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DRL wannabes......foglights to manual


Soulboy
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I have to come clean here as well.

My Golf R has them fitted and I was going to turn them off when I first got it - as I dont like attracting attention (especially from thieves). But they are quite subtle (comparitive to Audis) and I think they look ok.

I was still 50/50 though, but in the end I have left them on for safety reasons. The car is black and the winter is drawing in, so whats the point in turning them off.

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They can simply help you look like a complete chav when you fit them as after-market accessories.

Edited for accuracy

. DRL's have helped me on more than one occasion when overtaking and spotting a black car coming towards me in black shadows on a bright day. I know several stretches of road where this happens, and where accidents happen.

Jesus - well don't feckin overtake on those stretches of road

the DRL's are wired to automatically switch on whenever any other light is switched on, even auto lights on sensor.

:roflmao:

So you've got some lights that come on at the same time as other lights. So why didn't you just leave your foglights on the car then instead of wasting your money?

The idea behind DRLs (whether LED or normal bulbs, like all the MK6 Golfs have on them as standard) is that they're on regardless, not when you put your other lights on.

Front sidelights on the Mk5 Golf are almost useless. That's partly why so many change the bulbs to LED.

Oh come on :rolleyes: - people put LED sidelights on cars so they look cool. End of.

Using active lights as DRL's at headlight level can potentially confuse bikers.

:roflmao:

Really? So how many bikers were part of your extensive research, Robin, to ascertain this little nugget of information?

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So anybody thinking they are pointless or chav looking, go and speak to the above manufacturers as thats the way they seem to be heading..... DRL all the way :D

You've missed the point Riz - DRLs are becoming EU law, which is why they're being fitted. It's the fitting of DRLs, specifically LED DRLs as aftermarket options to cars that never had them to start with that people are objecting to.

If you want DRLs on your car without them, just turn the sidelights or headlights on dipped.

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Relatively subtle IMHO.

post-2750-137914458224_thumb.jpg

post-2750-137914458222_thumb.jpg

And back to the first post....................has anyone noticed an increase in people driving with their fogs on, in the hope that people will think they have DRLs. Or just me?

Great thread. Keep up the good work

Edited by Soulboy
It took me half an hour to work out how to upload the pics!
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Bikers have said that when they are being closely followed by a car with headlights on they can sometimes not be seen because other traffic thinks that two lights is a car, their third light being obscured. This is what the surveys said.

So are the bikers confused or the car drivers coming the other way confused...?

Make your mind up :rolleyes:

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Personally having first thought that DRL's look rubbish but seeing the point of them I've now changed.

They do offer an advantage on safety, often that isn't when its dark either but in pure bright sunlight so you can see the lights from the car instead of the sun a point many people don't realise about. I haven't got any on mine or fitted any to the cars either but there is a benefit to them despite how this thread seems to just want to gang up on people who have a differing view to them.

As for Red, good points but the location of your DRL's and the shape in particular is always going to have them singled out as foglights that are on all the time unfortuantley. Most people aren't inteligent to realise otherwise as this thread highlights.:rolleyes:

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They do offer an advantage on safety, often that isn't when its dark either but in pure bright sunlight so you can see the lights from the car instead of the sun a point many people don't realise about.

That's a good point, I leave my headlights on the Auto setting and it seems to put on certain lights when i'm driving directly towards or away from a very low bright sun, presumably this is to make you more visible. I guess DRL's do the same job.

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That's a good point, I leave my headlights on the Auto setting and it seems to put on certain lights when i'm driving directly towards or away from a very low bright sun, presumably this is to make you more visible. I guess DRL's do the same job.

....Exactly that. The only problem with auto lights though is the delayed response from the sensor and the possibility that alternating through bright light and dark shadows might result in other drivers thinking you are flashing your lights at them.

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I don't know about VAG Auto lights, but on Fords, they come on instantly when they detect either a lower level of ambient light, or artificial light (e.g. entering a tunnel) and there is no delay (or if there is, it's measured in milliseconds), sure they can't anticipate like you would yourself, but they are instant.

And once they come on, they stay on for a few minutes, so no ones going to think you are flashing them.

