Taillights

[KungFooBob]

Are the days numbered for proper taillight units?

I was following a 16 plate Hardly the other day and the rear position lights, brake lights and the flashers were all done by a pair or rear indicators.

I saw a newish BMW GS today with the same setup.

I'm not sure if either was stock or aftermarket, but it kind of made sense. Even if an indicator falls off, you've still got the other to show a rear light and brake light.

[MrLongbeard]

They were stock on my 18 plate Harley, and were one of the first things to be binned, what because they were the size of dustbin lids, back when we had dustbins that had lids;

Side by side by MrLongbeard, on Flickr

[KungFooBob]

That stock indicator unit looks to have a full orange lens, how did it show a red position/brake light?

[ChrisW]

Doesn't it make more sense to still have a rear tail/brake light that can't fall off?

[KungFooBob]

Doesn't it make more sense to still have a rear tail/brake light that can't fall off?

but if it failed or fell off, then you'd have no position/brake light at all.

[ChrisW]

Doesn't it make more sense to still have a rear tail/brake light that can't fall off?

but if it failed or fell off, then you'd have no position/brake light at all.

Fair point - I was focussing on the falling off bit, but yes, see what you mean. Using the indicators & having two does create a fail-safe.

¿Por qué no las tres?

[KungFooBob]

¿Por qué no las tres?

Weight, obviously

[ChrisW]

¿Por qué no las tres?

Weight, obviously

Fair point, what with modern lights being made of led.

[Cousin Jack]

I wish designrds of bikes and cars would recognise that putting lights close together (rear & indicator, brake and indicator) and making lights smaller are both very bad ideas.

How conspicuous an indicator in depends on the angle it subtends at your eye and the brightness relative to its surroundings. So small is bad, and putting them adjacent to another light is bad. Doing both is downright stupid.

[Horse]

I wish designrds of bikes and cars would recognise that putting lights close together (rear & indicator, brake and indicator) and making lights smaller are both very bad ideas.

How conspicuous an indicator in depends on the angle it subtends at your eye and the brightness relative to its surroundings. So small is bad, and putting them adjacent to another light is bad. Doing both is downright stupid.

Filly's old SEAT Altea had circular light clusters with the indicator at the centre. Brakes on, indicator invisible.

Add to the 'stupid' list: indicators 'inboard' of the headlamp

FWIW
1. I was on a call with DfT. Indicators (rubbish quality of) was mentioned, the guy visibly flinched - obviously a contentious issue
2. There was conspicuity research about 20 years ago that recommended retro-reflective material should be a minimum of 150mm from lighting. Ignored, completely.

[MrLongbeard]

That stock indicator unit looks to have a full orange lens, how did it show a red position/brake light?

It does, really really bright LED's, jump to 2:20

[BBB]

The inboard indicator is one of the daftest design ideas. Headlights on and no idea where someone is going on an island

[Dickyboy]

I flipping hate stuff that is designed to look good & consequently is actually worse at doing what is is supposed to do, indicators obscured by other lights is on the list..

[MrLongbeard]

t does, really really bright LED's

Although looking back through my photos, maybe not that bright, the OEM really is pants compared to what I used to replace them (as I can see no one else in shot I assume that's marker light only)

IMG_20190621_152019-EDIT.jpg (367.42 KiB) Viewed 177 times

[Dickyboy]

It does, really really bright LED's, jump to 2:20

I bought a Denali tail light on my scrambler, the LEDs are so bright that I had to stick a bit of parcel tape over it to dim it down.