Driving Lights

Avernar · 2025-06-15T22:02:11+00:00

px_eliezer_ Unfortunately it’s for vehicles sold after September 2021 so there’s still plenty of older vehicles running around with no lights in the dark (with the dashboard lit right up).

Somewhat-Reticent

Avernar Legally or not, you were parked - not driving.
( That said, it’s wise to be nice to an officer. )

Avernar

px_eliezer_ I don’t know if that charge would have stuck, cop sounds like a jerk.

After all you had done the SAFE thing by pulling over to make the call.

Judge probably would have tossed it based on my intent which is why I suspect he didn’t actually give me a ticket.

Somewhat-Reticent Legally or not, you were parked - not driving.
( That said, it’s wise to be nice to an officer. )

No. Unfortunately how a normal person interprets things is not how lawyers and the judicial system interpret things. Laws have specific definitions of English words and if the law defines parked as “having the vehicle in park in a legal parking area” then legally the distracted “driving” charge would legally still be valid.

I’ve fought and won against tickets where I found the loophole in the wording as it applied to my situation. Even though interpreting it as a normal English speaker would meant that I would have lost.

So even though it’s called Distracted Driving it all depends on what the law defines as “driving”. Actually, they usually phrase it as “operating a motor vehicle” which is defined in some subsection or other.

Thane_Bitter

@“santy”#p41698The previously generation (inc the Acura rebadge uses the same low power high beam for DRLs).

The funny thing about the dash, it is not actually the international symbol for headlamps though, seems they use the parking lamp (position lamp) symbol to mean, I am quoting as a “Light On Indicator”, and goes on to say “Comes on whenever the light switch is on, or in AUTO* when the exterior lights are on.” Which is somewhat ambiguous, though with AUTO (if equipped as in the case of your car) the issue is mostly moot because they will turn on by themselves. IMHO with or without AUTO they should have used the international headlight symbol.

Lights aside, Honda axed the split dash configuration which I think was a shame, having the speed & other pertinent information on top, with the radio/other beside it was very driver centric and good ergonomics. I was fond of the hatch back (only built in the UK but shipped worldwide). The 9th gen civic had a short run, I don’t know the reasons but with the 10th they seemed to unify Euro/NA into a single styling (but still peppered the Euro version with more upgrades).

Splitpair

Avernar Those are useless at night. Most car’s DRLs can barely be seen and GMs are half bright high beams which still end up blinding you. Plus it’s only the fronts.

They are also not a focused light it is intended as a warning, not for roadway illumination.

Splitpair

Somewhat-Reticent Add driving habit formation when law required headlights an hour after sunset,
and then add legislation that updates the deadline to an hour before sunset

Florida is in the center, headlights must be on at legal sunset and can be turned off after legal sunrise.

Many vehicles like my wife’s truck turn the headlights on and off automatically based on what is detected by a top of dashboard sensor.

Since neither of our trucks nor our car have DRL’s to increase visibility I installed the Philips DRL BC aftermarket DRL kit, it is simple to install and works by turning on the low beams at 50% once the vehicle is started.

Now that stated all of our vehicles had incandecent headlights I am not sure if that kit will work with factory installed LED headlights.

telcodad

Splitpair I installed the Philips DRL BC aftermarket DRL kit, it is simple to install and works by turning on the low beams at 50% once the vehicle is started.

Operating standard incandescent headlight bulbs that way would be OK, but it could be a problem with halogen bulbs.

Halogen bulbs are designed run very hot, which gives them a nice white light. The high heat and the halogen gas inside act to move the tungsten, that normally evaporates off of the filament and onto the inside of the bulb, back onto the filament. This is the “halogen cycle.” If the voltage is too low, or if you use a dimmer on those bulbs, the cycle then fails and the bulb will darken and fail early.

Splitpair

telcodad If the voltage is too low, or if you use a dimmer on those bulbs, the cycle then fails and the bulb will darken and fail early.

Good info to know, thanks.

Avernar

Splitpair They are also not a focused light it is intended as a warning, not for roadway illumination.

Front headlight DRLs are not meant to illuminate the roadway. They’re meant to make you more visible to other drivers which they do a poor job at.

Marker and tail lights are not a warning indicator. They’re meant to make the vehicle more visible in dim/no light from the back and sides. Which is why mandating having them on all the time is a good idea.

Somewhat-Reticent

Why not power them whenever operating vehicle, subject to light conditions?
After all, they’re little use in bright sunlight - though pretty.

Avernar

Somewhat-Reticent Why not power them whenever operating vehicle, subject to light conditions?
After all, they’re little use in bright sunlight - though pretty.

That’s what the newest Canadian law requires. Tail lights on when the DRLs are on (which effectively also turns on the side markers). Dash not lit up unless the lights are on. Lights on automatically when it gets dark.

Andyross

Avernar That’s what the newest Canadian law requires. Tail lights on when the DRLs are on (which effectively also turns on the side markers). Dash not lit up unless the lights are on. Lights on automatically when it gets dark.

But what about digital dashes? Does that mean your dash must remain black, even if you are not driving?

Avernar

Andyross But what about digital dashes? Does that mean your dash must remain black, even if you are not driving?

No. Not sure what the exact wording of the law is but my new vehicle has the digital dash on. Not sure why they included that one. It would have made a difference with older cars that didn’t have automatic lights when it’s dark feature, But with the lights turning on automatically on new vehicles, having a non-digital dash stay dark is superfluous.

Splitpair

Avernar Front headlight DRLs are not meant to illuminate the roadway. They’re meant to make you more visible to other drivers which they do a poor job at.

That is what I stated.

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