In most states, it is not mandatory by law that if your wipers are turned on (not a brief clean or an isolated wipe), then your headlights must be on too. The idea is so that other drivers can see you in lower visibility conditions that result from what caused you to run your wipers in the first place. What do you think of the idea of mandating that vehicles, after a given manufacturing year, have installed a relay that turns the headlights, or all lights, on when the wipers go on? Now, as a libertarian, I normally do not Iike the idea of additional mandates in our lives, especially those that seek to save us from ourselves. However, like the now mandatory break light bar that is on all cars, this would be a mandate to protect others from us. The regulation would not be about you not getting hurt, but about others seeing you so that they do not get hurt by your lack of action, in this case. What are your thoughts?
Most cars are equipped with auto light control already. We can take it off auto incase we don't want lights but the car needs to run for heat or air. I take it off auto when I'm waiting for someone and I don't want my lights blaring in a shop window. I use the window wipers when conditions are bright...like condensation or fogging. I would rather we have an element of control and that we use an essence of responsiblity.
Bad idea. There are far too many instances where people turn on their wipers that are beyond the scope of the law. A bug splattering on the windshield on a sunny day for example. Now since it's common to use headlights to signal people of hazards on the road (police, accidents, etc) or as a signal that it's OK for someone to change lanes, having the lights pulse on when someone pulses the wipers could cause confusion. Are you really saying that it's OK for that Tractor Trailer to merge into your lane or are you trying to clear off a bit of road schmutz from your window? Now there are also areas where it's either against the law or is heavily frowned upon to flash your lights to warn of a speed trap. Try to remove that dollop of bird crap at the wrong moment and you're looking at a ticket. And yes, I know there's a difference between the pulse function of the wipers and extended use. And yes you could wire the system so that a pulse doesn't trigger the lights but the full operation does. But what happens if I need to run it for a length of time to clear off a dead bug? Again on a sunny day I don't *need* the wipers (which is the basis of many of the laws) but I'm still using them to clear that dragonfly off my windscreen. It's the law. If someone violates the law, punish them. There's no need to mandate equipment to stop them from violating it.
My headlights are always on. Car does it. Think they call it "daytime running lamps" or something. Anyway, I never have to touch my lights or my rearview mirror. All electronic and automatic. The rearview mirror thing annoys me though.
That's another point I forgot. If it's mandated to be in every car, what about the cars that have daylight running lights or simply have headlights that come on when the Ignition is on? What's the point of installing such a relay on cars that are already running the lights whenever they're rolling down the streets regardless of the weather conditions?
I’m not sure it’s appropriate given there can be situations where wipers are necessary but lights aren’t (sun and shower, light snow, using the window washers etc.). I think you also risk losing an element of understanding why lights are needed when they are and could increase issues like dazzling from full beams. There are times when automated systems for safety are good and necessary but for this I think education, encouragement and, where necessary, punishment, would be a better answer.
My state requires your headlights be on if it is raining for safety. My car just does it so I never have to think about it. My truck does not have this feature because it is as old as dirt, but I never really drive it in the rain because the only time I drive it is to haul stuff in the back. I definitely never drive it at night because the dash lights don't work and I cannot see my speed. I really don't care if cars have a device or not except I really wish I could roll the windows up and down instead of having electronic switches on those. My car has lots of annoying safety features like I cannot open the trunk unless the car is in park, the passenger side door doesn't unlock unless car is in park or a fiddle with the switches, rfd chips in the keys, sensors for everything under the sun, can't lock the doors if the keys are left in the ignition and engine is off, etc.
Well in this case, your other arguments aside, the car meets the requirement of the lights being on when the wipers are, and thus need no additional components. The sad part is given how lawmakers word laws, this common sense view would bypass them completely and they would still require the components.
Exactly. Government would mandate the devices on ALL cars regardless of whether or not their lights were on all the time the car is running. Car manufacturers would grumble and grouse until someone realizes that they can tack on an additional $100 for a $3.00 relay and rake in the dough. Ford in 2016 saw sales of more than 1.5 million. Let's say that parts and labor to install said relay is $20 total. After parts and labor...that's 120 million in profit. More of a reason to not mandate such.
