Tail light safety and modern traffic

[Brother Hesekiel]

I don't give a rodent's behind what "other drivers" are looking for, or not looking for, or like, or don't like.

I make sure my car is in compliance with the law, and I always signal turns and lane changes as required by the law, with my left arm, correct to the T, and if some dimwit or texting soccer mom or otherwise distracted teen is confused, or irritated, or upset, or whatever, that's not my problem. You hit my car, you're going to pay through the nose for it. End of story.

But I'm just throwing in my personal 2 cents. All of 'ya are free to do as you please. I couldn't care less if any of you lighted up their antique car like a semi-truck, with batteries of LED lights and two sets of turn signals front and back. Whatever makes you happy. Just know that you can't eliminate all the morons on the street and I personally feel that I can't live my life in a way that in focused on the shortcomings of folks who don't pay attention.

[huddy]

After reading of some previous incidents and close calls, I did the following:

1- installed the polished aluminum front reflectors for both front headlights
2- installed the 6v halogen bulbs for the front headlights
3- installed the LED rear tail lights

I noticed an immediate improvement in visibility from the rear, day and night, and much improved night visibility for driving.

Unfortunately the judging standards for Touring Class penalize anyone for having these safety improvements, which I think is a mistake in their part as it may tend to discourage someone from making these simple but highly effective improvements for safety. On today's highways, you have to take these types of steps to avoid being clobbered, or at least give yourself better odds. Unfortunately you can't completely defeat the idiot factor, because idiots are so damned ingenious.

[Bruce Adams]

I find in modern traffic night driving, particularly on highways, directionals are a necessity, and I chose to go ALL RED for my LED tail/Brake lights and for my third brake light since hand signals do not work when trying to go from left to right lane on a highway and the LED's are great on the highway. Here is my left signal on with the third brake light and LED tail light showing. I use a higher wattage incadescent bulb in my cowl light which I find works well when making a left turn at a traffic light as I find, even here on Long Island, opposing cars wave me across at traffic lights.

[160B]

I installed a stop light to a bracket attached to my Kari Keen trunk.

[DougVieyra]

Originally Posted by Brother Hesekiel

I don't give a rodent's behind what "other drivers" are looking for, or not looking for, or like, or don't like.

I make sure my car is in compliance with the law, and I always signal turns and lane changes as required by the law, with my left arm, correct to the T, and if some dimwit or texting soccer mom or otherwise distracted teen is confused, or irritated, or upset, or whatever, that's not my problem. You hit my car, you're going to pay through the nose for it. End of story.

But I'm just throwing in my personal 2 cents. All of 'ya are free to do as you please. I couldn't care less if any of you lighted up their antique car like a semi-truck, with batteries of LED lights and two sets of turn signals front and back. Whatever makes you happy. Just know that you can't eliminate all the morons on the street and I personally feel that I can't live my life in a way that in focused on the shortcomings of folks who don't pay attention.

___________________________________________

I TOTALLY AGREE ! - - - However, driving safety is NOT about THEM - It is about ME. And for my own personal peace of mind anything I can do to help PREVENT going through the trauma of a car wreck, I would want to consider doing.

While I having not yet done so on my '28 Phaeaton, the 'Pur ist' part of me is very reluctant to make changes to my 'Factory' car. Yet, I am struggling to come to the realization and reality of safe driving in today's texting/cell phone world, and am now considering doing to it.

Having already done so on my '31 Dlx Coupe, I am now looking into installing a Passenger-Side (sorry Aussies/NZ) tail light on my '28 Phaeton. Because I have a factory trunk mounted on the rear of the car, my single (very small) factory tail light just can't be seen without difficulty, and sometimes, not at all - a second tail light may be just the small safety improvement to prevent the trauma of my car being 'rear-ended'.

Again, it is not about THEM, it is about ME. Anything I can do to PREVENT the wreck, I want to do.

