JMJ3rd

this thread.

sasair

I'm surprised that Acura did not take into consideration the private detectives that are covertly following cheating husbands. I'm sure that is a very large segment of their customer base.

Of course there may be a very specialized customer that may have certain needs, but when you are building a vehicle for the general population you can't expect it to be built for a reason as specific as that.

If anyone is a moron it would be the customer that required a specialized need like the ability to drive stealth to follow people and didn't check that out before buying the vehicle.

mikebo

But DRLs are NOT the law in the US, so I have pulled my DRL fuse. When DRLs become law (and I have no doubt they will) I'll put the fuse back in... but don't hold your breath.

No, I would not choose to live in Singapore. A small minority of people spit gum on the sidewalk, so make gum illegal. Give those gum-chewers a good caning! Likewise, a small minority of people have no depth perception and cannot judge speed and distance, so make DRLs mandatory. Fine those drivers of non-DRL equipped autos! Legislate to the lowest common denominator. If a minority of people are stupid, assume everyone is stupid. This is the thinking that is starting to pervade Western society, and it's frightening. But people do get the government they deserve.

All hail The Nanny State! Who needs reason and personal responsibility when the government, full of well-meaning do-gooders like you, knows what is best for every person in every situation? Sheep don't need to think for themselves... they just follow the herd... everything will be fine. Baaaah!

mikebo

I cited one example of a legitimate need to disable DRLs, if only to illustrate that they are not a perfect solution. Of course, I don't expect that Acura ever even considered this for a moment. But that is exactly why DRLs should have a toggle on the dash - because there's no way to know if they are appropriate for every person in every situation.

You don't need the DRL toggle, so its OK with you if nobody has it. Judging by the long and passionate discussion on this topic, it's obvious that there is a need for this feature, whether you like it or not.

Tripp11

LMAO

Yeah, one guy thinks the DRL's look ugly and you need to roll blacked out so you can tail someone... Long and passionate...

Simple - DRL's were created to make vehicles more visible which increases everyone's safety. Why in the hell would I disable a feature which increases the safety of me, my family and others?

mav238

such cynicism

I am not saying what every country does is absolutely correct. And I don't think the US is a nanny state, and this goes for Canada as well. People do voice their opinions in the passing of a certain bill or law, and it is democratically voted in the Congress or parliament.

What is interesting is... you are %$$%$&& about something you don't see while you are driving... and that something "potentially" (and supported by independent traffic safety studies) can save your life.

As you indicated, it is not the law in the US right now for DRLs, but when and if it does become law, will you continue to $%^#$%^ about it or continue to $#%$#^$%^& about a nanny state?

As I said, and as noted by some posters as well, you, like myself and all fellow car drivers, look stupid and ridiculous wearing that one strap seat-belt.. it just ain't cool looking... BUT IT DOES HELP IN REDUCING THE SEVERITY OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT. It is not the perfect solution, but real-life data and independent safety studies have shown this to be true.
There are folks like yourself, who hates being in a nanny state, refuses to wear the seat-belt, breaking the law, and end up seriously hurting themselves when they do get into an accident.

DRLs are not the perfect solution, but they can help in reducing the potential of accidents...

And as you said, you can pull the DRL fuse... we here are not saying you can't... go ahead, it's the good old USA, if it ain't law, you can probably do what ever you want... ultimately it's your life you are putting on the line in your car... and we are not your "Nannys"...

Oh and BTW, while you are "sleuthing" around and tailing those cheater husbands at night, with your DRLs fuse removed, have your main driving lights turned off too, and if the cop stops you, just tell them you are simply doing your job as a private investigator... that should go over really well...

MMike1981

hahahahhaha....i was saving up some "pi" comments too lol.

mikebo

I was not referring to my own posts, but to the dozens of other posts on the topic.

The reasons for disabling DRLs are many and varied. In your opinion there is no reason sufficient to compromise safety, which is fine - leave yours on. I have my reasons for disabling DRLs and you disagree... oh well... too bad for you.

This has been discussed to death... and there are two camps that will never agree.

mikebo

To dispel some of your misconceptions:
A lot of the cheating is done during the work day when DRLs make a tail conspicuous.

There are just as many cheating wives as husbands.

There's rarely any "sleuthing" involved. Most cheaters are not sneaky at all, and are completely oblivious as they're being videotaped.

Many PIs are off-duty or ex-cops. We usually have a great rapport, contrary to the fiction you watch on TV.

mikebo

hahahahaha... you're so witty. Smile for the camera!

Tripp11

See, that's the problem with selfish people always thinking of themselves over everyone else.

