cross-posted from: lemmy.bestiver.se/post/424410
‘Here’s an idea: let all those around you know your status.’
‘Revolutionary!’
It’s weird we haven’t already done this, but good.
Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish Road Accident Rates
Submitted 1 day ago by floofloof@lemmy.ca to technology@lemmy.world
Comments
LillyPip@lemmy.ca 2 hours ago
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
How about reducing the brightness of headlights so I don’t feel like the sun is driving at me at night?
bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 4 hours ago
Yes… WHY DO CARS STILL HAVE 2 SETTINGS LIKE ITS 1935. it would take basically zero effort to have low, high, stun for headlights so the rest of us who drive normal appropriate cars don’t have to be blinded by selfish assholes driving a massive truck alone by themselves that they never used for work once in their lives. Yes, im a car person and despise truck posers.
remotedev@lemmy.ca 22 minutes ago
You say this like those same people won’t leave it on stun
Corn@lemmy.ml 2 hours ago
Higher up and brighter lights=driver can see more and feels safer. Yes, even if shadows and the area immediately arounds the car are less visible and the vehicle becomes more dangerous for everyone around you.
cotlovan@lemm.ee 16 hours ago
Maybe redo the driving test like… At least every 20 years? There are people on the roads who got their licenses when their town didn’t even had traffic lights. People who never saw a roundabout in their first 20 years of driving.
Its nice that we restrict young people by making them take more and more driving lessons and paying more for tiered licences, like we do in Europe for motorcycles and trucks.
But maybe also take a look at the 70+ year old grandpa who had two strokes and one heart attack, has two pairs of of glasses but his license says that he’s perfectly fit.
interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 46 minutes ago
Sure but the second I lose my mobility I will put a deer slug through my head.
Valmond@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
At least give them some new info like now it’s legal to go the wrong way on a bike if the speed limit is 30 km/h where I live. Guess not a lot of people know about that and a gazillion other things.
echodot@feddit.uk 16 hours ago
Sometimes you see those videos from a dash cam of a truck that hits a bridge, obviously the truck driver was been being attentive but often so was the recording car as driver. All I can ever think is, “why were you so close behind, it was blindingly obvious that was about to happen”, yet to them apparently it wasn’t, and now they’ve got bits of truck roof in their windscreen.
There was an astounding number of people who really cannot drive, and yet they think they’re driving safely. They just haven’t gotten a crash yet.
catloaf@lemm.ee 14 hours ago
Because it wasn’t blindingly obvious? I don’t know how tall the truck in front of me is, and since I don’t drive tall vehicles I know even less about the heights of bridges. Usually commercial drivers are the better ones.
helvetpuli@sopuli.xyz 11 hours ago
If we limited drivers permits to the 8% or so of drivers who are actually competent we’d solve a lot of problems in several domains.
I self-selected as ineligible to drive years ago, and I’ve never regretted it. Of course I had to move away from my home country and learn a new language, but those are the shakes.
rottingleaf@lemmy.world 14 hours ago
Reading all such things I’m starting to think “what if I can drive?” I’ve always thought I can’t, but since everyone around who thinks they can drive like suicide bombers, maybe I should find those driving lessons.
MangoCats@feddit.it 14 hours ago
Define safe? If everyone drives safely enough that you are more likely to die of suicide than an automobile accident, is that safe enough?
dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
IMO, the big problem is just a matter of standards and practicality. The bar for a DL is “can operate a vehicle” and not “can safely drive a vehicle in public for extended periods of time.” I agree with periodic re-licensing though; everything else called a “license” seems to need that for a host of reasons.
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
I see too many people treat a roundabout like a stop sign when it is clearly empty.
sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 1 hour ago
The couple of times they tried out roundabouts in my area, they didn’t last long because people were too stupid to figure out how to use them. So instead they just bitched until they were taken out.
crazyhotpasta@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
In Finland we have this thing called “huoli-ilmoitus” Super useful when you meet elders driving 70-80km/h in 100km/h area.
Routhinator@startrek.website 14 hours ago
I have to comtend with 70-80 year olds doing 30km in an 80 while swerving across the midline because they saw a bird across the street.
catloaf@lemm.ee 1 day ago
By signaling to oncoming traffic and vehicles approaching from the side, a front brake light provides an essential visual cue that a car is slowing down or preparing to stop. When the light is extinguished, it indicates that a stationary vehicle might initiate movement. According to Tomasch, this visual feedback can significantly truncate the reaction time for other road users, leading to shorter stopping distances and consequently diminishing the likelihood of accidents.
