OT: What are your views on daytime running lights?

[ljonespwc]

Back in 1989 I applied for (and was granted) a Canadian patent on a new type of brake light system. It worked something like a dimmer switch, yet in reverse. The further you depress the brake pedal, the brighter your brake lights become. For example, someone feathering his brakes would result in brake light brightness comparable to conventional brakes. If that same person were to slam on his brakes, the brake lights would become very bright, alerting people many cars behind that someone is lockin' 'em up. Nobody from any of the major car manufacturers has contacted me. I thought of trying a standalone product that would retrofit vehicles, but it's too messy and there are too many regulations.

What do you all think?

Lance.

[This message has been edited by ljonespwc (edited 11-02-2001).]

[Jim T]

Its all about being different.

When most cars on the road don't have their lights on in the daytime, those that do will stand out. Under those circumstances, the cars with lights on may be involved in less accidents.

But, if it were the law, and all cars had lights on, then the safest ones would be the ones that DON'T have their lights on. They would stand out because they are different than all the other cars on the road.

I just don't buy the logic. If its visibility, then why not also require daytime FOG lights to be on? Or daytime high beams? Wouldn't that be even safer, and save even more lives? Wouldn't cost any more, just a little more rewiring.

I personally find DRLs silly and annoying.