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Slow vehicle safety

LowTech

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Arizona
something I noticed w/ the 109 is that because of the narrow headlights it doesn't look like a big truck at night.
Not only are we going to make the turn signals into markers, but we are also going to add some clearance lights . . . just to show how big we really are ;)
 

Tlauden

Member
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Location
Halifax Pennsylvania
I know some of you said you use them magnetic led flashers thy tractor supply/lowes/etc sells. How about legit emergency light heads? They start at around $25, are syncable, conceal nicely cause of there size, and most importantly are BRIGHT. I was going to put 4-6 of these on my deuce when I get some extra cash. All amber in color. 2 in front under the signals, some in the rear on each side of the pintle, and on each rear corner of the bed was going to get one. I'm conjunction with my strobe above my cab no one should miss it.

The only problem I see is your local lighting laws regarding aux lighting. In PA amber alone is considered a simple warning color. And I also believe in PA white is an acceptable warning color, but IMHO that would be to blinding and more of a hazard for this particular situation
 
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Darwin T

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Port Arthur, Texas
the reason i have the one on the dash is incase my rear LED emergency flashers go out. those things are bright and work very well, however if i was to loose power i have the one on the dash that runs on it's own battery power. either way if i am stopped on the road at night i will be using my safety triangles.
 

goodguyzy

Active member
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Location
medford oregon
drove through Nevada, California, Oregon and Washington . Well I lost my magnetic lights on a bad drop in a construction zone. I thought California had the worst roads. Lesson learned is to zip tie them on or have a safety string attached. aua
 

Jtspendy

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Vineland NJ
how about one of the battery powered driveway sensors set to point 10 feet behind your truck wired to a set of rear facing air horns :) that will wake someone up :beer:
 

tigger

Medic.
In Memorial
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Location
Butler TN.
Im putting all led lights on the jeep! except head lights. and i got some led strobes "amber"for front and rear pluss a led strob magnet mount for the roll bar. Lot of hills by me and i have almost been rear ended by some one comming over a hill. The led tail/stop lights used on semi fit perfetly in the holes on the back of the tub.
 
Get the same light fixtures your truck has on the rear and put them beside the four original signal lights. Make a T connector for the wires and connect them to the headlights on the front and the running light circuit on the rear "always on" circuit. Use a diode to tap both headlight circuits to keep new "marker lights" on.

e
 

CobraCDR

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Twin Cities, MN
Make sure you research your state's vehicle code before playing around with emergency lights! If you look in your state's traffic law section, it will explain what is required for lights, what is authorized for additional equipment and what is not for both on road and off road use. With every state being a little different, it's worth the time to look and see what your traffic laws will allow you to have before you spend the money, time and effort to install something that isn't legal. In particular, look into light colors and their locations on the vehicle (front, rear, etc.) as well as restrictions for any flashing lights. Once you know what you are allowed to have, have fun shopping and send pics when you get them installed! 2cents
 
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raeme

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nowra. n.s.w. Australia
The reason I have those markings on the back of my van is what is required by law over here. Take note the left hand one has DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE and they police that very heaverly over here.
raeme.
 

86m1028

Active member
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Murphy TEXAS
Not to be a PITA but before you guys go out and spend a ton of money on new gadgets and reflectors to go on the back of your vehicles remember:

All of these add ons will not prevent a retard behind the wheel from hitting you

That was my thought exactly

BUILD A BIGGER BUMPER

I cant wait for the responses to this.
 
Just a comment

A friend (Lloyd) had a 73 F250 Camper special. After I observed the bent up rear bumper on it he and I decided to replace it with an 8 inch tall structural steel beam. May have been 120 lbs. Lots of "momentum" in that thing.
I have seen Lloyd driving, when he didn't know I was there, Lloyd is never in a hurry and seemed to never stop short. Very predictable guy. :driver:

When the next nitwit hit his truck there was no damage to his truck... the car, however, was destroyed. :cookoo: He said the other guy raised **** because his truck was not damaged!?
Lloyd said he was temped to ask why the nitwit had hit it but thought it would just make him madder. 8)8) Some times you just walk away quietly. :cool:

E
 

HORNETD

Member
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Location
Takoma Park, MD
SNIP

There are more state patrol cars wrecked up here (and in other states I'm sure) when sitting along the road with all of their flashy lights on then driving down the road and those stand out a heck of a lot better than anything I would have on my deuce. LED taillights may help some when just driving down the road (assuming you're running with lights on) but it still won't make a difference if the idiot behind the wheel can't see a 13,000lb truck.....just saying. Night time is a different story but I'm assuming we're talking about daytime additions in this thread.

