[RajaTaurus]

I am liking the discussions going on here. Driving with only parking lights ON, is normal practice here in India and here it comes out that it is not safe, dangerous, creates illusion and illegal in many countries. Great discussions and many eye openers. Thanks all.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by NFS

When stopped behind another car (say at a signal or toll booth), I will switch to parking lights...

+1. I too follow the same habit and this is not to save the bulbs or fuel. This is to save the agony of headlights falling on the driver's eye as mentioned by NFS. Just a courteous gesture towards other road users.

[mmxylorider]

I switch on headlights at the first sign of darkness or overcast weather - and if headlights are on, I switch on fog lamps too. I don't want to risk an approaching intoxicated biker decide to go between an approaching (him) pair of bikes

No switching off or turning to park lights at any point until I reach my destination.

As mentioned earlier by others on this thread, I find people switching on hazard lights in tunnels to be most annoying. And dangerous when I see these vehicles still changing lanes merrily.

[Ricky_63]

We are talking here of how things go in India !! Some of the posts are talking about how it is in the Us or Europe.

Let us talk about how one would behave or react to the given situation in INDIA






Cheers

P.S. My parking lights & fog lamps come on together, as I am a little more cautious than the average Joe..

[selfdrive]

Interesting points here, I agree with the point about parking lights when in a queue/ signal. I only wish people showed more mercy while using the high beam, but I guess there is a separate thread for that so here
I also switch on the parking lights in addition when traversing through a tunnel

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

+1. I too follow the same habit and this is not to save the bulbs or fuel. This is to save the agony of headlights falling on the driver's eye as mentioned by NFS. Just a courteous gesture towards other road users.

I don't understand this. When you are parking or stopping behind somebody, you would be too close to him anyway, your headlight would maximum reach up to only half of his boot up until the number plate, (Unless you are driving a bus or a Hummer and he is in a Maruti 800 or in an Alto!). And he would not be seeing your headlights at all in his RVM or ORVM. Can you please explain this a little more?

[lateshnair]

In city I usually switch my parking lights on when it starts getting little darker and gradually to the main lights on low beam.
On highways I have the fog lights on all the time. Though, I get lot of hand signals from passer by's, that my lights are on. Infact in state check posts most of the time cops have asked me to switch off the lights. By their voice tone it seems I'm breaking the rules, am I?

[Iluvcars]

I drive with my car's headlights on every time I drive no matter it's a day or night, in Canada. Day time running light is mandatory in ON province of Canada.

[Punzabi]

I turn headlights on just before the sunset, on cloudy days and also whilst its raining/drizzling/stormy weather. In most developed countries driving under aforementioned conditions with headlights on is a common practice.I was in India last Oct and every time I turn on the lights during twilight I got flashes from drivers coming from opposite side to indicate I got the headlights on I notice majority (saying 99.9% wouldn't be an exaggeration) of drivers only turn on the lights when its nearly pitch dark. This is a very harmful practice folks. Headlights are not there so that you can just see the road, its actually there for other commuters to locate you on the road too.

Originally Posted by vasoo

I also see some folks here talking about using parking lights while driving in semi-dark conditions. I think they are meant to be used only while parking.

You're thinking is absolutely correct my friend.

Originally Posted by dhanushs

No. Parking lights are not only meant for that. They should be turned on in low-light driving conditions so that vehicles can see you and you do not get rear ended.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I was taught to switch on my running lights (but not the headlights) as soon as I can't read the meters properly.

I don't wanna be rude but both of you guys are really misinformed.

Originally Posted by A350XWB

If you are in Europe, WRONG!
In EU, by law, it is an offence to drive with only the parking lights ON. They are meant to be turned ON only when the vehicle is parked. In low light conditions, you are required to turn on your low beam. I don't know about US, maybe somebody who has driven there can explain.

Ditto. You only use parking lights when you're parked or have pulled over your vehicle in emergency lane ("on a hard shoulder" in British Term) on a highway without an emergency (i.e. to rest while on a long journey) during twilight or night time. Driving whilst parking lights on is an offense in Australia too and you get fined for that.

[jaysmokesleaves]

In India I drive with lights on even during the day.(Please add this point to the poll list, there are quite a few like me)

In cities, most pedestrians in India are blind. The rest are too busy talking on the cellphone while jaywalking on the road. Some are drunk, some high on a local bhaang. Worse, if you car is a biege or any colour that merges with the road or the scenery, you better have your lights on in low beam.

Regarding other drivers, I treat most drivers as blind too. Either they cant see the rear view mirror, or wont see the rear view mirror, or will see the RVM and wont move or dont have an RVM or are blind. So having the headlight on helps especially for those blind drivers who equate car ownership with road ownership.
Heyy not to forget those stiff neck bamboo spine drivers who wont twist their necks to look into the mirrors.

