Driving with headlights off, does it use more gas to run headlights

Lately around here it seems people like to drive in what I consider dark. Do they save gas by not using the headlights?

I run mine day or night.

 

yes. basically yes, but only marginally.

 

I like to drive around with my high beams on, the stereo going, the AC cranked to 11 and the windows down. F@ck the gas mileage, gas is cheaper than fountain soda at a 7/11 and I want to make sure we use it ALL up before I die so our kids have none!

 

It's essentially the same principle as running your gas powered generator at the track. If you have your tire warmers plugged in it won't run as long on a gallon of gas as if you are just running a fan. Not quite the same though, because automotive headlights only pull about 55 watts per bulb where tire warmers pull about 500-600 watts. The amount of gasoline saved by not burning the headlights is so minimal by comparison to everything else the engine is doing that it would be very fractional.

 

The difference is negligible. It's a ridiculous point to even bring up.

Also you're turning the alternator either way so I don't know how that is saving any energy.

 

Come on, man, next you'll tell me that changing out the summer air in my tires for winter air is ridiculous.

 

Here's how:

http://www.freeasestudyguides.com/alternator-voltage-regulators.html

 

Those people are just retarded. They probably have difficulty breathing without concentrating. You expect them to actually think about the concepts of gas savings?

Where I live it's either daytime lights in the dark or high beams all the time.

I do appreciate them showing me their intelligence level without actually having to interact with them.

 

I notice this too. The interior lights are super bright and so they think their outside lights are on. Remember when interior lights didn't come on unless you had your headlights on?

 

Yep, and there is an indicator lit up showing something about lights being on whether they're DRLs or regular lights. I have disliked that about my last 3 cars. I suppose I could just run them in automatic all the time, but I'm not much of a fan of automatic errathang in cars.

 

Both my cars have the option to set your head lights on automatic. DRLs and then when it gets darker, the "regular" lights come on.

Both cars have this turned on. I normally hate all that stupid nanny settings but this one is worth it's weight in 80/20 fresh ground hamburger.

 

OK, but what about the four or five flashes of hi-beam I give them while approaching that they still seem to miss?

 

Leave them alone and let them be stupid. No headlights on? I'll let the cops handle it or better yet, the asian ladies in their Lexus suvs.

 

Maybe you learned your driving cues differently.

 

I figured that it used a little more gas, I just cannot understand why anyone would want to drive down the rode without headlights on at 7:30 am, when its still about half dark out.