this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2024
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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[–] Mac@mander.xyz 16 points 4 months ago (9 children)

I personally think cars should have two brake light switches. one for when you're pressing the pedal at all, and one for when you're slamming on the pedal.

that way the people behind you know if you're just slowing down a little or actually braking.

[–] Scafir@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Actually, a least some cars (probably more than you think)/have some sort of "emergency" breaking signal, which often result in the usual breaking signal blinking for a while. You need to seriously slam the brakes to see it though. E.g: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j_osu1WgGMU

There is also a nice technology connection video talking about braking lights for electric cars and in general, which can be dangerous.

[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 months ago

I rented an electric car recently (Mach-E) and almost exclusively drove in single-pedal mode.

Thought a lot about this video as I was driving.

[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I've seen some people play with the programming of BMWs. I was really impressed with one I saw that had 3 levels of lighting. It didn't affect the actual brake lights but instead utilized the rear fog light. Normal braking was just the normal lights. Moderate braking turned on the rear fog lights. But when he slammed the brakes, the rear fogs flashed.

I was also pissed to be in traffic that allowed for all 3 modes in a few miles.

[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz -2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

if you have an adequate following distance you never need to brake hard

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

That's frequently not the choice of the driver. An adequate follow distance provides a luxurious amount of space for someone to merge into, forcing you to slow to extend the follow distance, which allows more people to merge... etc.

[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz -1 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

There is no situation when one is obligated to tailgate

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'm not sure you read what I wrote.

[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Then... what? You're coming back days later to "no u" a comment that lays out pretty explicitly an exception to what you're presenting as a blanket rule. Do you... disagree? Are you just inexperienced enough with driving to not have had that happen to you? Adjusting to driving conditions takes time - even if it's only for 6-7 seconds per incident, that's still time where you're forced to follow far too close to another car without an ability to prevent the situation from arising. You seem like you don't understand that, sometimes, other people can be responsible for the situations you are put in through no fault of your own. Or, you're a sith. A driving sith.

...

Darth Subaru.

[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 1 points 4 months ago

From my point of view the Jedi are evil

[–] magnolia_mayhem@lemmy.world 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I know cats that blink the middle light if you brake hard.

EDIT: I'm not fixing that typo

[–] Aux@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Upvote for typo.

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Most modern cars now put the hazards on automatically when the driver brakes hard.

[–] JokklMaster@lemmy.world 12 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Source? I have never seen a single car that does this.

[–] invisiblegorilla@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 months ago

First time surprised me my because I didn't know the car had the feature. Slammed the brakes harder than normal and hazards flashed at double time. Driving a 2010 Alfa Romeo 159.

[–] DouchePalooza@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I have seen several - if you press hard enough to Activate ABS on dry road, you most likely will see the hazard lights on

[–] SoGrumpy@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

It's a fact.

I'm a truck driver in Germany, and even my Volvo truck turns the hazards on under hard braking.

In Europe it is required for vehicles decelerating faster than 6m/s^2^ and I believe some vehicles might activate their fog tail lights too.

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 0 points 4 months ago

I don't know what the system is called but it's been around on a lot of cars for a while now. Our car does it (2016 Nissan Qashqai) - the hazards came on automatically when I had to brake hard on the motorway, and everyone else's hazards came on too - it was exactly the reason I knew how I knew I had to instantly brake hard due to all the cars ahead hazard lights coming on with the brake lights.

[–] I_Miss_Daniel@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

I reach for the hazard lights any time I'm about to break hard or if someone in front has done something that will make me slow unexpectedly.

[–] manmachine@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

I seem to remember that when BMW first rolled out LED taillights they did something like this — they were brighter when the driver absolutely slammed on the brakes. No idea if that was a concept or in production cars though.

[–] Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I try (if I have time myself to do it without hitting someone and am just in front a mess) to "wake people up" a bit by rapidly tapping the brakes before hitting them hard (to hopefully make my brake lights flash).

[–] invertedspear@lemm.ee 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You can buy special brake light kits to do this automatically.

[–] Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg 1 points 4 months ago

I feel like I looked into that once upon a time and it was illegal in my state (Ohio).

I have seen something like that though, at times it's a bit too much IMO. I've seen some that trigger for pretty gentle braking so there's just a strobe light distraction in front of you over relatively minor things.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 0 points 4 months ago

They get brighter based on how much you push the brake

[–] thenextguy@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Two colors, amber for slowing, red for hard braking.

[–] Omgpwnies@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago

I always figured red and red strobing would make sense, since amber is used for turn signals. Not sure if that would fly for epilepsy and such though, but there are plenty of other bright flashy/flickery lights when driving as it is.