Around here, if you need your wipers on, your lights must be on. I love it. Honestly, the lights should be on all the time the vehicle is on the road, but that's just me.
Sounds like a good idea to me. I would prefer that manufacturers offer it as a feature, although I kind of like my current vehicle, 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara, which has driving lights (low power lights always on), and automatic light control (as it gets to a certain darkness threshold, full lights go on). Drives me crazy when I drive my wife's car, which doesn't have auto lights.
Law should specify that lights be on when wipers are on. Cars with daylight running lights would always be on, so no need for relay. The wiper on/headlights on feature could be added to auto lights.
I don't miss the old-style window cranks at all. I haven't bought a car with those since 1989. When your passenger door is open, you are supposed to have your car in park. Passengers shouldn't be getting into a car that's not in park. It's just a common-sense safety practice. I love having cars with keyless ignition. I'm glad that my car won't let me lock the doors if the keys are left in the ignition and engine is off--makes it harder to lock your keys in the car.
2008 vehicle. Lights are on all the time while running. No choice. They are called daytime running lights.
Not really, The car I have is far from extravagant, yet all models of the car had it. Suzuki Grand Vitara 2010. A pretty low end SUV.
No, it just means more electronics failure costly repairs and other problems, more people stranded with a broken car for electronic reasons when the car otherwise would run just fine, plus just keeps upping the minimal price for a vehicle. This is not a minor repair concern as such computer programming would be within a computer that runs all sorts of things on the car and if anything malfunctions it tends to shut the car down, with typical computer replace costs being $1000+ or much more. It also means that cars are retired no longer worth repairing for computer glitches for all these required extras - bad for the environment as another car has to be built and this all lands on the poorest people. Dying computers are costing more and more working people having a car. For one of our cars, 10 years old, we have had to spend over $10,000 having it towed in and a computer replaced numerous times because a computer stopped functioning - and since the function is required under federal law - even though the car would run just fine and safely without it - to avoid violating law it kills the ignition. So what the OPer is REALLY asking is "do you agree that if your headlights do not automatically go when you use your windshield wipers, your car shouldn't start, you should be stranded where ever that happens, you should have to rent a car and you should be required to pay $2000 to have it repaired before you can drive it again?" That is the REAL poll question.
No, not allowing doors to be opened unless in park is not safe. It means if a person drives off, realizing their door wasn't completely closed, they have to stop, put the car in park, and only then can open and reclose it. So, they stop on the road, put their car in park to be able to open and close the door, causing an accident. On a boat ramp, unable to open the door unless in park would be a 100% pain in the ass for loading or unloading a large boat. Same with trying to hook up to a trailer in some situations. The poll is NOT asking if such a feature should be optional. Rather, whether it should be required that you have and pay for it for any vehicle you might buy. The OPer, a Democrat, is typically wanting another way he wants the government to control you - and wants you to pay for it in numerous cost and inconvenience ways because in his view people are stupid and must be controlled at their own expense by government edicts on manufacturers. Of course, that feature has lead to people locked in their car unable to get out. Windows, locks, ignition are all part of the computer system. If it fails, you can not start your car, open your door or roll down the window. I've read many messages by people are car forums ranting of being locked in their car unable to get out. Sounds quite danger to lock old women in their cars with the windows up, doors locked and it 100 degrees in the sun. But if we have to kill old people, cause people to lose their jobs because their car won't start due to federally mandated breakdowns and deprive low income people of cars because they can not afford fixing the federally mandated so-called safety crap, Democrat control freakism requires that they just have to die, lose their jobs and be stranded for the better good of society. Government mandated death and suffering calling it for the greater good. Billy Meyer did a rant of this specific topic of how the Democrats are demanding all this crap be required for new cars claiming Americans are all stupid so should have to pay more for cars and pay for more breakdowns and repairs due to absurd control-freak Democrats trying to micro-control every person's life. In his opinion this is one reason ordinary people are coming to hate the Democratic Party.
I have vehicles with daylight running lights and hate it. Good for the headlight manufacturers I suppose.
