what's with those super bright LeD brake lights?

[john walker's workshop]

late cars and SUVs all seem to have those super bright multi LED cluster brake lights and 3rd brake light. i'm a bit light sensitive and have to put the visor down, block them with my hand or just look away until the light changes. if i don't, it feels like i'm going to have permanent red dots in my vision or have a seizure. am i the only one? how did these things pass DOT?

[the]

I'm with you on that one. I was stuck behind a new Escalade the other day, and I couldn't believe the number of LEDs and their intensity. Really overboard.

[therotman]

Those gosh darn whippersnappers with their loud music and bright taillights!




- Old people

[john walker's workshop]

i passed a cop a few days ago who was stopped with the reds and blues flashing and even some of those things have been revamped to super bright. i swear, i could hardly see the road as i went by.

[911boost]

We had some take down's and ally's on a lightbar I used for a while that could literally blind you for a bit. Of course, that is what they are made for in certain circumstances.

I don't know if I hate the super bright LED's or the bright ass headlights more.

[Jeff Higgins]

Between those and the illegal, fake HID's, I really have a hard time driving at night these days. I thought the DOT regulated this stuff so we could all see well enough without getting blinded by the other guy.

I actually do run the 1157 replacement LED bulbs in my tail lights on the 911. They arered bulbs behind red the stock red lenses, so they not nearly as bright as the exposed concentric circles of bulbs I see on new cars. They are a little brighter than regular 1157's, but their real advantage is they take far less current to actually light, so if your sockets (and wiring to them) need some help, they work a lot better. Kinda spendy, though.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I thought the DOT regulated this stuff so we could all see well enough without getting blinded by the other guy.
.

I think the law has remained unchanged, but it looks like you can make any modification to your car and still drive it any time, anywhere. In the olden days, your tires could extend outside your fenders if conditions were dry, but if it was raining you were SURE to get stopped. Today, LOTS of tires extend outside fenders and that's okay. I can spot illegal headlights a mile away. Or more.

But then......you can also cruise in the passing lane at 50 mph, remove and discard your turn signal equipment and follow cars by less than one car length at 70 mph. America doesn't really like regulations, and our motto is "Me First."

[T77911S]

some of my own.

you think your hi beams are a spare set of headlights.
spin off of JW's tailight rant.
what is it with people leaving their hi-beams on all the time, drives me nuts. you can always tell the blue hairs, hi beams in the daytime.

you have ever done major work on your in the parking lot of a 7 eleven

[Porsche-O-Phile]

You need to make them as bright as possible in order to make sure that the other guy sees you. Half the time the other guy is:

- on the phone
- screwing around with the DVD player
- busy fumbling around with his/her latte
- text messaging that hooker from Craigslist
- out of the normal line-of-sight of brake lights due to illegal suspension/tire size modifications
- whatever else other than actually paying attention to driving