Milo Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Is it me or are there more and more people driving round with their xenons blazing in broad daylight or as soon as it gets cloudy? It's as if rather than having your front fogs on to attract attention, some drivers have turned [legally] to driving with their xenons on 24/7 I think the worst culprits seem to be Merc drivers but closely follwed by Audi and BMW. As xenons become more common/affordable on other brands, is it only time before Saxos (or their equivalent) will be hooning round our streets during the day, lit up like fecking Christmas trees? Ps - I've got xenons but don't feel the need to use them unless the conditions are such I would have used normal dipped beam. I just don't understand the need to advertise them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Could be auto lights that come on when the ambient light levels fall below a certain limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Is it me or are there more and more people driving round with their xenons blazing in broad daylight or as soon as it gets cloudy? [/ QUOTE ] Yep noticed that too. How to look a nob in a perfectly nice car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 You guys will be complaining if people use indicators next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Could be auto lights that come on when the ambient light levels fall below a certain limit. [/ QUOTE ] Yes thats exactly what it is. My father has auto xenons on his Merc, and they seem to come on when the sun goes in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpellypo Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 TBH, I have my headlights on (non xenon) permanently. The reason being the same as why bus drivers are instructed to have them on at all times (well, up here anyway), and also, bike riders. It's to be seen. I tried driving without them on for a spell and the amount of people who pulled out in front of me went up considerably. It's not about attracting attention in my case though, although I reckon the Evo/BMW M's/etc drivers do it because of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 It was seeing another post before that reminded me of something I saw this morning. It's 21°C and the sun is out yet I passed a Merc (no idea what sort ) with xenons on. But it's not just today; I see loads more people driving during the day with them on for no apparent reason IMO. It's a sort of "Hey, look at me". Yeh but you're in a £30k Merc anyway so why feel the need to advertise a £700 option? I tend not to use mine during the day as they clash with my yellowy front fogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 The ambient light level which automatically actions the lights is pretty low (on the Mk5 GTI), so I would say that if the Xenons come on due to the automatic sensor, then they really do need to be on. The auto lights feature, when switched on, will activate the headlights at speeds above 85ish and not switch off automatically until you have driven for considerable time at under 40 - Weird feature. Mine doesn't do this but there are plenty reports of this happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Sorry chaps, but no ambient light sensor on the planet would turn on the lights in total sunshine! e.g. today, its scorching. 25 on the DIS etc. blue skies.... and I just saw a merc with xenons blazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Merc drivers seem to be the main culprits to me, it's so feckin annoying when they are coming up a hill towards you "Arghhh I'm blind!" And your right about HID kits becoming more affordable, I've just brought a kit for the 156 for a pretty reasonable price. So in a year or so's time expect Chav boy to have them at his local krooze... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpellypo Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] The ambient light level which automatically actions the lights is pretty low (on the Mk5 GTI), so I would say that if the Xenons come on due to the automatic sensor, then they really do need to be on. The auto lights feature, when switched on, will activate the headlights at speeds above 85ish and not switch off automatically until you have driven for considerable time at under 40 - Weird feature. Mine doesn't do this but there are plenty reports of this happening. [/ QUOTE ] It's actually 90mph, not 85, hence maybe why yours doesn't appear to do it. It's an assumption that you're driving on the motorway at high speeds and you want people to get out of your way! My auto headlights also appear to come on in really bright sunlight (as noted by the coming/leaving home feature) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] The ambient light level which automatically actions the lights is pretty low (on the Mk5 GTI), so I would say that if the Xenons come on due to the automatic sensor, then they really do need to be on. [/ QUOTE ] Not on dads Merc they're not. They'll come on on a clear dry afternoon if it's slightly overcast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccombie_5 Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] TBH, I have my headlights on (non xenon) permanently. The reason being the same as why bus drivers are instructed to have them on at all times (well, up here anyway), and also, bike riders. It's to be seen. I tried driving without them on for a spell and the amount of people who pulled out in front of me went up considerably. It's not about attracting attention in my case though, although I reckon the Evo/BMW M's/etc drivers do it because of this. [/ QUOTE ] The only bus drivers I ever see with their lights on are the Stagecoach and Arriva drivers, the Go Wear and