Are brake lights at junctions the new front fog lights?

Are brake lights at junctions the new front fog lights?

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Discussion

Liquid Knight

Original Poster:

15,754 posts

182 months

Saturday 20th July 2019
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I drove a Mercedes yesterday and the automatic handbrake was completely useless and wouldn't hold a fart let alone a two ton limousine. I ended up having to put the car in Park to take my foot off the brake pedal, reapply the brake when the lights started to change, select Drive and go instead of sitting there with my foot on the brake pedal.

It was noticeably slower than a manual and I imagine the reverse light flash may have been a concern for whoever was behind me but it was the only way.

Gary C

12,313 posts

178 months

Saturday 20th July 2019
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Still sticking to the idiotic premise of your first post ?

smile

waremark

3,241 posts

212 months

Sunday 21st July 2019
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Liquid Knight said:
I drove a Mercedes yesterday and the automatic handbrake was completely useless and wouldn't hold a fart let alone a two ton limousine. I ended up having to put the car in Park to take my foot off the brake pedal, reapply the brake when the lights started to change, select Drive and go instead of sitting there with my foot on the brake pedal.

It was noticeably slower than a manual and I imagine the reverse light flash may have been a concern for whoever was behind me but it was the only way.
The only way? Mercs have a useful brake hold feature which you appear not to have used. Look it up in the manual.

And it is not likely that you flashed the reversing lights - more likely they have a delay mechanism which means they don't come on as the gear lever passes through reverse.

Most modern Mercs have a P button so you put the car into Park without moving a lever through reverse. If you turn the ignition off while brake hold is engaged the car applies the parking brake and engages Park.

jamei303

2,996 posts

155 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
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Liquid Knight said:
I drove a Mercedes yesterday and the automatic handbrake was completely useless and wouldn't hold a fart let alone a two ton limousine. I ended up having to put the car in Park to take my foot off the brake pedal, reapply the brake when the lights started to change, select Drive and go instead of sitting there with my foot on the brake pedal.

It was noticeably slower than a manual and I imagine the reverse light flash may have been a concern for whoever was behind me but it was the only way.
Sounds dangerous to me. Next time turn everything off and put chocks under all the wheels. Maybe even call the police out to warn others of the obstruction.

Tony33

1,065 posts

121 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
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Liquid Knight said:
Just a little point some of you have raised about being held up a fraction of a second while someone does a start with a handbrake.

You do realise you are not supposed to go until the vehicle in front of you has right?

I don't know how you ever passed a test but if something as simple as "Do not try to occupy a space that isn't there" appears to be beyond your capabilities you may want to think about getting a bus pass.
The whole point is you can't go if the car in front hasn't, so you wait for them to realise the other traffic is disappearing down the road, fumble around to engage gear or move it into drive, let the handbrake off and just get through as the light turns to amber, leaving the cars behind to wait for the lights to change next time. Whilst if they were ready to move as soon as the car in front of them goes then the cars behind them could all get through.

The dawdler is the only one occupying space needlessly.

You can also tell when people are looking down at their phones and then go through the painful process of pulling away after the traffic is moving. Maybe that is why there seem to be more dawdlers at lights?

I would far rather sit behind someone holding the car on the brake or with autohold actually watching the traffic and pull away promptly.



DoubleD

22,154 posts

107 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
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Brake lights arent that bright anyway

Gary C

12,313 posts

178 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
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DoubleD said:
Brake lights arent that bright anyway
Nope. I cant believe this post is still droning on.

I now always stop with my brakelights on, just in the hope the OP is behind me smile

Pica-Pica

13,621 posts

83 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
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Gary C said:
DoubleD said:
Brake lights arent that bright anyway
Nope. I cant believe this post is still droning on.

I now always stop with my brakelights on, just in the hope the OP is behind me smile
Yeah, I used to press P so that stop/start would cut the engine out, but sod it now!

RDMcG

19,096 posts

206 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
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Pica-Pica said:
Gary C said:
DoubleD said:
Brake lights arent that bright anyway
Nope. I cant believe this post is still droning on.

I now always stop with my brakelights on, just in the hope the OP is behind me smile
Yeah, I used to press P so that stop/start would cut the engine out, but sod it now!
The UK must have some kind of genetic eye sensitivity. In North America brake lights are pretty much universally deployed at stoplights, many modern cars have LED headlights, many older have Xenons and so on. I drive many miles a year in all sorts of conditions and had no idea that these personal discomforts existed. I have never seen a thread on this other than in the UK.

Speary8

74 posts

84 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
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jamei303 said:
My desk lamp is 60 watts. I can still see to type.
Unless I shine it your face for more than a few seconds. A bit like brake lights.

BertBert

18,954 posts

210 months

Wednesday 25th September 2019
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Speary8 said:
Unless I shine it your face for more than a few seconds. A bit like brake lights.
Is that the uprated Halfords 60w brake lights?