Is it legal to drive with out windshield wipers being on?

[Calin]

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: jtvang125
Don't forget to use your high beams so you can see see better in the rain and fog.

gosh, I hope you are joking.

I too hope...
And don't use fog lights/lamps if it's raining - only if it's foggy or snowing

 

[I Saw OJ]

Originally posted by: PAB

Originally posted by: goku
Is it? Do you have to turn on your lights when driving in the rain? Why would I turn on my lights if I can see perfectly fine? I'm also questioning the use of windshield wipers in light rain while driving on city streets/non highway speeds.

I drive all the time in the rain without wipers.

Rain-x FTW!

Yep, I didnt even have wipers on my BWM for the longest time.

 

[nageov3t]

varies from state to state.

NJ just passed a law recently (within the past couple years) mandating that your lights must be on if it's raining out, regardless of how bright it is outside.

/shrug

doesn't take much effort to flick my lights on, and it's worth the milisecond to save potential harrassment by a cop looking to meet his quota (same goes for using your turn signal when turning, even if you can't see any other cars around)

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: lokiju
Thats horrible advice.

If your hazards are on and you go to change lanes your blinkers will not indicate so and more likely cause an accident.

I've seen this over and over again were the driver puts on their hazards and then suddenly changes lanes thinking their blinker is indicating their intent.

It is recommended to turn on your hazard lights in heavy rain. This increases your visibility by a factor of two.

There are tons of studys out there and the NTSD recommends drivers turn on their hazards. Some states even make it a law.

Why don't you just turn on your rear fog light?

Oh yeah, stupid north american cars don't have them for some reason. they kick ass in low visibility.
Even most? all? european cars for north american market don't seem to have them. Maybe something to do with DOT, or maybe they're afraid people here are too stupid to figure it out, which is probably fact.

like this: one bright light on one side of the car, so cars behind you can see you in the fog.
http://www.avalonsystems.net/img/albums/touareg-shots/IMG_1377.jpg
Not two bright lights, cause then people just think you have your brakes on.

only turn on the hazards when you're stopping, fast, like 120-0, (so people know you're stopping, not just slowing down), i.e. when approaching a section of highway with backed up traffic, or your car is broke. I think some of the newer euro cars automatically hit the hazards when you brake really hard.

 

[0roo0roo]

lights are so other people can see u better too. its like... DUH!!!

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: loki8481
varies from state to state.

NJ just passed a law recently (within the past couple years) mandating that your lights must be on if it's raining out, regardless of how bright it is outside.

/shrug

doesn't take much effort to flick my lights on, and it's worth the milisecond to save potential harrassment by a cop looking to meet his quota (same goes for using your turn signal when turning, even if you can't see any other cars around)

Not that recently. This has been state law for at least 8 years. I know because that is when my sister got her license, and it was one of the questions in the book when I was quizzing her.

They only started putting signage up more recently, this may be why you think it just became law....

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: cyclistca
You turn on your lights so other people can see you.

DING DING DING! we have a winner

it takes 1 second to turn them on and it won't harm your car...just common sense.

 

[ch33zw1z]

it's different state to state, but it seems most states have adopted the "lights when using wipers" law. I use my lights when conditions demand it, gotta be safe!

 

[Netopia]

For those of you who have never tried RainX, you should give it a try. This past Sunday, I had to drive about 5 hours in the rain (mostly highway) and I probably had my wipers on a total of about 45 seconds during that entire time. RainX makes your windshield so slippery, that even at speeds as low as 20-25 MPH, the rain just slides UP your windshield and over your roof from the force of the air hitting it. At highway speeds, it just flies off your windshield! You need to take a couple minutes (really only 3 or 4) per week to reapply to get the best consistent results, but it's worth it. After a while, you'll find wipers to be distracting and realize that you see much LESS well using wipers than using RainX.

Years ago, I also found out by mistake that those "once a year car polishes" like Polyglycoat do virtually the same thing to the windshield and actually last a bit longer than RainX, but they take longer to apply too.

Joe

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: lokiju
Thats horrible advice.

If your hazards are on and you go to change lanes your blinkers will not indicate so and more likely cause an accident.

I've seen this over and over again were the driver puts on their hazards and then suddenly changes lanes thinking their blinker is indicating their intent.

It is recommended to turn on your hazard lights in heavy rain. This increases your visibility by a factor of two.

There are tons of studys out there and the NTSD recommends drivers turn on their hazards. Some states even make it a law.

Can you define heavy rain? Torrential downpour? Light Rain? Drizzle? (and not fo' zhizzle my nizzle...). My point is, who is going to set the boundaries for what heavy rain is and when you are actully required to abide by this dumba$$ hazards rule. Heavy rain to one person might be a light rain to another. We all know it never rains in Southern California (or so the song says) so if you came to NC during hurricane season and got stuck in a tropical storm you'd sh*t yourself. It rains sideways here sometimes. If it's raining so hard that visibility becomes a problem, you should get your a$$ off the road and wait it out.

 

[j00fek]

moronic

 

[aphex]

i HATE people that put on their dang hazards when its a downpour. Can't tell if they are stopped off the side of the road or not.

 

[BabaBooey]

You turn the lights on so others can see your car better,how hard is that to figure out..

 

[MDE]

In Illinois at least you have to have your headlights on while your wipers are on. It's not very hard to do and makes it easier for other people to see you. Anything that keeps morons from hitting me is good in my book.

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: MDE
In Illinois at least you have to have your headlights on while your wipers are on. It's not very hard to do and makes it easier for other people to see you. Anything that keeps morons from hitting me is good in my book.

um, deer in the headlights much?

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: loki8481
varies from state to state.

NJ just passed a law recently (within the past couple years) mandating that your lights must be on if it's raining out, regardless of how bright it is outside.

/shrug

doesn't take much effort to flick my lights on, and it's worth the milisecond to save potential harrassment by a cop looking to meet his quota (same goes for using your turn signal when turning, even if you can't see any other cars around)

Yup depends on the state.

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: goku

Originally posted by: MDE
In Illinois at least you have to have your headlights on while your wipers are on. It's not very hard to do and makes it easier for other people to see you. Anything that keeps morons from hitting me is good in my book.

um, deer in the headlights much?

Goku,

Seriously, you must be retarded. That is the only logical explanation for this comment.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Colt45
Why don't you just turn on your rear fog light?

Oh yeah, stupid north american cars don't have them for some reason. they kick ass in low visibility.
Even most? all? european cars for north american market don't seem to have them. Maybe something to do with DOT, or maybe they're afraid people here are too stupid to figure it out, which is probably fact.

Actually, it's because it's legally required in some european countries but is not required in the US. It's also not an option that is demanded in the US. So when a company builds a US-spec car, they take the rational path and choose not to waste engineering dollars to include a feature that is neither legally required nor considered desireable by the buyers.

Many "world" cars from European manufacturers do have rear fog lights (for example, Volvo, Audi, and Jaguar all have cars in the US with rear fog lights). Typically if the tail light clusters are re-designed for the US-spec car, the fog light is omitted though.

ZV

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: goku

Originally posted by: MDE
In Illinois at least you have to have your headlights on while your wipers are on. It's not very hard to do and makes it easier for other people to see you. Anything that keeps morons from hitting me is good in my book.

um, deer in the headlights much?

I think your train of thought left the station without you again.