Vehicle lights

[HoughMade]

I've been told I left my lights on when, in fact, they always stay on for something like 45 seconds after I exit the vehicle, then turn themselves off.

I've also been told that I had a headlight out when, in fact, the headlight turns off when the turn signal in the same cluster comes on. It's just the way it works.

Sometimes the vehicle owner isn't the idiot. Sometimes.

 

[rvb]

I've been told I left my lights on when, in fact, they always stay on for something like 45 seconds after I exit the vehicle, then turn themselves off.

I've also been told that I had a headlight out when, in fact, the headlight turns off when the turn signal in the same cluster comes on. It's just the way it works.

Sometimes the vehicle owner isn't the idiot. Sometimes.

most vehicles have a way to adjust how long the lights stay on (or let you disable this "feature"). Chevy right? I've noticed that. Another dumb lighting design decision, IMO, in addition to the use of reverse lights JK mentioned...

-rvb

 

[HoughMade]

The headlight thing, I don't know that it's "dumb". It doesn't bother me. It seems to bother others.

 

[Lt Scott 14]

Agree about the auto switch, it does make lights go on when driving. Also agree that during inclement weather it is safer to run headlights/taillights, for your safety. White color cars in snowstorm, no lights on, is an accident waiting to happen. Foggy days make gray color vehicles(no lights on) another target to collide with. Add pouring rain, wind blown snow(white out conditions), and your insurance can take a hit from other people hitting you! Use your headlights, and tailights. Seems like running lights in front don't mean taillights on either? (GM?)

Now lets review the Airplane Landing Lights that some Pickup Cowboys are running. The add on Grill Lights, and tailight stop bar lights do quite a number on eyes at night. Even Police LED Lightbars have a blinding issue despite their safety regard. Yes, they all need to be safe on roads with Idiot Drivers too busy to quit texting, and move over to a lane. Whats wrong with slowing down a little, giving due regard to the guy on the side of the road. Truckers use Diamond Reflectors to indicate thy are curbed or broken down. Hazard blinkers help... use them!

Most roads can be driven, even in snow. Learn how to deal with ice, and rain. Stay off the cellphones! Use your lights and become safer. If you need drivers training, get some help. Don't kill the rest of us going to work or school! Nothing further.

 

[rvb]

My truck came with a stupid lighting feature I had to bypass...

Sometimes I like to turn on the parking lights so the dash lights will come on, making the gauges easier to see. Depends on light, sun position, if I'm wearing sun glasses, etc.

A couple days after I bought this truck (2010) I had such a day and turned on the parking lights, then the headlights, but no interior lights came on. Tried it a couple times and thought crap, I'm going to have to take it back to the dealer for them to look at it. It just so happened I left the lights in the ON position (not AUTO). When I pulled in the garage, the dash lights came on! I figured out the interior lights were ALWAYS tied to AUTO, no matter where I set the switch. Dug through the settings, manual, online, etc, and couldn't find a way to change it.

I always take it to the dealer for the first oil change or two so I asked them if there was a way to bypass that and they said no, most folks just throw a hat or glove over the sensor if they want the interior lights on, which is what I had been doing. This truck's gauges don't have a lot of contrast so I knew I'd frequently be wanting to light them up even when the sensor said it was still daytime, so I took the sensor cover off, and spray painted the inside a mat black, and re-installed. So now my truck's AUTO works just like ON, because it always thinks it's dark out. And I can turn on the dash lights when ever *I* want, just like every other vehicle I've ever owned.

-rvb

 

[ws6guy]

Also a lot of cars gauge cluster illuminates anytime the car is running so it gives the falsehood that the headlights are on. My wifes last 2 cars where that way, they had a separate headlight indicator showing that they are on.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Not all newer cars have the auto feature btw. My 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS doesn't have auto lights.

 

[JettaKnight]

Not all newer cars have the auto feature btw. My 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS doesn't have auto lights.

My vehicles are older, but I'm not sure an eight old car qualifies as "newer".

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Well my thoughts were my car is almost identical to the 2018 Lancers (last year for them), so maybe when you see a newer looking car that you think should have auto head lights that it may not.

 

[ghuns]

Long story. Slow day at work...

The wife and I often go out to dinner with another couple. We have all known each other since childhood. We like to go to a local brew pub and drink entirely too much beer, except my buddy's wife. She doesn't like beer, so she's our DD. She’s also a redhead, more on that later. My buddy is obsessive compulsive about his vehicles. They had just bought a brand new Honda CRV to replace a Mini Cooper that his wife crashed. We were getting ready to go and he jumped in his 2010s 4-Runner. His wife objected, she wanted to drive her shiny new CRV. He didn't want to drive it because the parking situation at the brew pub is not great and he didn't want it scratched or dinged. She objected since she'd be driving home and hated driving his "bus". But she relented, and we took the 4-Runner.


The three of us drank a fair amount that night. We discovered a great DIPA that was about 9%, and we drank them like water. Just for fun, we convinced my buddy's wife to try a sip. Knowing she's not a big beer drinker, and knowing that DIPA would make her eyes cross.

When it was time to go, we loaded up, boys in back, girls in front. Our DD pulled out onto the well lit city street. Immediately, she is lit up by the po-po, and pulls over. I look back and notice it's a State Trooper. A rare sight in town. Us three drunks are all giggling and teasing her, recalling LivePD episodes, Super Troopers scenes, etc. And since she’s a redhead, she’s NOT generally amused by us teasing her about ANYTHING.


