Feet on brake pedal when stopped.

[Horse Pop]

Dazzled? Really?

Are you dazzled when the car in front slows down?

I tend to get better at using handbrake if I think my brakes are hot, but it's not always the best option. Depends on traffic light timing etc.

[xRIEx]

Impasse said:

xRIEx said:

What method of sight correction helps with contrast?

What do you suggest? Banning them from driving? Bit harsh. Mind you, safety first.

I'm not suggesting anything, you suggested there was an existing technology that could 'correct' some sort of 'incorrectness' about contrast perception. I wanted to know what it was.

[Timfy]

It can be, but is not always distracting/dazzling.

It's like headlights, some of my brothers old cars (the old Panda especially. which really, really should not have been on the road) had headlights so dim and so poorly aligned that he would drive around on main beam everywhere and still not blind oncoming motorists (some were like tiny little candles) whereas some of the ridiculous headlights on modern cars seem designed to burn your retinas with the light of a thousand suns.These can be distracting at best (and dangerously dazzling at worst) even on dipped beams.

I get annoyed sat behind some numpty with overly bright brake lights in start-stop traffic, but normally those with the ridiculously bright (often LED, it seems) brake lights are modern cars (Audis seem particularly bad) which often have automatic gearboxes so I understand it's the most practical way.

I always stick the handbrake on and go into neutral if stopped for more than a couple of seconds (only currently drive manuals) as it just seems more comfortable and easier to pull away cleanly.

[Vipers]

'

Impasse said:

Vipers said:

Assumptions so far.

Lights dazzle some drivers, including me.

Some know this and don't give a Shiite.

Some know this and are considerate drivers.

Some are DH,s don't give a toss for anyone else on the roads.

Some drivers are basically idiots.

Those idiotic drivers, are they the ones who drive knowing they've got uncorrected defective eyesight?

Being serious now.

The retina contains two types of photoreceptors, rods and cones. The rods are more numerous, some 120 million, and are more sensitive than the cones, and handle colour.

I don't think rods and cones are checked for sensitivity in an eye sight test, so it's conceivable some of us are affected by bright red lights than others.

Makes sense to me. I have an eye test every year, last one in October, eyes are fine, but I do find sitting behind some of the cars on the roads these days with those mega bright brake lights very irritating, more so in rain.

If it doesn't irritate, your lucky.

Edited by Vipers on Sunday 23 November 10:59

[Sump]

Have you ever had an MRI? Maybe you have a brain tumor?

[vikingaero]

With 95% of conventional automatics you can push the gear lever from D to N and N to D without pushing the detent button. Only when you need R or P do you need to use the detent. Of course staggered gate autos often don't have the detent. So in one automatic I can pull up the handbrake and push into N. When the lights change I push into D and release the handbrake. The only time I don't do this is when I am the first car at the lights - I leave my foot on the brake for a quick getaway and help get more cars through the signal cycle.

With the MINI it's a PITA. Moving from D to N is fine. Moving from N back to D requires foot on the brake and a delay whilst the electronics check.

With manual drivers I'm staggered at the numbers who keep their foot on the brake and clutch even when we haven't moved for 10-25 minutes.

[J4CKO]

I was behind a Merc yesterday, in the dark and the driver had his foot on the brake, it was borderline painful, certainly uncomfortable.

[jmorgan]

vikingaero said:

With 95% of conventional automatics you can push the gear lever from D to N and N to D without pushing the detent button. Only when you need R or P do you need to use the detent. Of course staggered gate autos often don't have the detent. So in one automatic I can pull up the handbrake and push into N. When the lights change I push into D and release the handbrake. The only time I don't do this is when I am the first car at the lights - I leave my foot on the brake for a quick getaway and help get more cars through the signal cycle.

With the MINI it's a PITA. Moving from D to N is fine. Moving from N back to D requires foot on the brake and a delay whilst the electronics check.

With manual drivers I'm staggered at the numbers who keep their foot on the brake and clutch even when we haven't moved for 10-25 minutes.

With mine I leave it in D and put the hand brake on. Let the gear box sort it out.

[BrownBottle]

Foppo said:

I drove a automatic for ten years VW Jetta from D to N no problem to the gearbox.Some of the nonsense people belief.

I think we're getting to the real problem here.

I'd also be angry at life if I had to drive an automatic jetta for ten years.

[Catatafish]

Don't look directly at the light(s)

Problem solved.

[Vipers]

It's the rods I tell ya.

[FraMac]

Vipers said:

It's the rods I tell ya.

Indeed. Cones are very peripheral ;-)

[skyrover]

What I don't understand is that in USA land where 99% of car's are automatic, and having lived there for 2 years... not once did I hear an American complain about the brightness of the car in front's brake lights.

[baccalad]

I have a Vauxhall Astra with one of those stupid electronic handbrakes where you have to have your foot on the brake pedal to turn it off. Trust me, it's easier just to keep your foot on the brake unless you want to be the dummy sat at the front of a green traffic light queue with cars beeping behind you.

Edited by baccalad on Sunday 23 November 15:10

[Impasse]

Vipers said:

Being serious now.

Nooo, don't do that. The hook was weighting up nicely.

[Hrimfaxi]

Handbrake + neutral here, but It's never really bothered me - I don't tend to stare at the brake lights of the car(s) in front when stationary.

[Monkeylegend]

Vipers said:

It's the rods I tell ya.

Stare rods

[okie592]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[SK425]

jmorgan said:

vikingaero said:

With 95% of conventional automatics you can push the gear lever from D to N and N to D without pushing the detent button. Only when you need R or P do you need to use the detent. Of course staggered gate autos often don't have the detent. So in one automatic I can pull up the handbrake and push into N. When the lights change I push into D and release the handbrake. The only time I don't do this is when I am the first car at the lights - I leave my foot on the brake for a quick getaway and help get more cars through the signal cycle.

With the MINI it's a PITA. Moving from D to N is fine. Moving from N back to D requires foot on the brake and a delay whilst the electronics check.

With manual drivers I'm staggered at the numbers who keep their foot on the brake and clutch even when we haven't moved for 10-25 minutes.

With mine I leave it in D and put the hand brake on. Let the gear box sort it out.

This. With a conventional handbrake (which may become a rarity in the future I guess) there's no more need to sit with your foot on the brake pedal in an auto than there is in a manual.

Not sure about the quick getaway argument at traffic lights. The red+amber phase gives you plenty of notice of when it's going to be your turn.

[Vipers]

SK425 said:

This. With a conventional handbrake (which may become a rarity in the future I guess) there's no more need to sit with your foot on the brake pedal in an auto than there is in a manual.

Not sure about the quick getaway argument at traffic lights. The red+amber phase gives you plenty of notice of when it's going to be your turn.

I leave it in "D" handbrake on, hand on handbrake, foot hovering over go faster pedal.

Lights change, release handbrake, press go faster pedal, sorted. Makes for a quicker get away I think.

If I am a few cars back at the lights I just shift it into "P", when the lights start to go to green, all I have to do is pull the shifter all the way back, now I am in "1", then 3 clicks back and I am in "D".

Yes I know there are other ways of doing it, but works fine for me.