Why do about half the cars have their headlights on today?

[Sybertiger]

Was in Atlanta the last week or so. When I got back to the Orlando area I noticed about 50% of the cars are driving with their headlights on. Pretty bright at 5PM and sunset still had 2-1/2 hours or more to go. Cars driving behind me. Cars driving toward me. Cars on side streets going both directions. Cars driving in all directions. Noticed this when I got about 5 miles within my house. Not a funeral. Weird! I feel like I didn't get the memo.

 

[TonyR]

I was born in ATL and lived there until 1969 when I headed off to USN boot camp. When I was growing up and even in '65 as a licensed driver I recall just about very holiday weekend people were asked by local media to turn on their headlights as a reminder to drive safely.

Not sure what was going on in Orlando though. Many states have passed laws in recent years that require you to turn on headlights when raining; my '18 F-50 and '20 Fusion both turn on the headlights if you turn on the wipers.

Still, you can't fix those that will drive way too fast in a blinding rain or when it's dark as pitch and won't turn on anything but their radio.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Bigger question. Why do people drive at night on the free/express-way with their lights off? Is this a new TikTok challenge thing? Or are they just too senile or stupid to notice?

 

[97JeepXJ]

I start my vehicle, buckle my seatbelt, and turn on my headlights every time I get in. I used to be a never belter, seen too many crash reports with non survivors unbuckled in vehicles they should have walked away from. Headlights greatly improve your visibility to others, maybe just enough to get them to look away from their phone long enough to see you. “Lights on for safety” as it says on the side of many commercial vehicles

 

[ludshed]

Any vehicle newer than 2019 has lights on all the time. Unless you turn the knob/press the button! You’re not an anti-climate changer are you?!!

 

[tangent]

Bigger question. Why do people drive at night on the free/express-way with their lights off? Is this a new TikTok challenge thing? Or are they just too senile or stupid to notice?

Cars from the last 15 or so years often have an automatic mode that turns the headlights on when it's dark. Many cars from the last 10 years have daytime running lights which are dimmer than the full headlights. I have seen some newer cars where someone accidentally puts their car in a mode where only the DRL are on not the headlights, this often isn't real obvious to the driver at dusk.

As to tiktok / darwin challenges, unfortunately those do exist, but aren't a new phenomenon. I remember many years ago an idiot who was driving > 120MPH with no lights wearing night vision googles.

What I have noticed is these days, when you flash your lights at someone driving with their lights off, they typically don't turn their head lights on. This has changed significantly over the last 20 years.

 

[97JeepXJ]

Any vehicle newer than 2019 has lights on all the time. Unless you turn the knob/press the button! You’re not an anti-climate changer are you?!!

My new vehicle is a 2002 F350 with buttons that take it from stock to can’t see the Prius behind me through the black cloud. Is that what you mean by anti-climate changer? Can’t say I ever turn it up that far anymore. Age does that to you I guess, but it’s there if I want to

 

[Sybertiger]

Any vehicle newer than 2019 has lights on all the time. Unless you turn the knob/press the button! You’re not an anti-climate changer are you?!!

Hmm, I guess everyone within 5 miles of my house went out and bought a 2019 or newer car the week I was out of town. The other 470 miles I drove today I guess everyone had older cars. I'm not for or against the natural climate change that has been happening for millions or billions of years although, I wish winter in Florida lasted a bit longer.

 

[David L]

They are practicing for the upcoming Eclipse? LOL Which will last only a few minutes...

 

[tangent]

 

[David L]

View attachment 191219

Haha, I thought the brick was to throw at the vehicle about to hit you, haha

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Those look like fake foam bricks

https://www.amazon.com/Promotional-Brick-Squeezie-Stress-Reliever/dp/B0124TWPVQ

 

[David L]

Those look like fake foam bricks

https://www.amazon.com/Promotional-Brick-Squeezie-Stress-Reliever/dp/B0124TWPVQ

Guess there is a low percentage of bricklayers getting hit by cars???

 

[tangent]

Haha, I thought the brick was to throw at the vehicle about to hit you, haha

That / making drivers fear pedestrians was absolutely the idea. However, the bricks are foam and the date was 4/1.

 

[David L]

That / making drivers fear pedestrians was absolutely the idea. However, the bricks are foam and the date was 4/1.

I like the painted fake potholes to slow down drivers too...

 

[6moon9]

Was in Atlanta the last week or so. When I got back to the Orlando area I noticed about 50% of the cars are driving with their headlights on. Pretty bright at 5PM and sunset still had 2-1/2 hours or more to go. Cars driving behind me. Cars driving toward me. Cars on side streets going both directions. Cars driving in all directions. Noticed this when I got about 5 miles within my house. Not a funeral. Weird! I feel like I didn't get the memo.

 

[6moon9]

It happens when we get older. Bright, loud and new interests abound. Either except like some, be unaware as the young or share the badgering of today’s tech-dumb.
AWM