Page 4 | To think that you should always use your headlights when driving in the dark?

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 2025-12-05T21:06:12+00:00

Now that it's getting darker much earlier in the afternoons, I've started seeing quite a sizeable minority of people each day driving either only with sidelights or with no lights at all when it's already properly fully dark - dark enough so that (thankfully) virtually every other driver does have their lights on. I don't know if it's just in my area or if people are doing it everywhere? Am I missing something important here, or do they just have a death wish? How difficult is it to turn a knob and put your lights on? Do some people genuinely believe that headlights are strictly only for night time - and if it's 3:30pm, you don't turn your lights on because it's still only the afternoon, even though it's far too dark to see properly or be safely seen without them? AIBU to think that it should be 3 or even 6 points on your licence for dangerous driving, unless your lights have just that moment failed on you and now don't actually work? Just why?

Isittimeformynapyet · 05/12/2025 21:52

Lonelycrab · 05/12/2025 21:50

No it wasn’t.

Im in Hampshire. Nowhere near dark at 330pm today.

Like I said, if you’ve got extreme conditions, heavy clouds or rain then perhaps. I had to put the visor down to stop getting blinded by the sun today , but at no point did I need my headlights on to see where I was going; it was still light, so the idea that everyone should be driving around at half 3 in the winter with headlights on is just daft.

Show quote history

It was pissing down in Brighton, but tbh I didn't look at the time.

Lonelycrab · 05/12/2025 21:50

Isittimeformynapyet · 05/12/2025 21:32

Indeed it was.

Twice over my 27 years driving I've forgotten to put my lights on, both times driving off a garage forecourt. It happens.

Show quote history

No it wasn’t.

Im in Hampshire. Nowhere near dark at 330pm today.

Like I said, if you’ve got extreme conditions, heavy clouds or rain then perhaps. I had to put the visor down to stop getting blinded by the sun today , but at no point did I need my headlights on to see where I was going; it was still light, so the idea that everyone should be driving around at half 3 in the winter with headlights on is just daft.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 05/12/2025 21:50

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:20

And if somebody 'forgot' that they'd had several pints before driving?

How can you forget that you're supposed to be able to see the road ahead of you, or indeed your dashboard?

Show quote history

Daytime running lights put put a certain amount of light. It used to be more obvious to the driver that you had no light.
If you drive a car with auto lights its surprising how quickly it ceases to be part of your activities. I drove 5 or 6 miles in a hire car in Greece like that.
There are fewer dark spaces around now. There's often enough visibility without your lights that it doesnt trigger the "need lights" reaction.
Dashboards are lit without headlights being on. Usually they dim when lights come on. Again another trigger that simply isnt there for many people.

HPFA · 05/12/2025 21:48

I managed to drive off without switching on headlights recently.

The difference inside my new car from having them on and not is nil except for a tiny green light so there's now nothing that clicks my brain like there used to be in my old car. The earlier poster is quite right about the effects of having a fully lit dashboard.

I'm now training myself to check for that green light frequently in the hope that if I drive off again without switching them on I'll notice very quickly.

However I don't think it's at all the equivalent of drinking five cans of beer which is something you do consciously.

Jc2001 · 05/12/2025 21:43

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:25

But isn't the point of automatic lights that it doesn't matter if you forget - because the car will already have turned them on itself?!

Most automatic car safety features tend to err on the side of caution, sometimes to the point of annoyance - if anything, you'd expect them to come on when it's still quite light; not wait until it's really, really dark.

Show quote history

You can switch off the auto headlights feature. In fact they seem to do that when they do an MOT to test that the lights are working, they switch to manual and often do put it back to auto. I've been caught out by that before but realised within a couple of seconds because the dashboard is dark. Not sure how anyone would drive like that for long though, even if there is street lighting.

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 05/12/2025 21:43

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:19

Many cars have automatic lights, and permanent mandatory Daytime Running Lights. Other drivers can see you in the dark in any vehicle newer than 2011 due to DLRs so people only put the headlamps on when they need to see themselves.

DRLs are better than nothing but are no substitute for a pair of 60W halogens or equivalent in many circumstances.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 05/12/2025 21:40

I see so many cars with no rear lights on , but the headlights are .
My car puts its headlights on automatically but I have to manually switch on the others.
And so many cars are black/grey/silver so invisible .

Original poster

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:36

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:26

This posters means if you switch to driving a non-automatic-lights car you might forget to put them on.

Show quote history

Ah, OK - thanks.

OP posts:

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:35

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:33

We're in a very average area affluence-wise - a real mix of new cars, oldish ones and very old ones (we have one that's nearly 25 years old - but it does have headlights that we use whenever necessary).

I presume the cars I've been seeing with no lights on whatsoever must be older than 2011.

Show quote history

Quite possibly. There are a lot of Minis on the road from 2007-2011 (I own one) and I know my 2007 Peugeot 207 is still on the road somewhere.

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:33

TheNightingalesStarling · 05/12/2025 21:32

Can't you switch off the automatic lights though? We've been able to in all our cars. (Which is handy, as you can't have headlights on at security checkpoints!)

Yes you can! They've done it during every MOT I've had I think so it's always worth checking when you pick up.

