Plezier wrote: How many drivers of MGF's and TF's push the limits in their road driving?
I have noticed that my MGF's almost seem invisible to many other road users. Have lost count already of the times that others have pulled out without seemingly seen the MGF. I know my horns work as they get regular use due to this.
The low profile and small visual surface area viewed from the front and rear on the F & TF's will have a low visual impact to other road users, car colours are also an issue, in the light spectrum green is the slowest but colours that blend into the road surface like greys, silvers and dark blues all have a slower visual reaction time to other road users.
Daytime vehicle lighting makes a difference whereby the scandinavians introduced the high level brake light in the early seventies as a standard fitment and later with Volvo where the front dipped headlights come on with the ignition, both proven to reduce accidents. Other lighting improvements are fitting the indicator side repeaters as high as possible, now built into the side mirrors.
In the UK we also went through a phase of dim dip headlights, whereby if the sidelights were switched on and the ignition was switched on the dipped beam would also come on but with less intensity (ceramic wire wound resistor in series with the bulb)
And latterly with the advance in LED technology (very low power consumption but extreme brightness) we now have the DLR's as a standard fitment on new marques.
I am not a fan of DLR's but if we have a car colour that blends in with the road surface, then best bet to improve being seen would be to retro fit DRL's as I know some members have.
The fitting of DLR's is not that simple as there needs to be some interaction with the direction indicators so that the DLR's switch off or or go dim when the direction indicator is being used. There is still confusion about interpretation of the legislation when retro fitting DLR's and MOT testers may have different opinions on how to interpret the rules.
I have been looking after a friends MR2 for a number years with servicing, pre MOT checks and submitting for the MOT at the same place I always use. The car is a Japanese import and this year it failed the MOT as the front sidelights have orange lenses. I showed him the previous 3 years worth of old MOT's where it passed with the orange lenses; the garage owner said (who is also a friend) we have a new guy doing the MOT's and that's his interpretation of the rules, just get some new lenses to pacify him.
So before you start to drill holes in your front bumper to fit DLR's check you can meet the legislation with what you are fitting as there is plenty of Chinese crap out there, especially on flea bay
Brian.
