DIYbanter - View Single Post - OT Idiot lights-out drivers

Don Y[_3_]

On 2/12/2016 8:51 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 12 Feb 2016 16:16:42 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 2/12/2016 10:06 AM, KenK wrote:
Just about pulled out in front of a car with lights out early this morning.
Not even parking lights. A few seconds earlier...

Why do these people drive with lights out? Save gas - engine runs easier
without generating electricity for lights? Seems I've seen many more of
them in the past year for some reason.

What about defective head/tail/signal lamps? I consciously notice which
lamps are lit (headlamp/running lamp/turn signal) each time I pull up
behind a vehicle with some of mine lit. Likewise, notice in the
rear view mirror if one side of the car behind me is "less red"
(from my brake lights) while we're sitting at a stop light.

Periodically will "linger" behind the car as we are exiting the
house and ask SWMBO (driving) to tap brakes, turn signals, etc.
so I can verify their operation.

How could you *not* "notice" that the light in front of your vehicle
is uneven" Or, that there is no "yellow glow" apparent alongside your
vehicle from your turn signal?

[Ans: because you're simply not noticing MOST of the things that you
SHOULD be noticing while driving!]
Virtually all vehicles will let you know if a signal is out by
changing the flash rate - either faster or no flash, depending on the
flasher used.

Perhaps in the days of thermoelectric flashers. Nowadays, when the
flasher is a few lines of code, I don't think that is likely to be the case!