Page 60 of the manual describes how to turn on (or off) your DRLs. I had some trouble following the manual so I wrote my own procedure (works better for my non-Brittish thinking style): Maybe this will help:

Setting DRLs

Note: If you wait too long between these steps the display will revert back to it's normal display (frustrating). When this happens you have to start over from scratch. It'll probably happen once or twice. It results in good practice (gets easier with each try). Don't cuss violently like I did.

1. Insert the key fob
2. Without putting in the clutch, press the start button
3. Push the button on the end of the turn-signal stalk several times until the display reads, "SET/INFO".
4. Now hold that button in a few seconds until the display doesn't say, "SET/INFO" anymore
5. Push that button 4 times .. You'll see a key with a check-mark. The display below it will read, "SET"
6. Now hold that button in a few seconds until the display doesn't say, "SET" anymore
7. Push that button 5 times .. You'll see a bright square sun looking symbol on the upper left of the display
8. Now hold that button in a few seconds until the display shows two headlight symbols, one saying, "ON", one saying, "OFF"
9. You'll see that each time you push the button either, "ON" or "Off" will be highlighted. Highlight, "ON"
10. Now hold that button in a few seconds until you see only the "ON" symbol
11. Do nothing else. The display will return to normal. You've done the deed.

Note: Where I state the number of times to push that button, that's the way it is on my car with my options. Maybe it's different with other option packages. Stay with this procedure. Just know that you may have to push that button a different number of times before the proper symbol shows up.

P.S. This programming is stored in your key fob. If only one spouse wants this feature, no problem, as long as you each use your own fob.

 

You can do this yourself. If you don't have the NAV, see page 60 of the manual.

 

now that you mention is...yeah i almost got sideswiped the other day...but in all fairness it is miami...

 

I almost got hit twice last week. Both times by someone pulling into my lane (or trying to, at any rate), when I was nearly abreast of their car. Not in the blind spot, mind you--my car's truncated nose was next to their door. If they can't see a bright red car, well... One of those times I was in a construction zone, flat up against a concrete barrier. Big fun in the big city!

 

I worry about moments like those--I try to avoid being abreast of someone as much as possible when on the road. It's less important when you're driving only 25 mph, but at highway speeds, there is usually very little reason to actually be next to someone. Always pass quickly--never dawdle.

 

That was nice. If only I could find the DRL DIY for the R53. (anyone? anyone?)

 

mauberley, you ain't done much drivin' in Houston, have you?

 

The car is small, but not THAT small I don't understand how you can't see something that stands out so much on the road, no exuses!

 

i have the DRL's, front fog and rear fog lights on ALL the time. it's become part of my pre-drive ritual of hitting to sport button.

 

It ain't that they can't see you; it's that you don't count. These are the sort of people who think they don't have to give right of way to motorcycles because they know they can crush them.

 

I just keep Romi polished to the point where any light hitting her temporarily blinds someone. While that could cause them to hit someone else, it clears the road for me to motor about freely.

 

My first father-in-law claims he was blinded by a reflection off someone's windshield and he hit cars that weren't even there.

 

LynnEl has a point.

Yesterday I was motoring about and came up to this intersection with a Honda Civic behind me. Now, at this particular intersection, you have to immedaitely get into the left hand lane to make a left hand turn at the next light. The right hand lane goes straight through the next light.

As I move through the intersection, I immediately toggle my left turn signals an notice the Honda behind me doing the same thing. So I move over to the left lane. The Honda is behind me for a second, then switches to the right lane and floors it.

The idiot is going to try and pass me before we get to the next light which is about 500 feet away. He never even gets even with my hood and at the last second, he brakes, and whips in behind me. Now, I dod not alter my acceleration at all. I think he just assumed the Cooper is a very slow car and ho could easily pass it in the short distance he had.

So we are at the light and it turns green. Now, the left lane I am turning into is a direct entrance path to the freeway. So, naturally, I get on Romi a bit. I look up in the rear view mirror and the Honda is falling back.

