On 2-11-2011 15:55, Invisible wrote:
>>>> Um, no, at least here in the US, cars manufactured in the last 10 years
>>>> or so have headlights that automatically come on when you start the
>>>> engine.
>>>
>>> Fortunately, such stupidity hasn't yet reached this country...
>>
>> Why would it be stupid?
>
> Let me put it another way: We could insist that all persons ear crash
> helmets at all times. That way, if a building collapses on you, you're
> already wearing a crash helmet. Or if you've outside and somebody drops
> something, you're already protected. Or if a car hits you, the helmet is
> going to lessen the injuries to your skull. (Shame about the rest of you.)
>
> Fortunately, nobody thinks this is a good idea. Whilst it does decrease
> your risk of injury, that risk is utterly tiny to start with. And a
> crash helmet doesn't even remove that risk, only reduce it a bit.
>
> Unfortunately, apparently somebody does think that having your lights
> permanently hard-wired in the on-position is a good idea. You may argue
> that there's no "harm" to doing this, so why not? Which is true, but you
> still look as much of a fool as a guy wandering around town wearing a
> crash helmet...

I don't want to interfere in this utterly relevant discussion. It just 
crossed my mind that when I was in Seoul (or was it Hong Kong?) all cars 
had a mirror on the back window to see what was on the ground just 
behind the car (apparently that is called a 'rear under view mirror'). 
Some were nicely integrated, some were obviously added later. I can only 
assume the law was recently chanced there.

-- 
Tools shape the way you think and solve problems. Using POV will improve 
your modelling even when using other programs.

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On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:51:23 +0000, Invisible wrote:
> Generally the only people who drive around in daylight with their 
> headlights on are people with expensive cars who turn their lights on to 
> let you know that they're important and you should get out of their way. 
> In other words, arrogant morons with lots of money. Obviously, nobody 
> wants to be mistaken for those guys...

Sometimes I flash my lights at people who drive with lights _out_ at
daytime, especially when it is no longer the brightest part of day (or year).

I find it easier to see cars, and especially the fact whether they're parked
or not (if not otherwise moving or if they're so far that it's not easy to
tell) when they have lights on. In Finland, most people drive with lights,
so the brain is wired to interpret a car with lights on as a normal car
that participates in traffic and a car with lights out as a car that does
not belong in traffic. An exception to that makes for an inconvenience.

-- 
Joel Yliluoma - http://iki.fi/bisqwit/

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