Z4 with Audi Lights!

[klarky]

agree on the bikers/cyclists, but unless its a bit dull/getting dark i dont put my lights on as i know it annoys other drivers, like fog lights. do people not use there mirrors when driving? i was taught you should glance at a mirror every so often, even if you think theres nothing around you. on my driving lessons it was glance every 6 seconds - which was a bit overkill but its stuck with me, to the point where i check before i do anything, signal,brake,accelerate, overtake or turn, even if i turned on the radio! i think standards are very poor and would happily have the driving test made harder, but also have compulsory re tests every 5 years or so, and also make anyone who tots up more than 6 points take a re test. i think that would reduce accidents more than some extra lights as standard on new cars.



welcome to klarkys Britain

 

[Ben.]

Daytime Running Lights are to become compulsory on new cars from 7th Feb 2011



Some new BMW's already have them don't they? Not Audi style but the more classic angel eye

 

[AlanJ]

Almost as bad as putting 'M' badges on a non 'M' car - now where have I heard that before :evil:

Oooop sorry I done that one already........

 

[AlanJ]

Daylight running is a contentious issue particularly with motor cyclists the argument a11y raised is usually the one that they use - personally i dont think it is a very strong argument

it has been proven year on year that daylight running reduces accidents.

i always run with lights on during the day on motorways and dual carriage ways.

IIRC it has been a legal requirement in Sweden for years which is why volvos always run with sidelights on

Link to DRL research.......http://www.swov.nl/rapport/Factsheets/UK/FS_DRL.pdf

 

[AlanJ]

Have a relatively new (March 2008) 325i M sport Coupe - this comes with the self select option computer i.e. you can select daylight running lights or not (and many other things which previoulsy the dealer had to programme)

 

[Breaker]

Have a relatively new (March 2008) 325i M sport Coupe - this comes with the self select option computer i.e. you can select daylight running lights or not (and many other things which previoulsy the dealer had to programme)

Same as the new Z4.

 

[Greeno]

a11y read AlanJ's link.

"The TNO laboratory experiment (Brouwer et al., 2004) showed that the subjects saw both motorcycles with their lights off and motorcycles with their lights on sooner if cars also had DRL. However, motorcycles with DRL were spotted faster"

So you're better off with cars daylight running and you'll be spotted sooner if as a motorcyclist you day light run too.

my thought was always that if it can save more lives by everyone daylight running then that is a good thing.

 

[Rick Hunter]

I have no problem with DRLs. Then thing that pisses me off is when I notice people's cars with improperly aimed headlights (aimed too high). Now THAT is a hazard waiting to happen.

As for LED strips... FAD. I bet any money they will be muted in a few years. And then in another few years we'll all be wondering how they were even popular.

 

[kartman]

I too am not a fan of just adding strips of them into cars as retrofit. Leave BMW to AE and Audi to LED's

I do think they are the future given that it looks likely that all new cars will soon have some sort of running lights

The xenons that blind you klarky are most likely to be retrofit and aftermarket HID kits, wedged into halogen housings and just dangerous with no self levelling or auto adjustment.

even on 09 plate range rovers and mercs and even the new jag. I wear specs so it's probably me being a bit blind but I'm considering some of the yellow tinted lenses for night driving as I've been blinded a lot recently, luckily on roads I know but if it happened elsewhere I'd have ended up going into the kerb

You don't get blinded because of some issue with other cars, you get blinded because you sit so low. In my 3er if i drive with seat high up i have no issues but after a track day (when i put seat as low as possible) i noticed that in evenings I will have much worse time in coping with oncoming traffic lights. I don't think it's anyones fault as much as low seating position of sports car.

 

[a11y]

a11y read AlanJ's link.

"The TNO laboratory experiment (Brouwer et al., 2004) showed that the subjects saw both motorcycles with their lights off and motorcycles with their lights on sooner if cars also had DRL. However, motorcycles with DRL were spotted faster"

So you're better off with cars daylight running and you'll be spotted sooner if as a motorcyclist you day light run too.

my thought was always that if it can save more lives by everyone daylight running then that is a good thing.

That's probably the most realistic, unbiased bit of research I’ve read on the DRL subject (and believe me I've read a fair bit). Every argument I’ve read so far has admittedly been cyclist/motorcyclist biased, and nothing’s ever mentioned what you quote above.

