Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) on the S550

[phil1336]

I'm not worrying.

I'm objecting to the expectation that I must turn my back on a lifetime of making my own decisions, and that I must replace that experience with new "fixes" for all these things that the real worry-warts don't think I am capable of coping with unless their input is present.


Norm

As an aging Dinosaur myself, I choose (not) to do Social Media. I don`t have a Facebook account nor do I Tweet on Twitter, use InstaGram, Tumbler, etc. I use a "dumb" Phone and the only "Apps" I choose are those before my Entree. That said, any means of making my Vehicle more identifiable to oncoming traffic is ok with me. Electing not to enable your Vehicle`s Bluetooth to allow hands free chatting on ones Phone such as I have done is a personal option. My Phone goes to Voicemail while I`m driving regardless of who is attempting to reach me. Once I pull over and no longer driving, I retrieve my missed calls. Not embracing every new technological gadget is not the same as allowing ones DRL`s to alert oncoming traffic of your Vehicles presence. Time to find another cause to rally for and support.

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[Evolvd]

I'm not worrying.

I'm objecting to the expectation that I must turn my back on a lifetime of making my own decisions, and that I must replace that experience with new "fixes" for all these things that the real worry-warts don't think I am capable of coping with unless their input is present.


Norm

I'm sure many people felt exactly the same way when seatbelts became mandatory in every state, or the third brake light. It's not just about you and what you want. With car accidents being the highest killer of people (not counting medical ailments) any bit of technology that can improve safety should be regarded as an improvement, not an insult.

 

[phil1336]

Arguing with someone even with scientific "facts" means nothing to some. Just like with Religion, its based on "faith" not proof of collected data. I`m out of this "thread" due to shear boredom. I`ll let the rest of this Forum engage "Norm" on why (he) doesn`t need the benefit of DRL`s to alert oncoming traffic of his presence regardless of his half Century of driving expertise. Life is pretty easy to figure out depending on what direction your Bar Stool is facing while sitting at the Bar. Cheers everyone!

 

[tsunami]

It now turns out that the more electronic your car becomes, the greater the chance some hacker is going to be able to hack into it. Where you have been and/or going (GPS), your cell conversations (WiFi), even control your car, door locks, lights, etc. Auto manufacturers are finally going to get together "to see what they can do to secure your vehicle"! Just like Anthem (RedCross), Target, Banks, etc.
I can see the day that you are kidnapped by your self-driving car...doors locked and off you go.

 

[Norm Peterson]

As an aging Dinosaur myself, I choose (not) to do Social Media. I don`t have a Facebook account nor do I Tweet on Twitter, use InstaGram, Tumbler, etc. I use a "dumb" Phone and the only "Apps" I choose are those before my Entree. That said, any means of making my Vehicle more identifiable to oncoming traffic is ok with me. Electing not to enable your Vehicle`s Bluetooth to allow hands free chatting on ones Phone such as I have done is a personal option. My Phone goes to Voicemail while I`m driving regardless of who is attempting to reach me. Once I pull over and no longer driving, I retrieve my missed calls. Not embracing every new technological gadget is not the same as allowing ones DRL`s to alert oncoming traffic of your Vehicles presence. Time to find another cause to rally for and support.

We may well have more in common than not . . . we're just drawing our lines in the sand a bit differently.

Have you seen the people they give driver's licenses to? Most cant see past their cell phones lol.

IOW, yesterday's mediocrity is today's excellence? How sad.


Norm

 

[MagneticA]

I was driving to work today (6 miles stop and go). Off to my right was a car with no lights on, so I assumed it was parked. Suddenly, w/o blinkers, it jumps into traffic a few cars ahead of me. Took me by surprise, the car he jumped in front of too, as he laid on his horn. So then I decided to count how many cars didn't have their lights on or running lights. It totaled 18 vehicles. For the most part, driver's had their lights on. I'd say I passed close to 150 cars. This was just before the sun was visible on the horizon... a time when lights are beneficial.

Lights aren't just to help the driver see, they're also there to indicate to others that you are in an "active mode".

 

[Norm Peterson]

The guy who jumped into your line of traffic may just as easily have had DRLs, seen their illumination on something in front of him, and assumed that his taillights were on as well. When you try to make things idiot-proof in one respect, you'll more than likely manage to uncover a different strain of idiot that your fix doesn't help.

It's not all that rare around where I live to be driving past dusk to come up behind a car that's driving a little slower than the rest of traffic and showing no taillights. But more often than not these days, his DRLs will be lit. IOW, it is possible for DRLs to actually add risk as well as reduce it.


No excuse for his failure to signal, though. None at all, even if that meant he needed to roll his window down, stick his arm out, and point (I can hear the gasps of shock already, that such a low-tech archaic means of signaling might actually still have a place in today's driving.)


Norm

 

[berserker_sid]

Now Norm SIr.. i guess your next argument would be... Why the hell? Mustang has a small mirror for bling spot on side mirror... Since you have 50+ years of driving experience....

