No rear lights in heavy rain.

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brucemillar

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I drove from North Kent to Brighton and back today. M20, M26. M25, M23. The weather was shocking with monsoon rain and spray reducing the visibility to just a few yards in places.

So why is it that so many cars (and I mean loads of them) had no rear lights on? They had front lights on – possibly DRL's but no rears. This in conditions where rear fogs would be considered legal. Jeez it was frightening. Cars suddenly appearing out of the spray completely un-lit until you pass, then you see they have front lights only. Now it may be just my mind playing tricks on me? The majority of these cars appeared to be newish Vauxhalls, certainly they were all newer cars. Is it possible that these drivers think that they are lit up all round, not realising that they have no rear lights on? Surely this is a design flaw?

What is the legal take on this if stopped by the Police or involved in an accident where somebody runs into the back of you?
 
I think the day will come where all cars will be fitted with auto lights
 
My W203 Merc has auto lights. But when I look both the fronts and the rears come on at auto. How can you have a setting for just the fronts to come on?
 
I have noticed this recently too, I have my lights set to Auto so with so many swipes with the wipers then ALL my lights will kick in- Plus lately it has been so dark even in the daytime, which also throws all my lights on automatically

Had some moron late last night in my village driving towards me with absolutely no lights on in heavy rain, so much so I had to swerve as I didn't see them initially approaching
 
With dipped headlight mandatory during rain for many years now most modern cars and all MBs they will come on automatically after the wipoers have been operating for approximately 30-40sec.

Even on my old SEAT of 18yrs back!
 
So a quick Google tells me this is indeed DRL's and it does appear that the Vauxhall DRL's, when on, illuminate the dash so can confuse drivers into thinking that their "lights"are all on.

Very dangerous indeed in heavy rain or fog etc.

I am assuming that you would still be liable in the event that you were the cause of an accident as a result of having no rear lights displayed.
 
With dipped headlight mandatory during rain for many years now most modern cars and all MBs they will come on automatically after the wipoers have been operating for approximately 30-40sec.

Even on my old SEAT of 18yrs back!

Peter, are you sure...lights are mandatory during rain?
 
Peter, are you sure...lights are mandatory during rain?

Was in Germany in the 70s, my father was stopped and given a 'polite reminder' .

Here I'm sure its covered under reduced visibility conditions.
 
I believe its covered in sections 113 and 226 of the highway code in that headlights must be used in poor visibility. Where poor visibility is defined as 100m
 
It's due to ;

Bright drls which light up the road a lot which makes the already total incompetent idiots think their lights are on.

The binnacle being backlit and the already total incompetent idiots think their lights are on.

There are no lights on in their heads either.

I had a go at such a prat driving in the fog thinking he had his lights on. Flipping dipsticks, they should be taken off the road.
 
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I think that for some people driving the car is not the most important thing that they have done that day and for tht reason very little thought goes into the process.
 
I think that for some people driving the car is not the most important thing that they have done that day and for tht reason very little thought goes into the process.

Aint that the truth!!
 
I think the day will come where all cars will be fitted with auto lights

Auto lights for the brain dead , and this idiotic front only implementation of DRLs are the problem .

When DRLs were first mandated in certain European countries in the 1970s they included tail lights as well as 21W front lights .

Auto lights don't recognise adverse weather in daylight as the ambient light usually remains above their threshold , and heavy rain isn't really what rear fog lamps were designed for ( the earlier legal guideline : ' when visibility is reduced to less than 100m by fog or falling snow ' gave a much better indication of when they were appropriate ) .

It is also a design flaw in a lot of newer cars that the instruments light up all the time , making it less obvious when no lights are on .

People should think about their driving when behind the wheel , and should remember that they are in charge of and driving the car , not the other way round
 
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DRL's are example of creating a new problem by trying to fix another, I'm sure the Germans have a word for this.

I've lost count of how many new cars are driven in pitch darkness with no rear lights or headlights. As already said, if you pass them you can see the instruments are lit and the drivers are oblivious.

Russ
 
Volvo and saab had this problem sorted years ago
 
Volvo and saab had this problem sorted years ago

The issue is not limited to DRLs.

In Central London (and many other well-lit city centres) it is very easy to drive with no lights on and not be aware.

In fact, if I switch my lights off and back on, it makes no noticeable difference when looking through the windscreen from the driver's seat at night.

I resolved this issue for myself a long time years ago.... my headlights are always on, day or night, so there is nothing to forget (and I also believe it's safer this way).

Where DRLs come in, is that prior to LED technology it would have been difficult to pass an 'always on' legislation in EU due to it being perceived as energy wasteful and not echo-friendly (other than possibly in some Northern European countries where visibility is poor throughout the year). DRLs made it possible to stipulate 'always on'.
 
I resolved this issue for myself a long time years ago.... my headlights are always on, day or night, so there is nothing to forget (and I also believe it's safer this way).

Me too since first moving to Sweden almost 25 years ago. Although there are times I've driven off at night with no lights following a service where the mechanics 'kindly' put the lights to manual. My fault for not checking I guess.
 
In fact, if I switch my lights off and back on, it makes no noticeable difference when looking through the windscreen from the driver's seat at night.

All you have to do is look at your dashboard, if there's one light that is on it is green you have your sidelights on, if there are two lights that are on and they are both green then you have your headlights on.
 

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