Daylight Running Lights Anyone!

February 12, 2008

Daytime lights mandatory from 2012

• UK falls in line with Europe

• Small emissions rise expected

• Road Safety Minister concedes he can't stop plan

New cars will be fitted with automatic daytime headlights within four years, bringing the UK in line with regulations already in place throughout the European Union.

Historically, the Government has opposed the idea on the grounds that using lights in the daytime would increase fuel consumption and emissions.

However, the EU argues that have lights running at all times makes cars more visible, particularly in low sun and at dusk, thereby reducing the potential for accidents.

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “The UK has been successful in arguing against the introduction of mandatory use of dipped headlamps during daylight hours by drivers of existing vehicles.

“However, from early 2011 all new types of passenger cars and light vans will have to be fitted with dedicated daytime running lamps in accordance with the relevant European directive. By summer 2012, all new vehicles will have to be so fitted.”

The European Commission says that the lights increase fuel consumption by just 0.3% because they use separate bulbs that are less bright than headlights.

Original story here.

February 12, 2008

Back in about 1986-87 there was a spell where some manufacturers had dim dip headlights. We had Seat as a franchise at the time, and Seat rushed through a mod to supply dim dip to all models, then after a while it vanished off the radar......never did find out why. Dim dip ran the headlights at about 20 watts

Kingo :thumbsup:

February 13, 2008

Most motorcycles from the major manufacturers have had permanently on dipped beam fitted since 2002. Pain in the ***** that you can't have the choice whether to run them or not not to mention having to remove fuses to work on the electrics or else flatten your Battery, only valid reason is they are cheaper to fit during production.

There was a fair bit published within the biking press about it incuding several countries who had actually done research which showed DTR made little or no difference to road safety and therefore never pushed for it. Don't where they miraculously found this new "evidence". Low sun blinds you, don't now how having a light on helps :rolleyes:

February 13, 2008

The world is full of bureaucrats there to either line their pockets/create a job or find ways to make life more safe for people.

Having just been done for speeding on a stretch of motorway where just 1 accident in 2 years occurs. and one of them was the 747 coming down at lockerbie, this country is becoming unbearable. What with politicians paying themselves expenses to employ eejits; accepting money to keep them in a post; civil servants thinking up new ways of employing even more civil servants; and so on.....

I get done for speeding whilst the local nick do nothing about my stolen Humber sceptre, even tho they know who stole it and know where he lives; and had interviewed him and gave him 2 weeks to return the car to me!!!!!

I might as well live in Kenya or Sudan where at least its all up front!

You get fined if you use foglights, and then in 2012 you get fined if you don't??? In the middle of all this, you can murder someone; pillage their store, and as long as you don't kill the cat, you'll get community service and a behave yersel order fur 2 years! Cumon!! :crazy: :crazy: :blowup: