1 minute ago, silver1011 said:

 

Too much hassle.

 

Brake lights aren't going to blind anyone unless they're determined to stare directly at them.

 

That's a very selfish pov - it is very uncomfortable if your eyesight is more sensitive at night. Still, don't want to put you to any trouble, so you carry on avoiding such a lot of hassle.

@Sweephand

Some VW Group vehicles have the Brake Lights on with 'Auto Hold' and others do not.

A pity some drivers are not aware which have what.

33 minutes ago, Sweephand said:

 

I use neutral and handbrake at lights etc, so I don't blind the people behind. I don't like sitting behind someone with brake lights on so I don't do that to others. Enough reason for me not to want autohold. 

 

Same here, some of the bigger 4x4 vehicles are particularly bad for sitting with bright brake lights on at the lights. I can't ever remember having a problem with a handbrake other than worn pads / shoes. I wonder if the next few years will see some hefty repair bills on auto parking brakes. Tech for the sake of it. Why not replace the steering wheel with a joystick or something?

 

On the subject of unnecessary new tech ...

 

I was with my brother today - I won't say what he drives as its a dreadful choice of vehicle … Tech wise it has quite a bit of kit including the wonderfully useful keyless start system. 

 

If he walks a couple of steps away the car locks its self, and to help you know about this wonderful useful function it gives a little toot on the horn. Great when unloading shopping at home he tells me (sarcasm, he hates it too) I bet the neighbors love it. When he walked around the front of the car to get in walking from the passenger door to the drivers door it locked and tooted then unlocked again. Who honestly thought this was a good idea?? 

 

 

14 minutes ago, VRS_White_Hatch said:

 

Tech wise it has quite a bit of kit including the wonderfully useful keyless start system. 

 

If he walks a couple of steps away the car locks its self, and to help you know about this wonderful useful function it gives a little toot on the horn. Great when unloading shopping at home he tells me (sarcasm, he hates it too) I bet the neighbors love it. When he walked around the front of the car to get in walking from the passenger door to the drivers door it locked and tooted then unlocked again. Who honestly thought this was a good idea?? 

 

 

 

Tech for the sake of tech is not always good  

I was behind a Mini Clubman last night and it's brake lights seemed to be the high intensity fog lights! When I passed, its front fogs were on so maybe this was a 'feature'. Anyway in clear weather they were fierce, even though they are low down.

Edited 6 November, 20196 yr by Sweephand

2 hours ago, Sweephand said:

That's a very selfish pov - it is very uncomfortable if your eyesight is more sensitive at night. Still, don't want to put you to any trouble, so you carry on avoiding such a lot of hassle.

It is not much extra hassle if you are driving a manual car, but negates some benefits of auto transmission.  It would be good if the simply clever car makers could find a smart solution for this, e.g. turn off the brake lights if the car is stopped and a stationary vehicle is detected behind it.

 

If in doubt, see the highway code.

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/lighting-requirements-113-to-116

 

Rule 114

In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.

 

 

i use neutral and the parking brake 95% of the time I'm stopped.  As I say, it gives more control more than anything.

 

Also, I believe if you get hit from behind and then hit a car in front, but you don't have the parking brake engaged when you should have, that get classed as your fault as you hadn't got the car stopped and braked appropriately.  Your foot can easily slip off the brake in an impact and cause a chain reaction 

if however you have the parking brake engaged, the car is safe, your foot can go wherever and you are just a stationary object.  If you get hit and then shunt the person in front, it's not your fault and I am told that is the person behind who takes liability for the damage of the car you then hit, as well as yours.

 

Plus, brake lights are, by nature, very bright and annoying and I don't want to blind people.

 

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by Alex-W

7 hours ago, Sweephand said:

 

That's a very selfish pov - it is very uncomfortable if your eyesight is more sensitive at night. Still, don't want to put you to any trouble, so you carry on avoiding such a lot of hassle.

 

Not really, it's simply progress.

 

My LED headlights cause more discomfort than my brake lights. Nothing I can do about those either.

23 minutes ago, Alex-W said:

If in doubt, see the highway code.

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/lighting-requirements-113-to-116

 

Rule 114

In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.

 

The Highway Code also permits the use of sidelights, at night in built-up areas.

 

How many of us follow that advice?

It's doesn't say you should use sidelights.  

It does say you should apply the parking brake.

 

14 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

 

Not really, it's simply progress.

 

My LED headlights cause more discomfort than my brake lights. Nothing I can do about those either.

