Why don't brake lights show how hard you stop?

[oldhp]

Originally Posted By: Falken
I don't think they are a good idea at all.

It just encourages tailgating. People would feel more comfortable driving closer to you, and would cause more pileups.

The tailgating in Montreal is getting really bad.

I get tailgated in the slow lane going faster than people in the fast lane sometimes.

If I am stopping I want to maintain space in front of me, I don't want someone creeping up on my rear with a "slowing" light.

People would say, "oh, you were sloooowing, not stopping, you then jammed on the brakes with no warning..."


Exactly.....The great American public would screw it up the first time they could. Its hard enough now to keep the idiots off your bumper.

 

[gathermewool]

Every car brakes differently or engages differently due to assist, pad material, etc. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has gotten into a car that was oddly grabby or kind of aoft-feeling... How do you standardize that?

Like others have mentioned, we've all also seen the VW's with tail lights that are ALWAYS on or don't work at all. What if every braking event were indicated as a heavy braking event? What if every braking event was indicated as a light braking event?

If this was easily standardized and consistent across the board, my guess is that it would be in cars by now.

 

[Doog]

Why bother, the latte sippin, texting, kid in the back seat slappin, nearly blind, demented, retired 30 years ago driver who is either not paying attention OR is unable to pay attention is going to slam into the back of your car and destroy your brake lights anyway.

 

[spackard]

I used to see a lot of them on motorcycle cop bikes (in CA).
Kind of good during normal braking, kind of bad when they are swerving, trying to cause a traffic break on the freeway, and hitting the brakes a lot. Very hard to tell if the brakes are on or if it's part of their "light show".

Deceleration warning lights ca. 1984.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
why don't they show in some way, the difference between I am resting my foot on the pedal and I am mashing down for a medium to hard stop?

BMW already does this on most, if not all of their vehicles. On "normal" braking, the brake lights light up. Under severe braking, they have two additional lights that also light up in addition to the "normal" brake lights. I first learned about it when I was skimming through the owner's manual for my mom's 2005 330ci. Since then, I've actually been behind BMWs on two separate occasions and noticed the extra lights light up, and I instinctively braked harder.

 

[hattaresguy]

Mercedes does, on a full stop the brakes lights flash like the hazards are on.

With a Mercedes that means if your tailgating you are going to rear end it since they can out brake a lot of normal cars.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Mercedes does, on a full stop the brakes lights flash like the hazards are on.

With a Mercedes that means if your tailgating you are going to rear end it since they can out brake a lot of normal cars.

Sigh.

Even the biggest 4-disc brakes can only brake at the limits of the tires. The only advantage to big brakes is in racing (or towing), when repeated high speed braking would overheat smaller brakes.

My commuting appliance Corolla with tiny rear drum brakes stops 60-0 in 127 feet. The CLA in 120 feet, the W211 in 125-130 feet.

http://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/403544-why-braking-distance-so-long.html

If you want a stock Mercedes that really can "out brake a lot of normal cars", you have to pay for an AMG with Summer tires, but take a look at all the Mercedes products listed here:

http://www.motortrend.com/features/mt_ho...rvette_zr1.html

 

[ffhdriver]

My 2003 BMW Z4's brake lights got brighter if you pushed very hard.

 

[EdwardC]

Years back, I remember seeing a smart brake light, it was more of a long LED bar that showed the force of the braking applied. Hard brake would be all on while coasting would show amber or just a small red light.

Kind of like this: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/may/01/motoring

I liked the idea back then, but haven't seen any movement. I can't think of many downsides. I like it more than just on and off. I also really like that it allows the drivers behind to know when I'm just coasting.

 

[HangFire]

I like that yellow versus red thing. We are already conditioned to know what that means.

I don't like the scrolling Cylon eye, strobing, blinking light shows, they are distracting from the essence of a brake light: "It's lit, slow down and prepare to stop!"

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
why don't they show in some way, the difference between I am resting my foot on the pedal and I am mashing down for a medium to hard stop?

seems something like that would really help reduce rear end collisions. with all the electronics on new cars seems it could be done.


I think BMWs and probably other European cars already have this feature. I remember reading about it in my manual. The 7 series was the first to have it a decade ago.

 

[CBR.worm]

Yes, our BMW and previous Audi do this. I think it's great. We also typically run Pilot Super Sports, previously PS2's, and can stop faster than your average car should the need arise.

 

[Fleetmon]

A few years back, buses were using rear center lights that would flash once the brakes were applied. Although it looked like a good idea, it was discovered that the flashing lights did not appear to work as well as planned and, in some cases, actually caused more accidents.

We still run one fleet of buses with flashing center lights upon deceleration, i.e. lights flash as the bus slows and once more air pressure is applied, the light stays steady.

 

[mike7139]

I treat every car as if it doesn't have any brake lights and assume that they are going to slam on their brakes. I leave plenty of space between my car and the car ahead of me.

 

[HangFire]

Quick-flashing lights induce micro seizures in a surprisingly high percentage of the driving population, some undiagnosed, some medicated, some diagnosed and unmedicated and don't care, all driving.

I know of some.

I like the brighter, extra lights, or scrolling lights ideas, I had no idea it was legal and in some cases implemented until I read this thread.

I try to do what mike7139 does, but usually that means someone else will cut in and halve that following distance.

 

[MCompact]

I think some BMW do(or did) have brake lights that had additional segments that illuminated the harder you brake.

 

[Traction]

That would be a great thing. The Tesla roadster I drove once, I found out the brake lights come on as soon as you release the accelerator pedal because of the regenerative braking. It would also be good when the tinting brake light black fad goes away too!!!