Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) on the S550

[souprmage]

I wasn't going to include "too lazy" or "blessed with an exaggerated sense of entitlement to be served/waited on" but you're doing a pretty good job of "talking" me into typing more than I was going to. ;)


I'm old, but not quite that old.



I've been old enough to live in a 55+ community for a dozen years already, and I'll just leave it at that.


Norm

You're grasping for straws now. Feel free to stop being so judgmental toward people that don't agree with your minimalistic point of view. We're not lazy, nor entitled, nor senile, nor any other adjective you wish to throw out. I couldn't care less if you project those onto yourself, just don't project them on to me simply because I appreciate different things than you.

The fact remains, DRLs are mandatory in many locations because of very specific data showing it improves safety for everyone. But for now, the place you call home is not one of those, so you can enjoy your minimalist philosophy for now.

Sponsored

 

[Asharus]

I would like the DRLs only so I can get my geico discount

 

[IndustryLeech]

Who brought "GetOffMyLawn" to the party?

 

[Fenderaddict2]

As a onetime motorcycle owner I hate mandatory DRLs. Headlights on on a bike were our one big safety advantage which DRLs immediately took away from us one they became mandatory here in Canada.

 

[Norm Peterson]

You're grasping for straws now. Feel free to stop being so judgmental toward people that don't agree with your minimalistic point of view. We're not lazy, nor entitled, nor senile, nor any other adjective you wish to throw out. I couldn't care less if you project those onto yourself, just don't project them on to me simply because I appreciate different things than you.

Not reaching. Reacting to a little provocation from a mindset that tends to think I should ignore my own experience-based attitudes to bend over and conform like the rest of the herd when it comes to this stuff, probably.

The fact remains, DRLs are mandatory in many locations because of very specific data showing it improves safety for everyone. But for now, the place you call home is not one of those, so you can enjoy your minimalist philosophy for now.

I know they're mandatory in some places - at least that some sort of lights must be on is. If the legal requirement only stipulates lighting be on during daylight travel, I'd have no problem with turning on all by myself whatever lighting met that requirement. Isn't that what I'd have to do if I took a trip into Canada with most any car built specifically for the U.S. consumer (non-fleet) market anyway?

As to having a minimalist philosophy, it's easy when you spent most of your career as an engineer.

1. Make things as simple as possible, but not simpler.
2. It is not necessary to reinvent the wheel.


Now, can you explain exactly why you might actively want these solutions? I mean do you know why you'd choose them if you were comfortable going on just your own experience? Don't bother including reasons like legal requirements or falling in step with the current climate where safety is externally enforced rather than internally recognized. I'd really like to hear just your own internal thinking here. You've heard some of mine.


Norm

 

[activeGT]

You're grasping for straws now. Feel free to stop being so judgmental toward people that don't agree with your minimalistic point of view. We're not lazy, nor entitled, nor senile, nor any other adjective you wish to throw out. I couldn't care less if you project those onto yourself, just don't project them on to me simply because I appreciate different things than you.

Hey! Speak for yourself. I am lazy. I find it a lot of work to turn that darn knob.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Now, can you explain exactly why you might actively want these solutions? I mean do you know why you'd choose them if you were comfortable going on just your own experience? Don't bother including reasons like legal requirements or falling in step with the current climate where safety is externally enforced rather than internally recognized. I'd really like to hear just your own internal thinking here. You've heard some of mine.

Before I bought my current Mustang, I was dead-set against automatic headlights. I was like, I know when I need headlights and when I don't, and I don't want to trust a machine to tell me when headlights need to be put on and when they don't. I don't need the intrusion.

And then I got a car with automatic headlights, and it was kind of a revelation. For the last four years, I haven't had to think about whether to put headlights on or not. It's just not a concern for me, ever, at all. It's really nice to get in my car at any time, day or night, and not have to worry about having to put the headlights on. Plus -- and this is really the biggest one -- I have never yet had the battery die in my current Mustang. In the ten previous years, I probably had the battery die at least seven or eight times, from accidentally leaving headlights or dome lights on. I'd turn the headlights on when I left in the morning and it was dark, and by the time I got where I was going, it'd be light out and I'd forget they were on, or whatever. Not having to worry about that is actually a significantly nice thing to have in life.

Also, while I'm glad that traction control and stability control are completely defeatable -- it's impossible to get unstuck from a snow bank with them on -- stability control has been, just, shocking to me in how much easier it makes it to drive in snow. I can still turn it off if I want to do some ass-out shenanigans, but in regular, everyday driving over snow it makes things a billion times easier.

And as for Bluetooth... maybe you're retired, and that's fine. But for those of us with jobs where we need to be reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, not being able to answer phone calls just because we're in the car is flat-out unacceptable -- it's a great way to find yourself unemployed if you get an urgent business call and don't return it for a half-hour because you were on your way to the supermarket or whatever and didn't have bluetooth to take the call.

