Head lights/tail lights

[ve7mih@rac.ca]

It's 7 a.m., light rain, time to pull out.

We are driving a 40-foot Class A, with a toad. Everything inside has been checked off the list of "checks To Do Before Leaving."

The engine started, slides in ... jacks up...

Walk around the coach to check and everything is okay ...

Did anyone check the running lights? This includes the toad. No ...

Let's check all the lights ... good ...

Get into the coach, settle in to the driver's seat, turn off the lights ... They work okay. "WRONG." LEAVE ALL THE RUNNING LIGHTS ON.

Maybe you can see in front of you down the highway, but people behind you have a hard time seeing you. Remember that it's raining, heavy spray behind your coach. LOOKS LIKE A LARGE BLOB traveling down the road. With your lights on, it's a lot easier to see YOU.

A number of trucking companies are now running with lights on all the time ... makes sense to me.

School buses, city transit buses and motorcycles all have their lights on.

THANKS

Bob L.O.F.S (Lights On For Safety )

[genenick]

That is a great suggestion and when raining in certain states it is the law.

Thanks for the reminder!

Gene

[tbutler]

I'm constantly amazed at the people driving a gray sedan without lights on - in the FOG! Now there is a suicide case. I use my fog lights for running lights in normal daytime driving. This works for Canada also where daytime headlights are required. The wipers on - lights on makes sense to me and I always do that whether a state requires it or not. Dusk and dawn driving also require lights for safety. I never hesitate to light up when the sun is below the horizon. Also if driving into the sun when a following drivers visibility is hampered by the sun it makes sense to have all the lights on. So I do this on a situational basis rather than an always on basis. I guess I figure that following traffic should be able to see me during normal daytime driving (except for perhaps Mr. Magoo). Do taillights really add that much to visibility in normal daylight driving?

[Guest Wayne77590]

It is all about visibility and perception.

As a large vehicle, you are more of a threat to the drivers in other cars, than say a smaller vehicle. As a threat, the perception is greater, so the visibility goes up. If you take the way our eyes see things, the visibility goes out in an expanding cone. As such, larger vehicles are more visible at a greater distance, but as that cone narrows, their thread becomes more evident, but it is only then that the smaller cars are a threat as they become bigger in that narrow cone. Does that make sense? If not, I'll try and find information directly on it.

Anyhow, the larger objects are more visible and perceived as a threat than smaller objects. Now diminish that visibility with rain and road spray. That larger object becomes less visible until you reach a point that makes it suddenly appear. Having the running lights on is definitely a positive approach to being more visible under diminishing light conditions, or rain/road spray.

If I am on country roads I'll turn my lights on, even though I have the DRL's. If I'm on the interstate I don't expect vehicles to be approaching me so I'll turn the light switch to "parking" which leave the DRL's on and add the marker lights.

[mikev]

Long time ago I realized that lights on are a good thing. Whether you turn on the lights every time or leave on your running lights and turn on the headlights in poor visibility conditions- both are ways are a good idea. My wife and I put on our seatbelts and turn on the headlights every time, taught my boys to drive the same way. It is part of our ritual when we drive anything. It's not for everyone, some think it is wasteful, others of no value. I do know that there will never be a time when I transition into poor weather-low light conditions where I will have forgotten to turn on my lights. Personally I believe that lights in any condition helps others see you. Just my personal preference.

[Guest BillAdams]

We buckle our belts, lock the door and turn on the headlights before we move the coach. We always have our lights on and I sometimes have to put in new bulbs. That's OK with me as I am of the opinion that the cost of replacing the bulbs is much lower than not being seen. Sometimes things come up very quickly and unexpectedly but I will always be as visible as possible.

I also like having the lights on as I can use my ICC flasher to acknowledge someone who flashes me over as I pass (and I pass a lot).

I highly recommend the "turn on and drive" approach but YMMV.

Be safe out there!

[homefreefmca]

We have been running with our headlights on for many years. The reason for this - the coach was built with daytime running lights that go on automatically when we start up the engine.Yup,ytou guessed it we are Canadian. Day time running lights are required by law on vehicles registered in Canada. Of course, when at dusk or night driving conditions (which we try to avoid) we turn on the headlight switch.

