Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-28 Thread Kevin J. Slater
No conspiracy; it was just the typical misunderstood statistical study.
The original only attempted to determine the efficacy of DRL at dusk,
which in the Nordic countries happens for a greater proportion of the day
than it does here far below the artic circle, and probably a fair bit more
than the more populous areas of Canada.

Of course our wonderful politicians, particularly those who view the
populace as a set of problems that need to be managed, were quick to
require them by law so that they can send letters to all of their
constituents explaining how they're making their lives better and safer.

YMMV.

...Kevin

Jeff Zedic said:
 We have had the DRLs here in Canada since 1994. The reasoning at the time
 was a satudy doe in Sweden that showed a 50% or higher drop in the chance
 of
 being in a collision with your headlights on.

 This wasn't some conspiracy with the bulb manufacturers


 Jeff Zedic
 Toronto
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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-28 Thread Kevin J. Slater
Yes, this would also explain the Army's experiments with fitting a row of
bright lights on top of desert tanks to make them more visible to the
enemy..

...Kevin


ernest breakfield said:
 while traveling in the Deserts, it's clear that vehicles with headlights
 on are
 much more visible even/especially on the brightest of days. it's a
 recommended
 practice at many parks in the Deserts.


 cheers!
 e


 Levi Smith wrote:

 However, if the sun is
 out and the day is quite clear and I'm on a divided highway I don't have
 much doubt that the headlights aren't going to make much difference.


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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-28 Thread Jim Cathey
Since about 1993 we have had a law in Oz that motorbikes have to have 
their

headlights wired to come on when the ignition is turned on.


Since the mid-70's in the States.  I know I got stopped by the cops in
high school in about '77 or '78, on my '73 Honda that didn't have it
wired on automatically.

-- Jim




[MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Werner Fehlauer
Just a few years ago, it was actually against the law in Italy (and perhaps 
other European towns) to drive at night with bright headlamps.  The theory 
was that without the blinding glare of oncoming car headlights, it was much 
easier to see pedestrians that often walked across city streets.  Some local 
cars had a separate, low wattage bulb within the normal headlamp enclosure, 
which were equivalent to our Western parking lamps.  American cars were 
required to drive around these towns using only parking lamps at night.
For parking purposes, the only thing that would make sense nowadays is the 
European method of only turning on the front and back lamps on the road 
side.  Having all corners lit only serves to drain the battery!
Now for dumb ideas, try the Daytime Running Lights, which in some cars 
were initially the high beams!

Werner
1990 300D
1983 300SD
1987 F150

- Original Message - 
From: David Brodbeck [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Funny boo boo among MB owners



ernest breakfield wrote:
properly adjusted quality front fog lights wouldn't blind anyone, and add 
a
great deal to the conspicuity of your vehicle in traffic (with or without 
fog).
given the caliber of our average fellow motorists as evidenced by what 
they
will pull out of and then claim they didn't see, almost anything could 
be

justified as necessary.



I don't see how running with fog lights will make your car any more
visible to other motorists than having just your headlights on.  Even
when aimed properly, they still create another bright point source of
light to dazzle oncoming drivers.

My personal nomination for the dumbest use of lighting, though, are
people who drive around with just their parking lights on.





Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Mike Canfield
The law here that requires those stupid daytime running lights was lobbied 
by the bulb manufacturers..Look how many more they will sell.


Mike
- Original Message - 
From: Werner Fehlauer [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 2:04 PM
Subject: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights


Just a few years ago, it was actually against the law in Italy (and 
perhaps

other European towns) to drive at night with bright headlamps.  The theory
was that without the blinding glare of oncoming car headlights, it was 
much
easier to see pedestrians that often walked across city streets.  Some 
local
cars had a separate, low wattage bulb within the normal headlamp 
enclosure,

which were equivalent to our Western parking lamps.  American cars were
required to drive around these towns using only parking lamps at night.
For parking purposes, the only thing that would make sense nowadays is the
European method of only turning on the front and back lamps on the road
side.  Having all corners lit only serves to drain the battery!
Now for dumb ideas, try the Daytime Running Lights, which in some cars
were initially the high beams!
Werner
1990 300D
1983 300SD
1987 F150

- Original Message - 
From: David Brodbeck [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Funny boo boo among MB owners



ernest breakfield wrote:
properly adjusted quality front fog lights wouldn't blind anyone, and 
add

a
great deal to the conspicuity of your vehicle in traffic (with or 
without

fog).
given the caliber of our average fellow motorists as evidenced by what
they
will pull out of and then claim they didn't see, almost anything could
be
justified as necessary.



I don't see how running with fog lights will make your car any more
visible to other motorists than having just your headlights on.  Even
when aimed properly, they still create another bright point source of
light to dazzle oncoming drivers.

My personal nomination for the dumbest use of lighting, though, are
people who drive around with just their parking lights on.



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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread David Brodbeck
Werner Fehlauer wrote:
 Now for dumb ideas, try the Daytime Running Lights, which in some cars 
 were initially the high beams!
   

