Tail light safety and modern traffic

[SDJason]

...accidents happen because of unattentive, highly distracted drivers, and no amount of candlepower can change that.

Ah - now I see what you were getting at.

I have to agree with you on that point - actually happened to me in my modern vehicle (a CR-V) early this summer - I was at a dead stop in a left turn lane and had someone run into me. Thankfully it was only enough of a jolt to bust up the cover on my spare wheel - but anyone at all paying even a smidgen of attention wouldn't have been able to miss the three gigantic brake lights (compared to what's on a lot of other vehicles, and certainly my A).

My thought is a bit different, though - I assume most modern drivers (who do pay attention) have their reflexes trained to expect a third brakelight. Yes, they'll notice that their closing distance is getting smaller if the third light isn't there, but I figure I might as well give them that extra second or two, which might make a difference. That's the limit of what I'll do, though - I agree with you that no matter what you have back there, it just won't help with some folks - they'll probably keep doing what they do until they either remove themselves from the gene pool, or find out the hard way (financially or via a hospital) the consequences of driving like that.

 

[Bertha]

Third brake light....how 'bout a forth.

Your at a red light, the guy facing you has got his left turn signal on, the light turns green and he's just sitting there. A stare down.
A brake light on the back of his windshield rear view mirror....at least you'd know that his foot is off the brake pedal.

Bob

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Third brake light....how 'bout a forth.

Your at a red light, the guy facing you has got his left turn signal on, the light turns green and he's just sitting there. A stare down.
A brake light on the back of his windshield rear view mirror....at least you'd know that his foot is off the brake pedal.

Bob

Did I miss something? The guy making a left hand turn has to yield to oncoming traffic, unless he gets a green left turn arrow.

The mention earlier of heavy fog is one of my pet peeves. The news always blames the accidents on the fog or the snow and ice. NO, NO, NO, it the driver's fault period. He's overdriving the conditions. When the fog or snow is too heavy to see, he should pull off the road and park. And don't park on the shoulder. Find a gas staion, driveway, or even a field to get away from the nuts still trying to drive.

 

[Bertha]

Ok....I don't always trust others when it comes to who has the ROW.

How about when the light is green both ways and he has his TS on, your approaching the intersection......never mind.

Bob

 

[H. L. Chauvin]

I think all of these responses for Model A safety are offered to try to be helpful & have merit.

Just one example is, this past week while coming back home from work, on a dark rural highway with no street lights, I stopped at a stop sign at about 11:00 p.m. on this dark night, looked both ways, saw nothing coming from my left, right, or rear, so started easing out into this rural intersection.

All of a sudden this compact car whizzed by in front of my front bumper at about 70 mph in a 55mph speed zone. I never saw him coming.

Guy had no headlights, no tail lights, & after I pulled out, he was weaving all over the road. A little ways up the road was a red light -- he turned left on red almost on two wheels.

They live amongst us & somehow survive driving like this -- I'm sure all of us have witnessed close calls where nothing could have avoided an accident.

I just hope we all continue to realize that these type of careless drivers are out there.

 

[30FordA50]

I just added the led inserts from brattons behind my original amber/red lens. The red in the led shine right through the amber and lights that entire light to turn, cruise, or stop. I am very happy with this purchase. Next up I am going to install the 3rd brakelight in the rear window.

Quick question, what's the easiest way to snake that wire to meet the tail light cables under the car? Do I drill though the wood?

Thanks guys. Btw, here is a side by side (not great pic during the switch).

 

[29er]

I just hope we all continue to realize that these type of careless drivers are out there.

I had a recent experience that's caused me to re-think my directional signals:

On a drive the other day, I was braking while signaling a left turn. Reaching the center of the intersection on a two-lane highway (a single lane in each direction sans left-turn lane) I was about to turn when the car behind me passed on my left side! If I hadn't been watching my rear view mirror and taken defensive action, that car would have crashed into me.

Why would the driver of that car do that? After making my turn I pulled to the side of the road to check my turn signal and brake lights. All were working as they should.