Sounds reasonable. Personally I just want front turn signals to be visible from the opposite side again.
entropicdrift@lemmy.sdf.org 1 day ago
And also like, used at all.
rollerbang@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Here’s an idea. How about we zap the drivers after they make a turn if they didn’t use a turn signal beforehand? 😀
Hubi@feddit.org 1 day ago
Personally I just want front turn signals to be visible from the opposite side again
Not sure if I read that correctly, but I don’t think this has ever been the case?
catloaf@lemm.ee 1 day ago
I mean when a car is coming at me from a cross street, I want to be able to tell if they’re turning or just an asshole not using their signal. On some cars, the turn signal is mounted so far to the side that if they’re approaching from my right and turning right onto the same street as me, I can’t see that turn signal. Sometimes combined with the roundness of the nose exacerbating the problem.
SaltSong@startrek.website 1 day ago
I think what he wants is the front turn signal to wrap around the front, so I can see the left signal from the right quarter.
I’m not aware that this is not the case, but I don’t know that I would have noticed if it was not.
NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Theres a saying in computer stuff that applies nicely here. PEBKAC, problem exists between keyboard and computer…turn signals have to be turned on, no amount of engineering can fix bad driving.
Gerblat@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Heads up, it’s actually keyboard and chair, not keyboard and computer
drbluefall@toast.ooo 1 day ago
I’ve always heard it as “PICNIC”
Problem In Chair, Not In Computer
Pika@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
I’ve actually always found it weird with all the automation vehicles have, that blinkers aren’t linked to the wheel. it already automatically disengages when turning, it shouldn’t be too hard to have it auto engage as well when turning
sour@feddit.org 1 day ago
How would you do that so it isn’t ugly as hell and isn’t prone to misunderstanding?
brygphilomena@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 hours ago
< and > for turns. X for brakes.
Honestly, we should focus on functionality rather than aesthetic.
acosmichippo@lemmy.world 1 day ago
what about it is confusing? green = not coming at you so it’s okay to turn left (or whatever).
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
I’ve seen newer cars turn the headlight off while the turn indicator is on, so you get a sort of double-blink effect.
I don’t see any reason why we can’t just have the whole headlight blink yellow as well with the turn indicator. LEDs are everywhere and can handle changing colors really easily, so it’s not hard to require that for all new cars.
Almacca@aussie.zone 18 hours ago
Some of the new Kias have the rear indicators in the bumper. Why are they hiding them?
catloaf@lemm.ee 14 hours ago
Because the designers and marketers were given priority over the safety engineers.
moakley@lemmy.world 1 day ago
So it sounds like you’re checking to see when the light turns off, to know that the car is going.
Sounds like what we actually need is a green accelerator light on the front of the car.
JaN0h4ck@feddit.org 1 day ago
Not selling tanks as cars could also help. Especially with fatality rates
GoodOleAmerika@lemmy.world 1 day ago
People don’t even need car tbh. Motorbikes everywhere please. Zip zip, less traffic, everyone pays attention to road or falls and dies.
propitiouspanda@lemmy.cafe 22 hours ago
Yeah, no.
Those things are death traps and there’s a reason why they’re mostly prevalent in nations where people literally can’t afford anything safer.
tamman2000@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
I live in Maine. Riding a motorcycle in the winter is not only highly unpleasant, it’s borderline suicidal.
I’m all for 2 wheeled transport where it works, but anywhere that gets snow for months out of each year it’s a non starter as a primary transportation mode
potentiallynotfelix@lemmy.fish 1 day ago
Good luck transporting a couch on a motorbike.
Bluewing@discuss.online 14 hours ago
You would think killing off the stupid would improve the breed. But apparently the real world shows it does not. Besides, I ain’t riding a motorbike at -40 Celsius or Fahrenheit or in 30cm/12" of fresh snow or in a thunderstorm.
secret300@lemmy.sdf.org 1 day ago
That’s why I bought mine!
unconfirmedsourcesDOTgov@lemmy.sdf.org 1 day ago
Since we’re all throwing random ideas out here, I want to equip my vehicle with an annoyingly loud external speaker so that when someone near me does something dumb, I can personally shame them.
samus12345@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Counterpoint: the dumb people could have them as well.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 1 day ago
Every car needs proximity chat so traffic becomes like a COD lobby.
psivchaz@reddthat.com 20 hours ago
I am not trying to brake check people and get in an accident but I would very much like a signal for “Please remove your car from my butthole, it’s getting uncomfortable.”
kattfisk@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 hours ago
There are LED bars for mounting in your rear windows to display text to those behind you
Almacca@aussie.zone 18 hours ago
Pretend to suddenly avoid a pothole.
