Just wondering who uses what lights in what weather?! At work were told to use lights whatever the condtions, so i kinda got into the habbit in the car too, so unless it really is bright sunshine, i have my lights on. I dont see this as a bad thing, and cant think og any downsides to it, apart from maybe quicker bulb useage.

Matt

Sidelights- as far as I'm concerned - parking only .(if needed for safety ).Otherwise if lights needed - dips during poor daylight .Only problem I've seen is a photo by a biker showing a bike in front of a van /etc where both times bike had ligt on :on one van had lights off -and the bike really stood out ,whereas on the other with van lights on ,it merged into the lights of the van .

Will increase fuel consumption slightly too. But I do tend to be more prone to putting sidelights on in dullish conditions and headlights in duller conditions than most other drivers. There have been situations where I had my lights on and someone nearly pulled out on me, and looking back I wonder if that could have ended up being an accident if I didn't have the lights on (i.e. they may not have seen me as easily).

Apparently Daytime Running Lights (like those on the Audi that come on with the ignition) are going to be mandatory on all cars made in Europe from a certain date. You can buy them as aftermarket accessories but most people seem to consider them pointless or chavvy.

This time of year seems to bring out loads of people who put no lights on whatsoever at 5pm when it's dark outside and the street lights are one, and even if you flash them they don't catch on that perhaps they should switch their lights on.

Usually none in bright day light. Side lights if its slighly gloomy or merky, but thats mainly just so I read read the dails more than anything. If its dark/streetlights on or raining then I use dip. Full beams come on as soon as no other cars are around as I think my head lamp allignment is out as they only light up a small area in front of the car, regardless of setting on the wheel thing and with uprated bulbs.

beemer has auto lights that a pretty sensitive do run on dipped if even slightly gloomy!

Only problem I've seen is a photo by a biker showing a bike in front of a van /etc where both times bike had ligt on :on one van had lights off -and the bike really stood out ,whereas on the other with van lights on ,it merged into the lights of the van .

"Image guaranteed not to have been photo-shopped by a Biker/someone with an axe to grind from this website http://www.dadrl.org.uk/ "

Just wondering who uses what lights in what weather?! At work were told to use lights whatever the condtions, so i kinda got into the habbit in the car too, so unless it really is bright sunshine, i have my lights on. I dont see this as a bad thing, and cant think og any downsides to it, apart from maybe quicker bulb useage.

The main downside is that it can make other road users, particularly cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists harder to see, although I think it's fair to say that most of these "vulnerable" road users don't really help themselves to be seen in most cases.

I don't personally use sidelights. Dipped beam at dusk or night or where weather conditions make it hard to see or be seen, and no lights on otherwise. At night, I'll try and run with main beam wherever possible.

Chris

I *never* use the parking lights, oh no they are called side lights in the UK ... Frankly they should be banned for any purpose other than parking, as that is what they are designed for..

In many countries they are illegal when used outside of 30mph zones. IIRC there are some similar restrictions in the UK, but they are never enforced so it seems.

Dipped beam goes on as soon as the engine is running, except for when in town and it is 'proper daylight' and I know I'm not going out of town.

I do flick off the dipped beam and go on sidelights when in a bad traffic jam that is not going anywhere, mainly as I may be turning off the engine and the Xenons are not the most suitable for on/off all the time.

Regarding the cyclist/pedestrian etc comment - it is a tricky one that, but frankly, motorcyclists should always have dipped beam on anyway. Cyclists ditto if conditions are like that, or a high-vis jacket. Pedestrians should not be on the road in places where the speed of traffic is high anyway. If they are, then a high-vis jacket would again make sense.

If a cyclist has proper lights I will make every effort to wait behind them and overtake safely. If on the other hand they are cycling without reflective clothing, no lights, and in pitch black (clouded, rain etc), then although I will spot him/her, chances are I will go past a lot tighter.

They are the 'weaker' road user, and I'd be rather upset if I hit one, but there is a bit of common sense for everyone involved there. That said, if you look ahead for enough, you should have the visibility of these type of other road users before it is too late, or you are going to fast for the conditions.

Dipped, almost always.

rarely bother with sides, its normally straight to dip, but since adding the DLR light feature my front lights are on dip all the time.

sides when parked in a poor lit area with a speed above 40,

sides when driving in a lit area where the speed is 30 or lower,

dipped in any area over 30,

full only when poor lite and no oncoming traffic,

front fog light used with side lights in poor visablity,

all at nite or in bad lite conditions

LOL

no really

truthly only use side in town dipped everywhere esle

As of 2011 all new vehicles sold in the uk will have the sidelights on as default.

