Leaving the headlights on

SaintStephen, here's your answer, from the California Vehicle Code:

24800. No vehicle shall be driven at any time with the parking lamps lighted except when the lamps are being used as turn signal lamps or when the headlamps are also lighted.

So you can't drive with parking lights alone.

PS: I lived in Los Gatos from 1981-1998.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SaintStephen @ Nov 8 2006, 02:54 PM) [snapback]345823[/snapback]</div>

I remember when the law was enacted that states that you can't drive with only your parking lights on. Typical highways at the time were two lanes. Passing by entering the oncoming traffic lane was pretty routine at the time. When looking to pass, and a car in the near distance is approaching with just parking lights on, that car can easily be mistaken for a car in the far distance driving with headlights on. A good recipe for head-on collisions. Around 1962 all parking lights were mandated to be amber in color so they couldn't be mistaken for distant headlights. I don't know when that idea was dropped. Maybe when freeways became the norm.

 

Well, Canadians had better not drive their 3rd gen RX-7s or Chrysler minivans in California then, because the DRLs use the yellow "turn signals" on both those vehicles. As far as I know, you can't run HIDs at reduced intensity. Canadian Prius don't have the HID option, so I don't know what bulb a HID equipped Prius would use for DRL operation. Often HID equipped cars use a separate bulb in the headlamp assy for DRLs. The RX-8 is one of those.

Note that the most common current HID bulb is a single (low beam) and only costs $85 or so. Prius uses a dual bulb (low and high beam) and that is why it's so expensive ($250 each or so). Many vehicles using the single bulb use halogen for high beam - such as the Nissan/Infinity cars and trucks and the Mazda RX-8.

 

This site:
http://www.hid-sin.com/replacements.htm
Seems to have the HIDs for $140 to $155, depending on the temperature you order. I should probably order a set well in advance of a bulb going out on me!

Dave

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cbs4 @ Nov 8 2006, 11:31 AM) [snapback]345687[/snapback]</div>

So, given that your service dept is less than stellar, and other than time and effort, how much did this cost you out of pocket?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jeannie @ Nov 8 2006, 05:01 PM) [snapback]345768[/snapback]</div>

I do the same... but does anyone else have other cars constantly flashing their lights at you at night thinking you have your bright beams on when you don't? I get this all the time... then I flash my true "bright" lights and that must really blind them.... FYI I dont have HID lights, just the old fashoned type so I dont know what the issue is but I never had people flshing at me to turn my brights off before I had my prius...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bgdrewsif @ Nov 9 2006, 06:25 PM) [snapback]346593[/snapback]</div>

Yes! This happens to us pretty much once a day on average. I've looked at the lights and they don't seem to be aimed weird so I can't figure it out.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bgdrewsif @ Nov 9 2006, 03:25 PM) [snapback]346593[/snapback]</div>

I don't have HID either and have had this problem from day one. I took it to a dealer and had them aimed and still have the problem. I have replaced both lamps and refrained from upgrading to a brighter type because of this.

 

Corvette model years 1997-2004 use brighter than normal type runnings lights as their daytime running lights, with the headlights off. This system works great and can easily be seen.

The Prius has a similiar system with the headlights off, at least my 2007 does. So I see no reason to drive with my headlights on during the day, except when I'm driving down a two lane road.

 

It may not be the intensity of your lights that's the reason why other drivers flash you.
It could well be the level or the 'aim' of your beam - not so much left/right but more the up/down.

Our models have a dial graduated from 1 to 5 which adjusts the level of the beam (1=lowest 5=highest)
On 1 I couldn't see much more than 50 yards ahead of me so I upped it to 5 and got flashed - Then when I reduced it to 4 I could see well ahead and don't get flashed.

I think the reason why they do this is if you have additional weight in the back of the car (passengers or cargo) the nose of Prius lifts up a little and so the ability to adjust the beam height is there.

If you have the auto levelling of the headlamp beam function then its probably a dealer job to fix