Auto tail light innovation

[Al]

Since various colored LEDs are now available and electronics is so
pervasive in automobiles, I have an idea for a new tail light system for
automobiles.

The specs. are as follows:

1. Rear lights: green when foot is depressing accelerator

2. Rear lights: amber when foot is off accelerator

3. Rear lights: red when foot is on brake

4. Red lights flashing when feet are on accelerator and brake.


The reasoning behind this is that to me "red" means stop. If the auto in
front of you is moving, you don't have to stop. So this is sorta
contraditory.

If the amber light comes on, that means that the driver ahead of you is
considering stopping or is slowing for some reason. Pay attention!

When he red lights come on, yes indeed, you want to consider stopping..

And if all the lights are flashing, someone ahead of you is confused and
you should take the appropriate action.

Yes, I know, it would take a miracle to change over. But we've forced
third brake lights on everybody, didn't we?

Al

 

[OBones]

But the human eye is much more sensitive to a change in light (on/off)
than to a change in color, especially the amber/red distinction. And
what about people with color perception defects?
Having a nothing or all system makes it faster to react as the eye would
notice the change faster than a color change.

My 2 cents

 

[mc]

Red/green color blindness is very common. The color distinction would be
invisible to a considerable number of people.

Traffic lights get around this by distinguishing red and green by position,
not just color.

 

[Luhan]

Since various colored LEDs are now available and electronics is so
pervasive in automobiles, I have an idea for a new tail light system for
automobiles.

The specs. are as follows:

1. Rear lights: green when foot is depressing accelerator

2. Rear lights: amber when foot is off accelerator

3. Rear lights: red when foot is on brake

4. Red lights flashing when feet are on accelerator and brake.


The reasoning behind this is that to me "red" means stop. If the auto in
front of you is moving, you don't have to stop. So this is sorta
contraditory.

If the amber light comes on, that means that the driver ahead of you is
considering stopping or is slowing for some reason. Pay attention!

When he red lights come on, yes indeed, you want to consider stopping..

And if all the lights are flashing, someone ahead of you is confused and
you should take the appropriate action.

Yes, I know, it would take a miracle to change over. But we've forced
third brake lights on everybody, didn't we?

5. 1000 watt spotlight to signal driver behind you that he is following
to close.

6. 2000 kw C02 laser to signal driver in front that he has just cut you
off.

Luhan

 

[Jim Thompson]

Since various colored LEDs are now available and electronics is so
pervasive in automobiles, I have an idea for a new tail light system for
automobiles.

The specs. are as follows:

1. Rear lights: green when foot is depressing accelerator

2. Rear lights: amber when foot is off accelerator

3. Rear lights: red when foot is on brake

4. Red lights flashing when feet are on accelerator and brake.


The reasoning behind this is that to me "red" means stop. If the auto in
front of you is moving, you don't have to stop. So this is sorta
contraditory.

If the amber light comes on, that means that the driver ahead of you is
considering stopping or is slowing for some reason. Pay attention!

When he red lights come on, yes indeed, you want to consider stopping..

And if all the lights are flashing, someone ahead of you is confused and
you should take the appropriate action.

Yes, I know, it would take a miracle to change over. But we've forced
third brake lights on everybody, didn't we?

Al

Our (Phoenix) city buses are something like that, except no green...

Yellow equals coasting.

Red means the brake pedal has been pressed.

Blinking Red means decelerating.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Tim Wescott]

Since various colored LEDs are now available and electronics is so
pervasive in automobiles, I have an idea for a new tail light system for
automobiles.

The specs. are as follows:

1. Rear lights: green when foot is depressing accelerator

2. Rear lights: amber when foot is off accelerator

3. Rear lights: red when foot is on brake

4. Red lights flashing when feet are on accelerator and brake.


The reasoning behind this is that to me "red" means stop. If the auto in
front of you is moving, you don't have to stop. So this is sorta
contraditory.

If the amber light comes on, that means that the driver ahead of you is
considering stopping or is slowing for some reason. Pay attention!

When he red lights come on, yes indeed, you want to consider stopping..

And if all the lights are flashing, someone ahead of you is confused and
you should take the appropriate action.

Yes, I know, it would take a miracle to change over. But we've forced
third brake lights on everybody, didn't we?

Al

An even simpler solution: _Always_ assume that all the drivers around
you are confused (remember, they aren't engineers!).

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Posting from Google? See http://cfaj.freeshell.org/google/

"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" came out in April.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

 

[Jim Thompson]

[snip]

An even simpler solution: _Always_ assume that all the drivers around
you are confused (remember, they aren't engineers!).

Their not being engineers is probably a PLUS ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[Paul]

Red/green color blindness is very common. The color distinction would be
invisible to a considerable number of people.

Traffic lights get around this by distinguishing red and green by position,
not just color.

Older traffic light lenses used to have a vertical or horizontal bar
that
was for colorblind people. I think the new ones no longer have this,
and
just the position is used. This is fine for the standard vertical
orientation with red on top, but I have seen traffic lights that were
horizontal (not recently, however).