You, being selfish, choose to disable your DRL's so you can play Magnum PI and tail someone without being noticed.

Me, not being selfish, choose to not disable a standard safety feature in my vehicle as it enhances my safety AS WELL as OTHERS.

I'm sorry, but safety trumps any cosmetic bullshit excuse when it comes to DRL's.

MMike1981

question...do u have a license plate on the front of ur RDX? cuz if so, it makes this entire argument of DRLs the dumbest thing ive ever heard. actually , even if u did ud probably say no, so, nevermind.

next new CSI.....fake cop gets popped in the face because his DRL's gave up his identity!

mikebo

It has nothing to do with selfishness. In my line of work, I sometimes have to follow people covertly. I dunno what lame TV shows you watch, but it's not all about cheating spouses. I've been running my own agency for 20 years. I have six professional employees that are bail bondsmen and bodyguards, and do corporate security work - all of whom are licensed, bonded, insured, and have permits to carry. It's a serious business, not some game. The DRL thing has absolutely nothing to do with cosmetics, it's about safety... ours.

You really shouldn't be shooting your mouth off when you don't know squat...

mav238

You know, you are really one "interesting" fella... now you say the cheating occurs in daylight... so what the heck does the DRL have got to do with affecting a P.I. ability to tail someone in broad daylight??? For that matter, what the heck does a DRL has got to do with a P.I. job? If every other car has a DRL running, how can the person you are tailing know the difference then? Blend into the environment, isn't that the rule of thumb for tailing or camouflaging?

Okay, I get it... you just want to be "different" right....? Just hate being regulated or "governed" even if it makes sense...

But seriously, the DRL is really out of sight from you, you don't even know it's working while you are driving... how can that bother you? *scratch head*... Unless you have a vanity mirror stuck out in front of your hood, and you can see yourself and your DRLs at work...

If that out of sight DRL "bothers" you... wow.. I think you are one easily irritable person...

Tripp11

See, there you go again...worried about YOURSELF and no one else. You don't get it do you?

DRL's were created to improve the visibility of vehicles for the safety of you AND OTHERS...me being one of those "others".

You've solved your "covert ops" problem by pulling the fuse on the DRL's - good for you and I do hope you proceed through your career safely. Now I just hope that you're not speeding one day and coming from a low ambient light area into a full ambient light area and plow into a minivan who doesn't see you coming since you disabled those DRL's.

It's not always about YOU, you know...

BTW, if you can't take a little constructive criticism on an internet chat forum, perhaps you've got some anger management issues you need to deal with. I'll run away now since I've "shot off my mouth" and you just might E-slap me.

Now that you've told us about your background and how you have employees who are bodyguards/bailbondsmen and have CCW permits, perhaps you should think first before doing so...you would be surprised at what some of us do for a living or where we've been over the years. Food for thought...

phoward_15

And all this time I thought this site was a forum to talk about cars!

R*D*X*

Acura should add Auto on/off headlights and taillights.

mikebo

I'm not easily irritated, but neither am I intimidated - and I'm trying to be reasonable here.

I don't know where you live, but here maybe 2% of cars have DRL. That makes any car with DRL that much more noticeable. DRLs on when most cars don't have them makes a tail very obvious. It's got nothing to do with being different - rather with being inconspicuous.

I'm happy to drive with them on in most circumstances. But when I have a legitimate need to turn them off, I just wish there was a dashboard switch to have them off. Why is that so difficult to understand?

We're done here... you either "get it" or you don't. It matters not... the last word is yours. Buh-bye...

Tripp11

I vaguely remember one site where someone had posted a wiring diagram of how they installed a toggle switch for the DRL's...over the course of this weekend, let me see if I can find it again.

mikebo

I think we're done here...

Tripp11

What about Sector 7?

mikebo

Now that's funny... thanks!

Tripp11

I may disagree with you disabling a feature which I believe could save a life, but I'll still search for the toggle wiring diagram. It would be better to have the ability to turn them on/off as opposed to just leaving the fuse out.

I gave it a half ass attempt today while eating something which was supposed to be chinese food, but could only find what you had already done - pull the fuse. I'm assuming you're getting a DRL error message on your dash?

I know I saw a good wiring diagram for a toggle switch for the RDX on another site...I'll give it the ole college try and see what comes up this weekend.

Obtuse? Come on, you could do better than obtuse. Hell, I used to take pride in my "sharpness" or my ability to remain alert after silly hours of sleep deprivation.