Straight onto dip or fogs, unless heading into bright sunlight and just wanting tails.

Will increase fuel consumption slightly too.

Really wouldn't worry about that - even on a Felly, you're looking at the main beam, dipped beam, sidelight and rear light lamps COMBINED only consuming 0.3-0.4% of the engine's power output! So somewhere in the region of a 0.1mpg increase in fuel consumption - the engine running rich at startup due to it being cold probably does far worse!

Sidelights as my car is blue, and that's the worst colour for other drivers to see. Will soon be front only super bright LED cruise lights though.

Sounds like im not the the only one then. Also forgot to add, in any light on A roads or Motorway i have dipped on, means the people dithering about in the outside lane spot me a tad quicker if i catch them up. :-)

I live in a heavily parked up suburban area. People who drive at night using side lights are really difficult to see when you try and see past the multitude of parked Transit vans as you creep out of your driveway. There have been numerous crashes on my street involving stealth vehicles with tiny useless side lights at night. Vehicles lit with side lights are harder to see than the average cycle light, and travelling a lot faster. Personally I think side lights should be banned, along with those stupid enough to drive around at night only using them. You either need your headlights, or you don't. Side lights should only be available with headlights selected to on, and the ignition off, i.e. when parking.

I live in a heavily parked up suburban area. People who drive at night using side lights are really difficult to see when you try and see past the multitude of parked Transit vans as you creep out of your driveway. There have been numerous crashes on my street involving stealth vehicles with tiny useless side lights at night. Vehicles lit with side lights are harder to see than the average cycle light, and travelling a lot faster. Personally I think side lights should be banned, along with those stupid enough to drive around at night only using them. You either need your headlights, or you don't. Side lights should only be available with headlights selected to on, and the ignition off, i.e. when parking.

Or we could ban people who pull out of driveways without looking properly?

I can see where your coming from HotVrs, im a bus driver, and once it starts getting dark, esp when the wather isnt great, it can sometimes be impossible to spot "sidelight" cars when pulling out of a stop until there on top of you! I and many of the other drivers have had plenty of near misses!

Just leave the car to decide when the lights should be one really!

Never put the side lights on manually unless I were to be parked on a dodgy dark road or something.

Someone told me something that I didn't know a few weeks back (don't know if its true) but it is illegal to park your car facing the wrong way up the road... obviously this is because the front of your car doesn't have reflectors on but the back does.

Phil

Personally, sidelights are only ever used for parking. Dipped headlights if it's even slightly dull. Fogs only if visibility is very reduced.

It is true. When I did my theory test (April?) it came up and is something to do with lighting and so on. It also states you shoudn't pull up on the right and leave lights on as it dazzles oncoming cars.

There is no real situation where side lights should be used other than parking. The problem with poor weather is that people's view of how bad the conditions are to put their lights on varies. In some states in the USA it's the law that you have to put your headlights on if you are using your wipers.

I live in a heavily parked up suburban area. People who drive at night using side lights are really difficult to see when you try and see past the multitude of parked Transit vans as you creep out of your driveway. There have been numerous crashes on my street involving stealth vehicles with tiny useless side lights at night. Vehicles lit with side lights are harder to see than the average cycle light, and travelling a lot faster. Personally I think side lights should be banned, along with those stupid enough to drive around at night only using them. You either need your headlights, or you don't. Side lights should only be available with headlights selected to on, and the ignition off, i.e. when parking.

i agree completely. While perhaps the people that have pulled out should have looked better, it is true that cars driven on sidelights ar harder to spot.

While the law allows the use of sidelights where there is street lighting, the HC suggests that headlights or dim-dip is used.

113-116: Lighting requirements : Directgov - Travel and transport

As thankfully there aren't many cars with dim-dip, this effectively means dipped headlamps.

My car is black and when it's dirty it turns to the colour of tarmac. Camophlage is NOT an option out on the road so I tend to have to use sidelights a lot. Riding a motorbike nearly every day made me realise just how little attention other road users pay to what's sharing their space. Especially early Monday and late Friday so giving them as much chance to see you as possible is my M.O.

I blame manufacturers for giving us very little choice in car colour now-adays. Bring back the citreen yellows of the late '90s!