cross-posted from: lemmy.bestiver.se/post/424410
Not selling tanks as cars could also help. Especially with fatality rates
Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish Road Accident Rates
Submitted 3 weeks ago by floofloof@lemmy.ca to technology@lemmy.world
Comments
JaN0h4ck@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
GoodOleAmerika@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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.
potentiallynotfelix@lemmy.fish 3 weeks ago
Good luck transporting a couch on a motorbike.
tamman2000@lemmy.world 2 weeks 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
boughtmysoul@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
This might be the dumbest comment I have ever read on the Internet. That’s like 30 years of comments.
secret300@lemmy.sdf.org 3 weeks ago
That’s why I bought mine!
Bluewing@discuss.online 3 weeks 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.
cotlovan@lemm.ee 3 weeks 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.
echodot@feddit.uk 3 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 2 weeks 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.
Valmond@lemmy.world 2 weeks 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.
crazyhotpasta@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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.
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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.
MrAlternateTape@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
I always say there are drivers out there who only survive by the grace of other drivers.
interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
Sure but the second I lose my mobility I will put a deer slug through my head.
cotlovan@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
So risking everyone else’s life around you is worth it?
MSugarhill@discuss.tchncs.de 2 weeks ago
Another kind of solution. But not needed.
Corn@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
Why not move to a place where low mobility doesn’t cut you off from the rest of society?
There’s plenty of retirement communities where you can get around with a golf cart. In the 3 biggest cities here in SK, old folk can ride the subways for free, and sometimes you even see them drive mobility scooters on.
Other places I’ve been have level boarding for buses, but I’ve never seen someone drive a mobility scooter onto one. Certainly it wouldn’t fly in SK.
wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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.
unmagical@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
The hazards also override your blinkers so I now have no idea when you are going to attempt lane change.
MaggiWuerze@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
Thats more an issue of using the same lamp for rear lights and turn signal
miss_demeanour@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Rear fog lights on all vehicles (some vehicles have them now).
merde@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
it’s forbidden to use rear fog lights under rain (it’s more confusing than helpful)
if you live somewhere dry, that’s not a concern. But here it rains 1 day in 3
wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Yes that as well, I love mine and use them a lot. But that’s a step above rear running lights. There’s no god damn reasons the rear indicators shouldn’t be on all the time.
mundane@feddit.nu 3 weeks 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. 😓
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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.
unconfirmedsourcesDOTgov@lemmy.sdf.org 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago
Counterpoint: the dumb people could have them as well.
psivchaz@reddthat.com 3 weeks 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.”
Initiateofthevoid@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Like… a horn?
cy_narrator@discuss.tchncs.de 3 weeks ago
You are looking for war
Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 3 weeks 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.
madjo@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
Yes, and an oil slick button that drops some oil on the road for the hard of hearing tail rider.
aesthelete@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
These exist, I used to deliver pizza and one of my coworkers installed one of these on their car.
AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
This would seem quite risky to use on US roads.
Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 3 weeks 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.
turtlesareneat@discuss.online 3 weeks ago
Japan introduced brake lights that increase intensity based on how hard the driver was braking. 20+ years ago. They tested it in the US and drivers found it to be “confusing.”
ConstableJelly@midwest.social 3 weeks ago
I think that’s a neat idea, but we could instead, collectively, just do better at following other cars at a safe distance. I know it’s impractical to expect all drivers on the road everywhere to change their behavior, but it’s also persistently frustrating as someone who has for years frequently been stuck in traffic to see 95% of drivers insist on following less than a car-length behind. Following too closely to enable decision-making or accommodate other drivers is the cause of like 98% of both traffic accidents and congestion, according to my completely anecdotal and made up research.
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I think a secondary light that blinks quickly would be a good signal of emergency braking. Like some aftermarket motorcycle taillights that start with a blinking pattern before they stay on, but reverse the order.
So, standard brake light comes on at the standard time, at the first touch of the brake. For stronger braking, the second light comes on. Standard brake light stays lit while the second light begins blinking frantically for emergency braking.
Emerald@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Seems much more complicated than having the brake lights rapidly flash during hard braking. But of course we couldn’t do that in the US because our turn signals/hazard lights are red ~~cause we’re morons ~~
truxnell@aussie.zone 3 weeks ago
I have seen some cars flash their brake lights when ABS is activated, but this would be better
vapeloki@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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.
BlindFrog@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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
LillyPip@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
‘Here’s an idea: let all those around you know your status.’
‘Revolutionary!’
It’s weird we haven’t already done this, but good.
Zip2@feddit.uk 3 weeks ago
Wouldn’t better driving education and testing work just as well, if not better?
Zwrt@lemmy.sdf.org 2 weeks ago
As a pedestrian this would be huge and make me feel so much safer.
JustAThought@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
Definitely make it easier for people on crosswalks to start walking. Knowing that they are slowing down.
RickyRigatoni@retrolemmy.com 3 weeks ago
Don’t worry, my fellow americans, we’ll still manage to fuck it up.
chrisbtoo@lemmy.ca 3 weeks 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?
MangoCats@feddit.it 3 weeks 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.
SnortsGarlicPowder@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Can I have indicators that are in the same place on all cars and not buried in the headlight? That’d be cool.
sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks 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.
paraphrand@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
This sure riled people up.
atlien51@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
This is stupid
DrunkEngineer@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Risk Compension predicts that drivers would simply use this new information to drive more aggressively, negating any possible safety benefits.
ladfrombrad@lemdro.id 3 weeks 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.
JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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).
FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago
They would probably just use the existing amber lights so noone would know if you were turning or not. I’m not bitter.
AlteredEgo@lemmy.ml 2 weeks 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.
Brkdncr@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago
It would also help know whether are not I’m going to get smushed.
x00z@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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.
catloaf@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
Sounds reasonable. Personally I just want front turn signals to be visible from the opposite side again.
entropicdrift@lemmy.sdf.org 3 weeks ago
And also like, used at all.
rollerbang@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago
Not sure if I read that correctly, but I don’t think this has ever been the case?
catloaf@lemm.ee 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago
Heads up, it’s actually keyboard and chair, not keyboard and computer
drbluefall@toast.ooo 3 weeks ago
I’ve always heard it as “PICNIC”
Problem In Chair, Not In Computer
Pika@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago
How would you do that so it isn’t ugly as hell and isn’t prone to misunderstanding?
acosmichippo@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
what about it is confusing? green = not coming at you so it’s okay to turn left (or whatever).
Oneshot@discuss.tchncs.de 3 weeks ago
sliding light or arrows
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks 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.
brygphilomena@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
< and > for turns. X for brakes.
Honestly, we should focus on functionality rather than aesthetic.
Almacca@aussie.zone 3 weeks ago
Some of the new Kias have the rear indicators in the bumper. Why are they hiding them?
catloaf@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
Because the designers and marketers were given priority over the safety engineers.
moakley@lemmy.world 3 weeks 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.