After that.. Why the BLIS system came into place.. since you have driving experince of 50+ years And you are very careful in everything.

After that Argument would .. Y mustang has rear view camera because for ppast 50+ years you are used to turning around and reverse your car.

After that .. WHy there is TPMS in cars and Y bother even traction control.. Y even ECU and Y even i say LED light and y electric heated seats...Nothin is needed at all.. Y because 50 years back this was not inc cars and you would say i am trained this way.

Y puncture resistant tires... Norm Sir... My advice for you.. either you accept the tech which is being put with the while idea of making roads litle safer.... or please DO NOT BUY LATEST CARS!!! Bec they will have all the tech... u think are useless... Since as per you .. You have exp of 50+ years and you have trained urself to be careful

 

[phil1336]

The guy who jumped into your line of traffic may just as easily have had DRLs, seen their illumination on something in front of him, and assumed that his taillights were on as well. When you try to make things idiot-proof in one respect, you'll more than likely manage to uncover a different strain of idiot that your fix doesn't help.

It's not all that rare around where I live to be driving past dusk to come up behind a car that's driving a little slower than the rest of traffic and showing no taillights. But more often than not these days, his DRLs will be lit. IOW, it is possible for DRLs to actually add risk as well as reduce it.


No excuse for his failure to signal, though. None at all, even if that meant he needed to roll his window down, stick his arm out, and point (I can hear the gasps of shock already, that such a low-tech archaic means of signaling might actually still have a place in today's driving.)


Norm

Yeah, I`m back. Not to debate or discuss the matter of DRL`s which I previously promised not to discuss any further (but) the matter of the use of directional signals. You may or may not be aware but 99% of drivers in the State of "Floriduh" including local Police and Sheriffs Departments no longer use the dedicated stem on the steering column that years ago was used to put ones "blinkers" on. The good news is that "horn blowing" more then makes up for the lack of directional signal use. Must be something to do with that I 95 corridor, you think? NY and NJ quickly comes to mind!

 

[Norm Peterson]

Now Norm SIr.. i guess your next argument would be... Why the hell? Mustang has a small mirror for bling spot on side mirror... Since you have 50+ years of driving experience....

I'm sorry that you find yourself so unable to benefit from the experiences of others. I guess you do need the full complement of nannies . . .

After that.. Why the BLIS system came into place.. since you have driving experince of 50+ years And you are very careful in everything.

BLIS - pretty much why do we need it, other than for people failing to do what they should?

About 'everything', however, I suspect that I've got a somewhat different outlook than you on being totally insulated from all of life's risks, so my definition of 'very careful' in things not associated with driving probably doesn't match up with yours. But I'm good with that.

After that Argument would .. Y mustang has rear view camera because for ppast 50+ years you are used to turning around and reverse your car.

None of my cars has ever had a rear view camera, so I really am comfortable without having one.

After that .. WHy there is TPMS in cars and Y bother even traction control..

Why, indeed. Or should I say "Y, indeed" since that's the new style of typed communication.

One of my cars never had either of those, another one does not recognize the wheel sensors that the car came with and always gets its TC shut off, and the third spends the cooler months without sensors and ESC off as much as it's on. You think I should be afraid of not having something now that I never had before?

Y even ECU and Y even i say LED light and y electric heated seats...Nothin is needed at all.. Y because 50 years back this was not inc cars and you would say i am trained this way.

I don't dislike all technological advances. I once installed and tuned an aftermarket EFI system on a car that originally came with a four-barrel carburetor. LEDs have their place (but dim over time), and with cloth seats that hold you in position far better than "leather" there really isn't much need for seat heaters. Hmmm, I still have a pair of cloth buckets that might fit into some project car or other.

Y puncture resistant tires... Norm Sir... My advice for you.. either you accept the tech which is being put with the while idea of making roads litle safer.... or please DO NOT BUY LATEST CARS!!! Bec they will have all the tech... u think are useless... Since as per you .. You have exp of 50+ years and you have trained urself to be careful

Ever hear the term 'civil disobedience'? My '08 hasn't had a functional clutch interlock switch <gasp> since April of 2008 <double gasp>. Take a deep breath and don't let the panic attack get the best of you, m'kay?


phil - I'm guessing "snowbirds" and as I think you're suggesting, transplants. I'm in NJ, just well south of NYC, and there is a difference in the level of courtesy shown between drivers from here and drivers from there.


Norm

 

[berserker_sid]

I'm sorry that you find yourself so unable to benefit from the experiences of others. I guess you do need the full complement of nannies . . .



BLIS - pretty much why do we need it, other than for people failing to do what they should?

About 'everything', however, I suspect that I've got a somewhat different outlook than you on being totally insulated from all of life's risks, so my definition of 'very careful' in things not associated with driving probably doesn't match up with yours. But I'm good with that.



