Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

Any ideas for lighting up BROADLY across the front, especially
to the RIGHT (so doesn't blind oncoming traffic)?


But invisible people also exist to the LEFT, like when crossing
the road from left to right. That light, I suppose,
should, be pointed more downward, to avoid blinding oncoming
car-traffic.

--

Question: what do the police have for lights-to-the-side?


Thanks!

David

In article ,
(David Combs) wrote:

Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

Any ideas for lighting up BROADLY across the front, especially
to the RIGHT (so doesn't blind oncoming traffic)?


But invisible people also exist to the LEFT, like when crossing
the road from left to right. That light, I suppose,
should, be pointed more downward, to avoid blinding oncoming
car-traffic.

--

Question: what do the police have for lights-to-the-side?


Thanks!

David

Sounds like you're talking about corning lamps:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automot...ornering_lamps

I don't see them as much as I used to, but I did happen to notice them
on a car just two nights ago, so maybe they're making a comeback.

On 11/20/2013 11:04 AM, David Combs wrote:
Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

Any ideas for lighting up BROADLY across the front, especially
to the RIGHT (so doesn't blind oncoming traffic)?


But invisible people also exist to the LEFT, like when crossing
the road from left to right. That light, I suppose,
should, be pointed more downward, to avoid blinding oncoming
car-traffic.

--

Question: what do the police have for lights-to-the-side?


Thanks!

David

Fog lights sometimes provide some side lighting, if you have them. On
my old Trailblazer, it does a pretty good job.

On 11/20/2013 10:04 AM, David Combs wrote:
Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

Any ideas for lighting up BROADLY across the front, especially
to the RIGHT (so doesn't blind oncoming traffic)?


But invisible people also exist to the LEFT, like when crossing
the road from left to right. That light, I suppose,
should, be pointed more downward, to avoid blinding oncoming
car-traffic.

--

Question: what do the police have for lights-to-the-side?


Thanks!

David

I am not suggesting that you purchase a new vehicle to solve the problem
but I have noticed something interesting. On the 2014 KIA Cadenza the
headlights change with the speed that you are going. When you are going
slow they show a wide broad beam (more to the side) but as you speed up
they change and narrow the beam and shoot it out further ahead. They
also turn and point around curves when you are turning. Actually, I have
one and the feature is really neat.

Don

"Mark Storkamp" wrote in message ...

Sounds like you're talking about corning lamps:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automot...ornering_lamps

I don't see them as much as I used to, but I did happen to notice them
on a car just two nights ago, so maybe they're making a comeback.

I put some on one of my sport trucks, back in the 80's. Winding, mountain
roads at a higher than posted speed gives one a need to see the giant,
antlered rats at an angle normal headlights do not cover.

A trip to the local parts store and a self install, or a few hundred, plus
cost of quality lights, and a custom install.

David Combs wrote:
Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

Any ideas for lighting up BROADLY across the front, especially
to the RIGHT (so doesn't blind oncoming traffic)?


But invisible people also exist to the LEFT, like when crossing
the road from left to right. That light, I suppose,
should, be pointed more downward, to avoid blinding oncoming
car-traffic.

--

Question: what do the police have for lights-to-the-side?


Thanks!

David

Good fog lights give off side light to see the edge of the road better.
Some lights billed as fog lights don't have the filament shield, so they
blind.

My main lights hit the right side of the road edge.

Greg

"David Combs" wrote in message
...
Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

The problem is two-pronged. People who walk or bike on dark roadways (and
even fairly well-lit ones) need to have something reflective. Not sure how
you educate those at risk. My dog's new collar is reflective and I am
thinking of switching from a retractable leash to a nylon one that's also
got reflective treatment. Like you, I have been unpleasantly surprised by
encountering someone dressed like a Ninja suddenly darting into my vehicle's
path as if I could see them as well as they could see me.

Not exactly sure what people would be willing to wear with reflective
stripes attached, but I'll bet the answer would be "anything!" after they've
been hit by a car in the dark. Just last night I saw a bike that had small
snippets of reflective tape wrapped around the tubing at strategic points so
that you could clearly make out the silhouette of a bicycle at quite a
distance. Very nicely done and I intend to steal the idea.

--
Bobby G.


I once drove a car after an accident that had the right-side headlight so
far out of alignment that it lit up the side of the road. If it's a really
serious problem you could try to install a retrofit fog lamp with a mount
than enabled you to "sweep" the side. I've known people who've killed
pedestrians accidentally and believe me, it's worth money not to have to
live with that memory.

On 11/20/13 11:16 AM, IGot2P wrote:

I am not suggesting that you purchase a new vehicle to solve the problem
but I have noticed something interesting. On the 2014 KIA Cadenza the
headlights change with the speed that you are going. When you are going
slow they show a wide broad beam (more to the side) but as you speed up
they change and narrow the beam and shoot it out further ahead. They
also turn and point around curves when you are turning. Actually, I have
one and the feature is really neat.

Don

Under the nothing new under the sun category is the Tucker. It had
a center headlight that turned with the front wheels.
Article he http://tinyurl.com/nowgg8

On 20 Nov 2013 11:04:26 -0500, (David Combs) wrote:

Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

Any ideas for lighting up BROADLY across the front, especially
to the RIGHT (so doesn't blind oncoming traffic)?


But invisible people also exist to the LEFT, like when crossing
the road from left to right. That light, I suppose,
should, be pointed more downward, to avoid blinding oncoming
car-traffic.

--

Question: what do the police have for lights-to-the-side?


The police generally have spotlights. Not sure if that's a good
solution for normal driving. I'd just add some "driving" lights and
aim them where you want them.

On 11/20/2013 11:57 AM, Mark Storkamp wrote:
In article ,
(David Combs) wrote:

Damn near hit someone last night while going to train to
get my wife;

Because prior train's passengers walking home at 5:45pm,
invariably dressed in black-seeming suits and long-coats,
ie 100% invisible, since car lights point straight ahead.

Any ideas for lighting up BROADLY across the front, especially
to the RIGHT (so doesn't blind oncoming traffic)?


But invisible people also exist to the LEFT, like when crossing
the road from left to right. That light, I suppose,
should, be pointed more downward, to avoid blinding oncoming
car-traffic.

--

Question: what do the police have for lights-to-the-side?


Thanks!

David

Sounds like you're talking about corning lamps:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automot...ornering_lamps

I don't see them as much as I used to, but I did happen to notice them
on a car just two nights ago, so maybe they're making a comeback.


The inner lights on newer BMWs are cornering lights, not high beams.

But... to have something on all the time, fog lights are probably the
best bet. But turn them off when you get out of a city area; the excess
foreground light is bad for your night vision and paradoxically has the
odd effect of tricking your brain into thinking that you can see better
than you actually can.

nate

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