Back in the US and have some questions

[OhWiseOne]

and still nothing from Americans explaining why .... why the fog lights on a bright, clear night? Why no headlights when it's pissing rain and/or dark? Why don't you use your blinkers?

We Americans just want to piss the world off... Drive man drive!!!!!
You need fuzzy dice hanging from the mirror also....accessories are essential. :afro:

 

[Hoss]

and still nothing from Americans explaining why .... why the fog lights on a bright, clear night? Why no headlights when it's pissing rain and/or dark? Why don't you use your blinkers?

Quick answer, because we are Albanians, I mean Americans and can do as we please.

Longer answer, fog lights are on because you never know when a fog is going to roll in and you need to be ready.

Lights when it's raining? Have you been drinking? Light and wet rain water causes glares. Street and highway lighting is enough and also lighting from cars that have their lights on.

Lights at night? Highways have lights, some streets have lights, if there's a full moon why deplete the battery? One of the best things to do is drive back roads on dark nights with the headlights off. Maybe use the blinkers then so nobody gets hurt.

Blinkers get used as needed but I'll be damned if I am going to waste them as a way of saying :"Thank you." A simple hand wave and head nod are enough.

 

[OhWiseOne]

Quick answer, because we are Albanians, I mean Americans and can do as we please.

Longer answer, fog lights are on because you never know when a fog is going to roll in and you need to be ready.

Lights when it's raining? Have you been drinking? Light and wet rain water causes glares. Street and highway lighting is enough and also lighting from cars that have their lights on.

Lights at night? Highways have lights, some streets have lights, if there's a full moon why deplete the battery? One of the best things to do is drive back roads on dark nights with the headlights off. Maybe use the blinkers then so nobody gets hurt.

Blinkers get used as needed but I'll be damned if I am going to waste them as a way of saying :"Thank you." A simple hand wave and head nod are enough.

Damn you're good....:smile:

 

[Rikter8]

Because it looks kewl. That's it. It just does. Especially BMW Angel Eyes.

Exactly. It's just one of those things "you Do" when your younger, or a car enthusiast.

Parking lights on at dusk with your fog lights on looks cool, and enhances the style of the vehicle when your cruising around. Angel eyes on the right vehicle look very cool, and I get a HELL of a lot of looks from mine.

Americans take great pride with their sleds.

http://www.marshu.com/images-websit...ia-picture/pontiac-firebird-2002-ws6-w300.jpg

They should use blinkers though. That's my pet peeve too.
I don't flash my lights. The guy in front of me will get pissed and stomp on his brakes.

 

[B_thickjohnny]

So much for having a dialog

 

[nudeyorker]

So much for having a dialog

Sorry... but I know how to drive. I'm assuming that everyone else does too or are not responding due to shame and/or embarrassment.

 

[midlifebear]

To get a driver's license in Argentina not only did I have to pass a written test with a minimum score of 80%, I had to fill in a second multiple guess exam of 100 questions and score 85%. That took most of the morning. After lunch I returned to take the psychological profile tests. The first psychological test consisted of me being instructed to draw a scene that involved several people involved in an accident. I had to invent the accident. Then I was asked to explain the accident represented in my drawing, how it happened, who was at fault, what punishment should be dealt, etc. The second psychological test was sort of a basic "who are you and what is your world view" type of preliminary therapy session. After I had passed the written and psychological exams I had to perform a real world driving test
which just happened to take place at 17:30 in heavy traffic.

Longest and most involved driver's test I've ever had to suffer. All Argentines are required to fulfill the same test. Still, despite the intensive driver training and all that testing Argentines tend to drive an average of 15 to 30 kilometers over the speed limit with a definite death wish, crowding two lanes into 8 lanes, and disregarding the white lane markers on all roads. I been told by porteños many times that the white lines painted to mark lanes are only there as a "suggestion."

But everyone is really good at using turn signals. Oh, yeah, and most drive with their headlights on all of the time, day or night, simply because there's a better chance they'll be noticed in each other's blind side.

 

[B_thickjohnny]

Sorry... but I know how to drive. I'm assuming that everyone else does too or are not responding due to shame and/or embarrassment.

I know how to drive too. Just thought I'd get a few people to explain to me why they feel the need to drive with fog lights on all day and night and/or don't turn on their lights in the pouring rain. Etc.

Maybe it's like someone said "to look cool" but common sense should dictate what's right and/or wrong with driving with parking lights and fog lights on.

Since that won't be coming soon, it might be time to kill the thread.

 

[nudeyorker]

Since that won't be coming soon, it might be time to kill the thread.

No I'm confident someone will log in or join the site that can shed further light on the subject. Let's not kill the thread.

 

[B_enzia35]

Most GM models have DRL that come on automatically.

 

[deleted15807]

yeah angel eyes on 74 Cadillac low riders look soooo cool

So much for having a dialog

You want a dialog on what some consider fashion and style? I don't think that conversation will go very far.

