Auto headlights

[davidjpowell]

My headlight switch is one of those things that I rarely touch. It's on Auto and just works... I suspect that is the same for most of us.

Once again I was caught out this week when it came back from the dealers in off. Obviously the dash liIgghts are on all the time, the nav screen I think is on an autosensor. The LED DRL to a decent job of providing an amount of forward lighting.

It was not until I got in the proper dark and realised that once again they were off.

Topped off with the lack of any dash light indicating whether headlights are on or off I do wish they would leave it the way they found it...

[Tannaton]

I've had three cars with auto headlights now (VW & Volvo) and none of them had any means of telling the driver if they were on or off which is an omission as it would be useful to know in fog...

We will soon have the first fogs of the Autumn and there will be loads of drivers going around on DRL's and no rear lights....

[Mick787]

Call me different, but I don't use the 'auto' option on lights. I also believe that a lot of the 'aides' that are being put into vehicles are a bad idea. (Standing by for the flack!)

[bobby2000]

Originally Posted by Mick787

Call me different, but I don't use the 'auto' option on lights. I also believe that a lot of the 'aides' that are being put into vehicles are a bad idea. (Standing by for the flack!)

Everyone untitled to their own opinion.
I personally love auto headlights, but do agree that they should a dash light to tell if they are on.

[wimorrison]

I set mine to auto when I got in the car 3.5 years ago and I haven't touched the switch since - I know when the headlights are on rather than DRL as I either see the lights reflected back from road signs or the back of an car in front. If I switch on the rear fogs due to road or weather conditions then the front lights come on automatically and switch off when I switch off the rear fogs.

I find that just leaving them to do their thing has worked 100% of the time for me.

[Grimble]

Originally Posted by Mick787

Call me different, but I don't use the 'auto' option on lights. I also believe that a lot of the 'aides' that are being put into vehicles are a bad idea. (Standing by for the flack!)

No flack from me. The more driving 'aides' there are, the less common sense is used in everyday driving.

Well proven by the number of issues with people blindly following their sat-nags and getting stuck by not paying attention to their surroundings or road signs.

Things that reduce physical effort (assisted braking, power steering) = good, things that reduce the need to apply your eyes and brain (where abouts am I? where are the other vehicles in relation to mine?)= bad.

Wont be long before some are unable to park their car without beepers and cameras.

Happy to be a brother in flack.

[Mick787]

Grimble, I think people are becoming too reliant on aides. I can't wait to hear the response by an insurance company to a claim which involves the use of 'self parking' where the driver doesn't touch the steering wheel. Or if one of those forward radar sensors fails. If ever the 'City Safe' aide activates in my car, then I will be mortified. It doesn't take much to see that a lot of people can't park their cars, they have lost the ability to use the image in a door or rear view mirror to park the car within a parking bay at a supermarket etc! I agree with hydraulic braking and power assisted steering but some of those hydraulic systems are now being replaced by electronic systems and a lot of 'feel' is being lost.
I really miss the rear view mirror dipping switch.
Rain sensing wipers, what is the point?
It's all just more to go wrong!

[Whyman]

Originally Posted by Mick787

I really miss the rear view mirror dipping switch.
It's all just more to go wrong!

I really miss the foot operated dip switch. Never had one fail on me.

[GJB]

Originally Posted by Whyman

I really miss the foot operated dip switch. Never had one fail on me.

Auto dipping marvelous and the auto shading is terrific once you've had it well worth the extra only thing I would not have is heated windscreen real PITA when the sun is low.

[mfresh]

Damn drivers aids! These mirrors mean people are losing the ability to see backwards. And don't get me started on steering wheels. What's wrong with stopping the car, getting out and lifting the front until its pointing the way you want to go. As for windscreen wipers - just one more thing to go wrong. Much better to apply a starchy potato to the windscreen to keep the rain running off before you embark on a journey....