V50 General : Disabling Daylight running lights

[stevo48]

Originally Posted by fenton_jd

I agree. DRL's also detract from a car's natural design. I spent time neatening up the front of my S40, and to always have headlights on makes it less noticable.

So you turn off a safety feature because it (in your opinion) spoils the look of your car...................................unbelievable !!!
So in the event of someone pulling out from a junction into your path causing a collision, the police might ask due to you owning a Volvo, "did you have your drl's switched on".............imo to switch off your drl's shows a blatant disregard for your own and other road users safety, it has been proven over many years and in many countries that drl's reduce accidents, why do you think motorcyclists have to have their headlamps switched on at all times, it is to make them more visible to other road users, by the same principle that is why having drl's displayed will become law in 2011.

[stevo48]

Originally Posted by Idlerider

I'm confused - I thought the original poster asked for information about disabling the running lights - not whether or not he should do so.

This safety idea seems to me to be another example of modern society's greed, "I have my lights on so everyone can see me - therefore I'm safer." What happens when everyone has running lights? Easy: familiarity breeds contempt - they become normal and no-one takes any notice any more. All we end-up achieving is another huge waste of energy. Now you really would think someone like Volvo would have had the wit to realise this, wouldn't you?

There's an easier way to avoid accidents - drive responsibly and pay attention! How many of us, honestly, do?

Agreed, but how many times in winter conditions have you gone to pull out of a junction only to realise there is a dark coloured car approaching that you nearly didn't see because it didn't have lights turned on, I know it has happened to me on a number of occasions and its not just down to me not concentrating it is fact that in adverse or dull conditions darker cars against a dark /dull sky are difficult to see and if you can see them it can also be difficult to determine whether or not the car is moving.

I have to dissagree with your other statement regarding society and greed, and familiarity breeds contempt????
If I am walking or otherwise and i see a car with its headlamps on I do not step out /pull out in front of it because I have no wish to cause an accident or injury to myself or anyone else and i dont think for one minute that people are going to "take no notice" as has already been said it is a tried and proven safety feature tested over many many years.

[Clan]

I fully agree , and dont forget volvo introdced day running lights 34 years ago , and only now has the rest of the world caught up .. Volvo introduced rear fog lights too at the same time , it took nearly 10 years before the rest of the world caught on .. I was there at the beginning and have seen in practice many many times over those 34 years and 600,000 + miles out on the open road in many different volvos and also driving "other " cars .the benefits of day running lights .

[fenton_jd]

I remember 5 or so years ago, Arriva announced that all buses would run with their headlights on. I wondered at the time what the point of this was, but I was only 15 so didnt realise!

[Derek S40]

I acquired my S40 2 months ago and the DRL was already off. The manual shows how to turn it off and on.

After reading this thread I have decided that when my wife gets back with my car this evening I am going to turn them back on, at least until the summer - then I'll decide if I should keep them on or turn them back off again.

[fenton_jd]

Originally Posted by stevo48

So you turn off a safety feature because it (in your opinion) spoils the look of your car...................................unbelievable !!!
So in the event of someone pulling out from a junction into your path causing a collision, the police might ask due to you owning a Volvo, "did you have your drl's switched on".............imo to switch off your drl's shows a blatant disregard for your own and other road users safety, it has been proven over many years and in many countries that drl's reduce accidents, why do you think motorcyclists have to have their headlamps switched on at all times, it is to make them more visible to other road users, by the same principle that is why having drl's displayed will become law in 2011.

Are you joking me? Why should I have to have put my headlights on because OTHER people don't look before they pull out?

Shall I spray the car with glow in the dark paint with a flashing neon sign above it stating "CAR COMING".???

Fricking look before you pull out. If visibility is bad or its dark, Put your headlamps on.

Jesus this is simple stuff.

[Clan]

You must have the old S40 then because you cant do it like that on the new ( 2005 and later ) S40/V50 ...

[Clan]

Originally Posted by fenton_jd

Are you joking me? Why should I have to have my headlights on because OTHER people don't look before they pull out?

Shall I spray the car with glow in the dark paint with a flashing neon sign above it stating "CAR COMING".???

Fricking look before you pull out. If visibility is bad or its dark. Put your headlamps on.

Jesus this is simple stuff.

you are young you havent seen it all yet , unfortunatly a lot of drivers arent as intelligent as you and i , they dont look properly and pull out in front of you , when they wouldnt if there were day running lights on to attract his eye when he was looking left and right ... ( 40 years driving experience over 500000 + miles , no accidents and saved at least 8 to 10 cars for sure from pulling out directly in front of me and certain to have caused a serious accident , saved because of day running lights , you can see these people sat there , their wheels rotate a few degrees as they have decided to pull out and stop as they notice you .
Thats always a good tip when approaching a junction with a car stopped waiting , watch their front wheels as you get closer , its much easier to spot a wheel start rotating than to see the car move forward ..

[Ragamuffin]

Originally Posted by Clan

Thats always a good tip when approaching a junction with a car stopped waiting , watch their front wheels as you get closer , its much easier to spot a wheel start rotating than to see the car move forward ..

I thought it was just me that did this!

[GMad]

Originally Posted by stevo48

why do you think motorcyclists have to have their headlamps switched on at all times

Erm, they dont! Although most choose to switch them on. Myself included, most of the time. But at least on my bike I have the choice.