Generally they're the high beams operated at a lower wattage.  I've
never found them to be a glare problem in daylight, and they do make
cars much more visible.  (I think there was a study a while back, in
Canada, that found they reduced accidents.)  My car is not equipped with
DRLs but I run with my low-beam headlights on pretty much all the time. 
I started doing this back when I was spending a lot of time on two-lane
highways, after one too many people tried to run head-on into me while
they were passing.




Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Mike Canfield
I didn't say conspiracy did I?  I said it was lobbied by.  That is a fact. 
Of course it was in thier best interest to do so and thier right as a group.


No accusations being thrown around here just stating that they stand to 
profit from the law and therefore stood behind getting it passed.


Mike
- Original Message - 
From: Jeff Zedic [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 2:53 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights



We have had the DRLs here in Canada since 1994. The reasoning at the time
was a satudy doe in Sweden that showed a 50% or higher drop in the chance 
of

being in a collision with your headlights on.

This wasn't some conspiracy with the bulb manufacturers


Jeff Zedic
Toronto
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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Levi Smith

This brings up a similar question I have.  On Thanksgiving this year my wife
tells me that I'm supposed to have my headlights on for all Holidays and
acts like I'm the biggest weirdo in the world for never having heard such a
thing and that I'm basically trying to kill us all by not having my
headlights on during the nice sunny day.  And here I thought you've had
them on all these past Holidays!  OMG!.

WTF is up with that?  Is this known by everyone but me?  If so, how many
people actually do it?  Or is this just something my wife caught on the news
some year?

Levi

On 11/27/06, Jeff Zedic [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


We have had the DRLs here in Canada since 1994. The reasoning at the time
was a satudy doe in Sweden that showed a 50% or higher drop in the chance
of
being in a collision with your headlights on.

This wasn't some conspiracy with the bulb manufacturers


Jeff Zedic
Toronto
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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Werner Fehlauer
I think most people and authorities agree that with some kind of lights 
turned on, a car (especially a gray or darker color, perhaps even dirty) on 
a murky day is much more visible than one without lights on.  Its the 
implementation that I have an issue with, in that more and brighter are not 
necessarily safer, IMO.


As for having headlights on on holidays, that started as an optional 
recommendation a few years back in another (misguided??) effort to reduce 
accidents when the traffic is heavier and (poorly trained) drivers more 
impatient.  I don't think that there's a law in any state that requires them 
to be on holidays.  The first problem would be to define holidays!


IMO, we need less of these save us from ourselves laws, and better driver 
training and use of common sense.


Werner

- Original Message - 
From: Levi Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 3:04 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights


This brings up a similar question I have.  On Thanksgiving this year my 
wife

tells me that I'm supposed to have my headlights on for all Holidays and
acts like I'm the biggest weirdo in the world for never having heard such 
a

thing and that I'm basically trying to kill us all by not having my
headlights on during the nice sunny day.  And here I thought you've had
them on all these past Holidays!  OMG!.

WTF is up with that?  Is this known by everyone but me?  If so, how many
people actually do it?  Or is this just something my wife caught on the 
news

some year?

Levi

On 11/27/06, Jeff Zedic [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


We have had the DRLs here in Canada since 1994. The reasoning at the time
was a satudy doe in Sweden that showed a 50% or higher drop in the chance
of
being in a collision with your headlights on.

This wasn't some conspiracy with the bulb manufacturers


Jeff Zedic
Toronto
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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Mike Canfield

Never heard of such a thing.  Ridiculous if you ask me.

Mike
- Original Message - 
From: Levi Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 3:04 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights


This brings up a similar question I have.  On Thanksgiving this year my 
wife

tells me that I'm supposed to have my headlights on for all Holidays and
acts like I'm the biggest weirdo in the world for never having heard such 
a

thing and that I'm basically trying to kill us all by not having my
headlights on during the nice sunny day.  And here I thought you've had
them on all these past Holidays!  OMG!.

WTF is up with that?  Is this known by everyone but me?  If so, how many
people actually do it?  Or is this just something my wife caught on the 
news

some year?

Levi

On 11/27/06, Jeff Zedic [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


We have had the DRLs here in Canada since 1994. The reasoning at the time
was a satudy doe in Sweden that showed a 50% or higher drop in the chance
of
being in a collision with your headlights on.

This wasn't some conspiracy with the bulb manufacturers


Jeff Zedic
Toronto
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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread David Brodbeck
Mike Canfield wrote:
 Never heard of such a thing.  Ridiculous if you ask me.

   

I haven't heard of that one.  In some states you're legally required to
have your headlights on when you're using your windshield wipers, though
-- an attempt to coerce drivers into making their cars more visible
under poor conditions, no doubt.



Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Levi Smith

Yeah, that one I'll agree with for sure.  It always amazes me at the amount
of dumb shmucks out on the highway in pouring rain and really dark skies who
can't figure out how to turn their lights on so that someone might actually
see them...

