Saves fuel to run sidelights only on my car.

Haha, have got to admit the fuel consumption thing did cross my mind, but only in a theoretical sense, I definitely notice the engine note changing when I run AC etc.

Is that even a real problem? I’ve never been bothered by a split second of extra light as an oncoming car went over a bump, do you really drive around with sidelights on for that reason?

Ever driven in Edinburgh? 😉 It’s not like you’re getting blinded, but it is annoying, in fact it’s sometimes hard to distinguish if someone is flashing you or just bumping through the troughs in the cobbles with their dipped headlights.

Anyway, curiosity satisfied, at least some people agree I was trying to do the right think but seems like more good reasons to go dipped than not.

When I venture into the city I employ a chap to walk in front of my car swinging a lantern.

Nobody knows what sidelights are these days, or even how to operate the lights on their car. See muppets with auto lights driving along in fog/low cloud/heavy rain with no lights on at all.

I tend to drop on to sidelights if in the middle of a queue of stationary traffic in the dark, or someone is kindly reversing for me down a country lane. Not that I ever get that courtesy back. No, it’s full glare 12″ from my bonnet.

At night in crowded streets with parking on both sides restricting the road to one lane , creeping about on sidelights is a real pain to drivers negotiating junctions – they cannot see you until you are on top of them and then there is conflict in the single lane – if you had dipped headlights on they would notice you from your lights reflecting off other cars and  street furniture.  This is similar to the point made above about your headlamps being part of the system that makes reflectors work on cycles and pedestrian clothing.

So it might be thoughtful in terms of light  annoyance , but its another kind of annoyance to others ,  also the brightness and design of sidelights/marker lights varies a lot – some are very distinctive and some not much good even as parking lights.

When I venture into the city I employ a chap to walk in front of my car swinging a lantern.

🙂

I was going to suggest something similar.  It would need to be powered by a candle, though.  Proper old skool.

I want one of those manly Vauxhauls.

I applaud the OPs thoughtfulness. I trust you also apply the handbrake whenever stopped to avoid dazzling those waiting behind you with brake lights? Some of the newer Audi & Merc ones are so bright they make me feel nautious.

Saves fuel to run sidelights only on my car.

Ok, sounds likel it’s time for a quick fag packet calc. Sidelights  are 5w. Dipped headlight 55w. So 100w extra for two.

The efficiency of an engine in converting fuel to electricity via the alternator is around 20% (so says Google). So that 100w extra output needs 500w extra input.

A litre of petrol has around 34.5MJ of energy in it. the lights need 500 J/s. So a litre of fuel would in theory power the extra lights for 69,000 seconds. Or 19 hours ish. Assume fuel is £1.30/l. That’s around 7p an hour saved in fuel if you drive round with side lights instead of dipped. Don’t spend it all at once!

*These numbers might not be right 😁

Ah but you’re forgetting aerodynamics.

ADH that Lancia has working headlights? 😉

“Ok, sounds likel it’s time for a quick fag packet calc. Sidelights  are 5w. Dipped headlight 55w. So 100w extra for two.”

“So a litre of fuel would in theory power the extra lights for 69,000 seconds.”

What if the poster has a Zoe or a Tesla ?

Or if switching on too many luxuries, such as lights sees the Voltmeter dive through the floor. Causing a petrol car to run out of electricity.

What if the poster has a Zoe or a Tesla ?

He doesn’t, or he wouldn’t have said:

Haha, have got to admit the fuel consumption thing did cross my mind, but only in a theoretical sense, I definitely notice the engine note changing when I run AC etc.

Or if switching on too many luxuries, such as lights sees the Voltmeter dive through the floor. Causing a petrol car to run out of electricity.

Then it’s new battery and/or alternator time

thatll be the OP but not the guy suggesting he uses more fuel .

he may also have a dynamo and thus limited electrickery

I trust you also apply the handbrake whenever stopped to avoid dazzling those waiting behind you with brake lights? Some of the newer Audi & Merc ones are so bright they make me feel nautious.

Unfortunately on the Merc the brakelights are linked to the automatically handbrake. Hence you can pull up to the traffic lights, putting your foot on the brake will automatically put the handbrake on in the ‘Hold’ position and leave the brake lights on.

I guess Audi uses a similar system.

Even at 20mph, I wouldn’t want to lose the benefit of being able to see reflective stuff.

do we even have cateyes on a 20mph residential street

Not generally, but I did encounter a pair of cat’s eyes riding through my village last night.  I wouldn’t have seen the moggy at all without throwing some lumens up the road.

I’d rather meet someone with side lights on than the numpties that are stuck on main beam.

ADH that Lancia has working headlights?

Amazingly, yes. They’re about the only electrical system on the car which does work … and it is 5 years since it last passed an MOT … but all the lights work fine 🙂