Car signals

Overheal

So Im out in the states this summer and one of the things I noticed besides the oversides roads, architecture and food (baby sized apples :eek:) is the Car signals.

We're driving at night and out of nowhere this car seems to cut us off - well I then realise it actually had a turn signal on - but that signal was red

wtf

how can people even distinguish between a blinking red turn signal and a brake light? That just seems stupid. Turn signals should be yellow; brake signals should be red and reverse and headlights should be white - because it makes sense.

[/rant]

Lazare

They don't need indicators. They've got guns.

5starpool

The best thing about driving in America is that you are allowed to turn right at red lights if the coast is clear. Similiar (but backwards) should be brought in here.

Creamy Goodness

i noticed this the last time i was in boston, seems to be part of the design of certain cars.

it is seriously ****ed up tbh as if driving over there is not hard enough they decided to make some indicators red so you have to guess whether they have a faulty brake light or are indicating.

Vikings

Yep watch out for the right turn on red rule: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_turn_on_red

Should be brought in here but never will

biko

More threads in Motors about this. It is crazy I agree, not often they use the indicator anyway. I drive in Mass and RI and the amount of stuff they get up to. RI supposedly has really bad drivers. Pretty much every day you see a car crashed or pulled over by a cop.

Smellyirishman

Yeah, thier indicators suck but they don't even use them on highways, just cutting right infront of you across 3 lanes. Also, it's right on red in the majority of areas, but not all.

Sparky

Drove for a good bit in LV.

They have a speed limit on the highway and interstate, but if traffic is moving at a speed faster than that, generally you can too. (quote from cop) Great idea.

I noticed also that some cars over there have the middle break light flashing when the breaks are on.

I also agree with the idea of allowed to turn right (or rather left over here) being introduced to see how it goes.

Smellyirishman wrote:

Yeah, thier indicators suck but they don't even use them on highways, just cutting right infront of you across 3 lanes. Also, it's right on red in the majority of areas, but not all.

afaik, highway patrol, or any normal cop can pull you and give you a ticket for crossing 3 lanes at one go.

Victor

Overheal wrote:

We're driving at night and out of nowhere this car seems to cut us off - well I then realise it actually had a turn signal on - but that signal was red

wtf

how can people even distinguish between a blinking red turn signal and a brake light? That just seems stupid. Turn signals should be yellow; brake signals should be red and reverse and headlights should be white - because it makes sense.

So you say a blinking light that you didn't understand, but didn't think "something odd here, I back off a little"?

Some car will have a blinking tail-light if the indicator has failed.

Overheal

Victor wrote:

So you say a blinking light that you didn't understand, but didn't think "something odd here, I back off a little"?

Some car will have a blinking tail-light if the indicator has failed.

this is not the case here: we're talking several dozen incidents of red turnlights in a 10 mile car drive. It just shows really stupid vehicle practice. I'm going to take a note of the makes and models next time im out there.

And of course I backed off, *insert insulting name*, its called defensive driving.

Right on red is nice though :rolleyes:

Vikings

Most american made cars will have red 'indicators' at least the most of them that i seen in my two trips there had, then you have the odd few orange indicators thrown in but a lot less in numbers thats for sure.

zuutroy

IncredibleBulk wrote:

Most american made cars will have red 'indicators' at least the most of them that i seen in my two trips there had, then you have the odd few orange indicators thrown in but a lot less in numbers thats for sure.

.

Wiki wrote:

Until the early 1960s, most front turn signals worldwide emitted white light and most rear turn signals emitted red. Amber front turn signals were voluntarily adopted by the auto industry in the USA for most vehicles beginning in the 1963 model year, though front turn signals were still permitted to emit white light until FMVSS 108 took effect for the 1968 model year, whereupon amber became the only permissible colour for front turn signals. Presently, almost all countries outside North America require that all front, side and rear turn signals produce amber light. In North America the rear signals may be amber or red. International proponents of amber rear signals say they are more easily discernible as turn signals, and US studies in the early 1990s demonstrated improvements in the speed and accuracy of following drivers' reaction to brake lamps when the turn signals were amber rather than red. US regulators and other proponents of red rear turn signals claim there is no proven lifesaving benefit to amber signals.

Overheal

Idiots: between traffic lights, amber signals, red signals, neon signs and lightning rod indicators (pulsing red) how can they say that theres no difference in response?