These ridiculous lights

[phild]

The R has DRL's but for the other rocs we don't. My lighting dial has 4 settings with 3 of them doing exactly the same thing. They all have the headlights and rear lights permanently on. It really is an idiotic set up. To be actually driving around on a bright sunny day with your flippin' headlights on is utterly ridiculous. So I use the 4th setting and switch on the sidelights only which obviously bleep at me every time i get out of the car before switching them off. I noticed a retrofit for DRL's for the polo in the accessory list but not for the Roc. Is it possible for the roc to have DRL's fitted, is there anyone on here who has done this?

[Cuprabob]

It's not just the R, if you spec Xenons you get dedicated Halogen DRLs that you can switch on and off via the the convenience menu plus you full functionality from your headlight switch, inluding "off" and "auto"

[Skollers]

I turned mine off with Vagcom, takes 2 mins, done it within 2 days of ownership lol

[Mark V]

Lol, less than one minute (once you have done it once before)!

[char]

I quite like driving with the lights on.. it makes the car more visible and stops people pulling out in front of you.. well sometimes

[Mark V]

Yes but the point is that you don't have the choice to drive with the lights on or off with the standard set up. In normal daylight its simply not necessary to drive around with headlights on (nor expected by other road users) and sometimes people think your flashing them if they only glance at your car. Headlights are primarily designed to see with (not to assist with others seeing you).

The normal switchable set up is by far the better choice as when left on AUTO the lights will come on when there is reduced visibility as well as at night via the light sensor. You also have the choice to over-ride the sensor at any time and make an informed decision about whether or not main lights or sidelights should be on.

[Poohbear]

The drl's I believe are normally the sidelights and are always on for safety reasons, so that other road users have a better chance of seeing you. I agree the headlights do not need to be activated during normal daylight and I think you can go through the configuration menu or get the vw software and adjust, or as you say switch to sidelights only which is what I do too. The automatic sensor always wants to turn on the headlights so I normally switch to sidelights until dusk.

[Paralla]

I don’t really mind having my lights on all the time but to avoid confusion I think it would be better to change the switch to something meaningful (without an OFF position) if we are unable to turn them off.

My other small gripe is that now I have a very expensive windscreen with an integrated light sensor whose only function is to turn the instrument lights on and off which is a bit rubbish.

[Mark V]

Suggest do what a lot of us have done and simply make a VCDS adjustment to return the light switch to its normal operation as it should be - Off, Auto, Sides etc... takes about 30 seconds!

[Mark V]

I don’t really mind having my lights on all the time

Your possibly in a very small minority with that opinion!

The drl's I believe are normally the sidelights and are always on for safety reasons, so that other road users have a better chance of seeing you.

What car are you talking about - not Scirocco's!

[dimexi]

In winter, perhaps it's a good idea. But in summer, cars with their lights on just look absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. I've spent most of my driving life slagging off volvos, so I definitely dont want my lights on all the time

[Paralla]

I don’t really mind having my lights on all the time

Your possibly in a very small minority with that opinion!

I'm from Australia. It's been pretty common for a long time for people to have their lights on during the daytime, maybe thats why I don't really care.

The New South Wales RTA (Roads and Traffic Authority) even has signs encouraging it. http://g.co/maps/ta6ep" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The day I understand British attitudes to things will be the day I die. Washing machines and clothes dryers in kitchens is insanity. I don't get why people think it's normal to wash their sweaty gym socks and underwear in the same place that food is prepared. Also the rest of the World remains largely un-electrocuted despite having electrical outlets in the bathroom.

[jimma1983]

I would settle for a light switch! It is so irritating that it is outside the bathroom.

[Ryy]

The R has DRL's but for the other rocs we don't. My lighting dial has 4 settings with 3 of them doing exactly the same thing. They all have the headlights and rear lights permanently on. It really is an idiotic set up. To be actually driving around on a bright sunny day with your flippin' headlights on is utterly ridiculous.

I have been fined twice in Europe for driving without lights on in the summertime (both in rental cars, so not UK cars - and the fact I was foreign didn't help). VW are German, so it may stem from that. I have a 59 plate, so I turned mine off on the stork.

It may be stupid, but it's European law in some countries, if not most countries to have lights on during the summer.

For the record, it was +25 degress both times, sun was beaming and I got a "maximum fine" the first time for arguing with the copper how stupid it was.

[Billc]

It's the Law in the UK to have DRLs on vehicles built after 7th February 2011.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/sa ... ights.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gibbsy]

I don’t really mind having my lights on all the time

Your possibly in a very small minority with that opinion!

I'm from Australia. It's been pretty common for a long time for people to have their lights on during the daytime, maybe thats why I don't really care.

The New South Wales RTA (Roads and Traffic Authority) even has signs encouraging it. http://g.co/maps/ta6ep" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The day I understand British attitudes to things will be the day I die. Washing machines and clothes dryers in kitchens is insanity. I don't get why people think it's normal to wash their sweaty gym socks and underwear in the same place that food is prepared. Also the rest of the World remains largely un-electrocuted despite having electrical outlets in the bathroom.

You just put a smile on my face. Diolch yn fawr i chi.

[dimexi]

I don’t really mind having my lights on all the time

Your possibly in a very small minority with that opinion!

I'm from Australia. It's been pretty common for a long time for people to have their lights on during the daytime, maybe thats why I don't really care.

The New South Wales RTA (Roads and Traffic Authority) even has signs encouraging it. http://g.co/maps/ta6ep" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The day I understand British attitudes to things will be the day I die. Washing machines and clothes dryers in kitchens is insanity. I don't get why people think it's normal to wash their sweaty gym socks and underwear in the same place that food is prepared. Also the rest of the World remains largely un-electrocuted despite having electrical outlets in the bathroom.

What a brilliant post!! Made me giggle

[Mark V]

It's the Law in the UK to have DRLs on vehicles built after 7th February 2011.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/sa ... ights.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No it is not - its the law to have DRL's on new designs of vehicles type approved after 7/2/11. If you actually read the page you linked to it says:

"As a result of European legislation adopted in 2008 dedicated daytime running lights (DRL) have been required on all new types of passenger cars and small delivery vans since February 2011."

Please edit your post.

[BunnyJen]

I quite like driving with the lights on.. it makes the car more visible and stops people pulling out in front of you.. well sometimes

Completely agree. I don't see any harm in the lights being on in bright sunlight because it dulls them down a lot anyway so they'll never blind people or anything, but of course your dipped lights are made to not blind people anyway so that shouldn't be a problem. If it's dull and raining it simply makes you more visible to other road users. I often turn my lights on if it's raining or in rush hour when people tend to be more dopey/half asleep. If someone thinks you're flashing them then they need to wake up and pay more attention, which you've probably just prompted them to do by noticing your lights. XD

I never use my sidelights. I can't ever see them when other cars use them in the day, they don't brighten up the road enough at night so they seem pointless to me. :/ The only time I'll ever use my sidelights is if I'm parked up somewhere on a dark street so other cars can see me but don't get blinded by me. I see tonnes of cars with their lights on in the daytime these days.

[Mark V]

Jen - the issue with all this is not whether or not headlights are appropriate for use in daytime (very often they are!) - its the fact that VW have rendered the normal control knob virtually inopperative (thus removing the 'auto-lights' feature in the process) and taking away the drivers abilty to make his own informed decision about whether or not to turn on his lights.