I have two standard tail lights with red lenses; no third brake light, but I've painted the inside of the tail lights gloss white and use the higher candle power bulbs sold by vendors. They are clearly visible in daytime.

My theory is this: With my left turn signal flashing, and me pumping the brakes to slow down so that the right tail light was flashing, the driver behind me interpreted all the red flashing tail lights as a warning that my old car was a slow-moving vehicle.

Her brain was hard-wired to pass.

I don't believe the driver interpreted my red tail lights as a signal to turn left, so she passed me, perhaps not even being aware she was doing so (illegally) in an intersection.

I believe the red directional signals may not be readily recognized by drivers as an indicator of a turn, so I've ordered a couple of these amber LED add-on turn signals:

These are Snyder's #A-13401. They're inexpensive, should be easy to install and will hopefully signal my intentions better than the red lights alone.

Be careful out there!

Lit up in Oregon,

Mike

 

[redmodelt]

Way back in the late 20's or early 30's there was a neon sign that you could put in your rear window that lit up and read STOP so a 3 brake light in the rear window is not completely out of line for the era.

 

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW:

Similar experiences to this below have been mention before with our Model A's.

I have always suspected, even from years ago in the 1950's, when driving a Model A as a teenager, that a few drivers have this highway-macho-superiority-complex or this "thing" when seeing old vintage cars on the highway.

For example, just to name a few past experiences from even several past generations, (not just today's younger generation), when one is driving one's Model A, these few drivers appear to:

1. Pull out on the highway from a stop right before you, making you slam the brakes.

2. They pass you even though there is an oncoming car, then squeeze back in your lane, again making you slam on the brakes.

3. When they pass, they tend to cut back right in front of you, like trying to drive you off of the highway.

4. At a (4) way stop, they do not care who was there first, they just pull out as if they own the highway & in some cases, never stop at the (4) way stop.

5. Appears a few just acquire road rage upon observing a vintage vehicle.

Not all drivers were, or are, like this, but appears as though there were/are enough to make this unique behavior noticeable far more often when driving one's Model A.

 

[John S]

I've noticed on two lane roads that a good number of drivers in the oncoming lane will began to drift into my lane as they get near. I believe this is from staring at the "funny looking old car" coming at them and they simply drift in the direction they're looking.

 

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi John,

I travel mostly two (2) lane rural roads, & was not too eager to mention that famous drifting act in your reply #90; but I am glad you experienced it also.

I had to put one wheel in the ditch often going to work every day years ago to avoid a head-on quiet a few times. Was never funny.

 

[45GPW]

5. Appears a few just acquire road rage upon observing a vintage vehicle.

Not all drivers were, or are, like this, but appears as though there were/are enough to make this unique behavior noticeable far more often when driving one's Model A.

I drive vintage trucks and farm equipment on the road a lot more than I drive a Model A, and I see that kind of behavior far too often.

And, I think such driver's road rage, or just plain impatience, is there all the time. It may be repressed, until something or someone gets in their way of getting where they're going as fast and as soon as possible, even if it's just to be first at the next stop sign or stoplight (unless they're not bothered about ignoring those too).

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

For years I've also noticed oncoming traffic drifting into my lane, no matter what I'm driving.

And the passing and cutting in short has always been a problem that many times results in thrown stones and cracked winshields. I was on a freshly paved road with course gravel 6 years ago when some jerk did this and cracked my windshield on my modern car.

 

[Y-Blockhead]

I've noticed on two lane roads that a good number of drivers in the oncoming lane will began to drift into my lane as they get near. I believe this is from staring at the "funny looking old car" coming at them and they simply drift in the direction they're looking.

John, that's a well known fact among off-road motorcycle riders. You steer in the direction that your looking. I used to do a lot of trail riding in the California desert.

"Look where you WANT to go, not at the ROCK, or you'll hit it!!!"

 

[slackcat]

I've noticed on two lane roads that a good number of drivers in the oncoming lane will began to drift into my lane as they get near. I believe this is from staring at the "funny looking old car" coming at them and they simply drift in the direction they're looking.

Ain't that a fact.