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Re: The fallacy of DRLs




> 
> Craig Baltzer <cbaltzer@nsx.com> wrote:
> 
> >Anyway, I agree about the government regulation stuff (i.e. too much 
> >regulation is a pain), but find the DRL handy on rural roads (i.e. 2 lanes) 
as 
> >they allow oncoming cars to be picked up easier. I can't see any real 
> >advantage or disadvantage around town or on multi-lane highways though... 
> 
> So, what good does it make to mandate EVERY car
> to turn the DRL on ALL the time while most of
> the time it is useless?
> 

I wasn't arguing for or against. What I was pointing out was the argument 
being put forward on why they shouldn't be used and we all should boycott cars 
with them was irrational. Just because your side of the argument was shown to 
be crap doesn't mean that the person pointing it out is automatically *for* 
the other side of the argument. 

So far we've had the against arguments saying that 1) they cause accidents as 
they blind drivers, causing them to rear-end cars in the same lane, 2) they 
are a part of a large conspiracy by the automobile industry to sell more light 
bulbs and 3) they are bad as they will waste an immense amount of energy.

1) is absolute crap, as if a driver is are distracted by oncoming headlights 
to the point of having an accident in broad daylight, he/she has no business 
driving.

2) well, I just don't subscribe to most conspiracy theories. Sell more light 
bulbs, well maybe an extra set or 2 (at about $30 a set) over the average life 
of the car (5-7 years). Not a large ticket maintenance item, and hardly one 
I'll loose sleep over.

3) For those concerned with energy waste, remove the right side mirror, mud 
flaps or rear spoiler. Or drive with the windows up.

Anyway, government regulation is needed for important things. Screwing around 
with whether or not my lights come on when I start my car is not one of them. 
Want to save lives and reduce accident injuries, get better enforcement of the 
seatbelt laws, drunk driving laws and raise driver education requirements. 
Likewise, getting worked into a total lather about "never owning a car with 
DRL" is just as assinine.

Craig



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