Falchoon

What do you guys and girls think of this?


British motorists will have to use daytime headlights

Sunday February 24, 2002
The Observer

Drivers of new cars could be forced to switch on their headlights during the day within months in a road safety move aimed at saving pedestrians' lives. Manufacturers have agreed to fit all new vehicles with headlights that switch on automatically when the driver turns the ignition key.
Britons buy two million new cars a year and experts believe the practice would become universal within a couple of years. But the move has sparked fury from the motorbike lobby and some road safety campaigners. They claim that making cars, vans and trucks more visible will cause motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians to become less visible and therefore at greater risk of being knocked down.

Britain already has the lowest road death toll in Europe, with fewer than half the fatalities of France and Italy. But 3,400 people still die on UK roads every year, including 850 pedestrians, 100 of them children. Now carmakers, EU Transport Ministers and the European Commission in Brussels have forged a voluntary agreement to modify vehicle design - including making car bonnets marginally softer and rounder - in an attempt to prevent pedestrian deaths. Supporters claim the measures could cut pedestrian deaths and injuries by 20 per cent by 2005. But the European Parliament has blocked the voluntary agreement and is pushing for tougher compulsory measures on car bonnet design to be enshrined in legislation.

There is widespread disagreement about daytime headlamps. The practice is compulsory in Sweden, Hungary, Israel and Canada but banned in Italy.

__________________
You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen. It said, 'Parking Fine.'So that was nice.

____o00o_=^..^=_o00o____

EA S

Given the failure of the 50k limit in saving pedestrians from themselves, I suppose this will be the next great leap forward in Vic, and about as successful.

Given that a lot of pedestrians get knocked down at night (probably because that's when they're most likely to be pissed) and that it's pretty hard to miss a set of headlights then, why will it be any better in the daytime?

MrPlow2

actually, i agree with this, but i don't think daytime headlights are necessary at all times. if it's raining, or it's cloudy, yes, the headlights should be on, but otherwise they are pointless during the day.

__________________
<p align="center"> *** just because it sells it doesn't mean it's good *** </p>
Tickford Owners Club of NSW

XLR8

I bet the people who make Headlight globes will be happy!!

__________________
BSR DJ

12/03 FPV GT 725

Adam W

How many people will park their cars only to come back and find the battery dead because they have forgotten to turn their headlights off.:crazy1: :dead:

EA S

Add battery people to the list of the happy ones.

MrPlow2

i dunno about that. most cars nowadays have a chime that lets you know you've done something silly, like left a door open, or left your ligths on, etc. even my 1985 telstar used to beep if you left the lights on.

__________________
<p align="center"> *** just because it sells it doesn't mean it's good *** </p>
Tickford Owners Club of NSW

Adam W

Yeah I know, but your forgetting the main point.


THERE POMS.:MUha:

RATT

Once again common sense should prevail in this situation. I don't see the point of driving with headlights on. As adviliax said, apart front night time it should be used when it rains and when clouds cause abnormal darkness in the miidle of the day.Then again it's cloudy and wet in the UK most days! :s4

__________________
BF XR6 Turbo

WHISKIE BOY

Has some one actually thought this through,because remember when seatbelts became compulsory,the rate of pedestrian deaths skyrocketed,because drivers just didn't slow down.the lights on just seems to be doing something to be seen to do something..again