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Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish Road Accident Rates

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21–23 of 23 posts

Re: Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish Road Accident Rates

#21

Nice idea. I’m in the habit of watching for wheels to start rolling when I’m worried someone will unexpectedly pull out in front of me. A brake light is easier to see. Another scenario is an oncoming car braking which could help notice an animal entering the road or that the car has lost control ahead of you (sudden ice, for example.) Why green instead of red? Would it be an inverse brake light (green appears when fo…

> I’m in the habit of watching for wheels to start rolling when I’m worried someone will unexpectedly pull out in front of me.

A trick I learned years ago from a motorcyclist: pay attention to the front wheels of cars near you in traffic.

Very often, the front wheel turning is the first noticeable visual indication that a car is changing lanes or turning. That gives you a few more fractions of a second in a situation where they could be very important.

After a while, I noticed that I was instinctually able to tell more accurately if a car is accelerating or decelerating. After considering it, I realized that I actually could tell better than before, but it wasn't instinct. Because I was watching cars' front wheel, I was able to see the front suspension load and unload as they accelerated or braked respectively. It was just subconscious.

Re: Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish Road Accident Rates

#22
post #12

Since there's been an increase in the number of people parking head-out in my area (which poses a real danger to pedestrians and bicyclists), I've been wishing that there was some sort of signal on the front of motor vehicles that indicates that it is running and beginning to move, like backup lights do for moving backwards.

If the vehicle is made in the last ~10 years... daytime running lights do that, do they not?

I suppose there just aren't enough new cars in the parking lots I am around for that to have much of an effect. But yes, they would help. Even better would be some indication that movement is imminent, like backup lights provide.

Re: Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish Road Accident Rates

#23

Nice idea. I’m in the habit of watching for wheels to start rolling when I’m worried someone will unexpectedly pull out in front of me. A brake light is easier to see. Another scenario is an oncoming car braking which could help notice an animal entering the road or that the car has lost control ahead of you (sudden ice, for example.) Why green instead of red? Would it be an inverse brake light (green appears when fo…

> I’m in the habit of watching for wheels to start rolling when I’m worried someone will unexpectedly pull out in front of me. A trick I learned years ago from a motorcyclist: pay attention to the front wheels of cars near you in traffic. Very often, the front wheel turning is the first noticeable visual indication that a car is changing lanes or turning. That gives you a few more fractions of a second in a situation…

I like that idea; thanks.
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