But there IS something you can do about having your foot in the brake, when it doesn't need to be...

 

 

I don't really get the issue, it's second nature to me, I don't even realise I'm doing it, to the point that if I don't have a manual parking brake I'm automatically reaching for it without thinking and failing to find it with my left hand, hence it's annoying.

It's such little effort to use a brake properly.

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by Alex-W

55 minutes ago, Alex-W said:

If in doubt, see the highway code.

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/lighting-requirements-113-to-116

 

Rule 114

In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.

 

 

i use neutral and the parking brake 95% of the time I'm stopped.  As I say, it gives more control more than anything.

 

Also, I believe if you get hit from behind and then hit a car in front, but you don't have the parking brake engaged when you should have, that get classed as your fault as you hadn't got the car stopped and braked appropriately.  Your foot can easily slip off the brake in an impact and cause a chain reaction 

if however you have the parking brake engaged, the car is safe, your foot can go wherever and you are just a stationary object.  If you get hit and then shunt the person in front, it's not your fault and I am told that is the person behind who takes liability for the damage of the car you then hit, as well as yours.

 

Plus, brake lights are, by nature, very bright and annoying and I don't want to blind people.

 

 

Then you Believe  wrong, that's not the case.

 

Also advanced driving always advise you to keep your foot on the brake at junctions/lights/roundabouts as its far safer.

 

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by skoda2019

35 minutes ago, Alex-W said:

It's doesn't say you should use sidelights.  

It does say you should apply the parking brake.

 

But there IS something you can do about having your foot in the brake, when it doesn't need to be...

 

 

I don't really get the issue, it's second nature to me, I don't even realise I'm doing it, to the point that if I don't have a manual parking brake I'm automatically reaching for it without thinking and failing to find it with my left hand, hence it's annoying.

It's such little effort to use a brake properly.

 

You missed the point.

 

The Highway Code advocates the use of driving in the dark with only sidelights on. 

 

None of us follow that advice for obvious reasons.

 

In the same way that common sense dictates using dipped headlights the same methodology should apply when choosing whether or not to stare directly at brake lights.

14 hours ago, logiclee said:

 

I'f you want proper fun don't buy a FWD family hatch.   There's proper ways to slide the back end and that needs power to the rear wheels.

 

The Octavia by missing out on Electric Hand Brake also missed out on Auto Hold.  

You said it! These two items would so improve the day to day driving experience with dsg for me. Experienced on VW Arteon when i drove one as a hire car in Germany for work a few months ago.

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by Scotty72
typo ;)

10 minutes ago, Scotty72 said:

You said it! These two items would so improve the day to day driving experience with dsg for me. Experienced on VW Arteon when i drove one as a bite car in Germany for work a few months ago.

 

Yep, if you spend hours in the car every day for work or commuting then Auto box and Auto Hold is a match made in heaven.

^^^ That and stop / start.  & the ability to switch off stop start as you want or need to.

And lights and switches to switch on and off as required.  What a pity so many use 'Auto' as the default for their lights and have no idea if on or off, or just DRL's on to the front & the rear is not lit and the poor rear reflectors are not adaquate for the poor visibility they are driving in.

 

Funnily now my daily driver is again just an Auto with a hand brake / parking brake used manually & lights i need to switch on and wipers i need to choose the speed of.

Great just driving, but a PITA in really slow moving city traffic.

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

2 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

^^^ That and stop / start.  & the ability to switch off stop start as you want or need to.

And lights and switches to switch on and off as required.  What a pity so many use 'Auto' as the default for their lights and have no idea if on or off, or just DDRL's on to the front.

 

Funnily now my daily driver is again just an Auto with a hand brake / parking brake used manually & lights i need to switch on and wipers i need to choose the speed of.

Great just driving, but a PITA in really slow moving city traffic.

my vRS has auto lights (no real need to move the switch elsewhere) and front DRLs and more irritatingly randomly working ok auto wipers.. again the mk1 eyeball has the ability to tell when the screen needs wiping better than the auto system. Even on the most sensitive setting it still can't get it right at times its very inconsistent.

14 hours ago, Roottootemoot said:

Vorsprung Durch Technik.

 

Manual parking brakes in Scala & Kamiq.

One might assume that VW Group knows something about just how many issues there are with e-brakes.

 

 

Lets hope that VW Group have learned loads from Ford and the Durashifts they had.

It cost me over £2,200 to have the actuator replaced on a 2001 Ford Transit with push button gear changes.