HereIAm@lemmy.world 18 hours ago
I’ve never done it, but I wonder if turning on the rear fog lights would work. You’re not braking, but they might think you are. I don’t know what the legality of that would be
Initiateofthevoid@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 hours ago
Like… a horn?
unconfirmedsourcesDOTgov@lemmy.sdf.org 21 hours ago
No. I want to make my voice loud enough for me to stop at a red light and ask the guy behind me if there is a proctology emergency or if they could stop riding my ass, and savor their expression as it dawns on them what is happening.
cy_narrator@discuss.tchncs.de 1 day ago
You are looking for war
TheFriar@lemm.ee 1 day ago
Road rage 5000 initiate
Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 1 day ago
I want to equip my vehicle with an annoyingly loud external speaker so that when someone near me does something dumb, I can personally shame them.
CB radios often had a “PA” switch that sent your microphone audio to a loudspeaker under the hood.
I’d prefer a “FlameThrower” button next to the horn.
unconfirmedsourcesDOTgov@lemmy.sdf.org 1 day ago
Yeah this is exactly what I have in mind. I want to feel like Smokey the Bandit calling people out for bad behavior with a receiver that has a coiled cable attached to it, at a minimum.
madjo@feddit.nl 20 hours ago
Yes, and an oil slick button that drops some oil on the road for the hard of hearing tail rider.
aesthelete@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
These exist, I used to deliver pizza and one of my coworkers installed one of these on their car.
AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
This would seem quite risky to use on US roads.
MangoCats@feddit.it 14 hours ago
I was having a very hard time seeing any possible benefit of a front brake light, since nobody accident prone ever looks in their mirrors.
I suppose in today’s world of automatic transmissions that move the car forward whenever the brakes are released, they might serve some purpose at a four-way stop adding information about immediate intent of the other parties, but even there… that’s more of a Darwinian situation where people who get into crashes at four way stops are sorting themselves out from the rest of reasonably competent drivers. If they’re going fast enough for injuries at a four way stop, they deserve what they get. If they get a minor fender bender - that’s a lesson to read the other traffic better next time.
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
I can’t trust a car even with its turn signal on unless I see it actually slow down because I see them misused too often. The lack of signalling though is the biggest problem. People who suddenly change lanes right in front of you without warning are the worst. Then you have people who force you to wait because they can’t be bothered to indicate if they are turning or going straight at intersections.
Also, don’t start signaling as you are turning. I see you turning so you are just indicating what I’m already seeing. Signal before you turn.
brygphilomena@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 hours ago
Is love then to know when someone is slowing down to turn when I’m trying to pull out. So few use turn signals, and even those I don’t really trust until the car is noticably getting slower.
arararagi@ani.social 14 hours ago
Accidents aren’t isolated though, they will sort themselves out by hitting good drivers and people.
wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
I’d rather see mandatory rear running lights. The amount of people who can’t be arsed to turn on their lights in bad visibility conditions is too damn high.
acosmichippo@lemmy.world 1 day ago
and on the opposite side people who turn on their emergency lights in somewhat bad rain. you’re not helping and only cause more confusion by making it seem like you have turn signals on if i can’t see both blinkers.
miss_demeanour@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 day ago
Rear fog lights on all vehicles (some vehicles have them now).
mundane@feddit.nu 1 day ago
It used to be mandatory with always on rear lights in Sweden (you couldn’t even turn them off). But an adaptation to EU rules removed that requirement. 😓
Zip2@feddit.uk 19 hours ago
Wouldn’t better driving education and testing work just as well, if not better?
Almacca@aussie.zone 18 hours ago
100% agree, but it’s amazing how quickly some people forget their education once they get out on the road, especially after a few years accumulating bad habits. How about less reliance on cars in the first place?
Bluewing@discuss.online 14 hours ago
You can pass multiple driving tests, and still be an idiot driver. So many people drive HUA, (Head Up Ass), while thinking they are the best driver on the road that it isn’t even funny.
Remember Kiddies, driving should never be viewed as “relaxing” or “enjoyable.” It’s work, hard work and should be mentally taxing every minute you are on the road.
IhaveCrabs111@lemmy.world 18 hours ago
Shut up nerd
Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 1 day ago
I still think rear signaling could be improved dramatically by using a wide third-brake light to show the intensity of braking.
For example – I have seen some aftermarket turn signals which are bars the width of the vehicle, and show a “moving” signal starting in the center and then progressing towards the outer edge of the vehicle.
So now take that idea for brake. When you barely have your foot on the brake pedal, it would light a couple lights in the center of your brake signal. Press a little harder and now it’s lighting up 1/4 of the lights from the center towards the outside edge of the vehicle. And when you’re pressing the brake pedal to the floor, all of the lights are lit up from the center to the outside edges of the vehicle. The harder you press on the pedal, the more lights are illuminated.