Original poster

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:33

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:19

Many cars have automatic lights, and permanent mandatory Daytime Running Lights. Other drivers can see you in the dark in any vehicle newer than 2011 due to DLRs so people only put the headlamps on when they need to see themselves.

We're in a very average area affluence-wise - a real mix of new cars, oldish ones and very old ones (we have one that's nearly 25 years old - but it does have headlights that we use whenever necessary).

I presume the cars I've been seeing with no lights on whatsoever must be older than 2011.

OP posts:

TheNightingalesStarling · 05/12/2025 21:32

Can't you switch off the automatic lights though? We've been able to in all our cars. (Which is handy, as you can't have headlights on at security checkpoints!)

Isittimeformynapyet · 05/12/2025 21:32

LighthouseLED · 05/12/2025 21:29

It was dark enough to need headlights at 3.30pm on the south coast today

Show quote history

Indeed it was.

Twice over my 27 years driving I've forgotten to put my lights on, both times driving off a garage forecourt. It happens.

Beserkering · 05/12/2025 21:30

I’ve not seen this at all to be honest. I think most modern cars have lights on “auto” that switch themselves on when the light dims.

TeenLifeMum · 05/12/2025 21:30

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:25

But isn't the point of automatic lights that it doesn't matter if you forget - because the car will already have turned them on itself?!

Most automatic car safety features tend to err on the side of caution, sometimes to the point of annoyance - if anything, you'd expect them to come on when it's still quite light; not wait until it's really, really dark.

Show quote history

Yes, until you drive a car that doesn’t have them. We have 2 cars and one does, the other doesn’t.

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:29

CatsRuleMyLife · 05/12/2025 21:23

Except DRLs only show to the front, so you can't be seen from behind so someone could hit you from behind because you aren't visible.

Definitely dark enough at 3.30 in the midlands to need lights, especially on a dull day like today.

Show quote history

If someone manages to hit my white car from behind in a town centre with streetlights, at 3.30pm, then they were going to hit me anyway.

TheNightingalesStarling · 05/12/2025 21:29

Ia few years ago, I didn't notice DH had turned off the automatic lights as I was in a really brightly lit area. I only found out when a nice UN peacekeeper pulled me over to tell me.

I live in the English countryside now... you can't see outside the car without them on country lanes

LighthouseLED · 05/12/2025 21:29

Lonelycrab · 05/12/2025 21:18

It’s not dark at 3.30pm though, unless you’re very far north.

Obvs some extreme conditions might warrant it but I haven’t had mine on during the school run here.

It was dark enough to need headlights at 3.30pm on the south coast today

Original poster

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:28

Lonelycrab · 05/12/2025 21:18

It’s not dark at 3.30pm though, unless you’re very far north.

Obvs some extreme conditions might warrant it but I haven’t had mine on during the school run here.

Midlands - and it was properly dark today by then. It was rainy and gloomy too, which didn't help; visibility was very low indeed without lights, hence why virtually everybody had put their lights on.

This is my point, though: it doesn't matter what time it is, if it is seriously dark, it's very basic driver ability to know when to put your lights on. If it isn't dark, then perfectly normal not to put them on!

OP posts:

JemimaTiggywinkles · 05/12/2025 21:26

In most city driving I don’t need my headlights to see where I’m going. My car has permanent side lights so I can be seen by others. I do use my headlights (more than necessary probably) but it certainly wouldn’t be dangerous on my commute if I didn’t.

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:26

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:25

But isn't the point of automatic lights that it doesn't matter if you forget - because the car will already have turned them on itself?!

Most automatic car safety features tend to err on the side of caution, sometimes to the point of annoyance - if anything, you'd expect them to come on when it's still quite light; not wait until it's really, really dark.

Show quote history

This posters means if you switch to driving a non-automatic-lights car you might forget to put them on.

Original poster

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 05/12/2025 21:25

TeenLifeMum · 05/12/2025 21:17

I think lots of cars have automatic lights so if you switch to a different car you can forget. I don’t see it often though.

But isn't the point of automatic lights that it doesn't matter if you forget - because the car will already have turned them on itself?!

Most automatic car safety features tend to err on the side of caution, sometimes to the point of annoyance - if anything, you'd expect them to come on when it's still quite light; not wait until it's really, really dark.

OP posts:

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:24

Here we are - I'm another who lives where it isn't dark at 3.30 so the auto lights don't come on, but these 4 lights are always on on my model of car.

To think that you should always use your headlights when driving in the dark?

fruitbrewhaha · 05/12/2025 21:24

I’ve not noticed it where I live. I don’t have to turn my lights on it automatic. Maybe the drivers around here also have this feature.

CatsRuleMyLife · 05/12/2025 21:23

TidyCyan · 05/12/2025 21:19

Many cars have automatic lights, and permanent mandatory Daytime Running Lights. Other drivers can see you in the dark in any vehicle newer than 2011 due to DLRs so people only put the headlamps on when they need to see themselves.

Except DRLs only show to the front, so you can't be seen from behind so someone could hit you from behind because you aren't visible.

Definitely dark enough at 3.30 in the midlands to need lights, especially on a dull day like today.