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Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

jalopnik.com

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Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#111

Post by kibwen »

jdavis703 wrote: post #83
Hamuko wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it crazy that Americans allow turn signals to use the same red lights as brakes considering how many different safety rules they have. Like how all cars have to have amber reflectors on the front bumpers, which almost all European cars have to add almost as an afterthought [1], or how the door lock pins can't be flush with the door (at least I assume this is regulation since I never see non-flush door lock pin…

America has the highest per capita traffic deaths among OECD countries. Our traffic / vehicle regulations aren’t that strong and are rarely enforced on after-market modifications. This is getting downvotes, but it’s literally legal to drive a jacked up, high center of gravity pickup trucks in the US. Meanwhile in Europe such a modification would be illegal because it reduces front-facing visibility.

Per miles driven the US has an average number of traffic deaths. The problem is that the country's infrastructure is designed so poorly that the number of miles driven per capita is laughably absurd.

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#112

Post by Scarbutt »

chrisseaton wrote: post #17
malyk wrote: post #11

So the left turn signal is an arrow pointing to the right? And the right turn signal is an arrow pointing to the left? How does that pass, well, anything at all without someone saying “that might not be the best idea”!

How could anyone be confused? They’re on the side the car is turning - like every other turn signal you’ve seen in your entire life.

I bet you are fun at parties.

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#113

Post by snthd »

Presumably the original amber lights are too small to be legal. Changing the LED colour is the smallest possible localisation.

https://www.acarplace.com/2018/01/index/

>Stylists don’t deserve all the blame. In America, the brake light and rear turn signal must each have a lit lens area of at least 50 cm2 (7¾ in2). The American regulation calls this lit lens area “EPLLA” for Effective Projected Luminous Lens Area. This minimum-size requirement doesn’t exist outside America. It’s not such a big deal on a large vehicle where there’s plenty of space for a large rear lamp, but on smaller rear lamps space is at a premium. There often isn’t room for two lamps of at least 50 cm2, so that makes a design constraint.

>American regs say rear turn signals can be implemented by flashing the brake light, so the automaker needs to have only one lamp of at least 50 cm2 per side. Problem solved; the red combination brake/tail/turn lamp is legal

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#114

Post by kube-system »

jowsie wrote: post #93
pfortuny wrote: post #4

But you know, they look so “British”! That is a true mental clusterfuck.

The really stupid thing is we have these exact same design of lights on the UK delivered Mini's, however it's just the center horizontal bar that flashes orange.

As I understand, US regulations have stricter requirements on the required light surface area. Presumably this design decision was an attempt to meet those requirements.

Audi models in the US also light their taillights in addition to the scrolling bar they have in the EU.

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#115

Post by [deleted] »

lmilcin wrote: post #42
Bud wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're supposed to brush twice a day, get regular exercise, eat well, not get drunk, not smoke, have an appropriate work/life balance, limit screen time, get enough sun exposure, not get too much sun exposure, vote, floss, do unto others as we would have them do unto us, and change the oil every five thousand miles, too. But how is all that working out?

I do check my car every couple of weeks. I have a routine that takes about 3 minutes total. About twice a month so about 24 times 3 minutes ~ 1 hour per year. Although I could argue it actually takes zero time because I usually do this while waiting for somebody else to get into the car. As a side note, if you are too busy to brush your teeth you should consider talking to a health professional about consequences of…

[deleted]

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#116

Post by NullPrefix »

masklinn wrote: post #65
input_sh wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But like they wouldn't be any less British if they pointed the other way.

It would not match the Union Jack pattern.

Union Jack with COUNTRYMAN printed inbetween it's two halves isn't Union Jack either.

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#117

Post by soneil »

sbarre wrote: post #99
jowsie wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is pretty standard in the UK, most higher end cars even do it automatically.

I wish it was more standard where I live (Canada)..

I'm actually not a fan of it. Granted I've mostly driven older cars, without the wonders of ABS etc - but most situations that require heavy, unplanned breaking for me, are also times I really should have two hands on the wheel.

I'm not fundamentally opposed - systems that do it automatically sound like a fantastic compromise. I just think if it's dangerous enough that I feel other drivers need more warning than normal, it's probably dangerous enough that I should have full control.

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#118

Post by hardlianotion »

codeduck wrote: post #69
hardlianotion wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if one tail light is slightly defective and you're in the dark. Driving is done with the subconscious and this potentially lethal in the wrong circumstance.

If it is so dark that your headlights are not able to illuminate the car ahead's reflectors and numberplate adequately for you to see them, even if it has defective lights, and react in time, then you are traveling too fast for the conditions. The correct response to something weird or potentially hazardous ahead is to slow down and try to determine what is going on.

I am talking about a decision made at design time, not at run time.

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#119

Post by Toutouxc »

chrisseaton wrote: post #77
roamerz wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had to just laugh at your comment. It’s either brilliant sarcasm or you just might be the guy that designed this.

No not joking. They seem to follow the same predictable pattern as every other turn signal I've ever seen. Not sure what the fuss is.

Okay, maybe your brain is wired differently, just like the brain of the designer who created the lights.

The position of the light on the car is a signal for my brain, but it takes some processing. If it's on the right side of the vehicle, my brain evaluates that to "right" and vice versa, but maybe it's a short car, like a Smart ForTwo or a Fiat 500, and I'm looking at its side, so the right-hand-side indicator is left from the "center of perceived mass", but in that case there should be another smaller light somewhere around the side-view mirror and hmmm, yeah, it's turning right. It just takes a tiny bit of processing power and a tiny bit of time.

But an arrow, boy, I've been looking at arrows all my life. They've been telling me where to go at the train station, which way to turn on Google Maps and sometimes even literally which way to turn the steering wheel, on the outside of a sharp turn. An arrow requires no additional processing and is a strong, unmistakable signal.

So what my brain sees on that Mini flashing its left indicator is something like "Car turning left, btw RIGHT".

Re: Congratulations, Mini, you made the stupidest turn signals ever

#120

Post by lost-found »

chrisseaton wrote: post #104
fortyseven wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, go ahead and play stupid.

To be honest I think the author is playing stupid pretending to be confused by a simple indicator light.

They specifically address this in the article. You’re being willfully obtuse.
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