DRL / Daytime Running Lights / Driving Lights

[night_flight]

You need to flick the headlight switch to ON before you pull it out for the fog lights to come on, then your headlights should remain on.

thanks MKVIGTI this car suprises me daily....

[slipshot]

I'm making my first post here, so forgive me, but only because I had the DRL's on on my Golf and I wanted them turned off since I am not a fan of them on my own car.

One of the key reasons it was introduced in Scandinavian countries was because of the numerous snow storms and general snowing and an inability of some (a vast minority) or drivers to remember to turn their lights on. Couple that with low evening/morning sun reflecting off the snow and some cars were hard to see. Now, Australia is a very different country and while I understand the benefits of the system I'm quite capable of turning my lights on and off when I know it is required. Fortunately, now turned them off.

And remember DRL's do NOT turn on the rear lights, but on some Volvo's and Saab's, when they were introduced, the rear lights were also on.

In regards some other posts, it is impossible in the Golf to have fog lights on and headlights off since you have to go past the point of turning on lights to have fog lights on. That bugs me in this country - the amount of people who think fog lights should be on to make their car more visible. Makes no difference - I still see you.

And let's not forget that daytime running lights are very different to fog lights which are different to driving lights.

Sidelights (sometimes called parkers) are for those initial periods of reduced light, when you do not need to see forward, but your rear lights are on as well. The comes headlights when visibility is more reduced.

Fog lamps in Aus are really for aesthetics since I've never seen fog here that would require them to be used. Some manufacturers convert rears to brake lights or side lights - others leave them blank.

Driving lights are often wired into main beam and for night driving when there is no oncoming traffic. Very rare, if at all, do cars have these as standard.

I'm getting of my soapbox now! Sorry for minor rant but it just bugs me how DRL's can be considered valuable when to my mind it would be far more beneficial to ensure that lights come on with wipers in rain for example. Far more dangerous, far less visibility and in some US states, the law (and indeed the Golf in Auto mode will turn on lights when wipers are activated via the rain sensor), yet not policed.

Later

Andy

[logger]

The words "Here endeth the Sermon" come to mind

[Banzai]

I can honestly say I have been in several situations in this country where fog lights were certainly warranted. Combined fog and rain in the NSW Southern highlands and the NSW south coast. Heavy fog in Canberra and the Victorian Alps. These have been rare occasions and I could have gotten by without the fog lights but with visibility of only 10 to 20 metres I felt safer using them. As soon as the visibility improved I happily switched the fog lights off.

Alpine and some coastal regions do get the right conditions for fog lights. Canberra, and sometimes Sydney, can get pretty heavy fogs but otherwise the need for foglights in this country is almost non-existent. People who use them unnecessarily are very annoying.

[slipshot]

The words "Here endeth the Sermon" come to mind

Fair enough. Did tell you the soap box was in use. Just bugs me that's all...

[Corey_R]

Fair enough. Did tell you the soap box was in use. Just bugs me that's all...

Whilst it may bug you, there have been numerous studies all over the world that having Daytime Running Lights does make cars more visible during the day, even in countries such as Australia. Hence why it has been law on Motorbikes for years now. Just do a search on "Daytime Running Lights Australia" on google and see how many results come up.

I won't bother posting links as all of them support the use of them for safety.
So getting on your soap box against DRLs ain't much help when you're talking against numerous studies that support it

[elephino]

I haven't come across a car (personally) where you can turn the fog lights on without at least the parking lights on - and one car where they could only be turned on when high beam was on as well.

[slipshot]

I won't bother posting links as all of them support the use of them for safety.
So getting on your soap box against DRLs ain't much help when you're talking against numerous studies that support it

I'm sure there are numerous studies. But this is an opinion and I stand by it. I do think there are many other things that should take priority for safety, such as an annual inspection for cars to ensure they meet standards - that would save a heck of a lot more lives than DRL's.

Again, just an opinion and also supported by many more facts around the world. But I know the thread was on DRL's which I choose to have turned off. Each to his own and all that. Fair enough...

