People driving with headlights off

[AMCRambler]

Seeing a lot of knuckleheads rolling around without their headlights on. It gets dark out at 5pm now and for the past month I've seen at least 5 cars driving without their headlights on. I can see forgetting them when parked under streetlights but you'd think it would be apparent when they pull away and their dash is completely dark.

One of them even turned off the state highway onto a side road with 0 streetlights. Had to be super obvious that they could barely see the road. Followed them a mile until my turn off. Kept going with no lights.

Either that movie Idiocracy is accurate or a lot of headlight fuses blowing. Seems to be happening more than I remember. Maybe there's more cars on the road. Of course when these morons smash into a car that pulls out because they can't see them, they'll claim the lights were on. Ugh.

 

[sourn]

In a place with a lot of street lights, ya I can see it I've done it myself. But ya the country road with no lights well come on now.

Tell me you at least flipped your lights to let him know otherwise you're no better than he is.

 

[Drako]

Always the same here in San Jose.

Driving home tonight at 6:00, was almost completely dark, and drizzling rain. I count at least 10 cars on 101 driving with no lights on.

 

[Papa Hogan]

The lights in the truck turn on as soon as I release the e-brake. Pretty useful as it is safer--in my estimation--to drive with them on whenever you drive.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't see it often in black conditions, but duskish, or when it's raining/foggy I see it a lot. People are dumb as bricks.

 

[pcgeek11]

Don't most have automatic headlights by now? I leave mine on all the time, then I turn off the ignition and open the door they go off.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I see it relatively frequently and I think it's partially to do with the way modern instrument clusters are always back-lit.

It used to be that if it was dark (and even dark-ish) you couldn't read your gauges unless you had the headlights on because the gauges were not lit during the daytime. Now the aesthetic is to have the gauges brightly lit at all times, which means people don't get the same sort of inherent reminder that they need to turn on their headlights.

Don't most have automatic headlights by now? I leave mine on all the time, then I turn off the ignition and open the door they go off.

I've driven several cars with "automatic" headlights. None has ever successfully turned the lights on in all conditions where the lights are supposed to be on. This is especially true on foggy/overcast/misty days where ambient light levels are modestly high, but visibility is low due to the way those conditions cause low contrast. Too many people rely on the "automatic" lights and forget that they often need to override the system and force the lights "on" in certain conditions. (Of course, I live in the PNW where we get a lot more mist/fog/rain/overcast days than much of the US, so that probably exacerbates the issue.)

ZV

 

[alfa147x]

I see it relatively frequently and I think it's partially to do with the way modern instrument clusters are always back-lit.

It used to be that if it was dark (and even dark-ish) you couldn't read your gauges unless you had the headlights on because the gauges were not lit during the daytime. Now the aesthetic is to have the gauges brightly lit at all times, which means people don't get the same sort of inherent reminder that they need to turn on their headlights.



I've driven several cars with "automatic" headlights. None has ever successfully turned the lights on in all conditions where the lights are supposed to be on. This is especially true on foggy/overcast/misty days where ambient light levels are modestly high, but visibility is low due to the way those conditions cause low contrast. Too many people rely on the "automatic" lights and forget that they often need to override the system and force the lights "on" in certain conditions. (Of course, I live in the PNW where we get a lot more mist/fog/rain/overcast days than much of the US, so that probably exacerbates the issue.)

ZV

Don't forget about some automatic headlight cars that don't allow you to turn off the headlights.... wtf

 

[OutHouse]

I have noticed this A LOT after the time change. make note and pay attention next fall and you will see the increase as well.

i dont get it it is like they are saying its only 5 and even though its dark i refuse to turn on my lights until 7 damn it!!!

 

[vshah]

i notice a lot of people with the side marker lamps on, which does illuminate the instrument cluster. they don't turn it all the way, and they just drive around with their DRLs on. drive's me crazy.

 

[Geosurface]

I've been seeing a lot of doofuses with their headlights off lately, too. Saw like two tonight in a very short excursion.

