scott wrote:
>> I see a staggering number of road users with full-beam lights on hours 
>> before the daylight begins to go. I know some cars have automatic 
>> side-lights etc, (e.g. Volvos) but I really can't believe that all 
>> these blazing beacons are helpless automatics. Sometimes I feel I'm 
>> the only driver on the road without my headlights on, at 5 or 6pm in 
>> the summer. Ludicrous. And wasteful.
> 
> I always have my headlights on no matter what the weather or time of day 
> if I'm driving on the autobahn.  The reason is simply so that people 
> will notice me sooner/at all when I am approaching from behind (and 
> hopefully not pull out infront of me).  Wasteful doesn't really come 
> into it, the lights are using 80 W and my engine is developing 80 kW.

Hmm, in broad daylight I don't notice cars any quicker if they have 
their lights on but I guess I can't speak for everyone.

As for the waste, well, I am speaking as an owner of a 1.1L tiddler 
whose idling engine pitch significantly alters when the lights go on! 
:-) Even so, 0.1% of 30 years of petrol multiplied by the number of car 
owners and all that...

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