Take care, friend.

mav238

Exactly... P.I.'s are a fraction of the whole population, and there are P.I.'s here in Canada, and pretty good ones at that too. They all drive cars, and DRLs are mandatory here. But if some of them don't drive with DRLs, probably they might have gotten an exception from the government, which I doubt... as this would make things confusing for the law enforcement traffic police. So how do they do a great job with the inconvenience of the DRLs? Go figure... Unless you tell me, us Canadians are more intelligent than you US folks, there must be a way to do the job covertly with the DRLs in place.

And if the US goes mandatory with the DRLs, would that be a problem for your special P.I. business which relies on covertness? I mean, every car will have DRLs and the person being tailed would not be able to tell one from the other! Plus, what makes the person thinks that a car with the DRL must be a P.I. tailing them?

Please remember, the P.I. business is not limited to the good old USA alone, and there are just as good P.I. firms around outside of the USA, which deals with having to drive cars with DRLs.
I sincerely think your argument on the impact of DRLs is bearing on being shaky...

vrflyer

Did someone say "Pi" ???

Click Me ----> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDu351QNoZE

This thread needed some laughs to release some tensions...

jrich

the conversation has been pretty heated on this thread, but in all seriousness i can remember many many times where i would like to have the car on with no indication that anyone was inside of it (think girlfriends in high school and college) in some cars ive been in when you put the parking brake on, the DRLs go off, but this doesnt seem to be the case in my 2007 RDX. is there a way to turn them off with the car in park?

and on a similar note, does anyone know a way to turn the car off without having the interior lights come on?

thanks

sasair

The DRLs do not come on if your RDX is in PARK and the parking brake is set when you turn the key to start the vehicle. As soon as you release the parking brake or shift out of PARK, the DRLs will come on. There is no way to turn the DRLs off if they are already on except by turning the vehicle off or by turning the headlights on. Setting the parking brake after the vehicle is already on will not turn the DRLs off.

Gryfter

if driving with DRLs bother you, I cant imagine what else will trigger your annoyance given what LIFE throws at you; from every angle and all...

t_skrypek

Take a look at your highbeam bulbs and see if there is a haze on the globe? Mine show this does anyone else see this on their bulbs?

Terry

Mr Marco

It's his fucking job. You wouldn't understand since you bag groceries for a living.
Yep, mine are have the haze too. Really wish Acura had put them down low in the grille, like the MDX.

XIS

ugh....

If you have DRL's and you disable them, you are just a plain ole idiot... Period.

XLR8R

I am also a Private Investigator and you can see how DRLs compromise my tail car.

wspy

"Damn......Hey mom he says I'm an idiot....baaaawww!
Don't worry honey...sticks and stones.....
Ok mom,..sniff sniff"


Whatever

DJ Iceman

Wow, I'm not used to such animosity on our gool old 'zine. I think the guy made a good point--why didn't Acura add a toggle to turn DRLs on and off? It's a seemingly simple thing to put in, and given the dozens of other features I never touch or use I wouldn't have minded this one. Heck, they could easily cut the size of the ginormous "VSA OFF" button in half to make room for a DRL toggle.

wspy

^ Yup!

black label

Because a very large portion of these cars go to Canada where they are required and you aren't allowed to turn them off.

Simple as this for the PI (and I know this is an old thread). If DRL's are an issue for you because of your line of work, you need to buy a car that does not have them.

If I buy a civic, I can't complain to Honda that I can't tow my fishing boat with it and as a fisherman I need my boat for my livelyhood. It's my own fault for buying a car that does not suit my needs.

kpxsanghun

... what dumb person would buy a civic to pull a fishing boat. sorry but drl and the example you just said are bad analogies =P

Regardless why is this old thread coming back up now?
the RDX has DRLs. If you don't like it pull the fuse out of the fusebox (you don't get no warning or anything in the MID) and if you like it then leave it.
Some think the DRL is ugly (i think that hence why i pulled my drl fuse out) and some don't mind it. Everyone has their own preferences and opinions.

DJ Iceman

I don't buy this argument either. First off, what portion of RDX sales are actually in Canada--10%? And there are differences between the U.S. and Canadian RDX already, so they could easily put a DRL switch in the U.S. model and leave it off the Canadian model if they chose.

Piggy791

It is generaly accepted that DRL are safer than none at all, but they are not a replacement for having your actual lights on which include taillights during inclimate weather. However, people are not idiots for wanting the ability to disable DRL temporarily and there are good reasons.

Working agricultural harvesting at night where operating with parking lights only is expected and in certian areas mandated to keep from blinding the workers running the machinery. I'm sure there are other industries that use this practice.

And it would be nice to not shine my lights in my coworkers eyes early in the snow covered morning while we're waiting in our cars for army PT to start.

XIS

blah blah blah blah....
Oh, and 99.99% of 'them' absolutely are.