Thread: Driving lights on when?

My Mitsubushi 380 has the lower bumper lights which are activated by a dash switch. Parkers don't have to be on.

My understanding is they are classed as "sport" lights. Have no idea what that means.

If a major car maker does it then it must be legal or they wouldn't be allowed to be sold wired that way.

Beats me.

When I come to power, I will introduce on-the-spot execution for using foglights when there is no fog. I've often considered mounting the bull-lights I have in the shed, under the bullbar for responding to oncoming clowns with 'fog lights'.

Re the OP's question, very simple and sensible matter to source the switching power for your driving light relay from the high-beam circuit.

They should be wired to use with High beam,
but also need a separate switch to isolate them. Ie so they won't come on via high beam .
so you can have just the main headlight Hi beam, or driving lights together with Hi Beam.
Usually driving light kits come with an isolater switch

Originally Posted by scott oz

My Mitsubushi 380 has the lower bumper lights which are activated by a dash switch. Parkers don't have to be on.

My understanding is they are classed as "sport" lights. Have no idea what that means.

If a major car maker does it then it must be legal or they wouldn't be allowed to be sold wired that way.

Beats me.

don't try that out on a Qld. copper. They have been having a bit of a blitz lately and will tell you firmly they are fog lights, inappropriate use of which is a fine and points. Mitsubishi might call them "sport lights' but the Traffic Act has no such animal.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

don't try that out on a Qld. copper. They have been having a bit of a blitz lately and will tell you firmly they are fog lights, inappropriate use of which is a fine and points. Mitsubishi might call them "sport lights' but the Traffic Act has no such animal.

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Agree mostly. Regardless if QLD police book you for having them on doesn't make them illegal. Just illegal to have them on. If they were illegally wired they also defect the vehicle which they don't on the 380's.

Interestingly in NSW there’s a campaign to have people turn their lights on during the day to make vehicles visible. Go figure.

However when I looked at how lights had to be wired your fog lights have to be wired off your parkers.

Exactly like driving lights you must have them wired so they can only be turned on at the same time as you high beam and turned off by turning off the high beam. You can't just have the driving lights on.

Though I understand that if you have them on the roof and call them (some rules) work lights that's fine?

[QUOTE=scott oz;1619949]\
[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana][COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]......Interestingly in NSW there’s a campaign to have people turn their lights on during the day to make vehicles visible. Go figure.QUOTE]

The reality of that idea is... distraction and road-rage from badly adjusted lights, HID headlights dazzle anyway and we'll quickly reach the stage of only noticing the brighter / more sparkly ones...Then what? - Rings of LEDs around each light ? When we all have these, then have them pulsating ?

Remember the Daylight Running Lights on older Volvos ? They quietly dropped them after a couple of years. I found them annoying...and my eyes were in perfect condition back then.! My sources tell me that they did'nt produce the results. In Scandinavia perhaps, but NOT here in Oz. (We may make an exception for Miserable Melbourne.)

Then there is the aspect of 'distraction'. Like it or not, we are attracted to bright things and tiny bright lights (LEDs) are almost irresistable. - Our gaze keeps coming back, no matter how much we try not to. Other cars need to be noticed, not stared at.

IMHO, the most succesful of running lights, is the little parking globe being located inside the headlight and thus illuminating the insides. Think of old VW Beetles.

I think running lights do have a place, especially on two lane roads with high speed limits and sparse traffic. This applies particularly in the case of the popular colours for cars that merge into the road surface colour (dark grey, black, etc). Also useful in very dull weather where the same colours merge into the sky. Particualrly applicable for those of us driving relatively low powered Landrovers on fast roads such as the Newell and Mitchell highways - we need to be able to see oncoming traffic a long way ahead!

John

Driving lights are only to be wired through the hi-beam circuit, but with an isolator swith inline to go back to standard hi-beam.
****** lights (aka fog lights) are to be wired through parking lights ie the two lttle bulbs, used only in fog and heavy rain AND MUST BE DIPPED when low beam is selected. Any other avtivation of Fog lights where other cars are present on the road is purely illegal.