Paul
(Posted via Google because my news server sucks)

 

[Brian]

5. 1000 watt spotlight to signal driver behind you that he is following
to close.

6. 2000 kw C02 laser to signal driver in front that he has just cut you
off.

Luhan

How redundant! In L.A., your pistol covers both of these criteria already!

 

[ian field]

How redundant! In L.A., your pistol covers both of these criteria already!

And motorcycles should be fitted as standard with a battery of RPG launchers
to deal with the myopic and/or homicidal maniac car drivers that pull out in
front of them!!!!!

 

[ian field]

An even simpler solution: _Always_ assume that all the drivers around you
are confused (remember, they aren't engineers!).

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Posting from Google? See http://cfaj.freeshell.org/google/

"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" came out in April.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

Don't indicate - it confuses the car drivers!!!!!

 

[Paul]

5. 1000 watt spotlight to signal driver behind you that he is following
to close.

6. 2000 kw C02 laser to signal driver in front that he has just cut you
off.

Luhan

These *might* be illegal but tempting. I think a good deterrent to
those who abuse their high beams would be an adjustable pop-up mirror.
It could also be made so that it could be focused to intensify the
effect. Maybe a big sheet of aluminized mylar?

Paul
(via Google because my news server sucks)

 

[Jim Thompson]

[snip]

And motorcycles should be fitted as standard with a battery of RPG launchers
to deal with the myopic and/or homicidal maniac car drivers that pull out in
front of them!!!!!

Why? I thought motorcyclists, particularly the helmet-less ones, were
just assisting the natural selection process ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[ian field]

[snip]

An even simpler solution: _Always_ assume that all the drivers around
you are confused (remember, they aren't engineers!).

Their not being engineers is probably a PLUS ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Sometimes I wonder what distinguishes certain kinds of engineer from the
brain dead suits!

One firm I worked for had a number of "sales engineers". One day I got back
from lunch a little late so everything was back to work, as I made my way to
my section I encountered one of the sales engineers with a panicked
expression and struggling with one of those blue "camping gaz" blowlamps,
the correct procedure for changing the cartridge is to fully unscrew the
burner assy from the top and then unclip the bayonet fitting base plate to
release the cartridge. This 'engineer' (pillock!) had somehow got the empty
without unscrewing the top and had jammed a new cartridge in hard enough to
pierce the seal but couldn't cram the bayonet plate back in, he was just
standing there spraying LPG next to the assembly line where dozens of the
assembly women were sitting there smoking!!!

 

[Al]

But the human eye is much more sensitive to a change in light (on/off)
than to a change in color, especially the amber/red distinction. And
what about people with color perception defects?
Having a nothing or all system makes it faster to react as the eye would
notice the change faster than a color change.

My 2 cents

Before the third brake light was introduced, my brother-in-law could not
tell the difference between the red running lights on the back of the
auto and increase in brightness when the brake was depressed. The third
light did make it safer for him....and everyone else.

Hmmm, you guys are right about the color blindness issue. Sorta kills
the idea. But horns are required on cars...and people who are deaf don't
seem to mind.

Al

 

[Jim Thompson]

Before the third brake light was introduced, my brother-in-law could not
tell the difference between the red running lights on the back of the
auto and increase in brightness when the brake was depressed. The third
light did make it safer for him....and everyone else.

Hmmm, you guys are right about the color blindness issue. Sorta kills
the idea. But horns are required on cars...and people who are deaf don't
seem to mind.

Al

I don't think horns are *required*.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Mark]

Don't indicate - it confuses the car drivers!!!!!

Here's a good rule for everyone....

whenever the brake lights of the the car in front of you are ON, your
foot should be on the brake pedal so that your brake lights are on
also....

I knew a guy who would tail gate and claim that he had lightining fast
reactions and would be able to stop in time...turns out one day, he was
right, he did stop in time, but his plan neglected the guy behind
him...


Mark

 

[Jim Thompson]

[snip]

I knew a guy who would tail gate and claim that he had lightining fast
reactions and would be able to stop in time...turns out one day, he was
right, he did stop in time, but his plan neglected the guy behind
him...


Mark

In the days of my wild youth (~ age 47 ;-), I have been known to dust
off tailgaters by jamming on the brakes of my 280ZX, watch them
sliding up to me, then punch it just in time to avoid being
rear-ended... really pissed a few people off... particularly the ones
who spun off the roadway. Damn good thing that Z was fast ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[ian field]

[snip]

And motorcycles should be fitted as standard with a battery of RPG
launchers
to deal with the myopic and/or homicidal maniac car drivers that pull out
in
front of them!!!!!

Why? I thought motorcyclists, particularly the helmet-less ones, were
just assisting the natural selection process ;-)

...Jim Thompson

........only the ones who stick the bike through the driver side door!

 

[JeffM]

you guys are right about the color blindness issue.

[...]But horns are required on cars...
Al (OBones)

I don't think horns are *required*.
Jim Thompson

They have been a part of the vehicle safety inspection
in every state where I had a car .
If it's OEM on that year and model, it has to work.
http://66.102.9.104/search?num=100&q=inurl:us+intitle:checklist+brake-lights+horn+wipers+mirror