Foggy and misty this morning and as usual I'm confused

i've discovered that if you leave the lights in the 'on' position on our volvo, they turn off with the engine, so you can just leave them on. I don't see why all cars are like this, it makes sense.

and then if you want parking lights, use the indicator like on german cars, or leave them on in the sidelight position
 
mjt said:
i've discovered that if you leave the lights in the 'on' position on our volvo, they turn off with the engine, so you can just leave them on. I don't see why all cars are like this, it makes sense.

and then if you want parking lights, use the indicator like on german cars, or leave them on in the sidelight position
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Not sure if this is really a problem anymore but starting the car with the headlights on is surely going to put strain on the electrical system isn't it? The only car I've had that does this is our 9-5 but especially in the winter months I tell the o/h to turn the lights off before starting up. Probably for nothing but I don't want to be wearing out starters, alternators and batteries for the sake of it.
 
Dup said:
Not sure if this is really a problem anymore but starting the car with the headlights on is surely going to put strain on the electrical system isn't it? The only car I've had that does this is our 9-5 but especially in the winter months I tell the o/h to turn the lights off before starting up. Probably for nothing but I don't want to be wearing out starters, alternators and batteries for the sake of it.
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never thought of that, but in Norway, Sweden and whatever other country has DRLs, the lights always turn on with the ignition so i can't have thought it's a major issue?
but then due to the extreme weather, i'd have thought their batteries were usually in good nick
 
Dup said:
Not sure if this is really a problem anymore but starting the car with the headlights on is surely going to put strain on the electrical system isn't it? The only car I've had that does this is our 9-5 but especially in the winter months I tell the o/h to turn the lights off before starting up. Probably for nothing but I don't want to be wearing out starters, alternators and batteries for the sake of it.
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My lights come on after the engine comes on.
 
I put the lights on on cold mornings, if I'm having trouble seeing out of misted up side windows someone else might be, and he might be just about to pull out in front of me :eek:
 
Sp00n said:
My sidelights are always on, they turn off with the engine so I never bother turning them off alltogether, plus my dashboard is stupidly dark so it helps with reading the dials.
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This presents the problem whereby as most car dashboards do not differentiate between dipped beam and sidelights, leading many to drive around at night with just sidelights on.
 
dirtydog said:
I think what confuses some drivers is that we are told to use 'dipped headlights' in fog. Do perhaps they think 'dipped headlights' means sidelights?
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Quite possibly, I see this all the time on this very forum! People think the "main beam" is their normal headlights, when this is not the case....
 
Sidelights - always.
Dipped at night/low vis - rain, fog etc
Main beam - In darkness, on all of the time except where other road users are present and can be dazzled.

I like my illumination.
 
Well its proper foggy round here as usual, about 5m visibility (other lights that is). Nobody had their rear fog on bar me it seems.
 
Well some cars are pretty visible fogs on or not and the fact you saw them without their fogs on means they were pretty visible anyway and it's not a law that you have to use them though is it?
 
daveydave said:
This presents the problem whereby as most car dashboards do not differentiate between dipped beam and sidelights, leading many to drive around at night with just sidelights on.
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Surely the switch indicates what light setting you are using?
 
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