WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 24, 2024 9:50:11 GMT
It’s not even Christmas but gratuitous illuminations are everywhere. Audi has its rear light bars, BMW is putting lights around its fake grilles, and you can have your Škoda Enyaq with a ‘Crystal Face’ grille that ought to come with a free Debbie McGee to switch it on. Now it’s badges. In the Olden Days — Bobby Moore, Capstan Full Strength, never had to lock your front door — you could have a Wolseley (or a Riley?) with an illuminated badge. Then you couldn’t, because safety. Now you can again — although not on a Wolseley, obvs. The EU has made it legal, and the UN vehicles thingy has agreed. The forthcoming Vauxhall Grandad will have one at each end. What a thing to boast about! Meanwhile, Polestar’s polo-necked head of design is very keen on the illumination that goes around — but not through — the cross on the nose of the 4.
Anyway, what do we think? I’ve never been a fan of the Audi light bar, because I find it makes judging distance quickly more difficult. When you can’t see the whole car because it’s dark or there’s spray, it’s easier with two discrete blobs of light than a single red smear. And I can see why the manufacturers have been lobbying (as they apparently have) to be allowed to make their branding more conspicuous, but I’m less clear on the benefit all this extra light — badges and the rest — will bring to us ordinary road users.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2024 11:34:04 GMT
The more lights, so long as they aren't eye level laser beams, the better. I'm more exercised by the one-eyed wonders driving around, and those who think they're lights are on because the dash is lit, but they're only on DRLs, meaning their rear end is dark. Although I don't really like light bars as you say.
Had an amazing one the other day. Had just joined an otherwise empty A3290 from central Reading heading in the Bracknell direction, when shortly afterwards a pair of red lights appear behind me in my rear view mirror. After a moment's discombobulation, I realised they were gaining on me. WTF? Someone is reversing down the road at over 60 mph??? There can't be that many Volvo 340 CVTs left, surely... But no, it's some stupid fecker who has actually, genuinely, deliberately, and quite possibly maliciously, installed red headlamps on the front of his car. He joined the M4 shortly after. I hope to the Big Pink Pixie in the Sky there were some coppers or HATO wombles around. I was so stunned I can't even remember what type of car it was now, but I'm pretty sure it was German.
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Post by Humph on Apr 24, 2024 11:49:00 GMT
Reading sounds at least “different” to those of us not familiar with it. Fortunately, my car has more than sufficient range to get to the Eurotunnel and well beyond without having to stop and risk getting out anywhere near there.
😉
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2024 12:03:54 GMT
It's very exciting.
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Apr 24, 2024 13:16:23 GMT
Wasn't that the DAF66 that could go backwards as fast as forwards with the CVT ? Maybe the 340 could do it too, don't really know much about those.
I saw a BMW, could have been an E39 5 series, which had pink angel eyes. Probably been too close to other car rear ends.
You're going to love the new Audi S3, WDB. Apparently it comes with 24 different, selectable, DRL configurations. Worth £50k of anyone's money...Form an orderly queue.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 24, 2024 13:27:48 GMT
DRLs are OK. Being shaped actually helps to show how far away they are — far better in that sense than the old Scandi model of just having dipped headlights on in daylight.
There’s another news thread here, concerning the drivers who are supposedly too intimidated by other cars’ LED headlamps to go out at night. Younger than you’d imagine too, apparently. Others just like to flash their own lights at oncoming cars; I’ve encountered that type in the i3, though never in the CLS. Other i3s’ lights do look nice and bright when I pass them, though never in a way that causes a problem through a clean windscreen. I wonder how many of these drivers are blaming other vehicles for the deficiencies in their own car-care and eyesight.
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Post by Humph on Apr 24, 2024 13:33:38 GMT
Nothing bothers me much now. Which is nice.
😎
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 24, 2024 14:40:12 GMT
Well, when you need to be home in time for Cash in the Attic…
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Post by Humph on Apr 24, 2024 14:50:14 GMT
Not succumbed to daytime tv yet thankfully. But, I suppose it’s inevitable.
👨🏻🦳
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Apr 24, 2024 15:26:39 GMT
DRLs are OK. Being shaped actually helps to show how far away they are — far better in that sense than the old Scandi model of just having dipped headlights on in daylight. There’s another news thread here, concerning the drivers who are supposedly too intimidated by other cars’ LED headlamps to go out at night. Younger than you’d imagine too, apparently. Others just like to flash their own lights at oncoming cars; I’ve encountered that type in the i3, though never in the CLS. Other i3s’ lights do look nice and bright when I pass them, though never in a way that causes a problem through a clean windscreen. I wonder how many of these drivers are blaming other vehicles for the deficiencies in their own car-care and eyesight. The Scandi model was based on their rules of having your headlights on during the day anyway so just make the car do it by default. At least they had the good sense to light up the rear too not like the fairy lights we have adorning the front of cars today and the rears blacked out, people driving in rain or at night with only the front of the car lit as Al says. The road users who complain in the younger age group may be driving regular cars with the seat set on the lowest setting or lowered bro'. Also, having a tarmac Tonka shining LED headlights directly through the rear window of a regular car is a bit OTT. It appears the build regulations missed that. I find driving a RHD car in a LHD market the main beam with shutters setup of BMWs blinding, they must be configured not to blind the driver of oncoming traffic assuming the driver is sitting near the centre line of the road. I don't get blinded when driving my LHD car. |
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Post by EspadaIII on Apr 24, 2024 16:09:09 GMT
DRLs should operate front and rear and independent of dashlights so the driver knows to turn headlights on at dusk because he can't see the dials (yes I know most dials now are virtual, in which case auto lights should be mandatory).
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 24, 2024 16:12:00 GMT
I can’t work out your BMW problem in terms of geometry. The dip is supposed to flatten the beam everywhere but the verge side, so your RHD eyes should still be above the top of the dipped beam. The matrix ‘laser’ lights may be different, as they aim to create a pool of darkness in an otherwise bright pattern. Even though, it seems surprising that it wouldn’t shield the oncoming passengers’ eyes too!
The i3’s non-laser beam seems very sharp and flat, although arguably set at the upper limit of acceptability. It doesn’t go above the base of the rear window of a normal-height car on a level road.
There does seem to be a subset of drivers who fail to understand the simple geometry of dipping. On UK roads, if you’re on the left side of an oncoming vehicle — as when taking a right-hand bend — or if you’re below it on any road, you’re outside the dipping area and the lights will look brighter. It’s always been that way, of course, but maybe the effect is greater with the higher-quality (less yellow) light from LEDs.
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Post by Humph on Apr 24, 2024 16:28:04 GMT
Or is it just that we have created a monster of a society where moaning about something in writing on a regular basis has become so endemic due to the use of social media.
By and large, people mostly want to complain about things rather than praise them.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 24, 2024 16:35:35 GMT
Better ask the RAC, whose survey it was.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Apr 24, 2024 19:46:31 GMT
One of my physics teachers at school in an electronics lesson made a comment on a few occasions about the light sensor on Volvo's were always faulty because the auto-lights were always on. But auto-lights wasn't a thing then and he must have been referring to DRLs in hindsight. He thought they were auto lights. Or maybe some did have auto lights in the 80s?
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