The law states

[RoseRed (Premo)]

Originally Posted by aps45819

I saw 3 cars driving down the highway last night without lights well after it was dark.

I saw a near miss accident last night due to a dark vehicle not having any lights on. Another car pulled out in front of it. Very close call.

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Not that common sense should even have to be mentioned; not that common sense is a deciding factor for those that drive in foul weather without headlights; but it SHOULD be, one would think; somewhere in the Maryland lawbooks it states something about 'when driving in inclement weather,' or something like that; that the vehicle operator must or should (not sure which verbage is used) use headlights; if for no other reason, so others can see you; regardless of wether you can see "just fine" or not.

Fortunately, most newer cars have DRL's or Daytime Running Lights.
The opposite side of that coin is, those lights can be turned off.
Shoot, even driving in sunny weather with headlights on is a better idea these days, because some cars are difficult to see on the highway when it's nice outside.

[migtig]

Originally Posted by MMDad

I'd like to know from someone who does this - why do people drive with only their parking lights on? Do you think that your headlights use so much energy that they waste gas? Is it because you are afraid they'll burn out faster? You obviously realize it's dark or you'd have no lights on. So why don't you turn on the headlights?

Two possible reasons, other than the driver is an idiot as you are thinking.

Automatic lights. My car has auto lights, but thankfully I can manually adjust them. Sometimes my car is running "parking lights" and has not switched to headlights when I think it should have. So many cars now have automatic lights and do not have a manual shut-off/on. My husband's vehicle is like that and it annoys me.

The other reason is European drivers. And before you say there aren't any around here, well yes there are. We have had a huge influx of British to the Pax River area for training. In other areas, there are a lot of military who've been stationed overseas and who have spouses who were born/raised in European countries. European countries run with "parking lights" as a matter of courtesy. They also tend to switch off their lights at stop signs and stop lights. I was told this is so they do not "blind" any oncoming drivers. I do know that they suffer fines and such for not doing so in those countries. Habits/training dies hard.

[Gemmi]

My vehicle has daytime running lights and does not have a manual shutoff switch so they are always on while the ignition is engaged. I will admit that once or twice I thought I had my headlights on but didn't. Not a smart thing to do but an honest mistake. As far as intentionally driving with no lights whatsoever....definitely not!

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

Originally Posted by migtig

So many cars now have automatic lights and do not have a manual shut-off/on. My husband's vehicle is like that and it annoys me...

My cars' headlights won't come on, when I start the car, if the parking brake is on. I'm going to try an experiment tomorrow. Of course I can't drive the car with the parking brake on so I'll hold the parking brake button in, start the car and drive for a while to see if they come on. If they don't, then it's only a matter of taping the button in or shorting the 2 wires on it...

[cheezgrits]

Yeah, I love the silver cars driving in the rain on gray days with no lights.

And DRL do not light up your tail lights.

Just turn your lights on. All the time.

What does it hurt?

[DoWhat (Premo)]

Originally Posted by cheezgrits

And DRL do not light up your tail lights.

My Chevy truck does.

[garyt27]

They are parking lights. I think it is illegal to run with them on, and have heard of people being pulled over for it. Is it a crime for LEO to inform someone to turn their damn lights on? They don't have to make a report for that do they?

[MMDad]

Originally Posted by garyt27

They are parking lights. I think it is illegal to run with them on, and have heard of people being pulled over for it. Is it a crime for LEO to inform someone to turn their damn lights on? They don't have to make a report for that do they?

LEO's do it too.

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

Originally Posted by cheezgrits

Yeah, I love the silver cars driving in the rain on gray days with no lights.

And DRL do not light up your tail lights.

Just turn your lights on. All the time.

What does it hurt?

Why not make everyone use yellow flashing lights too?

It's just another way to allow people to become more stupid & incompetent than they already are (if that's possible). If a person is too incompetent to turn their headlights on when it starts raining or is getting dark, they shouldn't have a license.

Yes, we should run our headlights when it is raining or near dusk but all the time? People drove for decades w/o their lights on during the day and no one wrecked because they weren't on. And don't get me started on all the headlights that are out of adjustment...