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Yellow fronts on trains

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ex-railwayman

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Yeah, a few, but, they were different red colours, some scarlet, others more maroon, which collected grime and dirt and after several months you wouldn't be able to see the buffers from any great distance, and with them being so close to the ground wouldn't be particularly easy to see from far away anyway.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.
 
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gswindale

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I'm all for running lights given that I was nearly mowed down a few years ago by someone driving a silver people carrier pulling out of a petrol station in the twilight hours - it was only because I always look back again when starting to cross that I saw hew come flying out with no lights on.
I can't stand running lights.

Those on most Audi/BMW seem too bright during the day and look like they've been designed to look intimidating in your rear view mirror.

The Volvo approach of headlights on at all time is much better.
 

jon0844

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Audi does seem to have taken DRL and made it part of the design, hence some rather odd shapes that can look pretty intimidating! I'm pretty sure the menacing look (including the large front grilles) is very deliberate, and part of a growing trend amongst car makers.

Air intake is important, but I'm not sure many cars need the huge grilles that we see at the moment. American cars seem even more ridiculous!

A lot of other car makers have put the daylight lights lower down, possibly even where front fogs would be.
 

whhistle

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Henry Ford supposedly said that the Model T could only be ordered in black. I don't recall anyone complaining bitterly (whether or not this was an urban myth) about the cruelty of his statement.
I believe the phrase is "you can have it any colour as long a it's black" as black paint dried quicker than white due to the heat absorption rate.

However, as has been suggested according to QI, there has been no evidence Mr Ford ever said that. Saying that then, I guess there's been no evidence he didn't say it too?
 
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Audi does seem to have taken DRL and made it part of the design

Probably in an attempt to make their utterly bland cars stand out from the Passats, Octavias etc which are otherwise virtually identical...it's amazing how everyone thinks Audi is a premium brand, whereas in Germany they would laugh you out of town for such a notion! To my mind, these running lights are only one rung above the purple lights which chavs put around the numberplate or under the car, to make their Corsa/Fiesta/Clio look ever so slightly more interesting, but Audi keep reeling people in...
 

Phil6219

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Probably in an attempt to make their utterly bland cars stand out from the Passats, Octavias etc which are otherwise virtually identical...it's amazing how everyone thinks Audi is a premium brand, whereas in Germany they would laugh you out of town for such a notion! To my mind, these running lights are only one rung above the purple lights which chavs put around the numberplate or under the car, to make their Corsa/Fiesta/Clio look ever so slightly more interesting, but Audi keep reeling people in...

I wouldn't quite go that far, I think their lights look rather good. Then again I like Audi.

To be fair to them we have had various Audi's in our family since 1985 and have never actually had a problem with them, no major malfunctions or any other faults. Next door on the other hand have had 4 Mercedes cars since 2002 and each one had had major problems, at one point one was replaced to be end up with the replacement car being taken away and replaced.

Sadly more people are stopping buying their BMW's and buying Audi instead, which is in my opinion the motoring equivalent of the chav's buying Burberry.

Phil 8-)
 

jopsuk

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Air intake is important, but I'm not sure many cars need the huge grilles that we see at the moment.

All the "eco" varients of various cars have either small grills or mainly blocked up ones, as they get enough airflow and excess grills is just drag
 

DownSouth

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A drive on a long flat highway in Australia would change any negative opinions about LED running lights. They are extremely good for spotting oncoming traffic a good distance away, which is needed if you're going to overtake a B Double.

Highways here are commonly signposted with "lights on 24 hours" so you can be seen well, and when signposted it is a compulsory requirement that can result in an expiation notice. Running lights are the only exception to the rule which otherwise specifies full headlights on low beam.
 

themiller

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It's all very good having yellow ends to aid visibility by trackworkers but only if they are clean. When the RHTTs have done a couple of shifts they are quite "stealthy" in their new grime livery!
 
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