Shawn,

Yes, but that's what makes this site so cool. There are plenty of automotive
sites that limit participation strictly to mechanical issues, but how much
fun are they? I think of this site like a bar, a la Cheers, where everybody
happens to have a Vanagon and sits around shooting the bull about it, and if
the discussion happens to veer off into salt water fuels or urban legends or
international politics, there's always a friendly moderator to whack us on
the collective head. Personally I like the off-topic stuff, the tangents,
the barbs and all the rest. Give me an IPA, a pool cue, and let's talk about
that fuel pump buzzing...

Geza

On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:11:32 -0500, robert feller
<syncro.carboncow@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>Man this list takes the word tangent to a new level!
>
>How did we get from me inquiring about an obvious hack I can disable to
>headlights consuming .25mpg and killing the ozone? jeesh!
>
>Shawn
>
>On Dec 14, 2007 7:49 PM, tom ring <taring@taring.org> wrote:
>
>> On 14 Dec 2007 at 17:32, Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > All good thoughts. Re the safety or not factor, and fuel consumption.
>> > In some states it's technically illegal to drive  with just
>> parking/running
>> > lights on, I believe.
>> > I wouldn't do it for the attention it might attract from cops.
>>
>> Interesting.  I've had it set up that way for 5 years and driven through
>> about
>> 15 states on a regular basis.  No problems so far.  I think it might be
>> one of
>> those things that police would only use as an excuse if they had no other
>> reason to pull you over and wanted to.  And now there so many vehicles
>> with
>> DRLs, you are probably pretty much psychologically invisible to them.
>>  Even if
>> you got pulled over it's probably a very cheap ticket or just a warning.
>>  I
>> could justifiably say that they used to work and now don't for some
>> reason.  ;)
>>
>> tom
>> K0TAR
>>
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> Of
>> > tom ring
>> > Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 4:13 PM
>> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> > Subject: Re: headlights on with ignition on!
>> >
>> > Yes, DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) can be argued to be a bit safer than
>> not
>> > having them.  There is also a lot of evidence that they do nothing or
>> almost
>> > nothing.  They definately use millions of gallons of extra fuel per year
>> > from
>> > the .25 to .5 mpg hit.  And makes that much extra CO2.  You are free to
>> > choose
>> > your poison, at least in the US.
>> >
>> > Here's a place that tells how to shut them down on many vehicles.  I did
>> it
>> > on
>> > my 96 Jetta.  It turned off the headlights, but not the running lights,
>> > which
>> > seems to be a good compromise to me, especially since it's less likely
>> to
>> > leave
>> > me with a burned out headlight at night, which is most definitely a
>> safety
>> > hazard.
>> >
>> > http://www.lightsout.org/disable.html
>> >
>> > The only VW van mentioned is 2000-2002 Eurovan.
>> >
>> > tom
>> > K0TAR
>> >
>> > On 14 Dec 2007 at 16:29, robert feller wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----------------------------------------
>> > Tom Ring K0TAR, ex-WA2PHW  EN34hx
>> > 85 Westphalia GL Albert
>> > 96 Jetta GL The Intimidator
>> > taring@taring.org
>> >
>> > What happens if a big asteroid hits the Earth?  Judging from realistic
>> > simulations
>> > involving a sledge hammer and a common laboratory frog, we can assume it
>> > will
>> > be pretty bad.
>> >                 - Dave Barry
>> > -----------------------------------------
>> >
>> >
>>
>
>
>
>--
>Shawn Feller
>Ohio
>www.carboncow.com