Sometimes I have to drive after dark in my city, and it never fails that if I drive any appreciable distance that I always see at least one person (often more) driving with their lights off. I do not need to tell y’all why this is dangerous. We’re a community of enthusiasts. We know. Plenty of us are driving older cars that predate the tech.

It’s not like they don’t mandate lots of shit already. Seatbelts, head restraints, airbags, and backup cameras are some of the most sensible things ever required for cars to have. Why are automatic headlights not on this list? There also needs to exist a mandate whereby the lights turn on if the driver turns on the wipers. Because if you need your wipers, you need your lights too. It’s common freaking sense.

Your headlights aren’t just for seeing, but for being seen. Ambient light sensors are so cheap that they end up in midrange TVs all the time. I blame the backlit gauges and myriad other interior lights. Ergo, it’s time to mandate automatic headlights. There’s no reason not to.

I’ll get off my soapbox now.

  • @stoy@lemmy.zip
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    21 year ago

    I have no idea of what you mean, what more lights are you refering to that should be on other than the headlights?

    The only thing I can see that would cause this annoyance could be is the tail lights are off when it is dark…

    • @FlightyPenguin@lemmy.world
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      31 year ago

      Taillights are only illuminated when headlights are turned on. Daytime running lights only illuminated the front, so it appears that headlights are on, but taillights remain off.

      • @stoy@lemmy.zip
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        11 year ago

        I have never hd that issue, possibly since headlights are automaticly turned on when you start the car, but most tail lights these days will be turned off when it is bright outside.