V50 General : Disabling Daylight running lights

[iainmd]

Originally Posted by NewVolvo

This is certainly not the case in Colchester where the Police very often have a "day out" opposite my office stopping everybody who's using a phone while driving. They also check the usual, ie insurance etc and I have seen a few people being arrested as well as walking after being stopped.

Sadly, I often see Lothian & Borders Police and Fife Constabulary officers casually driving past anyone committing the previously listed offences. Glad to hear some police forces do have the time and gumption to enforce the law.

[Bill_56]

Back in the 80's, when DRL were a new phenomenon, a friend's wife was driving a small car in daylight, waiting to pull out into a main road. The oncoming Volvo must have gone over a speed hump, or maybe a pothole, but it made his lights appear to flicker and made her think she was 'flashing' to let her out. The result was a very nasty crash with hospitalisation.

Friend's wife was wrong on every count, of course. And flashing lights do not mean a car's giving way. But that would have been little consolation to the Volvo driver.

I would hope such a mistake would be less likely now, as everybody is aware of DRL.

As for mobile phones, I obey the law, but I have mixed feelings about its merits. Last week I pulled over into a layby on a busy dual carriageway to make a call. Pulling back out into the busy traffic was tricky, and IMO such a manouvre always carries some risk, should you misjudge anything. Arguably, the statistical risk of an accident while pulling out into traffic may have been greater than the risk from making the call on the move?

[Harvey1512]

On the phone front it so cheap now to get a hands free kit fitted that if you are likely to use a phone in the car a lot then there is no excuse for not getting one fitted. Then you don't have to pull over, pull out etc. I can't believe you see footballers, celebs etc driving their £100k cars whilst on the phone when it would cost £80-£200 to get a hands free fitted.

[cq20]

It might be an idea to check with/notify the insurance company as switching off the DRLs could be classed as a modification from the standard set-up (irrespective of it being carried out by a Dealer). If they take the view that you've compromised a safety feature, they could void the policy under non-disclosure rules.

[GMad]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

Audi have got it spot on with their LED DRL. It looks great, it saves your dipped lights and it gives the range a signature.

Looks like a council house at Christmas IMO.
My daytime lights are disabled..

[fenton_jd]

Originally Posted by GMad

Looks like a council house at Christmas IMO.
My daytime lights are disabled..

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.

[westfieldman]

Do I take it that it is not possible to change so that the O setting of the light switch just puts on the parking/side lights, not headlights, without input from a Volvo main dealer?

[Paul de France]

My '99 V70 (OK not the same car) has an owner operated 3-position programme switch (small screw head on switch). You can keep Volvo's continuous running headlamp setting or change it, in accordance with owners operating manual, so it is not a mod. I have fitted extra bright bulbs so I often have headlamps off but I use headlamps when sun is bright and behind me and also when weather is dull. From Austin 7 to VW Transporter, and Volvo or not, I have driven like that for several decades; it uses only 120 watts or so which is only a tiny fraction of the engine's power, even allowing for a poor recharge efficiency, and not really enough to make a noticeable difference to fuel consumption.
My V70 also has manual dashboard adjustable headlamp level control, so I lower it by day and when driving on the continent with my UK set lights (seems better than headlamp blankers and just as kind to oncoming vehicles).
I guess later vehicles may be a lot less "user-defined", sadly?
Paul.

[7050man]

Originally Posted by westfieldman

Do I take it that it is not possible to change so that the O setting of the light switch just puts on the parking/side lights, not headlights, without input from a Volvo main dealer?

ON V50 cars, headlight operation cannot be changed unless software is loaded by Volvo agent. This comes at a cost, but I'm not sure what it is.

I asked for my lights to be disabled when I bought the car so it was done for me by supplying dealer.

However I do regularly turn lights on during day when driving around country lanes and on roads where I think visibility is low sun is behind you etc as there are times when I know it is safer to be more visible.

ON the classic V70 the light operation could be changed on the dash with a small screwdriver as there was a switch just below main light switch.

The owners book described switch position functions for different markets.

[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?