Turn Signals . . . Your Thoughts

jrelliott said:
I feel turn signals are a necessity. Even with them had other drivers attempting to pass when making a turn. I think they should be as bright as possible so as to be seen by other drivers. The younger drivers do not know hand signals, yet they should have learned them from bike safety classes. You need to try to be as safe as possible as you have a large investment in your vehicle and a higher one in trying to save you and your passengers lives.
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After having an accident when in high school, where a driver decided to pass on the left same time as I was turning left with my blinker on (not in an A), I am in the habit of pulling into the oncoming lane about half width of my car as I come up to my turn. Of course only if I have no oncoming traffic.
 
The original poster asked for "your thoughts".

My thoughts are they are an important safety feature and in my opinion are best visible when separate lights are used. Use of cowl parking lights for directionals in daytime driving is marginal, but for nighttime driving with headlights on they are almost invisible because they are behind the headlamp brilliance. With 40 years of fire department rescue squad service I have seen the results of a great many accidents.
 
barnstuf said:
The original poster asked for "your thoughts".

My thoughts are they are an important safety feature and in my opinion are best visible when separate lights are used. Use of cowl parking lights for directionals in daytime driving is marginal, but for nighttime driving with headlights on they are almost invisible because they are behind the headlamp brilliance. With 40 years of fire department rescue squad service I have seen the results of a great many accidents.
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I too have seen where the cowl lights were being used and/or signal bulbs within the main headlights were being used. My concern would be visibility of the signal at various angles.
 
I would rather walk over a fire pit with bare feet than drive a vehicle without turn indicators. I fit motor cycle indicators on the bumper brackets. The bigger and brighter the lights the better. (I call them orange Warts)
 
Turn signals are a MUST for me . I tried driving using hand signals
and twice when making a left turn the car behind me PASSED ME ON THE LEFT with my hand and finger pointing straight out signalling a left turn .
It was scary both times. I slammed on the brakes and avoided a collision by inches . SO I installed turn signals and use them . I have not had this happen since installing the turn signals . :) B0B
 
barnstuf said:
The original poster asked for "your thoughts".

My thoughts are they are an important safety feature and in my opinion are best visible when separate lights are used. Use of cowl parking lights for directionals in daytime driving is marginal, but for nighttime driving with headlights on they are almost invisible because they are behind the headlamp brilliance. With 40 years of fire department rescue squad service I have seen the results of a great many accidents.
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I wired my cowls as directional lights and I thought about this a little bit. I eventually came to the feeling that I wasn't so much worried about the cars in front of me, but rather the car behind me. So I put LED taillights and the third light in the rear window that is brake/indicator as well. The rear of the car is quite bright now. I would suggest to all that actually drive your car to put the LED lights in......so much brighter!

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Works for me but maybe I'm just lucky?
 

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dave in australia said:
Especially Australian drivers, we would have to be close to being the worst and angriest.
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I have driven in Aust. & live in NZ. Drivers here in NZ are far worse & maybe half never use indicators, especially when passing or sometimes turning. I feel if they are 'distracted' & can not determine an old slow moving car up ahead, having indicators, flashing lights or whatever will make little difference. I always use hand signals & most drivers understand them as they are taught here in the road code. I stay off main highways & busy roads. These old cars have their inherent dangers, so whatever I drive, it is with care.
 
Another tweak when adding turn signals is I added an inexpensive piezo beeper to the flasher unit so when activated there's a soft beeping sound. Otherwise I find myself forgetting to turn the signals off occasionally. Pretty easy to add to any turn signal setup. Under $3 on EBAY
 
think theyre all pretty ugly, but looks like safety first is the decision of this thread.......
 
jquinlan said:
Another tweak when adding turn signals is I added an inexpensive piezo beeper to the flasher unit so when activated there's a soft beeping sound. Otherwise I find myself forgetting to turn the signals off occasionally. Pretty easy to add to any turn signal setup. Under $3 on EBAY
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Good idea. My flasher is nearly silent.
 
I don't like the looks of the inside controls when used on the model A . I use hand signals when driving the model A .
 
My thoughts are, they are needed because of issues described above. However, when I installed mine I used the LOGO system with LED Lites and at the time convinced myself it was the best system I could use. But, not so sure after several years because it has the controls mounted via a magnet to the gas tank and has been a bit of problem to get the right button. I now think it would have been wise to have a control Stalk type system.

Just my thoughts.
 
Purdy Swoft said:
I don't like the looks of the inside controls when used on the model A . I use hand signals when driving the model A .
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I agree with you on this point. Not a fan of the big stalk. I have my switch mounted on a small toggle on the gear selector.
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I do not like electronic beeper in my/an A. Therefore, I have taken an old relay, removed the contacts, soldered to the anchor a small clapper. The thing with magnetic base fastened under the footwell sheet metal. When flashing the clapper knocks on the sheet. Unmistakable and not to forget.
 

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Purdy Swoft said:
I don't like the looks of the inside controls when used on the model A.
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I'm not a fan of the looks of turn signal controls inside or the 'modern' looking rectangle lights outside.

I use a toggle switch under the left side of the dash rail
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I drilled a 3mm hole thru the center of one of the dash rail screws and installed a 3mm LED for an indicator
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I used my running lights in the headlight refector with an amber bulb in the front
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and these small 'bullets' with red LEDs in the rear
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Tudortomnz said:
I have driven in Aust. & live in NZ. Drivers here in NZ are far worse & maybe half never use indicators, especially when passing or sometimes turning. I feel if they are 'distracted' & can not determine an old slow moving car up ahead, having indicators, flashing lights or whatever will make little difference. I always use hand signals & most drivers understand them as they are taught here in the road code. I stay off main highways & busy roads. These old cars have their inherent dangers, so whatever I drive, it is with care.
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Yep NZ drivers are pretty bad . All my cars (with the exception of the 1910 Hupmobile) have indicators on them and I wouldn't be without them. Drivers don't seem to get my hand signals when I'm driving the Hupp. The major issue with my cars is that sometimes I'm driving down a major road and a car will be waiting to turn onto the road . They will see me coming and quickly turn in front of me to avoid being stuck behind an old car. They have no conception that my brakes may not be as good as theirs. - Karl
 
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