High Level Brake Lights.

[simongt]

I'm puzzled - ! On our car; a'58 plate Hyundai 1.30, said lights only come on when I press the footbrake pedal. However, I notice that when I'm in a queue of traffic, that quite a few vehicles have their brake lights on for some time whilst they're stationary. When you're stuck behind such a vehicle, this can be quite disconcerting in ther dark. Does this mean that the drivers of said vehicles have their foot on the pedal for some time, or is there some techno 'improvement' that I'm not aware of - ?

 

[Sallar55]

I take it that you have never driven a car/van with an auto gearbox.

 

[simongt]

Last auto car I drove was a hire one about nine years ago. Prior to that, 1972 - !
But as suggested, if the brake lights stay on for so long, it doesn't help one's night vision.

 

[presta]

I always used to use the footbrake instead of the handbrake in traffic, it's easy to miss a gap in the traffic whilst you're faffing with the handbrake. No high level lights though.

 

[Dadam]

You won't have any "nightvision" driving at night unless you drive somewhere with no streetlighting and don't meet any cars with headlights on AND turn off all your own lights including the dashboard! And if you were driving somewhere with no streetlighting or traffic lights, you're probably not going to be stuck behind someone stationary with their brake light on.

If driving an automatic car with an auto start/stop feature, where the engine cuts out when stationary, you have to keep your foot on the brake or it doesn't work. In mine, if you put the handbrake on and take your foot off the brake, the engine starts. In order not to sit at traffic lights with the foot brake on, I'd have to put it in Park, apply handbrake, then take foot off brake. When setting off I'd have to put foot on brake, put it in Drive and remove handbrake. And the engine would be on all the while, increasing emissions and fuel use. Bit of a faff compared to just sitting with the foot brake on, engine switches off. Then lights go green, remove foot from brake, engine starts, off you go.

If I wanted the engine off while at the lights without having foot on brake all the time I'd have to do the above and then also turn off the engine.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

On a similar theme, whose bright idea was it to put high intensity orange strobe lights on the back of HGVs - right at eye level and blinding.

 

[sheddy]

These days I have to use the sun visor after dark

 

[DaveReading]

Learner drivers nowadays (even in manual shift cars) are taught to use the footbrake when stopped temporarily, for example at traffic lights.

I remember giving a friend's daughter a lift a few years ago and she was very amused at my use of the handbrake under such circumstances.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

My Kodiaq is a ‘pain in the proverbial’, as it has an electronic handbrake that applies when stationary
It has the downside of keeping brake lights on

If l can drift to a halt, & use the ‘manual’ handbrake button, then the brake-lights don’t come on

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What is this braking of which you speak?

 

[fossyant]

Learner drivers nowadays (even in manual shift cars) are taught to use the footbrake when stopped temporarily, for example at traffic lights.

I remember giving a friend's daughter a lift a few years ago and she was very amused at my use of the handbrake under such circumstances.

They are indeed, and they don't learn three point turns, which is something you actually do use as a skill. I made my daughter do one last weekend - she managed it, but it's not covered in the test.

 

[fossyant]

What is this braking of which you speak?

It's for losers !

 

[fossyant]

My Kodiaq is a ‘pain in the proverbial’, as it has an electronic handbrake that applies when stationary
It has the downside of keeping brake lights on

If l can drift to a halt, & use the ‘manual’ handbrake button, then the brake-lights don’t come on

This is why most new cars brake lights remain 'on'.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It's for losers !

I mentioned it as I went on a stag do in Newcastle in 1997. Part of the day time activities was gokart racing. I shared a kart with the best man and groom. After the groom had just finished a few laps he mentioned the brakes weren’t very good. I looked at him blankly as I hadn’t used the brakes, instead going round corners between two other karts and one usually going into the tyres, as I exited the corner.

 

[Joffey]

It will be the 'auto hold' function. Come to a stop and the car applies the brakes continuously until you set off again. used to only feature on automatics but now it is pretty standard on manuals too. Great for hill starts!