LED side lights

[helen&tony]

Hi
Funnily enough, when I rode my bike to work, I wore black bike gear because it was good'n'waterproof...BUT, I had a lot of folk that seemed not to see....I changed to red, and it seemed I was more visible, as I didn't have so many near misses...same journey, same speed,. same time...and this was before the use of lights....so I reckon visible colours make a small difference, but , really, most statistics are easily manoeuverable to prove what you set out to...and my experience is that you want to make yourself as visible as poss....HOWEVER....I'd have never gone with a fluorescent yellow jacket....definitely NOT my colour...I suit red far better...
Cheers
Helen

[mikexgough]

Feb 2014 will be when Factory DRL will start to be included in the MOT as that's their 3 years up since introduction...dunno what they will do if they have been disarmed as the MOT tester will have them noted on his test sheet.....
Missing from Helen's list is Italy but that show's the DRL will be getting more widespread....albeit slowly
I fitted a German DRL Module to my Bongo,one that they retro-fit to save getting nobbled by €50 fines when visiting other countries requiring DRL/Dipped beams.
I decided that powering up my dipped beams was nice but way too bright & decided to go for the VW style dim-dipped main beams in the headlights..... as DRL, to save dipped beam filaments.
Very effective and running at half power... On DLR...
Each to their own with views on DRL, but I find it makes other drivers look again and not pull out in front of me.
When you switch on the sidelights/headlights as usual.... the Module is switched off....and dim dipped main beam DRL are cancelled.
I had them passed on MOT and also asked VOSA and Police for their input before going down this route.

[mikeWalsall]

All this debate .. 'cos I fitted two LEDs in my front side lights ..

[mikexgough]

Following on the DRL subject.... my MOT station...I was there today... are awaiting a special notice regarding testing them from next year.... they expect it to arrive at anytime soon

[scanner]

Hi
http://travel.stackexchange.com/questio ... ng-daytime
From above list, it looks like 10 countries out of the 28 EU countries don't require dipped lights....18 do
DRLs compulsory on new cars since 2011
My view?....the average driver can see folks coming more readily. In country districts, certain colours are harder to see in shady tree lined roads...same for motorbikes
Over here, the majority of the population have had more than a safe amount of alcohol after 11.00 AM, and before 11.00 A.M. they are suffering a hangover....NO...I'm not being cynical...I guess it's much the same across Eastern EU, and I'm sure grateful to see what's coming VERY early!
Regarding German vehicles.,....you can pretty much tell who's driving them, e.g : Black German 4x4s = Mafia, Yobs, and suchlike...white versions of same are favoured by Ladies of the Night, and Footballers (not a lot of difference there, then)
Cheers
Helen

So that's Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, the three main countries people travel to from the UK don't require dipped headlights (Germany, France, Spain).

In my opinion, they make no difference to visibility, but it's not just my opinion, all the research says they make no difference. It's a bit like the argument for Hi-vis on motorcycles, the reason that hi-vis makes no difference to visibility is that the reason car drivers don't see bikes is because they haven't looked (not that they have looked but not seen). It doesn't matter what a biker wears or covers his bike in if someone hasn't looked they won't see him.

You must be one of those grey car drivers who won't put any lights on until they can't see the end of the bonnet.

Bl00dy menaces on gloomy mornings.

[trxbloke]

Why not put warm white LEDs in instead of bright white. Then there wont be a significant difference in the colour wrt the main headlight colour.

I'm just ordering a set of warm white from eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pcs-T10-W5W- ... 3cc9bc9993.

[Poohbear]

You must be one of those grey car drivers who won't put any lights on until they can't see the end of the bonnet.

Bl00dy menaces on gloomy mornings.

No, on the contrary, I only use lights when it is correct to do so i.e. I use dipped headlights if visibility is reduced, I only use side lights when parked (almost never), I only use fog lights in fog (and definitely not in heavy rain when they just cause glare). As I use dipped headlights when visibility is reduced then I see no purpose for DRLs. They just seem to another cause for confusion for bad drivers (the ones who use side lights in bad visibility or at night and fog lights all the time). On my bike I ride with all my lights on all the time so that car drivers who haven't looked properly (i.e. most car drivers) may catch sight of my lights.

[mikeWalsall]

Strange really me fitting LED side lights as I .. always .. ride / drive on dipped headlights just use side lights when parked up at the chippy ..!!

The best side light system I reckon is the one used on some (older) Fiats where the ignition key as to be out .. then a small button pushed in by the ignition lock ...