As of Jan 1st, Pa. law states, you must have your headlights on when you need to use the wipers. $25.00 for first offence minmum, could be more like if no seat belt, inspection sticker, wrong licence, you get the picture. This might mean the same for out of state licenced cars as well. Organized People are Just too Lazy to look for Things
Shouldnt MOST laws? MN has had that in play for years, now. Although I've never had trouble in the Stude for not havin any.
NY has had that on the books for about 4 or 5 years. Question, if your wipers are on intermittant, should your head lights flash with the wipers. For all you legal eagles, does something that happens ittermittantly cons***ute being on? Another question, in Florida if you stop driving in the road while driving in the rain with your wipers on should you light be on also, technically you aren't driving anymore.
My friggin headlights never turn off (02 Grand Prix) and never get brighter when I do remember to turn the light switch so I'm sittin' good.
Yes even if wipers are on intermittent. Commonsence should to do so, so other drivers can see you, I always do.
Illinois has been that way for a while too. I'm even of the unpopular opinion that should enforce that law! They don't pay any attention around here, and it's nothing unusual around here to see a cop car driving in the rain, wipers on, no headlights, making a left turn without signalling! If ya don't have wipers, no need for the lights - if your common sense doesn't tell you to turn them on.............well........... Tim D.
SC has had that for a looong time. Off all the **** *** laws, I think it's a good one. I get pretty annoyed in heavy rain when some ***lick is driving "dark".
I agree it should be common sense. Sometimes when its raining hard enough and you can't get the defroster to work well, a car can be right on you and be invisible if it doesn't have any lights on. Just a little bit of moisture on a gl*** can cut down visibilty a great deal. Especially on a side or rear gl***.
that's funny, i was just *****ing about all this yesterday! i completely agree on the law and its enforcement. although there are times that i think if there isn't enough common sense to do it without a law, maybe we oughta let natural selction take some of those ***holes out. it really drives me nuts too that the dumb ****s out there make it hard on guys like me and i'm sure most of you who actually make an effort to be safe, defensive and courteous out on the road. i hate paying for past mistakes of others...
Missouri has this also . . . I agree on the "natural selection" but I don't want to be the guy making them into a hood ornament on the front of my car. My wife's new car even takes care of turning on the lights itself . . . freaky. (And it starts up via remote too . . . . lots more BS to go wrong . . . LOL)
We all know why. It is for your and others safety. Speaking of which, I really need to get a windshield wiper in my 35. Yes, when I even host a thought of them not being able to see me, I turn the lights on, even in my 97 Explorer. Its just habit and common sense.
Up here in Canuckistan we have the Daytime Running Lights. In principle they are a good idea but IMO they are poorly executed. The dopes up here are driving around at dusk or in fog with just them on when they should be using their full lighting. Another example of "make it idiotproof and they just build a better idiot" Stu
Common sence ya right! I worked on Vandenberg AFB for 10 years and the "Rocket Scientist" that had to turn off their headlights when entering the main gate so the gate guards could see your base sticker, well these geniuses wouldn't turn them back on, to much trouble I guess? The fog on base at times was so bad you could hardly see the car in front of you and these meat heads driving around without headlights.
So just run a relay off the wiper circuit to switch on the headlights. Thats actually not a bad idea now that I think of it.......
Well, being that I;'m one of those goobers who drives with my headlights on all the time, this law wouldn't bother me at all. I drove a silver car for several years and it seemed to blend in too much. I started taking the at***ude that I'd rather be seen then missed and it's stuck after over ten years. I suspect I'll carry that habit over to the coupe when it's done for the same reason... Vance
a friend just sent me a pic of his new wipers. Says he can't quit using them. They also feature headlights. LOL
I'm not too good with this in my daily driver but I'm more committed when I'm in my hot rod. I want all the idiots to see me.
Here in NJ I don't think they publicized the law enough. The "soccer mom, SUV drivers" seem to think that they can always be seen. I guess they can't stop talking on the cell phone long enough to switch on the lights. I have noticed that the cars that need the lights on are the ones that don't: silver, gray or white. These can be invisible under the right conditions. Red, yellow and bright orange cars seem to always have their lights on!
I use rain-x so I rarely use my wipers. When I do use them, I want my headlights on anyway if for no other reason than it will help people see me.
The PA. law says Day Time Running lights aren't good enough for the wiper law, have to be headlights on.
Yep, on the books for quite a few years now. It was always good practice, but it still pisses me off that they make dumb laws like that.
pa also has the no left lane except when p***ing law that no one ever pays attention too. i'm gonna put a chain though some ones windshield next time i have to jump out of the way though.