Once on the freeway, the Honda finally catches Romi and passes her. He then abruptly cuts in front of Romi and slams on his brakes. I sigh a bit, and decide to get off the next exit to give this idiot a lot of room.

Summing up; He was pissed off a Cooper outran him (and I was not even trying and still kept Romi under 4K RPM). So pissed off he decided to try and cause a wreck to happen.

I find this lack of respect on the road to be quite common. It appears many people look at the Cooper as a toy which has no business being on the road.

 

Unfortunately, your experience is a common one, Skuzzy. It's hard, but wise, not to retaliate.

 

Skuzzy I've had the same thing happen to me .I have floored it once or twice in these situations and it seems to get there respect but I dont want to drive like that and I dont do it any more , now I just get out of the way and wave at the next stop light.I'm surprised this happens in Texas .

 

Fortunately, with all the years of motorcylce riding experience, I got pretty good at being able to spot the agressive jerk which will not accept a small vehicle being in front of them.

I just move over, slow down a bit, and let them go by. They are just sad little people.

EDIT: Korby,...you gotta be kidding? Texas has to be one of the worse states for agressive driver behavior in the country. I would be rather surprised if there was a worse state.

 

Braking to interfere with the car behind you has become illegal in California.

 

It could be illegal in Texas, but it would not get enforced. A significant number of driving laws in Texas never get enforced.

Law enforcement officials are not required, by law, to enforce the law.

 

I plan on putting a fairly significant racing stripe on my MINI. Part of the reason is to tell other drivers that there is a crazy person behind the wheel of this car -- don't think it is some Milktoast in an econobox.

 

Unsafe operation of a motor vehicle with the intent to interfere with, or cause damage to, other drivers is illegal everywhere.

 

I've seen this phenomenom (people who don't seem to see you) in my Tundra as well as my MINI. I chose my Electric Blue MCS's color precisely because I thought it would be hard to miss, plus I do run the DRL's as well, but it doesn't matter. The suggestions given here are good, always drive defensively, always try to have an "out", don't dawdle when you're passing, and pay attention - cause the other guys aren't!

As to the road ragers and racers, those folks are always gonna do that, no matter what you drive, the best course is to leave them alone and let them go their ways............

I was in the left lane in my Tundra on a 4 lane hiway and eased past a guy in the right lane in his Chevy pick up, I guess he doesn't like Toyota's cause he immediately sped up and tried to run me off the road. I got his LP# and called 911 but of course, nothing happened.

 

Yes LynnEl, but it is not enforced anywhere in Texas I know of, unless you have an accident. After-the-fact, they will present you with all manner of tickets.

I cannot say I blame the police much though. Too many police get killed for pulling someone over for the most trivial things. Now that it is legal to carry concealed weapons in Texas, it is even riskier for the police to pull someone over.

Again, there is no law which requires law enforcement officials to enforce the law. In light of that, it really does not matter what the law is. It boils down to what will be enforced.

 

Until recently, virtually everywhere in the U.S, one who ran into the rear of someone else was automatically considered to be at fault. In California there was a rash of situations where a car or van, with criminal intent, would cut in front of another driver on the freeway, slam on his brakes, then collect damages. The law was changed. The problem stopped.

 

No, but I cut my teeth driving the gritty streets of Chicago and New York. Granted, I've become soft since moving to suburbia... or--more likely--I have lost faith in the driving public and try to maintain as much space between them and myself when out on the roads.

 

In Houston you don't have passing so much as parallel lines of traffic, each running the same speed, and likely next to each other but not passing. Intervals are about 3 to 4 car lengths, regardless of speed, and regardless of traffic. A recipe for disaster, of course, but it works, usually. The particular construction zone I mentioned is about 4 miles long, and is 2 lanes bordered by concrete. Traffic is very heavy--that's why they're building the other 2 lanes. It's usually run at about 70. Maybe a little less; maybe a little more. If you don't have the cajones to run it that way you're an obstruction to traffic and it doesn't matter what gender you are--you'll be run over. Just the way it is here.

Skuzzy knows.