Before we pull out we (my co-pilot and I) check to make sure all lights are working on both the motorhome and toad. These include -headlights (only on coach, Toads do not come on), taillights, brake lights, emergency flashers, and turn signals.

I think that having your lights on during the daytime, especially on two lane roads, is a great idea.

What I don't understand is why all vehicle manufacturers do not install these at the factory for vehicles used in ALL countries. I think the safety factor alone is worth whatever small amount extra they charge.

Keep your stick on the ice as we say up here in the Great Whier North.

[smokeater75]

Something people running with day-time running lights may not know is that there are no lights on at the rear of your coach unless you turn your headlights on. If its foggy or raining it may still be a good idea to turn on your lights at the dash. Another Canadian with day-time running lights on the coach.

[dalltop]

Car or MH I will judge the visibility distance and if I do not have a vehicle behind me I will turn on flashers. Often in poor visibility even the rear parking lights are hard to see. I normally reduce speed in these conditions and always have a fear of someone driving up on me too fast.

A lot of the newer cars will look like one of their brake lights is on. This is a rear fog light to make it more visible to overtaking traffic.

Once a vehicle is behind me and pacing me then I will turn off the flashers.

[Koliver]

I am enjoying reading through these old posts. So many of them have valuable or simply interesting information.

I bought my first Motorhome last month in California and imported it to British Columbia. The only item that had to change was the installation of daytime running lights. That was accomplished simply, at a Canadian Tire Store, with the installation of a DRL module that attaches to the headlights and turns them on with the ignition key. No lights elsewhere on the coach go on with this module, so it is still a good idea to turn your headlights on full in poor conditions.

[rlking]

One thing to remember with DTL's. If it's raining, they do not meet the Lights on requirement (at least in California). I had to ask about a dozen Police, Sheriff and CHP, before I got an answer. Was surprised at the number of them that didn't even know lights were required when wipers are on. As stated above, with DTL's the tail lights are not on so there is no improvement in safety.

[dogpatch]

I'm Canadian and as others stated, law requires lights to be on when vehicle is started. I can't believe one of the comments on the thought that some might think having your lights on is wasteful. What are you wasting???? Other than possibly yours or anothers life when they don't see you. Turn them on! Let people know you are there!!!

[Sundancer268]

I always run with my head lights on in any vehicle I am driving. I do not like the current Day time running lights because you see to many General Motors Products with one or both of their DRL burnt out. I also do not like the fact that they turn on immediately when you turn on the ignition switch, I would prefer that they come on as soon as I place the transmission in to gear. This could be easily accomplished today by monitoring the action of the Clutch Pedal on a manual and the Transmission pressure in an automatic. I did the automatic transmission on a 1975 Scout II by tapping a pressure switch into one of the pressure test ports used to diagnose the transmission in a shop. Worked great. With all of the computers in a modern vehicle this would be easy with just a few lines of code. I wanted to put the DRL system in my 2005 Ford Focus, but as I studied the wiring diagrams I realized that they would turn on as soon as I turned on my Ignition Switch which is a no go for me. Wish they would have used their heads in designing the system. I think it was done on the quick and dirty just to satisfy the Canadian laws and not with any intention of being safe.

[desertdeals69]

On my Silverado truck, which I tow, I had the DRL burn out on a regular basis. Upon investigation I found that the bulb used is a standard stop/tail bulb which the stop filamment is for intermitant use which is why they have such a short life when constantly are on. I tried to correct the situation by using heavy duty bulbs. They lasted somewhat longer however the plastic sockets started to overheat. My next move was to install HID bulbs and ballasts. Works perfect and gives off a pure white light very visable in the daytime. They come on when the park brake is released.

[jarz09]

Hello.. My coach has day time running lights they are in the low-beam on my quads and the run at reduced power like a standard newer car. The coach mfg. Co/builder wired it that way I thing its is kool and a good safety item. But my running lite's do not come on un-less I turn them also my back light are not on unless I turn them on. So when you are chat about the running lights are you referring to the upper run/clearance lights or the head/drive lights. I ask a couple of MH owner friends about theirs and they are the same as mine, If your running/clearance light are coming on without you turning them on they are wired into the headlight circuit ? or ? If you wanted to change that it is a easy fit.. I hope this helps Good Luck.