HID Should I turn them off during the day?

Don't read Wiki if it bothers you, but check the citations. There is a lot of good stuff on Wiki. Like any other source, including "reliable sources", you have to apply some smarts to anything you read.

Tom

 

Wiki doesn't bother me - but to prove a point and to help Wiki I modified that article citing the proper references and removing weasel words.


Now that's the problem with Wiki.....

 

I am not White and Neardy enough to edit wikipedia, but I do know that I get irritated by people who insist on driving with no light on either 45 minutes before sunrise, 45 minutes after sunset, or one extremely overcast days with are actually quite rare here in Portland Oregon area.

To me, it almost seems like they are trying to make some kind of macho statement by showing eveyone they don't need their lights to see where they are going, but the literally are nearly invisible when you are waiting to pull out into a long line of cars with headlights on.

Another thing that comes to mind is that as long as I can remeber over my 50 years, I have seen signs on the US highways saying something to the effect of "Daytime Headlight Test Zone, Turn you Light on for the Next 11 miles" or something like that. Only about 1/2 the drivers actually turned on their light, and it was always out in the middle of some rural streach of road. Did they ever do a test like this in the miidle of a city with an intersection evey block? And are these some of the studies that "show there is no advantage"?

Anyway, I have converted my Fog Lights to DRL, and I am happy.

 

Probably not, most likely they can see and just don't think about the possibility that they can't be seen. At some point in time, when they are nearly (hopefully not actually) hit, they might figure it out.

I think 30 minutes is the law in Vermont and frankly, I'd rather they set it AT sunset and sunrise. There are enough visual 'distractions' around to make unlit vehicles hard to see as the light fades.

 

headlights on all the time. they are not so you can see better in the daytime. they are so hopefully you will be seen more easily.ask a motorcyle rider. on my bike i can be seen from much further distance. i know that a lot of what i call non drivers dont pay any attention to them,but many foks do. safety is not just 1 item but a combination of many small items. ie. stayiing 1 car length behind for every 10 miles an hour of speed ( as oppposed to the stupid nice person 2 second mthod). squeezing brakes instead of slamming them on. watching far ahead traffic as well as vehicle in front. ALWAYS using turn signals. go the speed of the surrounding traffic, neither slower nor faster. there are of course some exceptions to these rules but in general they have been good for me. also, as a prius driver you will love and agree with me when i say smooth driving verses speeding up slowing down, in out etc. ps ALWAYS establish eye contact at stop signs. im not the best but ive never had an accident nor gotten a ticket in 47 years of driving. i dont hold up traffic nor do speed around it. im afraid i sounded like a braggart. i dont mean to. but is an area if have good knowledge in.

 

I have my HID lamps on all the time - day or night. If I am not mistaken, the HID's may be warranted for a period of 12 months by Toyota (any takers ). If they do burn out after 12 months, I'll just have to purchase new lamps and replace them myself no matter how hard it is to replace. As a motorcyclist that put about 10K miles/ year in the bike, safety is my highest priority.

 

Yes, I think the 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset is pretty universal across all the states laws, but I agree, why not AT sunrise or sunset? I never unserstood the 30 minutes. I think it is to allow some drivers a chance to act MACHO!

 

while the studies have no conclusive results, I was shocked how much more visible cars running them were when I actually started driving about 10 years ago. I return the courtesy (and possibly enhance my safety) by keeping mine on.