Now you have an immediate indication of just how hard the person in front of you is braking. With the normal on/off brake signals, you don’t know what’s happening until moments later as you determine how fast you are approaching that car. They could be casually slowing, or they could be locking up their wheels for an accident in front of them.
vapeloki@lemmy.world 1 day ago
First of all, this would be illegal in many countries.
Second of all: we can differentiate cars by: has red lights, back.
If we lose this option we can no longer differentiate easily if there is a car coming towards us or driving away from us.
SnortsGarlicPowder@lemmy.zip 16 hours ago
Can I have indicators that are in the same place on all cars and not buried in the headlight? That’d be cool.
RickyRigatoni@retrolemmy.com 21 hours ago
Don’t worry, my fellow americans, we’ll still manage to fuck it up.
BlindFrog@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Reminded me of this Technology Connections video, in which the dude explained (among other brake-light related things) how some law allows electric vehicles to get away with not using their brake lights: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0YW7x9U5TQ
AlteredEgo@lemmy.ml 9 hours ago
Once we have proper self driving cars none of these recent “innovations” like that or the speed limiting would matter.
Ideally self driving cars would also be without a steering wheel and just be half width with a single seat or two seats facing each other to reduce energy requirements. You could just develop this with a manhattan style project and test it in a single city banning all other private cars except delivery vehicles.
chrisbtoo@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
I don’t understand this at all. Why do I, as a person in front of a vehicle, care whether or not it’s braking?
JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
curbsideclassic.com/…/automotive-history-wilcot-f…
The Wilcot solution was adopted by Morris for the 1933 range, except the cheapest car in the range, the Minor. In essence, on either side of the car, was a block of three lights looking very like a traffic light with red, amber and green elements. The idea was that the colour or combination of the colours, showing on one or both sides would guide adjacent traffic of the intentions of the Morris.
Combinations were more complex, inevitably, than just flashing orange lights. Ahead of a need to indicate, the driver would activate the system which would start with both left and right amber lights flashing, like modern hazard warning lights, meaning “Caution”, ahead of an indication being given.
The system was controlled by a knob inside the car, with a spring based plunger acting as a time control for any selection. To indicate turning right, the driver would then request the system to show red on the right and green on the left in a way that almost echoes nautical practice; bearing right was amber on the right and green on the left.
–
Morris threw a tantrum after the MoT approved the use of blinkers on rival Ford cars and vowed never to install them. The MoT ordered the Wicot “traffic robots” removed and so Lucas trafficators were used exclusively in the UK until Morris was sold to Pressed Metal Holdings in the 1950s (in Australia and Canada blinkers were required by law).
paraphrand@lemmy.world 1 day ago
This sure riled people up.
sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
I think they should have it so there’s a type of “slow down” light that supplements the brake light for when your deceleration is from taking your foot off the gas.
atlien51@lemm.ee 1 day ago
This is stupid
DrunkEngineer@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Risk Compension predicts that drivers would simply use this new information to drive more aggressively, negating any possible safety benefits.
ladfrombrad@lemdro.id 1 day ago
Like someone said in the hnews comments, this might work for auto transmission but with manual gearing you’ve got people using engine braking on hills.
Also like stated in the article the colouring is going to be an issue and trying to see some green lights whilst the headlights are on (full beam fog lights perhaps too?) doesn’t seem practicable to me.
FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I read the article and the next one comes up: “Mouse Sperm Structure Unveils Asthenozoospermia Mechanisms” and my co-worker was like wtf are you reading.
jordanlund@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Struggled with this for a second, then I figured it out…
The brake light coming ON isn’t the important part, like the rear brake lights… it’s the brake lights turning OFF that’s important in the front.
So maybe, now hear me out, MAYBE we need to invert that. Have front brake lights that are on ALL the time, and pressing the brake turns them off to indicate safety?
Exulion@lemmy.world 1 day ago
They would probably just use the existing amber lights so noone would know if you were turning or not. I’m not bitter.
Brkdncr@lemmy.world 1 day ago
This will lead to people braking momentarily to slow down, and others turning in front of slowing down traffic.
Little benefit, but the cost of adding front brake lights would be passed on to the car buyers.
snoons@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
It would also help know whether are not I’m going to get smushed.
x00z@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Would speed up crosswalks a lot too. Whenever I cross a crosswalk with my dog I don’t want to risk me misjudging the braking of cars so I tend to really wait until I’m sure they’re stopping.
Valmond@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I’m salty because nobody took my front-blinker serious 😤 but we should embrace front brakes?! 😔
JustAThought@lemm.ee 1 hour ago
Definitely make it easier for people on crosswalks to start walking. Knowing that they are slowing down.