The argument that
Daytime Running Lights, (
DRL's), are an attempt by
car manufacturers at
patronising the average car driver is, quite frankly,
flatulent. The fact that is that the "average" driver on the road demonstrates time after time that they do not consider other
road users to the extent that safety and common sense dictate.
For example: car fog lamps: Why do most cars, (in the US, at least), only have fog lights fitted at the front of the vehicle, (if at all)? The reason is that they are more for aesthetic effect rather than road safety. Most drivers run with fog lights on at night, irrespective of weather conditions. Why is that?
Why do some people continue to drive at high speeds when there's fog on the road and visibility is low?
Surely a large factor here is: most people don't think.
Here's the flip-side from a motorcyclist's point of view: Daytime Running Lights on cars are a bad thing, because they reduce the impact of the motorcycle's DRL's.
It seems that there's a certain type of person who have an in-built reaction to anything which can be construed as impinging on their civil liberties. The same type of reaction is provoked by things such as seat belt laws and legislation regarding motorcycle helmets. The bottom line with Daytime Running Lights is that when your freedom of choice impacts other road users' safety, then it's not really your right, is it?