Another bugbear of mine - miniscule rear indicators

peasant

Rear light clusters have come a long way over the last years and have changed from a simple arrangement of the necessary lights into design statements and expressions of brand identity.

But what is it with indicators getting ever smaller?
There are light clusters out there the size of large frying pans, but the space dedicated to the indicator can be as small as your thumb.

WTF like?

Been caught a few times now behind cars where the indicator simply could not be seen until the last moment ...especially when approaching from an angle or in low sun conditions.

Please car makers ..make them bigger again


examples

Cee-Jay-Cee

Totally agree with you. The rear indicator on the mk5 VW Golfs are worse than useless. Newer led style rears aren't much better.

Del2005

I've been noticing it mainly on VAG brands, most other manufacturers still do decent sized indicators. Just need to educate people to use them in time before the maneuver not after its commenced.

flazio

Bug bear of mine is cars that hide their reverse light under the bumper. Ford Focus, Citroën C4, Seat Altea. Fog lights I don't mind but in close traffic or when there is a child too small to be seen in the rear view, I think this is dangerous.

neris

another 1 is cars where the front indicator is on the inside of the front lights (between light & grille) and not on the corner of the car, think peugeot do this.

TBi

The rear lights on the new Honda Civic are tiny. Very hard to see from far away.

Alun

This is a bugbear of mine too, a classic case of form over function. Worse still is where these tiny indicators are embedded within the side / brake lights. There's one car, I can't remember which now, with a circular cluster and the indicator is a tiny orange "bullseye" in the middle no more than an inch in diameter. Absolutely crazy.

I'm actually surprised there aren't some kind of regulations concerning minimum surface areas for these things.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Alun wrote: »

This is a bugbear of mine too, a classic case of form over function. Worse still is where these tiny indicators are embedded within the side / brake lights. There's one car, I can't remember which now, with a circular cluster and the indicator is a tiny orange "bullseye" in the middle no more than an inch in diameter. Absolutely crazy.

I'm actually surprised there aren't some kind of regulations concerning minimum surface areas for these things.

Mk5 Golf.

MAJJ

Yep agree with the OP and MK5 Golf is the worst, I have one too!

CJhaughey

B6 Passat has terrible rear indicators VAG must be specialising in this sh1t.

MajorMax

Indicators on German cars are redundent anyway, from Volkswagen to Audi, none of the drivers seem to have a clue where the indicators are.

Stallingrad

Haven't you heard? These are not mere lights anymore they are 'signature jewelry'. Says it all really.

ofcork

Love the led ones on the new audis i see the mondeo has them on the front too like a strip running along also all the newer models seem to heve the front indicators where the drls are so indicate and the drl goes off.

seagull

I was going to come on hera and have a nice rant about form over function design, specifically triggered by this. I was about to blast some poor woman the other day for not indicating, when I noticed that there were actually teeny tine little orange flashing lights on the back of her audi. There's a clue in their name - indicators. They're supposed to indicate your intentions to other road users. If they're too small to be seen, then they're hardly performing their function. And yes, It's VAG who are the worst for this. I think the worst they've managed that I've seen was on a beetle. It's time that there was legislation passed with a minimum size and visibility for indicators.