"Brian" <hskr@san.rr.com> wrote:
> -----"This basically leads me to the second main reason why I
> don't like DRLs and people who drive with their lights on all the
> time; in my mind, they are basically saying "I am more important than
> anyone else. I don't care if my actions inconvenience and endanger
> everyone, because *I* am all that matters." Its probably a signal of
> society's continued decrease of courtesy and civility, or at best, an
> indicator that we are nothing but ignorant sheeple who can't be
> bothered to research, reason, or muster a single independent thought."-----
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> How bout people who drive with the lights on are more concerned about safety
> for their family, and themselves, and not just trying to say they are more
> inportant.
Being concerned about safety is fine, but when your "safety
practices" start to endanger others, a line is crossed. Why not
install an air raid siren on the roof, huge flashing lights, and road
flares that fire off at 10 second intervals? The reason obviously, is
that although this would make you very visible to others and arguably
more safe, you present a danger to others by being a distraction,
masking other vehicles, causing hearing damage, and possibly setting
forest fires. Based on that, I don't think anyone would make the
claim that the above would be a very good idea. DRLs and leaving your
lights on is the same thing, just on a smaller scale. There is also
the cumulative effect to think about (i.e. what happens if everyone
partakes in a certain action?) Perhaps rigging a small smoke
generator to your vehicle would attract attention and thereby make
your vehicle safer. However, if everybody does it, nobody could see
anything. I guess my problem is that people don't think things out to
their obvious conclusion, and what the effects might be on other
people. Wether the cause for this is because these people don't care
about anybody else or simply have not bothered to think about it, I
don't know. Either way, I don't like it.
> And accept for the people who can't turn them off because they
> have DRLs, usually the people driving with the lights on all the time aren't
> the ones you need to worry about their actions endangering anyone.
Not necessarily. Volvos were known for years as being a very, very
safe car, and it was a huge selling point. People who were concerned
about safety for themselves and their families gravitated towards the
Volvo for this reason. However, Volvos are absolutely notorious in the
motorcycling community for being bloodthirsty killing machines. :-)
They earned that reputation because these drivers who seemed to be so
concerned with safety apparently just wanted to wrap themselves in a
protective cocoon and drive like imbeciles; to blazes with the rest of
the world.
> And as
> far as the "courtesy" comment, I take it as more of a sign of courtesy to
> others letting them know you are there, as opposed to not being courteous.
On the surface, perhaps, but the actual implications of the action
lead me to a different conclusion. If there is a need to alert
others to your presence due to diminishing light, fog, rain, etc. then
absolutely, turn those lights on, or use your running lights if it is
legal and prudent to do so. However, on a clear, bright day, under
most circumstances there is absolutely no reason for your lights to be
on.
--
-Jon-
.- Jon Steiger -- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
| '96 Kolb Firefly, '96 Suzuki Intruder, Miscellaneous Mopars |
`-------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Aug 01 2007 - 00:15:21 EDT