I've never had a car with automatic climate control, but I'm guessing once I get my 2015 that I'll really enjoy not having to adjust the heat every five minutes to make sure I'm not boiling up or freezing and trying to strike the balance between a tolerable cabin temperature and not having dry air blowing in my eyes.

 

[souprmage]

Hey! Speak for yourself. I am lazy. I find it a lot of work to turn that darn knob.

Damn, except for activeGT, who's so damn lazy he can't even capitalize the first letter of his name.

 

[Norm Peterson]

And then I got a car with automatic headlights, and it was kind of a revelation. For the last four years, I haven't had to think about whether to put headlights on or not.

That is exactly what concerns me; that the more we let our cars do for us the less attuned we'll become to driving in general.

I understand the dead battery issue, sort of. Mine has gone flat two or three times since 2008 (I still have the original Ford battery), but never because I forgot to turn the lights off.*** Leaving a door or the trunk open while working on the car is when I get bit, and I don't think that auto-anything except auto-complete-disconnect can solve that for me. But at least the battery charger and a cord reel are within easy reach.

*** the lesson learned from leaving lights on all day and evening back in the 1960's when I was still going to school must have stuck - I've managed to avoid repeating that little bit of carelessness ever since.

Also, while I'm glad that traction control and stability control are completely defeatable -- it's impossible to get unstuck from a snow bank with them on -- stability control has been, just, shocking to me in how much easier it makes it to drive in snow. I can still turn it off if I want to do some ass-out shenanigans, but in regular, everyday driving over snow it makes things a billion times easier.

So are you causing it to intervene from time to time or are you trying to write "peace of mind" off as actually making the driving itself easier? I suppose ito the extent that it lets you relax, you're better off, though I really don't see the nannies being any better at letting that happen than skill developed through a little practice. More than once I've managed to get the tail to step out at a track day, dry track as well as wet, and it's not something I've even had to think about to rein it in. I'm not entirely sure I want to have to deal with a vehicle control input that I didn't make myself, in addition to the tailhappiness that I did cause.

And as for Bluetooth... maybe you're retired, and that's fine. But for those of us with jobs where we need to be reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, not being able to answer phone calls just because we're in the car is flat-out unacceptable -- it's a great way to find yourself unemployed if you get an urgent business call and don't return it for a half-hour because you were on your way to the supermarket or whatever and didn't have bluetooth to take the call.

Yes, I am retired now, but when I was still in the workforce I never gave out my cell number to anybody in the office. To me, it's flat-out unacceptable to put yourself in a position to be pestered 24/7/year round and flat-out unreasonable for others to expect that you should. It was bad enough over a couple of short stretches where certain people called the house over truly trivial matters that really could have waited until the next day. Should have, except that there are people who will always put their impatience above your down time.

I worked as an engineer / stress analyst in industries where being "on call" was very much the exception, and for most of that time few people even had a cell phone to be bothered by.

I've never had a car with automatic climate control, but I'm guessing once I get my 2015 that I'll really enjoy not having to adjust the heat every five minutes to make sure I'm not boiling up or freezing and trying to strike the balance between a tolerable cabin temperature and not having dry air blowing in my eyes.

<sigh>


Self-reliance even in these little things isn't something to be avoided.


Norm

 

[souprmage]

I suddenly feel the need to petition the federal government to make DRLs mandatory. Along with auto-parking, auto-braking, HUDs, touch screens with bluetooth and lane change warnings.

 

[MagneticA]

Times change. Some roll with it, other lament over it.
With the Pony we're all in luck: the memory-lane folks can refurbish an older generation and the if-its-new-I-want-it folks can enjoy the new technologies. Decide who you are, buy it, ride it, and enjoy the hell out of it.

 

[phil1336]

All this banter about DRL`s, really? Lets get serious and talk about (real) issues like the clear coolant overflow tank and the hood prop rod, LMAO.

 

[Asharus]

Yea lets talk about how my car is a lemon. My brake lights don't work lol

 

[JeffreyDJ]

I like my automatic temp, DRLs, auto-headlights, touch screens and blue-tooth. I don't think I'm lazy or entitled. Nor am I what would be considered young anymore ;)

 

[Merle]

All this banter about DRL`s, really? Lets get serious and talk about (real) issues like the clear coolant overflow tank and the hood prop rod, LMAO.

I'm 71 years old or young. I want nothing but the Transmission to be
Auto. I will turn on what I want when I want it, and this 15 Mustang
has 41 things I hate about it so far. I traded my 2013 DIB for a New
2014 Race Red Mustang to just skip the 6th gen Mustang. The DIB
looks better than the Race Red but after 2 1/2 years I almost went
with the DIB again. I HOPE the 7th Gen will be better in 10 years.
This is my 7th Mustang and I had a NEW 97 Cobra. This 14 V6 is the
FASTEST Mustang I have owned. Check out a 69 Fairlane 427 425 HP
and the numbers are better with the 3.7 V6. I LOVE MY V6 MUSTANG!
SORRY BUT I LIKE OPTIONS THAT I CAN CHECK ON OR OFF!

Sponsored