SNIP
I believe that the Michigan State Police did field testing of warning lights that indicated that more was not necessarily better especially when parked by the roadside. There findings were that the more elaborate lighting schemes draw impaired drivers to you like a moth to a flame. Dr Steven Salomon; who is an optometrist from upstate New York; has done a lot of research on warning lights and vehicle colors. His results are counter intuitive but they bear out what the Michigan State Police found. Impaired drivers find it very difficult to look away from the visual confusion of an elaborate set of warning lights. People tend to drive toward what they are looking at. By the way the Michigan State Police had to end their testing early after their test bed vehicles were wrecked by impaired drivers plowing into them. Call me an unfeeling no good so and so but I would like to see these super elaborate lighting schemes used on vehicles equipped with deceleration barricades so that the dammed drunks that keep killing LEOs Firefighters, and the rest of the public would end up plowing into the barricades and be taken off the road by them. Yeah I know but I already said what you can call me and besides I have the use of high quality fire resistive clothing so flame away.

--
Tom H
 

HORNETD

Member
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Location
Takoma Park, MD
I have the basic theory figured out for my REAR-END COLLISION AVOIDANCE & IDIOT EXTERMINATION System....

.... I'm just trying to decide which VARIANT would work best.
When I was a Zoomy; low these many years ago; the armorers on the B-52 Bombers would leave the rear quad mount fifties on automatic tracking so that the mount would track the security police sentry that was carrying a rifle every time he passed the tail of the bird on his patrol. Then the base commander got a call from the SP squadron commander and several armorers had to walk a post for several nights. That gag came to an abrupt halt.

--
Tom H
 

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

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When I was a Zoomy; low these many years ago; the armorers on the B-52 Bombers would leave the rear quad mount fifties on automatic tracking so that the mount would track the security police sentry that was carrying a rifle every time he passed the tail of the bird on his patrol. Then the base commander got a call from the SP squadron commander and several armorers had to walk a post for several nights. That gag came to an abrupt halt.

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Tom H
Now that's IRONY at it's best !

Thanks for sharing it.
 

HORNETD

Member
62
26
18
Location
Takoma Park, MD
I have the basic theory figured out for my REAR-END COLLISION AVOIDANCE & IDIOT EXTERMINATION System....

.... I'm just trying to decide which VARIANT would work best.
July 8th, 2011.

My deuce is in storage in Texas right now, likely looking for a new home, BUT.... When I run her on the interstates I always placed a reflectoried yellow "Convoy Ahead" Sign on the tailgate, and in bad weather or low light conditions I would use the two amber convoy beacons above and behind the cab. I know you folks are going to go off the deep end, but my answer to any cop was... "It's tan, it's large and it's slow, I need all the help I can get to avoid some truck driver from running me over in the right lane doing 54..." Fedferal law says I must maintain 45 mph on interstates, but there are a lot of fools out there that cannot see a tan truck in daylight that does NOT blend into a woodland and grass background....
Personally, if I could afford it a V100 would be my choice for interstate cruiser.....2centsfat lady sings


Personally, I think the feds need to add a circuit to the auto truck electricals that either cuts the cell phone off when the engines in gear and the vehicles rolling, or jams it out under the same condition... MAybe make it impossible for the machine to go into gear or even cut the engine out....!The average proto-auto-sub-simian does not have enough brain cells to spare to drive, text or talk.... Its illegal on the railroad.... it should be illegal everywhere else too!:rant:
It might be simpler than that. Program the cell tower control equipment to deny service to any cell phone that is moving faster than a brisk walk. Please don't bellyache about the inconvenience to passengers. There is good research that documents that it is more distracting to hear half of a conversation then it is to be involved in it. People can just wait until they are off the road.

--
Tom H
 

Milbikes

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Location
CT
LED is the way to go

On my ex-police Harley, I mounted some LED lights on the rear box, and attached them to the brake light circuit. When I hit the brakes, they really get people's attention.

Here is a link to a typical website for TIR3 lights.
Whelen TIR3 Super LED Light Module # RS*03ZCR from SWPS.com

I also have a video showing them mounted inside a gutted beacon here:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldsl6nim_74&feature=plcp&context=C3fd3d43UDOEgsToPDskIeM0opbBUmJJVFlDoEVf2e[/media]
and on the exterior of the radio box here:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDHHUC2QuJ4&feature=plcp&context=C3ea44e5UDOEgsToPDskJI977W1vGirR2hV_1ScxEX[/media]
This was an older setup for me. Recently I added a set of Skene Design LED lights (Made in USA) to my BMW that have whats called a conspicuity function, meaning they pulsate dimmer/brighter at a high frequency when on running light mode, and then flash as brake lights. They are very noticeable to say the least. They are also very small, and easy to hook up. Here's a link to a video odf a set on a motorcycle. You have to wait till he gets to the night-time footage.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9pLdbG49dQ&feature=related[/media]
A friend of mine was rear-ended, and will never be the same again. Visibilty is vital, with all of the terrible, inattentive drivers out there. Hal
 
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