Daytime running lights

[Rich in Vancouver]

DRLs are required here in Canada. On my recently written off ZT I enabled DRLs with TOAF and they worked just fine. I didn't find the bulbs burned out frequently. For my upcoming ZT-T (Which is languishing in Rotterdam waiting for a ship headed this way) I have ordered a set of DRL equipped fog lights from Rick at MG/Rover Custom Car Parts. I'm not sure yet what is involved in wiring them but Rick sells quite a few so I'm hoping it is straightforward.

[Gigagator]

Originally Posted by torque2me

I was taught at the beginning of my vehicle driving that one should LOOK and NOT glance! I've had three very close calls for being involved in RTA's with drivers (1 x male, 2 x female) who only glanced. Even if it is a NFA one's insurance company will still look to "increase" premiums!

Kev

Well I'm happy to report that I've never nearly caused a collision in these scenarios. Perhaps 'glance' was the wrong word, more 'look until I'm satisfied with the gap'.

I might suggest your three close calls might also be due to the other drivers incompetence in other areas such as inability to correctly judge the distance and closing speed and underestimating the time it will take them to pull away.

Passed my test first time 9 years ago and I haven't had so much as a single point on my license since then. Closest I've come to an RTA is scraping the corner of the rear bumper on my old Alfa in an NCP multi-storey while reverse parking shortly after passing my test.

I paid for the repair out of my own money so as not to affect mine (or others) future insurance premiums.

[kelvo]

Originally Posted by macafee2

I am not in favour of DRL's only at the front and not the rear. People seem unaware that so many vehicles don,t have DRL's at the rear and I think this is exacerbated at night with digital dashboards that light up light all the time an old fashioned dashboard did when lights were turned on. This may be leading people to think they have their lights on

macafee2

Things I both hate DRLs and permanently lit dashboards, and you can see how easy it is to miss not having headlights, especially on well lit roads and some of these DRLS are so bright you could probably blind someone standing on the moon.

My other car, a Volvo 740, has the typical Swedish side/dim-dip head light and tail lights illuminated all the time - why it was never specified to have tail lamps light with DRLs I don't know. Odd then switching on to side lights and DRLs either extinguish or dim down but you have tail lights.

[minty2]

Originally Posted by Gigagator

I played with the DRL option using TOAF and ended up turning it off.

It actually turns on the full beam lamp at a reduced intensity, not the dipped beam.

The intensity of the light level itself was fine, but the beam on that lamp is set up such that even with the lower brightness it is incredibly dazzling to other road users.

I personally quite like DRL's - not as a styling item (which I don't agree with, they should be functional over form in my opinion).
As a 28 year old with good eyesight and decent reflexes, I find cars with DRL's far more visible in daytime traffic at a quick glance than cars without.
Useful for pulling out at junctions etc.

That's why I looked into enabling it on my 75 with TOAF - to increase how visible I am to others more than anything else.

As that was a no-go, I ended up not using any as I didn't want to add anything aftermarket as I prefer cars to look stock.



Agree with this too, its amazing how incompetent some people are.
If you can't get in a car in poor light and set off without knowing you are adequately illuminated you should have your taken away from you.

Another reason I have seen people doing this is because their cars are fitted with automatic headlights but they've taken them off the 'Auto' setting and turned them off completely.
Again, incompetence, and there's no excuse when you're driving a two tonne killing machine on a public highway.

I fitted Rick's DRL/indicator lamps, switched so that they remain on when the sidelights are on. This gives me the tail lights when needed without reducing the DRL brightness. I can also deactivate the DRLs, which makes the indicators indistinguishable from stock. But I like the DRLs, which absolutely fit in with the ethos of the R75. No change whatsoever to the stock look or feel. See here and here for them in action.

[mileshawk56]

I realise there are opinions about DRL but it is a fact that black and greyish cars are difficult to see under certain light conditions, I have a pearl black ZT and there is very little brightwork on the front so Im inclined to switch my lights on when I think I may be hard to see, MG ( safety first?fast)! I do think that many of the DRLs are too bright though. Chris.S.

[Gigagator]

Originally Posted by minty2

I fitted Rick's DRL/indicator lamps, switched so that they remain on when the sidelights are on. This gives me the tail lights when needed without reducing the DRL brightness. I can also deactivate the DRLs, which makes the indicators indistinguishable from stock. But I like the DRLs, which absolutely fit in with the ethos of the R75. No change whatsoever to the stock look or feel. See here and here for them in action.

Fair play, those actually look really good.
I wonder does he do them for the facelift 75?

[Simondi]

I use Ricksta MGRover Custom Car Parts DRL Fog lamp mod on my ZT and the indicator mod on my TF.
Have to say they both work well and are excellent value for money

https://photos.app.goo.gl/s3AWXPEmkxxHDVca6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/u8PFsPkxo9oTU2NZ7