- Doug Vieyra, Eureka, Calif
Chief Claims Adjuster,
Eureka FORD ASSEMBLY PLANT

[Ted Duke]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

For those who disagree with installing modern lights for driving in traffic 1000 times heavier than in Henry's day and for the purists.

Contemplate the stories about accidents involving A's at night or in left turn situations, then ask yourself, "Would you rather be right, or dead?"

Just my 2 cents worth.

Ted

[Kevin in NJ]

FWIW, I was rear ended in my 66 Mustang many years ago. Tail lights were not a factor. I was watching the guy doing something in his glove box.

Eyes were not on the road.

I am going to do directionals and led tail light on my car. I will get the harness that is ready for turn signals but original in type.

[Fred]

Ok, Go sit in a parking lot at a corner with a light on a busy intersection and see just how many Hits and near Misses you see in one hour.. This at 5PM with people going home from work etc..My ?? is WHAT did any car lights have to due with that in your Modern car!! They Can & will happen every day even if you are lit up like a Xmas Tree..

[mcorrell]

For the safety of myself, family,and friends (often times young children) I will be installing an LED brake light in the rear window and convert the single tail light to LED if possible. I will not add directional signals nor a second tail light on my '29, however. I always drive with my headlights on, even in modern cars, to be seen in all conditions. We live in the mountains which can have heavy shadows, even in the middle of the day.

[CA Victoria]

I have lost track of how many hours I have spent to repair and repaint my hotrod. Up until this point it always happened to someone else.........

While the issue at hand (LEDs) was not a factor I want to improve on what Henry did to ensure I do not have to go through this again.......

[700rpm]

Originally Posted by CA Victoria

I have lost track of how many hours I have spent to repair and repaint my hotrod. Up until this point it always happened to someone else.........

While the issue at hand (LEDs) was not a factor I want to improve on what Henry did to ensure I do not have to go through this again.......

Oowww. I'm sorry to see that, Tim!

[CA Victoria]

It turned out OK, it is back together for the most part. A little more buffing and some touch-up to do. I will post the "after" pictures in my album in a couple of days.

[Synchro909]

AllanW, Flashing brake lights are illegal here and have been since the mid 50's. When I'm in the US its easy to see why. We also have a separate amber light for indicators - NO CONFUSION.

[RonC]

I have original lenses with red led inserts inside the housings. Looks stock in color until you apply brake. The red leds overpower the yellow lenses and makes the tail lights appear like red lights

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Fred

Ok, Go sit in a parking lot at a corner with a light on a busy intersection and see just how many Hits and near Misses you see in one hour.. This at 5PM with people going home from work etc..My ?? is WHAT did any car lights have to due with that in your Modern car!! They Can & will happen every day even if you are lit up like a Xmas Tree..

yes but if you find yourself stopped dead or creeping at the tail end of a traffic backup (especially the interstate) i always put my hazards on until a car or two behind me is stopped or slowed. Flashing lights will get someones attention but a solid red just blends into the background. Or when your braking up to an intersection or traffic back up lightly pulse your brakes to make yourself more visible and to alert others behind you.

Once while getting stuck in traffic backed up pretty far from an intersection i looked back and noone was there. Glanced back and saw a car coming, kept watching and noticed they weren't slowing down at all. I started rapidly flashing by brake lights - they finally saw me and hit their brakes HARD enough to have the wheels lock up and squeal and skid to a diagonal stop about a car length behind me. If I wouldn't have flashed my brake lights i would have been rear-ended by someone in a car 2x my cars size going at least 50 mph...

yes its a shame we have to do all this safety stuff because people are idiots but not much you can do about it besides protect yourself and hope for the best.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by SeaSlugs

yes but if you find yourself stopped dead or creeping at the tail end of a traffic backup (especially the interstate) i always put my hazards on until a car or two behind me is stopped or slowed. Flashing lights will get someones attention but a solid red just blends into the background. Or when your braking up to an intersection or traffic back up lightly pulse your brakes to make yourself more visible and to alert others behind you.