While on the expressway, having the headlights on in daylight helps the the day dreamers driving slow in the fast lane move out of the lane. Atleast they can see you from a long distance off which helps unsure "fresh out of the driving factory" drivers to get out of the way.
Have you seen them.. they look in the mirror then look straight again, then look again n again but cant decide if they shud switch lanes, then you are almost tailgaiting them and they slow down in the fast lane. Driving with lights on in the day helps these dumbos in making an earlier and quicker decision(if they see the RVM at all)

Driving with hazard lights on is the biggest hazard in India or anywhere in the world.
There is no such thing as a moving hazard. If its a hazard, it better not move and if every moving thing is a hazard then everything should have its hazard lights on at all times, including cycles and also pedestrians should wear hazard identifying clothing since almost all pedestrians in India walk on the roads.(Dont forget- roads in India are a free for all)
So there isnt such a thing as a moving hazard. Its the most dangerous thing that you can do as a driver, is to drive with your hazard lights on. Its completely misleading to following and oncoming traffic.
Quite a few years ago there was a major pileup in Saudi where everyone was driving in fog with hazard lights on and detailed investigations had revealed the cause being people driving with hazard lights on. If you travel at40kph in thick fog or heavy rain its very difficult to tell if the vehicle ahead is moving or standing. So if a vehicle moving with hazard lights has a head on collision with another vehicle ahead of it, you will have no way of knowing and will crash into the vehicle ahead of you.
People, please refrain from driving with hazard lights on.

[Gansan]

Isn't driving with headlamps on during daytime, when it is bright and sunny, supposed to mean you are under some kind of distress? If I remember right it was supposed to mean you are having problems with your brakes. This is from pre hazard lamp days, of course.

Please don't quote western driving practices. They also stipulate "conspicuity lamps" and "day time running lamps". Do we have them here? If anyone can quote Indian motor vehicle rules, it will be helpful. We see side indicators being used as "please pass' signals on our highways, after all!

[amolpol]

City Driving: I get the fog lamps on when it gets darker (say 7pm) and the headlamps come on if there isnt enough light on the street. If I'm in traffic, the main lamps are kept off as courtesy to the guy in front. I dont want to fill his rear view with glare and expect the same from others too (wishful thinking!)

Highway Driving: The fogs and main headlamps go on as soon as the light fades off. There are enough and more people who dont realize whats coming on to them while they cross the road or come in the opposite direction. Over the years I've realized that your chances of getting noticed are far higher if you have more number of lights flashing on your car.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

Twilight has been one of the most accident prone period of a day in most countries.

Twilight time is most dangerous time to drive while in rural areas.
This is the time when rural folks drive from town to village, mostly half of them are drunk.
This is the time when cattle return from field to village.

I find this time uncomfortable for driving.

Now, its my habit to stop the car at twilight time and have some snacks and chai-pani till its complete dark.

I do not drive at those most dangerous 15 min of twilight hour.

[mdsaab]

Being India specific ~
if someone parked on the side of the road with just his parking lights on, people would end up behind him honking the poor guy to move on. (Remember we dont have any lane discipline in the city)
so in India when people stop on the side of the road they use their hazard lights. This way people approaching from behind are aware that his vehicle is stationary and will not end up behind him honking away at him to move.

This is the way its done in India.

While its great to know how they do things overseas, implementing these in India will be close to impossible.

[Punzabi]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Isn't driving with headlamps on during daytime, when it is bright and sunny, supposed to mean you are under some kind of distress? If I remember right it was supposed to mean you are having problems with your brakes. This is from pre hazard lamp days, of course.

In the first paragraph of your reply, you answered your own question. Leaving headlights on may have been a distress signal in the past but then hazard lights were not there to indicate hazard. These days blinking hazard lights is a globally adopted signal But then again in India many drivers have their own interpretation to this signal (I remember reading in one of the threads that some drivers in south India (Bangalor??) use hazard light signal to say they're going straight at a traffic junction).

Originally Posted by Gansan

Please don't quote western driving practices. They also stipulate "conspicuity lamps" and "day time running lamps". Do we have them here? If anyone can quote Indian motor vehicle rules, it will be helpful. We see side indicators being used as "please pass' signals on our highways, after all!

Its not mentioned in the rule book to turn hazard light when in trouble rather its a strong suggestion and a safety practice (you wouldn't get challenged if your vehicle broke down and you don't have hazard lights on, would you? ). So is the usage of headlights in the evening before dark. Its not in some countries' rule book either (not in Australia's atleast).Still people use it as safety measure. What I am trying to say here is reference to western driving style is given in above post just to stress the awareness of safe practices among people in those countries. Road safety is as important in India as in developed countries. Its that our law and legislation (Law makers to be precise) fails to recognise that. So the purpose of mentioning other countries safety practices here is to spread awareness among Indian drivers. Saying its not a rule in India so am not going to follow would simply reflect how much concerned you're about your own and others safety.