Clarkson's GT on TG last night

[michael_jcws]

Was I imagining things or did the rear brake lights/lights seem to flicker on and off a lot i.e not braking ?

Cheers

Michael

[pesty]

no, I noticed that too.

[Lurking Lawyer]

Yup, I noticed it too. No idea what made it look as if they were doing that though - unless the rear LED lights were buggered and actually DID flicker like that!

I remember Clarkson bought a GT of his own. Anyone know whether that was it and, if so, why it was Manx-registered?

[jas xjr]

i thought they were some kind of alarm type xenon things not working correctly. they did used to fit them in head/tail lights a few years ago

[tonyhetherington]

I beleive it's because they were LED's, and as such the frequency they light at is similar to the effect of when you see a computer screen on tele - it flickers.

It's manx registered because Clarkson has a place there

[BossCerbera]

Lurking Lawyer said:

Anyone know whether that was it and, if so, why it was Manx-registered?

It's his and it's Manx-registered because he has a place there. Fringe benefits include immunity from UK speed cameras and Congestion Charge....

[apache]

tonyhetherington said:

I beleive it's because they were LED's, and as such the frequency they light at is similar to the effect of when you see a computer screen on tele - it flickers. It's manx registered because Clarkson has a place there

How are the leds flickeriang again? it's a 12v dc system and leds don't switch on and off as far as I know

[alexkp]

Aren't Mercedes doing rear lights like that now on their top of the range cars? Apparently it makes the driver behind react more quickly.

[n1ckm]

I thought he'd got fed up with his and sold it back to Ford ????

[victormeldrew]

n1ckm said:

I thought he'd got fed up with his and sold it back to Ford ????

And then bought another it seems.

[miniandy]

Yeah then he realised he was being silly and got it back.

[BossCerbera]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

...and no MOT either. 'Tis fact.

[scared but happy]

apache said:

tonyhetherington said: I beleive it's because they were LED's, and as such the frequency they light at is similar to the effect of when you see a computer screen on tele - it flickers. It's manx registered because Clarkson has a place there How are the leds flickeriang again? it's a 12v dc system and leds don't switch on and off as far as I know

This is an old method. What you do is to pump several amps into the LED over pico/microseconds and therefore stops the LED overheating (longer life) and also higher brightness.

[tuscan_thunder]

apache said:

tonyhetherington said: I beleive it's because they were LED's, and as such the frequency they light at is similar to the effect of when you see a computer screen on tele - it flickers. It's manx registered because Clarkson has a place there How are the leds flickeriang again? it's a 12v dc system and leds don't switch on and off as far as I know

it's like when you watch a TV on TV (if that makes sense) and you see the image flicker/has lines through it. The TV camera picks up ceetain frequencies which makes the LEDs 'appear' to flicker. In reality they're working normally

[Autonotiv]

What or Where is Manx?????

[BossCerbera]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

The roadworthiness test is just that. A tad more latitude than an MOT...
BTW: Fiesta van in Leighton Buzzard used to have the plate MAN14C years ago. Triffic.

[Pigeon]

scared but happy said:

apache said: tonyhetherington said: I beleive it's because they were LED's, and as such the frequency they light at is similar to the effect of when you see a computer screen on tele - it flickers. It's manx registered because Clarkson has a place there How are the leds flickeriang again? it's a 12v dc system and leds don't switch on and off as far as I know This is an old method. What you do is to pump several amps into the LED over pico/microseconds and therefore stops the LED overheating (longer life) and also higher brightness.

Er, well, nearly

It produces a higher peak brightness - which is useful when you're driving an infra-red LED for a remote control. The average brightness, which is what matters on the back of a car, is the same as if the LED was being continuously driven. The advantage here is that less power is wasted as heat in the drive circuit.

[tinman0]

n1ckm said:

I thought he'd got fed up with his and sold it back to Ford ????

who gave him his money back, then he wrote the sunday times article and took the same car back and paid for it again as far as i can tell (albeit with an alarm working a bit better).

[thunderstruck]

Autonotiv said:

What or Where is Manx?????

The Isle of Man

[dinkel]

michael_jcws said:

Was I imagining things or did the rear brake lights/lights seem to flicker on and off a lot i.e not braking ? Cheers Michael

When he rolled out for the highway gasstation - one of the - I thought it were the flames in the exhausts . . . the 430 sounded yum btw. Hilarious Paris garage scene!