I guess that because road users become accustomed to seeing vehicles with DRL’s, so then motorcyclists – rather than blending in to the other traffic – actually become just as visible as all other vehicles, i.e. DRLs become associated with any moving vehicle. Makes sense to me

I wonder what this will mean for cyclists: will cyclists be expected to ride with lights on at all times too? That would lead to some cost in batteries lol, as even the best dynamo’s aren’t suitable for the bikes I ride.

 

[lacroupade]

I'd have thought that motorbikes especially are one area where LED DRLs would be very useful...high visibility (without being blinded byt the inevitable tit that thinks high beam is the only way to drive) yet low current draw....

 

[outrun]

Let's not confuse the fact that having lights on all the time - especially for Bikers - must be safer. I can see where Ally is coming from about cyclists though. However, i don't see many cyclists using lights during the day.

Audi's LED version of the DLR is, for mind, hideous and looks like a Halfords add-on. It really disappointed me when Porsche installed them too, since when have they thought it wide to copy Audi?

BMW's Angel Eyes are a much nicer example of a DLR that's not embarassing or showy.

So, to summarise, i think that DLRs is a good idea and that helping see other road users is useful. However, it's not cool to have silly lights that make you look like a chav!

Another thing - a couple of days ago i was driving as night fell and saw 3 cars belting along the motorway with no lights on at all. Each driver was oblivious to this and to attempts by myself and others to inform them of their stealth vehicles. I noticed that each car has it's instruments dials backlit, which must look lovely but clearly made the driver unaware that the exterior lights where not turned on.

Backlit dials should only work when the lights are on. Much safer. Why do you need them in the daylight anyway?

 

[a11y]

Backlit dials should only work when the lights are on. Much safer. Why do you need them in the daylight anyway?

I might be wrong, but I'm sure my VW Transporter's dials are backlit at all times, even when the lights are in the off position. I know the needles are light all the time, but IIRC the whole dial section is lit permanently. Not good. I've also owned cars in the past that don't have any warning light to advise the driver that their lights are on - not that you should be driving anyway if you aren't aware of your lights being on/off and need something to remind you - but that can't help either!

What got me yesterday afternoon was folk driving on the M8 in torrential rain with horrific spray, and no lights on. Silver cars too which just blend into the spray. Not clever.

 

[gannet]

Backlit dials should only work when the lights are on. Much safer. Why do you need them in the daylight anyway?

Take your point... but the way some cars are designed these days doesnt comply

Our New Mazda 2 without backlighting is unreadable (and therefore is always backlit) ie you would only be able to see the needles and not the numbers on the speedo/rev counter... At least it also comes with very sensitive auto lights (which could cause other problems of their own...)

Not all our Z4's have a light in the dash to say when the lights are on either...

 

[Lucy]

I like the look of the running lights on the new Audi's. But when people put them on other cars wether it be a Corsa or a BMW, it looks like a Halfords special!

 

[E85]

Looks great on a Porsche. Looks pretty good on Audi. Looks ugly on the Mercs.

That strip when stuck on other cars just looks NASTY!!! Actually at night it looks "ok" at best. But in the day time, having that strip of xmas lights on your car is just wrong!!! Looks like a strip of bullets about to be fired from your 007-like headlights :lol:

 

[TH3R4POR]

The main problem with people trying to do this mod on other cars is they choose the cheapest and nastiest LEDS to use. The lower powered LEDS look really terrible, added to the fact they space them badly it just makes it look like a bad DIY effort.

More VAG models are moving to them with the Scirocco Studie R having a variation on the Audi ones.

 

[ali_b]

I think it looks gash when it didnt come out the factory with them fitted. If Porsche and Mercedes want to copy Audi then let them do it. As Athol says, Angel eyes look far better, are original and wont be copied. The rest DRL's look :wkr:

 

[cj10jeeper]

I'm sure in 5 years every light front and rear will be an LED and xenon with perhaps the odd halogen beam left. DRL's, sidelights, indicators, etc. will all go that way due to cost, low energy use and ease to create designs

While I remain 'not a fan' as per my earlier post and do think AE belong on BMW as their 'badge', I can see one exception being on a facelift Zed if they could be retfofitted inside the foglights in a convincing manner they could look good. Somewhat like the Porsche.

The cheap ebay strips randomly added on the car belong with blue washer jets :thumbsdown:

 

[Andy]

.. I can see one exception being on a facelift Zed if they could be retfofitted inside the foglights in a convincing manner they could look good. Somewhat like the Porsche.

I saw you eyeing up those LEDs on the 997 at Cosford...

Go on, you know you want to