[Idle]

No matter what cause you espouse or don't espouse, you'll always find 'studies' that support your preferences.

Politicians of all persuasions are past masters at this and DRL's, where mandated, are made so by politicians.

Here in Victoria, despite that motorcycles have compulsory DRL's, we are suffering an almost unprecedented number of crashes involving motorcyclists this year. I've not yet seen a study explaining this phenomenon.

Personally, when driving in daylight I've no problem seeing everything that moves (or ceases to move) within my range of vision, and DRL's don't seem to materially extend this — I'm conscious of moving objects whether or not they are lit up. What is a problem, though, is motorcycles (and sometimes cars and trucks) without DRL's that run with high beams turned on in daylight — particularly cars with those horrid blue things that should never have been invented, let alone allowed to run loose.

Since soap now comes in cardboard boxes I'll get down off mine before it collapses.

And please don't confuse me with facts — my mind is made up!

[Ryan_R]

Rather than make a new thread, can I ask/confirm that on the rear of the Mk6 Golf, is there one reversing light, whereas the other is a fog light (which has nothing in it if the option wasn't requested)? Can the fog light be easily converted to a second reversing light; has anyone done this?

[Syd118TSI]

I believe the rear fog light is standard* and is engaged by pulling out the light dial.

* - At least on 118tsi up.

[logger]

Fog lamps in Aus are really for aesthetics since I've never seen fog here that would require them to be used.

As Banzai mentioned we do indeed get FOG here. Although I would suggest that 99.9% of Fog lamop use in this country is not in FOG, so I agree with your aesthetics line. For ages it used to peeve me off everyone driving around with their FOGs when in clear conditions. Hit the country roads at night and every third car routinely drives with FOGs on nowadays. Finally it dawned on me that these clowns are providing you a very useful service. Given that it is illegal to use them when not in FOG - it tells you that these cars are not Police cars coming at you with a radar. Now there's a tip

Sorry for minor rant but it just bugs me how DRL's can be considered valuable when to my mind it would be far more beneficial to ensure that lights come on with wipers in rain for example.

Andy

The way I understand it, you are not even really saying that DRLs are a useless. Are you not just suggestion lights on in rain would be relatively of more safety value?

Anyway I agree with much of what you say. I am just glad VW has given us the ability to turn them off, if we so choose.

[Ryan_R]

Oh ok, it must be just the front fog lights that are optional then.

[slipshot]

As Banzai mentioned we do indeed get FOG here. Although I would suggest that 99.9% of Fog lamop use in this country is not in FOG, so I agree with your aesthetics line. For ages it used to peeve me off everyone driving around with their FOGs when in clear conditions. Hit the country roads at night and every third car routinely drives with FOGs on nowadays. Finally it dawned on me that these clowns are providing you a very useful service. Given that it is illegal to use them when not in FOG - it tells you that these cars are not Police cars coming at you with a radar. Now there's a tip


The way I understand it, you are not even really saying that DRLs are a useless. Are you not just suggestion lights on in rain would be relatively of more safety value?

Anyway I agree with much of what you say. I am just glad VW has given us the ability to turn them off, if we so choose.

My ignorance on fog, so apologies. I'm only going off Melbourne, where I've never seen it, but if it does exist and is required, fair enough. Bit like the UK - rare they are needed but that does not stop people! Muppets.

As for DRL's, I think they look crap (as if I want to say hey look at me), but while I see they are of value, really only for those people who cannot think to turn their lights on when conditions exist. As you say, I think lights on in rain is far more important, will cause far less accidents yet nothing seems to be done about that. Hence the priorities seem to be wrong. Again, I can turn my lights on when conditions are appropriate but many cannot so they do provide a useless tool for those tools driving.

But I'm glad I can turn them off. But your comments are appreciated as I thought I was getting beaten up!

[Syd118TSI]

Oh ok, it must be just the front fog lights that are optional then.

Basically, though the front fogs are not optional on their own anymore, they need to be part of the 'Sports Pack' for regular variant Golfs (ie. not GTI or R which have Fog lights standard anyway). As to whether a dealer could retrofit fog lights, not sure.