Room 101 - what single aspect of modern life should be consigned to oblivion?

[Nick Armstrong]

I would assign the belief that Room 101 is a place for burying things you don't like, rather than one where you will have to face what is (for you) the most terrifying thing imaginable.

I think the fervent hope that the "terrifying thing" will remain in Room 101 and the door be firmly and forever locked is consistent with Orwell's vision, though?

[MrGongGong]

... yes, there is doubtless some equivalent of Godwin's Law that states that after a certain time all threads will recur to footleball - or cars - or foie gras...

or even how rural Derbyshire is like living in the 1950's with no crime and a happy bobby on a bike giving kids a clip round the ear for scrumping

[Nick Armstrong]

Dazzling halogen headlights on cars .... drivers who use headlights during the day

I don't mind headlamps during the day, as they are not dazzling - but yes: when when the technology allowed to reach a point when front and back lights were so intense (it usually seems to be on larger and more expensive German cars) that they are painful and dangerous? I completely agree, and with Don on the subject of insansly bright rear brake lights. Visibility is one thing, but...

And on the other end of the spectrum, some London cabs potter around with just dim side lights one - what's the point?

[ahinton]

or even how rural Derbyshire is like living in the 1950's with no crime and a happy bobby on a bike giving kids a clip round the ear for scrumping

Godwin's Law or no Godwin's Law, that's as deserving of Room 101 consignment as any, I'd have thought; it's certainly more than enough to keep me away from rural Derbyshire...

[Panjandrum]

I don't mind headlamps during the day, as they are not dazzling -

Carbon footprint?

[Nick Armstrong]

I agree, 'carbon footprint' and all similar jargon belongs in Room 101!

[ahinton]

Carbon footprint?

It's daft and at times dangerous not to use headlights / sidelights / foglights during the day if prevailing weather conditions render their use necessary - and the extent to which such use would up a carbon footprint compared to the increase therein brought about by driving the car in the first place is surely negligible! (unless the car's an electric or hydrogen powered one)...

[ahinton]

I agree, 'carbon footprint' and all similar jargon belongs in Room 101!

Not a bad idea; "carbon", OK and "footprint", OK also but not the two together!

[MrGongGong]

Carbon footprint?

When I drive my car (which is one of those harp transporters made by moomintroll !) the engine is connected to the alternator which charges the battery all the time it is running................... therefore it uses NO extra fuel to have the lights on (i guess there might be a minute loading which COULD use a tiny bit , but i'm not sure that its even measurable !)

[mangerton]

When I drive my car (which is one of those harp transporters made by moomintroll !) the engine is connected to the alternator which charges the battery all the time it is running................... therefore it uses NO extra fuel to have the lights on (i guess there might be a minute loading which COULD use a tiny bit , but i'm not sure that its even measurable !)

It is in fact only a "tiny bit" to an individual, Mr GG, but multiplying it by the number of vehicles in a country, it becomes "quite a bit", for a continent, "the better part of a good bit", and world wide it's a "whole lot".

For more information, see the First Law of Thermodynamics, aka "you can't get nothing from nothing".

[MrGongGong]

hummm

Not sure about that at all.........
If I run the engine it generates more electricity that it needs ............. with the lights on or off

so the lights are effectively using surplus energy
I suppose the tiny bits of heat have a contribution ........ but there again probably not even measurable

[Serial_Apologist]

Not a bad idea; "carbon", OK and "footprint", OK also but not the two together!

For those people who walk on live coals they do!

[Don Petter]

It is in fact only a "tiny bit" to an individual, Mr GG, but multiplying it by the number of vehicles in a country, it becomes "quite a bit", for a continent, "the better part of a good bit", and world wide it's a "whole lot".

For more information, see the First Law of Thermodynamics, aka "you can't get nothing from nothing".

Well said! If you want to prove the effect, turn on your heated windscreen when the engine is just ticking over - you will hear the revs increase as the engine has to output more electrical energy, and hence use more fuel.

[Panjandrum]

hummm

Not sure about that at all.........
If I run the engine it generates more electricity that it needs ............. with the lights on or off

so the lights are effectively using surplus energy
I suppose the tiny bits of heat have a contribution ........ but there again probably not even measurable

Not so. It is a drain on the battery; thereby requiring the engine to generate more power. Consequently, the unnecessary use of headlights in good weather (pace
ahinton, and caliban) increases fuel consumption by 3%. In case anyone thinks this is negligible, that's about 30 billion additional litres of fuel in the Uk alone. Don't believe me? There's plenty on the internet from reliable sources to back this up.

[Don Petter]

It's daft and at times dangerous not to use headlights / sidelights / foglights during the day if prevailing weather conditions render their use necessary - and the extent to which such use would up a carbon footprint compared to the increase therein brought about by driving the car in the first place is surely negligible! (unless the car's an electric or hydrogen powered one)...

But people were talking about havings headlamps all the time willy-nilly, even when clearly not needed!

And see mangerton's valid response in #355