… about the car lights?

[Lindalightson]

NC because I don’t want the world to know the extent of my and DP’s petty squabbles. 😀

DP and I share a car. There’s an setting for the headlights, so they come on automatically as it gets dark or in low-light situations.

I always leave the lights on automatic, so I don’t have to think about them. DP has started turning them off. I asked if he could leave them on automatic, so I wouldn’t accidentally drive off in the dark with no lights. He said he couldn’t. I asked why. He said it’s just the way he was brought up (!).

I asked him why he couldn’t do this for me, as I couldn’t see what difference it would make to him. He said if I mentioned it again, he’d get out of the car and I could drive home. FINE! I said. And so he did. And so I did. And when I got home, I left the lights on the automatic setting, just to show him.

Leaving aside the ridiculous pettiness of our argument, who is BU about the lights?

@Lindalightson I don’t think there is a downside to what you do. It’s just a control thing. I’m the same as your husband on this (but I’m not your husband). I just want to switch on the lights when I start up the car, in the same way I go through the rest of the routine before I actually start the journey. I guess it gives me confidence that they are definitely activated. You are right though. There is no real reason for this. Guess it’s just a preference.

Automatic all the way. I switch them off in summer though.

Would have agreed with you until recently but I had to drive DMiL's 2013 Ford. It has bright DRLs and the instrument lights are on whenever the car is running. So a couple of times I started it in the dark, the instrument lights were on and the DRLs were lighting up the front - they're LEDs and nearly as bright as the conventional headlamps and I didn't realise that technically I hadn't switched the lights on and so had no rear lights.

In every car I'd driven before which didn't have automatic lights, the instrument lights wouldn't come on if the lights weren't on, and, if it had DRLs, they weren't that bright.

Why? Are they only automatic in winter?

I don't get why you wouldn't use the automatic setting either.

🤷🏽‍♀️

If it gets dark due to big black clouds or it's got dusky and you haven't noticed they ping on. The only thing safer is having them on all the time.

I have done it when you drive away on a well lit street, and then you suddenly realise when you get to unlit streets, a bit scary when you notice.

@RandomMess Exactly!

@VeniVidiWeeWee Why on earth would you think you can’t turn on fog lamps if headlights are on automatic?

We have auto lights which I like but didn't realise the bloody garage turn off. Its easy to drive off with no lights as your dashboard lights up and the daylight lights are always on

Also OH didn't realise until the other week that auto doesn't work in fog. We've had the car car six years now

@Lindalightson

Beacause headlamps won't generally come on in daytime fog. It's too bright for the light sensor to turn them on..

Therefore, as per rule 226 the Highway Code, you can't use foglamps only.

PS. See @oldraver above.

I see the OP has flounder.

?Que? I was watching old episodes of First Dates and was therefore distracted. But please rest assured that I’m fully fog-lamp compliant.

Apologies, I meant flounced. If you have fully auto headlamps you are not fog lamp compliant.

Just admit you are wrong and your dh has a point.

Alternatively just kill the next biker who pulls out in front of someone who has no lights on in fo.

Automatic. They do come in in fog friending on light levels, but you can tell if they are on so I can always put them on myself.
I think the issue is not turning them on, but remembering to turn them off!

I’m not wrong. My fog lamps work fine. And I think my DP is just concerned about the car battery.

@VeniVidiWeeWee

If a driver or rider is travelling so fast that they can't stop in time for a stationary "normal" tail light then they're simply going too fast for the conditions.

May be some one should put a fog light on your high horse so you can get of it. 🙄

If there’s a possibility that you would just drive off and not realise your lights aren’t on then you aren’t safe to be driving.

@Breziegrass

I'm on a motorbike, turning right onto a main road.

The moron has no lights.

It was lucky I could accelerate and they could brake/swerve.

Don't post until you have any understanding of the dangers bikers face.

There is this. Mine are on auto but I turn them on manually when it’s foggy.

What bit of this don't you understand?

If your headlights aren't on your foglights won't work.

I always leave mine on automatic. X

Definitely BU!

Do you leave them switched off because that’s your DH’s preference?

Its a non issue. Get in the car, turn them to automatic.

I’m with you OP. I like to use the automatic setting . It’s right 99 % of the time. It saves me fiddling.
If I need to change it I do.

Mine has off, auto and permanently on (Volvo). In summer I use auto but in winter I keep them on permanently because it's so gloomy.