QUOTE (Claude @ Jul 31 2013, 01:46 PM)
One of my biggest pet-hates, trivial as it may be, is people who drive with their parking lights on. It's not a major issue, and I doubt there are more than 2 accidents in West Berkshire each year that can be attributed to it, if that, but it infuriates me nonetheless. They're called parking lights for a reason!
What annoys you most?
QUOTE (motormad @ Jul 31 2013, 05:34 PM)
You really are an idiot aren't you.
All new cars as of late 2011/2012 have to have front daytime running lights BY LAW. I can't think to see how there are ANY accidents contributable to that.
If you didn't see the car coming you certainly didn't see it had it's sidelights on.. Use your brain, seriously.
Motormad,
Firstly, I think calling me an idiot is a little unnecessary. By all means if you disagree, say so, but name-calling is out of order.
Now to the matter at hand, I think there may be some confusion (on your part). Ignore DRLs (which as I've stated before I'm happy to see and wish all cars had them). I'm talking about parking lights. One click on the headlight stalk.
Imagine, if you will, a black 1995 Ford Fiesta. It's dusk and the driver takes a trip from Newbury to Hungerford along the A4. He decides it's not dark enough for headlights so only turns the lights one click, which turns on the parking lights (you have referred to them as sidelights). While I don't think this is illegal, as previously stated elsewhere in this thread, I think the highway code advises it's not the correct use of parking lights.
By switching on the parking lights the Fiesta the driver has illuminated the dimmest light known to man, akin to the torch you pull out of the drawer in a power cut, whose batteries are 20 years old. Striking a match would generate a brighter light.
Now imagine you, driving in your new automatic car in the opposite direction and you're stuck behind a car doing 50 miles per hour. I guess you car has auto-headlights, which will be on. You want to go faster and when the road straightens and is clear up ahead (no oncoming headlights) you initiate an overtake, being extra-careful as it really is nearly dark now.
Halfway through the manoeuver up ahead you see the outline of the Fiesta & the dim parking lights and have to quickly decide whether to complete the overtake or abort. It's made tricky because trying to judge the oncoming vehicle's speed is very difficult indeed.
And this is what I mean about accidents, and I bet some have happened as a result of this scenario. If the Fiesta had its headlights on there would be no doubt there was an oncoming vehicle and the overtake wouldn't even have begun.
I have been in this situation many, many times over the years and is why I'm glad that DRLs have become law, and why people driving with their parking lights on infuriates me.
If it's dark enough for light just turn the switch one more time and put your headlights on.
My car doesn't have DRLs and I actually tend to drive with my headlights on all the time now. If it helps other road users spot me then personally I don't see the harm.
Apologies for the lengthy post but hopefully that's made my point clear. If you still think I'm an idiot then perhaps you'll let know using kinder terms, being a friendly forum and all that.