(It had been a Ford Demonstrator that should have been scrapped but a dealership had sold early. It was years later before i discovered that.)

 

 Yes indeed.

@Scotty72

I hope your Dipped Beam come on automatically as often as you think they should be on when lighting requires.

There are a lot driving about in cars the same as you without Dipped Beam on when they should be on, so that must be down to the driver or the fact the switch is at Auto.

5 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

@Scotty72

I hope your Dipped Beam come on automatically as often as you think they should be on when lighting requires.

There are a lot driving about in cars the same as you without Dipped Beam on when they should be on, so that must be down to the driver or the fact the switch is at Auto.

They work just fine thanks, being LED lights they are very noticeable, the DRLs run all the time anyway.. you also get a nice clue on the lighting dial too it changes colour. To be honest the issue you mention of not having lights on is far more prevalent for older cars which won't have auto lights. Thats what I notice where I live. The auto generally helps drivers like that who don't even care to notice if the lights are on.

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by Scotty72

@Scotty72

I have no idea where you drive or how many miles you drive but older cars and not the issue in my experience of covering a lot of miles in Scotland.

Old cars are not common in many areas.

The issue is cars less than 3 years old that i see.  That can be Hybrids and EV's and premium models.

As it is i notice Skoda's quite a lot and Octavia vRS as rather common in Scotland and many are driven either without lights other than DRL's in rain and poor visability or fully lit up like many Superbs are when Dipped Beam and Sidelights would be just fine.

 

Worst roads i see for no lights on are around the South West of Scotland / A77 area, 

and then early mornings.

The crowd that take the car for a Sunday paper early are driving with their clock of invisibility in older cars.

 

North East of Scotland / Aberdeen /Aberdeenshire, they often have the newest and brightest lights that do not adapt quick enough 

to roads humps and bumps, or light conditions IME.

 

Total PITA are Traffic Police Drivers in BMW's / Volvos etc in Edinburgh / Glasgow in gridlock traffic, they either have Autohold and that has rear Brake Lights on or they keep their foot on the brake pedal.

You dont want to sit behind one of them if it is taking many minutes per mile to crawl along with lots of long stops.

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

Auto light systems are good for low light levels and most are good enough for rain as they come on with wipers.

 

But for daytime fog very questionable.  In daytime fog a manual override is usually required and it seems many drivers don't bother.

52 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

 

 What a pity so many use 'Auto' as the default for their lights and have no idea if on or off, or just DRL's on to the front & the rear is not lit and the poor rear reflectors are not adaquate for the poor visibility they are driving in.

 

 

I have had my rear lights altered to be  on all the time with the DRL's, no number plate lights until the dipped beam comes on, its surprising how many people drive around in poor weather with only the DRL's on and as you say with no rear lights lit

 

 

Edited 7 November, 20196 yr by Auric Goldfinger

34 minutes ago, logiclee said:

Auto light systems are good for low light levels and most are good enough for rain as they come on with wipers.

 

But for daytime fog very questionable.  In daytime fog a manual override is usually required and it seems many drivers don't bother.

Again I'd totally agree.. I think the auto light system is very good for visible light levels.

Maybe just seems some people on this thread don't seem to agree this is the case and also forget that the auto setting can be set off  The main cause of people driving around without lights on in low light levels was the advent of permanently lit instruments in the car.. when they used to only come on with the lights you didn't get this problem as if you couldn't see the dials you put the lights on instinctively.

 

Anyway what would I know about visibility/lighting and needing to be seen from 18 years of year round all weather motorcycle commuting and now just over a year of all year all weather cycling as part of my commute.

The highway code is way behind modern car systems and even further behind when we consider EV.

The 'Fog Light' & Cornering Fog Lights / Headlights is a EU horlicks with the outdated UK Highway code and Road Traffic Laws in the UK.

 

I am such a Dim Dip fan from having had a Volvo. 

No harm in Dipped Beam & Sidelights (position lights) on in the UK from August to the end July as a law.

What is such a problem with vehicles moving having lights to the front and rear on, if sunny and they are on what the problem with that for low power using bulbs.

12 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Brake lights aren't going to blind anyone unless they're determined to stare directly at them.

I've just got back from a month in the USA where nearly all cars are automatics and EVERYONE sits on the brake pedal at traffic lights.

 

My 63 year old eyes did not like 3 very bright brake lights right in front of them for minutes at a time, especially after dark (no I don't have cataracts, just old eyes).