Trooper Doogie Howser, no kidding, he looked 12, comes up and says, ma’am, do you know why I pulled you over? She says, no. He says, you're driving without your headlights on. This flipped her redhead switch to full power. Her head swivels 180 degrees to face her husband in the seat directly behind her. She yells at him, YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THIS F*#KING POS DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY TURN ON ITS OWN F#$KING HEADLIGHTS!!! I TOLD YOU I WANTED TO DRIVE MY CAR!!! IT TURNS ON THE LIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY!!! MY LAST THREE F*&KING CARS HAVE ALL TURNED ON THE LIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY!!! BUT NO!!! WE HAD TO DRIVE YOUR F*^KING BUS!!! I HAVE NEVER BEEN PULLED OVER IN MY LIFE!!! NOW WE'RE SITTING HERE CAUSE THIS POS DOESN'T TURN ON ITS OWN GD HEADLIGHTS!!!


Since I’m not married to her, I find her redhead outbursts to be funny. Since I’m kinda drunk, I start laughing uncontrollably. My wife, also laughing, is FaceTime video chatting this whole scene to our adult aged children, who too are laughing hysterically. Her hubby, wanting to live, invoked his right to remain silent.


Trooper Howser, not the least amused by the scene, says, ma’am, have you been drinking tonight? Now, she’s a redhead, but she’s honest to a fault. She says, well, I did have a sip of their beer.


Trooper Howser rolls his eyes so visibly I swear I HEARD it. He says, ma’am, I’m gonna need you step out of the car. At this point, me, the wife, the kids on the phone all fall silent. We all know this is could go one of two ways: she goes to redhead level infinity, Trooper Howser rightly fears for his life, and we die in a hail of bullets. Or, she takes a breath and complies. Thankfully, she complied.


To our delight, Trooper Howser takes her through the WHOLE field sobriety protocol, which we all record on our phones. Even repeating some test because he just can’t believe this woman is actually stone cold sober. He finally administered a PBT and she blew a big fat ZERO. In disbelief, he told her to have a nice night and that she was free to go.

We didn't die. They didn't get divorced, but it was touch and go for a minute.

I came away thinking auto headlights were probably a good thing.

 

[Bosshoss]

My gripe is the Chevy decision to turn on the backup lights when the car locks/unlocks. I've lost count of how many times I've stopped in parking lot to wait for the parked car to back out before realizing what was happening. WTF did someone think that was a good idea?

The backup lights coming on when locking/unlocking is a nice feature when you have to get in the back of a vehicle in a dark garage or parking lot.
Pretty sure GM nor I care about inconveniencing the lot lizards trolling the parking lot looking for a spot 50 feet closer to the door.

 

[JettaKnight]

The backup lights coming on when locking/unlocking is a nice feature when you have to get in the back of a vehicle in a dark garage or parking lot.
Pretty sure GM nor I care about inconveniencing the lot lizards trolling the parking lot looking for a spot 50 feet closer to the door.

I'm not one for finding a close spot (I don't mind the walk), I just don't want someone hitting me.

As for light, why not put the light inside the trunk lid or hatch?

 

[JettaKnight]

Well my thoughts were my car is almost identical to the 2018 Lancers (last year for them), so maybe when you see a newer looking car that you think should have auto head lights that it may not.

I should have said that I always like the Lancers; this makes it better.

 

[Bosshoss]

I'm not one for finding a close spot (I don't mind the walk), I just don't want someone hitting me.

As for light, why not put the light inside the trunk lid or hatch?

A light inside doesn't help find the button or latch when you first walk up to the vehicle in the dark.

A car with it's backup lights on probably won't hit you if no one is in it. If a car backs out and hits you then it could be any make of car and that isn't the car manufacturers fault.
I know what you are getting at I really watch when driving through a parking lot and see back up lights. I just proceed carefully and watch for movement. I don't get pissed at the brand of car if someone is just locking and unlocking it.

 

[WebSnyper]

DRLs don't bother me quite as much, except:
If my next vehicle has them, I will be installing a switch...

Agreed, been thinking about doing this on my FJ.

Even Police LED Lightbars have a blinding issue despite their safety regard. Yes, they all need to be safe on roads with Idiot Drivers too busy to quit texting, and move over to a lane.

Agreed, anymore I get completely blinded by Police LED & emergency lights flashing when they have someone pulled over. I realize it is for their safety, but it is almost so bright it can be a detriment to being able to see them.

 

[Bennettjh]

My vehicles are all too old for auto lights. Newest is '99 Wrangler. Pull the knob out one position for park lights, two for headlights. Oldest is '64 El Camino, works the same.

 

[Gabriel]

The 2016 Explorer I drive doesn't have auto lights... at least I don't think so. I've had it since 2015 and have never bothered to look.

 

[bwframe]

My cars are just new enough to not have crank windows...

 

[Gabriel]

My cars are just new enough to not have crank windows...

My newest truck is the first vehicle I've ever owned that does not have them.

 

[BigRed]

[rant]
I despise the auto setting. and "running" lights.

people have no clue that are times they can or should turn their damn lights off.
they also have no clue when they should turn them on when the sensor doesn't say it's dark enough, eg in rain or fog, etc.
driving on a road with tree cover, even over passes, and it gets annoying when the car's lights behind you keep going on and off due to the shade.

example: I drove the kids down to the bus stop this morning, as did my neighbor who parked behind me. I had to adjust my mirror so I didn't have to be blinded by her headlights for the 3-4 minutes we waited...

I have never used the auto setting on any vehicle.
correction: I used it on a couple of rental cars that had weird, hard to find switches...

I also have never forgotten to use them.

when did we get so lazy and inattentive that we can't flip a switch to turn on or turn off our headlights?

[/rant]

Thank you.

Is this the part where I can post a rant about fumbducks that cannot operate a vehicle with a manual transmission without complaints of derailing the thread?