I really think you've over thought all this RR, perhaps just to defend all the light hearted (certainly from me) banter and mickey taking.

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This is why I can't help thinking it would be good to have the DRLs on a light sensor too (maybe just responding to direct sunlight). That way, they don't dazzle you even more when it's sunny, except for when they're in shadow - which I'll accept is when they can be useful.

It may just be me, but Audi and Merc DRLs seem far brighter than others, to the extent I think it must be intentional to appeal to the "look at me" character of their stereotypical owners. I agree with stooH that those on the new Golf R are fairly subtle, as are those on the 911 - which somehow manage to give a softer, less intrusive light.

Oh and it has to be said, to my eternal sorrow, that Audi have finally been trumped in the hopelessly chavtastic DRL stakes - by Range Rover. :(

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Garcon, your definately right, particularly Audi DRL's, they are much brighter, to the extent they can actually be quite dazzling on a dim day if your up close, and the fact they have the option to 'dim' the DRL's when you turn the indicators on just proves this point, as obviously they are so bright they mask the indicators, hardly a safety feature.

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My understanding of it is that it's due to the green issue. If the EU had told everyone to switch their lights on then they would have actually contributed to a lot more carbon output. LEDs use approximately bugger all energy so they got introduced without the finger being pointed at them for being hypocritical.

I don't think so. I remember reading an article about LED DRLs a few years ago. Volvo were asked how much extra petrol is consumed by Sidelights vs. LED DRLs. Their response was that regular sidelight bulbs consume such a small amount of extra energy from the engine that they are unable to calculate extra petrol consumed and emissions generated.

IMO LED DRLs are a benefit to road safety. I see so many people (especially now it's winter) in the gloomy, drizzle without even sidelights on, it's ridiculous. I know it should be a case of educating these people to do the right thing, but that's not going to happen. Audi's fairy lights do look stupid, but I imagine as they become the norm, this will be toned down. I hope!

In fact, I have noticed that FEWER cars seem to be driving round with their fogs on this autumn. Maybe it'll change again once we're into the depths of winter. Or I just don't live near as many chavs as you lot :P

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Garcon, your definately right, particularly Audi DRL's, they are much brighter, to the extent they can actually be quite dazzling on a dim day if your up close, and the fact they have the option to 'dim' the DRL's when you turn the indicators on just proves this point, as obviously they are so bright they mask the indicators, hardly a safety feature.

They do indeed have two levels. They do the indicator wink (unless you disable it via VAG-COM) plus they also drop to half brightness when the dipped lights come on.

I doubt Audi decided on the brightness as a random thing. I'm sure it would have been done to comply with what ever the EU standard is. I do agree however that the brightness of them (and not just Audi) can be distracting .... but I guess that means that you're seen and hence they work ??

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RR - Have you replaced the complete foglight unit with a DRL unit or have you removed the bulbs from the foglight unit and put LED replacements in?

....Yes, it's a complete replacement - Fully E-marked and officially approved dedicated Hella LED DRL units and I now have no front fogs. The front fog switch on the dashboard actions nothing. I'm in the process of having twin LED rear fogs and twin reversing LED's but that's another story and another piss-take. :grin:

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I have incandescant DRLs and have left them on as per others was planning on turning them off but thought might add slightly to the chances of someone seeing me. Riding a bike, I know in reality this is unlikely as have heard all the excuses such as when bikes had twin headlights thought was a car at a distance not a bike nearby so found it a bit worrying that bikes now come with headlights you can't switch off... I only have one bulb so when that fails I will only have main beam & 2 5w side-lights so struggling a little with the road safety benefits to me. I haven't read any research but I do wonder once the "headlight dazzled me" excuse has run its time what the next one will be - probably all the headlights/DRLs etc. etc. dazzled me. Motorcylists above all others know to look out of cars & cars should look out for cars not subcontract road safety to the EU. I have read research showing the huge drop off in multi-tasking ability above the age of 40 so I do wonder if we are just making a relatively simple situation far more confusing as there are so many stumuli for the driver to process now, before it was go/don't go with far fewer distractions. So in summary I am the worse kind of hypocrite - don't agree with them, agree less with them becoming law but still have joined the club & left them on !

Edited by mb
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