Go Gateshead buses dont have lights, apprently. My dad drives his wagon with the lights on too, despite it being a very tangy shade of green. Julie drives with her dipped beams on all the time, she lives in North Yorkshire and was taught after not very long of living there that there is a reason why bikers have their lights on all the time, and driving a mauve car, she took the same approach. See and be seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanG Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 I have daytime running lights which are simply the side lights, but these are on all the time, rather like a Volvo.... And I have a very strange auto light sensor, its sometimes on in bright sunshine, and when I go into a tunnel, it sometimes wont come on...... but then again the clock runs about 8 minutes fast every week...... oh and its a VW Touareg..... so that'll explain that 'feature' then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 I will always put my lights on when "making progress" on country roads, as this seems to indicate to other drivers that you may be driving faster than usual. (although I don't have xenons ) Back home I tend to use my lights a lot as I drive on single track fen roads and it's nice to see a set or red lights ahead, rather than wonder if you're converging at a rate of 150mph... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Could be auto lights that come on when the ambient light levels fall below a certain limit. [/ QUOTE ] Yes, the sensor on my BM seems quite keen to turn them on. If you notice (a big if!), then there is a kind of reluctance to turn them off. After all, a car this clever thinks it dark, who am I to disagree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I will always put my lights on when "making progress" on country roads, as this seems to indicate to other drivers that you may be driving faster than usual. [/ QUOTE ] I can see why that would be a good idea and I do it myself. On Sunday on our run, I had my side lights on as much for the driver behind me. I then put my dipped beam on (xenons) when it got a little wet and overcast and the roads we were on were getting narrower. I think it was only right to warn people on roads barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass that I (we) were approaching at speed (less than 60 though ). It's this driving round the doors at 12 noon on a summers day with them on that I don't get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] It's actually 90mph, not 85, hence maybe why yours doesn't appear to do it. It's an assumption that you're driving on the motorway at high speeds and you want people to get out of your way! [/ QUOTE ] ....Er, I wrote "85ish" and actually consciously tested this at well over 90 for the sake of a thread in the GTI forum. My Pioneer SatNav's display will automatically switch from day to night-mode whenever any of my car's lights (including side lights) come on whether automatically or manually, so this makes testing very easy. I think that most sensible drivers use their common sense about when to use headlights, especially if they are Xenons....Consideration of other road users etc. I'll only use them in daylight to make someone aware of my approach from behind if driving faster than the general traffic and then only temporarily. When I first joined TSN I got teased mercilessly about using fogs....I learnt from you guys . There's too many lazy feckers out there who don't focus enough on their driving. It's not speed which kills but bad driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 I'm with drpellypo on this - I always use dipped beam when I'm driving. The RS6 is darkest colour car I've ever had and I want to make sure that I'm visible. The other reason for this is that I've heard it said that Xenon lights can confuse laser guns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stackmonkey Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I will always put my lights on when "making progress" on country roads, as this seems to indicate to other drivers that you may be driving faster than usual. [/ QUOTE ] I do this as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] The other reason for this is that I've heard it said that Xenon lights can confuse laser guns! [/ QUOTE ] ....Please tell us more! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] It's this driving round the doors at 12 noon on a summers day with them on that I don't get. [/ QUOTE ] Totally mate. With so many cars having xenons it will hardly gain any attention. I like it when you really have to squint to see that they have their lights on, surely this must mean that all their dash etc is hard to read in the sunlight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] ....Please tell us more! . [/ QUOTE ] It's only hearsay - I have no proof or conclusive evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_d Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] ....Please tell us more! . [/ QUOTE ] It's only hearsay - I have no proof or conclusive evidence. [/ QUOTE ] Probably unlikely tbh. I can't imagine the xenons emitting enough electro-magnetic radiation in the laser gun frequency to cause any real issues. There won't be a problem with reflection either, as they aim the gun at your number plate Infact, thinking about it, xenons may attract police attention and cause them to target your car, as technically they are only allowed to target cars which they believe to be speeding (they can't technically blanket target every car)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 Do laser guns work at night ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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