None of my cars has ever had a rear view camera, so I really am comfortable without having one.



Why, indeed. Or should I say "Y, indeed" since that's the new style of typed communication.

One of my cars never had either of those, another one does not recognize the wheel sensors that the car came with and always gets its TC shut off, and the third spends the cooler months without sensors and ESC off as much as it's on. You think I should be afraid of not having something now that I never had before?



I don't dislike all technological advances. I once installed and tuned an aftermarket EFI system on a car that originally came with a four-barrel carburetor. LEDs have their place (but dim over time), and with cloth seats that hold you in position far better than "leather" there really isn't much need for seat heaters. Hmmm, I still have a pair of cloth buckets that might fit into some project car or other.



Ever hear the term 'civil disobedience'? My '08 hasn't had a functional clutch interlock switch <gasp> since April of 2008 <double gasp>. Take a deep breath and don't let the panic attack get the best of you, m'kay?


phil - I'm guessing "snowbirds" and as I think you're suggesting, transplants. I'm in NJ, just well south of NYC, and there is a difference in the level of courtesy shown between drivers from here and drivers from there.


Norm

Norm Sir.. My complete stress.. Your experience is urs.. it benefits you.. BUt on roads you know.. so many geniuses are there... Like today...One guy suddenly turns left ... in peak traffic time... i mean what the hell..

Then thing is change is inevitable.. new advances keep on coming... either you can accept them.. or keep on arguing on that... by shadowing it with experience...

Of course your experience counts... but some additional stuff doesn harm right!!!

 

[Evolvd]

I feel dumber for even contributing...

 

[tsunami]

I live in a midwestern town where the drivers were never taught to use their turn signals. Most of the time, neither do the local cops. People will swing across 3-4 lanes without ever signaling. No one even beeps their horns at these idiots. Our claim to fame is that one year, a national truckers organization declared that St Cloud, MN had the worst drivers in the whole US. One five block stretch of local street used to have at least on bad rear end accident per week, quite a few lethal even tho' the limit was 40 mph (18 wheelers who couldn't stop in time when the sub-compact decided to slam on the brakes and make an unsignaled turn).
Driving in other adjacent cities...you can usually tell which drivers are from St Cloud, no signaling, or if they do, they signal after they are nearly finished with the turn.
Living in St Cloud has convinced me that automatic collision stop systems need to be mandated for all new vehicles in my town.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Norm Sir.. My complete stress.. Your experience is urs.. it benefits you.. BUt on roads you know.. so many geniuses are there... Like today...One guy suddenly turns left ... in peak traffic time... i mean what the hell..

I honestly wonder if in Magnetic's episode there wasn't at least some subtle clue what that spaz was either about to do or at least could do. Driver side front wheel pointed as if to drive away from being parked, wheel in the process of being steered or rolling, or by a little exhaust vapor, for instance. Noticing things like that isn't any different from watching the wheels of a car about to enter the road from a side street for rotation (something that I always do). Too bad we'll never know whether any cars with DRLs were involved or if they would have made any difference.

Then thing is change is inevitable.. new advances keep on coming... either you can accept them.. or keep on arguing on that... by shadowing it with experience...

People seem to insist on equating 'new' with 'better' without giving it any thought at all. They can't be bothered to give 'new' a sanity check for how it might have shortcomings of its own in addition to the aspects for which it claims to be better.

Of course your experience counts... but some additional stuff doesn harm right!!!

Trust me, I am aware that at some point some of these things may on balance become more useful than annoying. Until then, they're as apt to create distractions of their own (because I'm actively dealing with the same thing) as not. Perhaps when doing my own compensating also gets to be an encumbrance, it'll happen that I'll start using a couple of them. For example, there already is a certain intersection configuration that based on experience I'll drive extra distance to avoid encountering.

I wish I could bottle experience.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

I live in a midwestern town where the drivers were never taught to use their turn signals. Most of the time, neither do the local cops. People will swing across 3-4 lanes without ever signaling. No one even beeps their horns at these idiots. Our claim to fame is that one year, a national truckers organization declared that St Cloud, MN had the worst drivers in the whole US. One five block stretch of local street used to have at least on bad rear end accident per week, quite a few lethal even tho' the limit was 40 mph (18 wheelers who couldn't stop in time when the sub-compact decided to slam on the brakes and make an unsignaled turn).
Driving in other adjacent cities...you can usually tell which drivers are from St Cloud, no signaling, or if they do, they signal after they are nearly finished with the turn.
Living in St Cloud has convinced me that automatic collision stop systems need to be mandated for all new vehicles in my town.

There is a clearly identifiable and very basic cause here. Why isn't the root cause [of not signaling turns] being addressed? If failure to signal is that widespread, it'd be a money maker for the town until people finally wised up to their responsibilities.

A band-aid electro-mechanical "fix" won't correct the bad mental outlook, and even the best brakes and grippiest tires have limits. Physics > nannies.


Norm

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