base my purchasing decision on wether the car has DRL's or not...

[ryeman]

I’m pretty sure it was a Volvo thing going way back to at least the early 240 series.
The stats proved their worth after decades of derision.
The darker the car the more likely to be driving without lights at night.......(if I can see the road why do I need to wear them out, attitude)

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

Nope.
These lights I'm talking about.
More like park lights always on feature if you want to split hairs. But they were actually referred to as 'perception lights'.

Back in the day, Sweden (and possibly a few others) mandated that these running lights always be on. They were functionally and aesthetically equivalent to the parking lights on other cars, except they turned on with the ignition. Volvo opted to keep the feature on the cars imported here. I'm guessing it helped solidify their safety image.

Sometime in the 80's, Sweden changed to mandatory headlights. Volvo thought Australia wasn't ready for that, and had the feature disabled.

As for who started the modern trend towards headlights always on, it has been SOP on most mine sites for a long time. Most companies now specify their headlights hard-wired.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Back in the day, Sweden (and possibly a few others) mandated that these running lights always be on. They were functionally and aesthetically equivalent to the parking lights on other cars, except they turned on with the ignition. Volvo opted to keep the feature on the cars imported here. I'm guessing it helped solidify their safety image.

They weren't "functionally and aesthetically equivalent to parking lights".

They were a lot brighter, much the same as brake lights. The old Volvo parking lights had 2 filaments, one 5W & the other 21W. The 21W came on with ignition (acting as DRLs), but when the parkers or headlights are switched on they go back to the dimmer 5W filament like most other cars.

I believe most DRLs switch off (or go dimmer) at night when the headlights are on, because they are too bright to run at night.

Dr Terry

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

I believe most DRLs switch off (or go dimmer) at night when the headlights are on, because they are too bright to run at night.

Dr Terry

Except for the clowns who've fitted ebay specials coz they look 'cool'.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I'm still not convinced I need to have headlights, parkers or LED's on during perfect daytime driving.
We seemed to have managed and survived for years without this stuff.

Yeah well with that attitude you could say every new technology is stupid.

Portable AED machines that save lives of heart attack victims are pointless because the human race survived millions of years without it.


I've noticed that almost no one indicates before pulling away from the curb into traffic. A few times I have almost turned right across oncoming traffic because there was no one coming down the road, but someone who was parked just on the other side of the intersection decided that was the perfect time to pull away from the curb flat out without indicating.
If they had running lights on that would at least bring your attention to a car that has it's engine running.

Plus I'm sure when someone does a half assed check before pulling out of a side street DRLs probably make the car stand out more than one without lights on.

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

I believe most DRLs switch off (or go dimmer) at night when the headlights are on, because they are too bright to run at night.

Dr Terry

Emergency vehicles should have this setting for their red and blues. At day time the LED lights are good because they stand out, at night they are overwhelmingly bright. Especially on a dark road with no other lights around.

[Rallye Sport]

I think they're a great idea and would certainly value them over the latest tech pack if I was buying new.
I'd like to see them on the rear of vehicles too. The amount of people driving behind you that don't even realize you're there is astounding.
Or am I just confusing that with tailgating?

[roKWiz]

[QUOTE=Ben73;6406770]Yeah well with that attitude you could say every new technology is stupid
[QUOTE]

Your argument has me less convinced.