Be careful

Fibber Mcgee

Fibber Mcgee

Well-known member
I was driving down 95 last night about 10 pm when I saw a model A sitting in the emergency lane with no lights and no one around. It looked brand new and I thought it was odd that no one was around. By the time I saw it I couldn't stop to see what was going on so I called FHP to ask them to check on it ( needless to say they didn't seem to believe me but said they would check it out) so I just continued to Orlando. When I arrived in Orlando I asked one of the drivers that was behind me if he saw it and he said he had but it was driving down the 95 with just the one taillight doing about 45 and that he almost ran it over. About that time another driver came up and said he saw it near Daytona in the middle of 95 in pieces, it had gotten rear ended by a SUV and it was gone from the windshield back. I don't know what happened to the driver or why he was out on the interstate doing 45 at 10 pm but I just thought I would remind everyone, Be Careful.
 
Driving an interstate is harrowing enough, but at night you are taking a real chance. Hope the driver survived...
 
Gosh, that's terrible. 45mph is below the legal slowest speed.
Hope injuries were not serious.
 
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Heard a similar story here South of Denver, one of the local owners of a Model A shop came up on an old car doing 75, had to swerve to miss it just in time. Since then they have been selling the LED inserts and high candlepower lamps. I have all installed on my panel and you can see it like it was a UPS truck.
 
Magnetic and license plate reflectors I put on the back of Old Henry for night highway driving (plus super bright bulbs in the tail lights). Ain't been rear ended yet (cross my fingers, knock on wood.;))

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Old Henry said:
Magnetic and license plate reflectors I put on the back of Old Henry for night highway driving (plus super bright bulbs in the tail lights). Ain't been rear ended yet (cross my fingers, knock on wood.;))
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green50 said:
I also carry magnetic RED reflectors in the glove box for night driving.
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Mine are all red also. Don't know why the photo flash made them yellow. Probably over exposed.
 
A sign like these isn't a bad idea, neither is driving with your 4-ways on. But I prefer to just avoid night driving, too many critters...
 

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Ross F-1 said:
A sign like these isn't a bad idea, neither is driving with your 4-ways on. But I prefer to just avoid night driving, too many critters...
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I considered putting one of those triangle signs on but in my state you have to be going under 25 mph to use one. I at least get above that on the highways, limit 65 mph usually.
 
Having driven models A cars a fair amount and sometimes at night, I'm well aware how lacking the 3-brush generator set up can be. No mater how good the set up is, the damn things will not keep up with the current draw of the lights being on. The alternator is a good way to go but bad things can still happen. A person has to know the limitations and physical condition of their vehicle. I would plan very carefully for a night drive in a Model A. A tow home would be less traumatic than the loss of a whole vehicle and all the time it took to fix it up plus the bodily injury possibilities
 
I think Old Henry has the right idea. I know a lot of us are wanting to maintain originality so a second taillight on an A might not work but I think some magnetic LED red lights would have made a difference. I'm not saying the SUV wasn't partially to blame as well (probably texting) as I have driven over 2 million miles ( most at night) and have seen many cars without lights and you can usually see something of the car weather it be the outline or a reflection off of something and the fact that one of our trucks Almost hit it but didn't says something as well. I also tried to find something on the Internet and couldn't other than the report on the FHP website when it happened.
 
It isn't always another vehicle. A few years back on my way to LARS & this critter tried to outrun me. It wasn't in a crosswalk either but it was @ dusk.
Damage was 10 grand thanks for insurance.:D
 

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At night ... the few times I've been caught after dark ... I attach two of those modern flashing bicycle red LED lights that have amazing brightness and pulsing night pentration

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I heard of a neat trick... install a couple of the brightest LED lights at the rear of the frame. They light up the pavement really well especially when the road is wet. Bonus, nobody will notice the non-originality of the vehicle when its parked.
 
The flashing bike lights are great. They are probably illegal in some states, but better to get a ticket for that than rear-ended.

I have LED tail lights on one car and just bought some for my roadster. I am considering putting a high stop light in my cars, too. The biggest issue is inattention, though.
 
10 grand for a fu@@ing bent bumper. You hit a little raccoon, and they payed up 10 grand! Anybody wounder why insurance is pricy these days.?
Martin.
 
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