 

[Rikter8]

I know how to drive too. Just thought I'd get a few people to explain to me why they feel the need to drive with fog lights on all day and night and/or don't turn on their lights in the pouring rain. Etc.

For the same reason you chose your avatar.
For the same reason you dress the way you do.
For the same reason you chose the type of vehicle you did.
For the same reason you pierced your dick.

Individuality.

 

[B_thickjohnny]

For the same reason you chose your avatar.
For the same reason you dress the way you do.
For the same reason you chose the type of vehicle you did.
For the same reason you pierced your dick.

Individuality.

Driving with misaligned fog lights on on a clear night is not individuality
Driving in the pissing rain without your headlights on is not individuality
Texting while driving is not individuality

I'll accept individuality on the angel eye thing and maybe on these guys who think bright blue headlights are cool but not having them aligned properly is not cool. I thought there'd be local regulations on that - in New Orleans we had to get an annual inspection sticker and getting that required an inspection of the cars systems - brakes, headlight alignment, wheel alignment etc. I don't guess all cities have such a thing?

 

[Hoss]

Driving with misaligned fog lights on on a clear night is not individuality
Driving in the pissing rain without your headlights on is not individuality
Texting while driving is not individuality

I'll accept individuality on the angel eye thing and maybe on these guys who think bright blue headlights are cool but not having them aligned properly is not cool. I thought there'd be local regulations on that - in New Orleans we had to get an annual inspection sticker and getting that required an inspection of the cars systems - brakes, headlight alignment, wheel alignment etc. I don't guess all cities have such a thing?

Fog lights and headlights are variable from person to person, I don't like a lot of light at night, it hurts my eyes.

As far as texting, that wasn't in your original rant, I fully agree on that, as I do with the talking on a cellphone thing, especially with the hand held device. Even hands free cellphone talk requires looking at it for at least a few seconds just to dial a number even in a quick-dial. These are very dangerous. If a handsfree is voice activated dialing it is a better choice, but never texting. It's worse than the idiots in the mall or on the street walking along texting. At least walking you can get out of the way a little more safely.

 

[tamati]

Foglights are great for lighting the shoulders of dark curvey rural roads. Way easier to see around corners and increases the ability to spot deer before they jump out.
Colored foglights really increase visibility of the road when theres snow on it. The different colored shadows make what would normally appear to be a flat white surface, to have definition and show ruts better.

I generally always have my headlights on. I dont have foglights on my current car. But dont live in snow country any more.

Law here is headlights on when raining...but the cops dont even do it.

 

[B_thickjohnny]

I agree that fog lights can help on dark country roads IF they are aimed properly. They are not suppose to be aimed up but rather, down to do as described - illuminate the road and sides of the road directly in front of you not projected out.

How many people have rear fog lights and either don't know it or don't know how/when to use them?

 

[wappingite]

Great topic!

I've had driving licenses/licences in both the US and UK. In the US, driving etiquette really varies from place to place, and even within states. I've been licenced in Ohio, Utah, Washington and Alaska and all those places were fairly friendly drivers that either blinked or waved in acknowledgement. Some states are really lax on requiring proof of knowing how to drive by their laws when moving there. I had to take written open--book test when moving to Utah, but just had to exchange old licences when moving to Washington and Alaska.

Regarding the fog lights, it's part of the drag in many places, even if fog isn't much of an issue. It tends to be suburbanites trying to look cool such as the ones who drive their off-road vehicles with deer guards to the grocery store and soccer/football practice and would die if they actually got their vehicle dirty.

Driving is part of the American psyche and people express their individuality and independence, thus there is much inconsistency. The penalties in the US are much less in severity and enforcement in the US compared to the UK for example. In the UK, it's fairly easy to lose your rights to drive in comparison. I would never dream of speeding here or breaking the rules. Although, I love to watch Americans naviagate round-abouts. ;-)

As most parts of the US have dismal public transportation options, and it's often social suicide not to own a car, driving there is really much more culturally important.

I currently don't own a car here in the UK and only hire one when I need it. It's liberating to be honest not to have to fuck about with one.

 

[B_thickjohnny]

I know what you mean wappingite. When living in Prague, I did own a car but used it only for the big weekend shopping trips or carting around a client. The car was always garaged and I walked and/or took public transportation everywhere within the city. Now back in the US I HAD to buy a car and elected to get a mid size cross over simply because of size. A car like an Audi A3 is just too small for Atlanta when compared to 90% of what's on the road.

You're right about cultural influences too. People see other people driving a certain way, like it and emulate it. I don't think that drivers actually know the law either. That's the biggest flaw. It's way too easy to get a license in the US.

 

[OhWiseOne]

Off topic but here is proof that U.S. drivers are crazy.

Motor vehicle deaths statistics - countries compared - NationMaster Health

 

[nudeyorker]

This might help a little.... NTSB recommends full ban on use of cell phones while driving - CNN.com