I'm not against turning on headlights if it's a definite good idea.  My wife
said If there's a doubt, turn them on.  I agree.  However, if the sun is
out and the day is quite clear and I'm on a divided highway I don't have
much doubt that the headlights aren't going to make much difference.  The
only thing I notice slightly more are the oncoming cars that are way on the
other side of the median.  I suppose if one of them tried and actually
succeeded in making it across the median I might notice them sooner in that
case...

Levi

On 11/27/06, David Brodbeck [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


Mike Canfield wrote:
 Never heard of such a thing.  Ridiculous if you ask me.



I haven't heard of that one.  In some states you're legally required to
have your headlights on when you're using your windshield wipers, though
-- an attempt to coerce drivers into making their cars more visible
under poor conditions, no doubt.

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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread ernest breakfield
supposed to? says who; some radio show host?;-)

a) how would we  define holidays? Chanukah? Dia de los Muertos? Boxing Day?
b) if it's beneficial, why should it only be beneficial on holidays?

silly.


cheers!
e


Levi Smith wrote:

 This brings up a similar question I have.  On Thanksgiving this year my wife
 tells me that I'm supposed to have my headlights on for all Holidays and
 acts like I'm the biggest weirdo in the world for never having heard such a
 thing and that I'm basically trying to kill us all by not having my
 headlights on during the nice sunny day.  And here I thought you've had
 them on all these past Holidays!  OMG!.

 WTF is up with that?  Is this known by everyone but me?  If so, how many
 people actually do it?  Or is this just something my wife caught on the news
 some year?

 Levi




Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Hendrik Riessen
Since about 1993 we have had a law in Oz that motorbikes have to have their 
headlights wired to come on when the ignition is turned on. Not that it 
makes much difference with all those geniuses driving cars, so far this year 
out of a total of about 104 road deaths in South Australia, 24 have been 
motorcyclists. To be fair most of them are inexperienced riders with 
powerful Japanese bikes, it's the old I see em going fast on TV, so I can 
go fast too syndrome.


- Original Message - 
From: ernest breakfield [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 7:38 AM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights


while traveling in the Deserts, it's clear that vehicles with headlights 
on are
much more visible even/especially on the brightest of days. it's a 
recommended

practice at many parks in the Deserts.


cheers!
e


Levi Smith wrote:


However, if the sun is
out and the day is quite clear and I'm on a divided highway I don't have
much doubt that the headlights aren't going to make much difference.



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Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread Rich Thomas
Think of it as evolution in action.  Also a significant argument against 
the concept of intelligent design.  Most of those who meet their demise 
probably have not yet contributed to the deeper end of the gene pool.


--R

Hendrik Riessen wrote:
so far this year 
out of a total of about 104 road deaths in South Australia, 24 have been 
motorcyclists. To be fair most of them are inexperienced riders with 
powerful Japanese bikes, it's the old I see em going fast on TV, so I can 
go fast too syndrome.
  
  





Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

2006-11-27 Thread ernest breakfield
we have a similar law in the US. of course, it shouldn't really be necessary for
it to be a law; even with daytime high-beam use and full-time use of large aux.
lights, 'cagers' still don't seem to 'see' motorcyclists (although studies show
they 'see' them if they're black  white and carry badges and guns). fact is,
motorists 'see' them, but don't consciously recognize them as a factor in
traffic unless they're a LEO.
those of who survive on 2 wheels have acknowledged the fact that in spite of
all the efforts we might make, we're invisible to the Average Motorist.

motorcycle traffic fatalities here are about what you would expect; the
statistics are that the highest percentage of them are single vehicle (meaning
they did it to themselves without the involvement of any other vehicle). after
you know that, it's not surprising to see how the categorical peaks in the rest
of the specs fall in line; highest percentages are those with low levels of
experience, 20'ish male drivers (though there's been an increase in older riders
returning to motorcycling), and happen in the wee hours of the morning on
Saturday or Sunday,... not surprisingly, alcohol is a frequent factor, and these
same riders are rarely wearing full protective gear.


cheers!
e


Hendrik Riessen wrote:

 Since about 1993 we have had a law in Oz that motorbikes have to have their
 headlights wired to come on when the ignition is turned on. Not that it
 makes much difference with all those geniuses driving cars, so far this year
 out of a total of about 104 road deaths in South Australia, 24 have been
 motorcyclists. To be fair most of them are inexperienced riders with
 powerful Japanese bikes, it's the old I see em going fast on TV, so I can
 go fast too syndrome.

 - Original Message -
 From: ernest breakfield [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com
 Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 7:38 AM
 Subject: Re: [MBZ] parking/driving/fog lights

  while traveling in the Deserts, it's clear that vehicles with headlights
  on are
  much more visible even/especially on the brightest of days. it's a
  recommended
  practice at many parks in the Deserts.
 
 
  cheers!
  e
 
 
  Levi Smith wrote:
 
  However, if the sun is
  out and the day is quite clear and I'm on a divided highway I don't have
  much doubt that the headlights aren't going to make much difference.