 

[pcgeek11]

Snip ~

I've driven several cars with "automatic" headlights. None has ever successfully turned the lights on in all conditions where the lights are supposed to be on. This is especially true on foggy/overcast/misty days where ambient light levels are modestly high, but visibility is low due to the way those conditions cause low contrast.
Snip ~

ZV

Yes, I have seen this as a problem also. I just leave my stalk light switch in the ON Position and they turn off when the ignition is off and the door is opened.

 

[Sixguns]

I hate the people who drive with the hi beams on everywhere.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Huh, I thought headlights went on automatically? I've never had to turn on, or off, my headlights. High/low beams yeah, but I typically keep it on low (default) unless I'm in an area with no streetlights with no oncoming traffic.

Are these people actually pulling the fuses out to be cool or something?

 

[Rinaun]

Always the same here in San Jose.

Driving home tonight at 6:00, was almost completely dark, and drizzling rain. I count at least 10 cars on 101 driving with no lights on.

As a fellow resident of San Jose, I feel proud. You best be glad you didn't get a no-headlights 3-lane dive from a beat up sedan during that bit of rain. That's how we roll.

 

[Thump553]

i notice a lot of people with the side marker lamps on, which does illuminate the instrument cluster. they don't turn it all the way, and they just drive around with their DRLs on. drive's me crazy.

More rare, but more of a special kind of idiot-a blend of pure A-hole and idiot.

If they ignore me flashing my lights on and off (an increasing rare ability in these days of daytime running lights) I stay well away from fools driving with their lights off as I figure the chances of them being drunk or chemically impaired is relatively high. Blind drunk is not just an expression.

 

[WT]

Probably a 10 year old driving their drunk Mom home. At that age, they don't know how to turn on the headlights, and Mom was unresponsive to the question posed by the child, so that easily explains things.

Hopefully we can get these kids some quick training on how to turn on the headlights and see an end to these situations that you describe.

 

[sportage]

Driving with parking Lights.
WHY????
I get ticked off more so by people that for some retarded reason think parking lights were to be used while moving. Those times between dusk to dark or dawn to daylight.
Parking lights were designed for, and only for, stopped with no movement.
In other words, "paaaaarrrrrrkkkkkked".
You simply do not drive with parking lights on, ever never.
Talk about Idiocracy.

Then we have those drivers you are either behind or see coming up behind you.
They are driving unusually slow and having trouble staying within the white or yellow lines.
And when you get close enough to look at the driver? TEXTING. Never fails.
Weaving down the road, going way under the speed limit and failing to keep up with traffic, distracted by that cell phone.
Wish taking action against "those" drivers were covered by the "stand your ground" law.

 

[feralkid]

Wish taking action against "those" drivers were covered by the "stand your ground" law.

Shoot to kill is the answer---Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

 

[rudeguy]

First rule of life: people are morons


If you don't have your headlights on, I don't see you. I will cut you off, pull in front of you, turn in front of you, I don't care. If you don't care enough to turn a little switch, I don't care either.

 

[sdifox]

Huh, I thought headlights went on automatically? I've never had to turn on, or off, my headlights. High/low beams yeah, but I typically keep it on low (default) unless I'm in an area with no streetlights with no oncoming traffic.

Are these people actually pulling the fuses out to be cool or something?

In the US, daylight running light is not mandatory like it is in Canada.

 

[SandEagle]

In the US, daylight running light is not mandatory like it is in Canada.

and don't forget in the US, people get their licenses from cereal boxes unlike Canada which has a pretty rigorous driving test.

 

[feralkid]

First rule of life: people are morons


If you don't have your headlights on, I don't see you. I will cut you off, pull in front of you, turn in front of you, I don't care. If you don't care enough to turn a little switch, I don't care either.

Really? You'd pull out in front of people with no headlights on because you don't care?

 

[rudeguy]

Really? You'd pull out in front of people with no headlights on because you don't care?

yep

hopefully their brakes work better than their lights

 

[Eureka]

In cities it's pretty common because it's too easy to forget that you don't have lights on (there's so much light around it almost doesn't matter).

I don't understand how you can do it in the suburbs or country though. It's pitch black outside.

Also, they should have lights come on whenever wipers come on (at least if you leave the light switch in automatic mode). That shouldn't be hard to implement and it should be lights on, wipers on anyway.