Once while getting stuck in traffic backed up pretty far from an intersection i looked back and noone was there. Glanced back and saw a car coming, kept watching and noticed they weren't slowing down at all. I started rapidly flashing by brake lights - they finally saw me and hit their brakes HARD enough to have the wheels lock up and squeal and skid to a diagonal stop about a car length behind me. If I wouldn't have flashed my brake lights i would have been rear-ended by someone in a car 2x my cars size going at least 50 mph...

yes its a shame we have to do all this safety stuff because people are idiots but not much you can do about it besides protect yourself and hope for the best.

He /She, Must have just stopped TEXTING in time to see the car, Lights ??..

[jmeckel]

Originally Posted by Brother Hesekiel

I don't give a rodent's behind what "other drivers" are looking for, or not looking for, or like, or don't like.

I make sure my car is in compliance with the law, and I always signal turns and lane changes as required by the law, with my left arm, correct to the T, and if some dimwit or texting soccer mom or otherwise distracted teen is confused, or irritated, or upset, or whatever, that's not my problem. You hit my car, you're going to pay through the nose for it. End of story.

But I'm just throwing in my personal 2 cents. All of 'ya are free to do as you please. I couldn't care less if any of you lighted up their antique car like a semi-truck, with batteries of LED lights and two sets of turn signals front and back. Whatever makes you happy. Just know that you can't eliminate all the morons on the street and I personally feel that I can't live my life in a way that in focused on the shortcomings of folks who don't pay attention.

You maybe in the right and be very dead. I have over 27 years in EMS and have personally seen many who were in the right and very dead, or very badly injured. I will do all I can to watch the actions of other drivers around me and take what ever action is available to me to prevent a accident. In my A I installed a right side original style tail light with turn signals and very bright LEDs that show up very well even in bright sun light. To each his own, including his life. Do what you want with it.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Brother Hesekiel

I don't give a rodent's behind what "other drivers" are looking for, or not looking for, or like, or don't like.

I make sure my car is in compliance with the law, and I always signal turns and lane changes as required by the law, with my left arm, correct to the T, and if some dimwit or texting soccer mom or otherwise distracted teen is confused, or irritated, or upset, or whatever, that's not my problem. You hit my car, you're going to pay through the nose for it. End of story.

I guess we don't believe in Preventive maintenance or preventive medicine either??

[Marshall57]

Originally Posted by CA Victoria

I installed LED tail lights, they are great day or night!!!! I was rear ended, the result of a distracted driver. Sometimes things just happen, even with the best of equipment.

Not all Model As that I have seen have effective tail lights, mine before changing over to LEDs were hard to see due in part to a poor color repo glass, while I could have made it better I felt the brighter LEDs were best in my situation driving often on busy public roads and streets.

By being a Defensive Driver we can avoid may potential encounters with other cars. One point I would like to bring to light is that our cars in most situations are the problem, as we are the slower moving vehicle. Driving defensively means we are watching out for the other guy and being vigilant to avoid situations and other cars when possible. On busy roadways I will travel with my lights on to make my presence more known.

CA Victoria has said it better than I could have, but I would like to add that I went to the Nationals with the idea of finding out what all the other folks had come up with. It was everything from stock to pretty wild, and when I saw something that I liked and had to know about I would chase them down and ask.
The difference is amazing and stark, L.E.D. tail lights will at least give the other drivers a fighting chance of seeing you and with the right set up you will have the brightest lights on the streets.
The set up that impressed me most (lots of great looking ones) were found at AZ Model A, and I am in the process of upgrading most things on my A, including the tail light/blinker system.

[Ian Curtis]

Once I drove by a friend (who is a car guy) at an intersection, he sent me a text to ask if I knew my right tail-light was out.

I have also noticed that I can't go on a drive without needing to "Ahoooga!" someone checking their cell phone at a red light.