Daytime Running Lights

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They're mandatory in Canada, and I think they're one of the best real-world safety features out there.

I'm not much to preach on safetly, but DRL's are a no-brainer....
 
Personally I wouldn't like my yellows lit up while I drive. Even more so on a bright sunny day it's just overkill. Just personal preference too. If I really want to be seen I just turn my headlights on.

Interestingly, my friend and I recently figured out how to disable her DRLs on her 3rd gen. She goes astronomy camping with other people. Nothing like an angry mob of fellow astronomy enthuisiasts swinging their pitchforks at you because you pulled up to the night campsite with your DRLs on. Now their eyes have to re-adjust to the light again. :bash:
 
It's all about accident avoidance. All the airbags, ABS, and crumple zones in the world are great....but I'd rather NOT get hit in the first place because it's dim/hazy/smoky/etc out and buddy forget to turn on his lights.
 
It's a great question. I think DRL's do help make other cars more visible, even in sunlight.

Way too many people try to overthink the question "is it dark enough for me to need to turn on my headlights?" They usually answer "no", even when the answer should clearly be "yes". With DRL's, the driver doesn't need to make that decision any more, and it truly benefits everyone on the road, including the person with the DRL's.
 

I don't care for DRLs, although I have pretty much gotten used to them.

I drive large trucks for a living - CDL straight trucks or sometimes a Freightliner or International tractor pulling a 53-foot trailer. When I am on the freeway, I find that it is more difficult to judge the distance of a vehicle behind me when it has DRLs versus one that does not. When I must change a lane, it is extremely important for me to know how far the vehicle is behind me (for obvious reasons).

Maybe my eyes are getting old, but it takes an extra split-second when a car has its lights on during the daytime. Not really a big deal, but just something to b*tch about every now and then.

On the flip side, DRLs are great during hazy, cloudy, or rainy weather - and during twilight hours - when dimwit drivers forget to turn on their headlights.
:biggrin2:

While automakers - particularly GM - claim to be all about safety, I think they push DRLs to save money. Since Canada requires them and the USA does not (yet), it is easier for them to build all cars one way and push them all out the door.

DRLs also make it harder to notice an emergency vehicle approaching with its own lights activated. This is why some states actually had laws - many years ago - that prohibited you from using your car's headlights during daylight hours. Some tunnels used to have "Lights still on?" signs at the exit so you would not forget.


Oh, how times have changed!
:confused:
 
Last edited:
Jeff Kleb said:

Some tunnels used to have "Lights still on?" signs at the exit so you would not forget.


Oh, how times have changed!
:confused:
That's funny, because around here logging roads have always had signs at the beginning tell you to turn ON the lights.....interesting the differing views on this.
 
I didn't like them on my 01 Tundra, because they were basically the low beams lit up at around half-power. During Christmas time driving through light displays everyone leaves only their marker lights on and I would have a lot of people flashing.

I also didn't like having them on if I was sitting outside somewhere and wanted the truck running but my lights off. However on my 06 T4R only the yellow marker lights are on for the DRLs and that is no big deal IMO.
 
sharp4runr said:
I'm invisible when I'm riding my motorcyle, no not really but that's how I ride it...

same here but no need to blend absolutely into the background, I would like at least a slim chance of beeing seen :p
 
funny enough, i was wishing i could turn mine off tonight. FOG! wish i could only turn the fog lights on and the regulars off. its really hard to drive with head lights going when theres thick fog. hell, sometimes i even drive with no lights or just the side markers (other cars) if its bad enough.

the camry didnt have them, but they had the auto-off feature when you opened the door so you could pretty much set it up as drls.
 
wazzuFreddo said:
same here but no need to blend absolutely into the background, I would like at least a slim chance of beeing seen :p

Have you given a thought of the headlight modulators? Bikes with those installed seem to really stand out IMO. Or, ride in the buff :D
 
It's a no-brainer... the yellow DRL's are great.
EVERYONE has forgotten to turn on their headlights while driving at dusk at least once in their life. The yellow lights help oncoming traffic see YOU during that time. Obviously if you can't see them then you would have already turned on your headlights.
 
Excellent feature IMO ! Wouldn't want to be without them and especially with the 4R the ambers are bright and dont use the headlights. They stay on with parking lights too. I also like the high beams since the low beams stay on with them an light up the road real nice.
 
gcantu said:
Why do people not like them?????

Maybe cuz it makes it look like a rental car?

Dunno, but DRLs are pretty good safetey feature... not only in hazy/dim lighting but on many types of road in broad daylight, too. I don;t have them but I often turn on my headlights here in CA in the middle of the day.

Driving down a forest road with dappled sulight, for example, it can be extremely hard to see oncoming cars. Same for some straight, flat roads in the sun... oncoming cars tend to blur into the background unless they have lights on.

Take a hint from Sweden... safest roads and Volvos have had DRLs since the 70s.
 
How do you turn the DRL off and still keep the vehicle running? I thought I figured out a way once in my 2006 T4R, but I can't remember how I did it. I wouldn't do it on the road, just when we are about to park near our hunting areas.
 
Newbie here.

I just got my 07 4runner about a week ago, and still reading the posts and trying to learn about my 4runner.

When it comes the DRL, I was confused like hxll, because I didn't know what the DRL was. Finally I figured it's like a parking light.
It's kinda funny driving with parking lights only. I originally thought DRL was the fog lights.

Anyway, I found one of those 4runner dedicated website and I like the way that person modified to have fog lights on whenever you have DRL turned on weather head lights are on or not.
So, I did it last night and it only took me 2 min. and I LOVE IT!

Now, I drive my 4runner with fog lights and parking lights(DRL?) whenever I like. Check out the other mods too.
JA's Toyota 4Runner
 

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