Car headlights ON for Friday's State Funeral

June 9, 2004 | ricer1

[ricer1]

Honor Mr. Ronald Reagan with your car headlights ON for Friday.

[Arthalion]

All it does is cause other folk's pupils to contract

Uh, no. Your pupils contract at night because they have fully opened in response to the original lowlight situation, and are easily overwhelmed by the relative brightness of oncoming (or in-mirror) headlights. During the day, however, your pupils have already contracted in response to the intense light thrown off by the sun. Unless that oncoming car has million candlepower bulbs, the headlights simply won't be bright enough to affect the eyes of anybody with vision good enough to drive anyway.

So should everyone have them on? Not necessarily. It's a proven fact that the human eye is extremely adept at identifying shiny objects. If you're cruising down the road on a nice, sunny day with a bright red truck with big chrome bumpers, it's a fair bet that you're visible and noticeable enough that nobody is going to miss you. If, however, you're driving your modern and chrome-less white compact car on a hazy afternoon, it's possible for some people to overlook your bland vehicle and possibly cause an accident...leaving your headlights on in that situation would make your car "shinier" to oncoming traffic, increasing your visibility and reducing your risk of accident. Since modern cars are increasingly chromeless and bland, features like daytime running lights are being added to make them stand out more in traffic (interestingly, my wifes new 2005 Dodge Caravan doesn't have this feature, and it's as bland as they get).

[petercooper]

Yes I know all that- the same theory applies to cars- it makes them more visible to other drivers - that's the point muawiyah.

[FrankR]

Well, I came into this thread - an obvious attempt at putting forth a suggestion to show respect and honor to a great President - and the whole thread denigrated into a debate on how headlights function.

This reminds me of the blonde who - while holding the key in her hand - thought she was locked out of her car because the battery in her "remote" was dead.

There were even snide remarks accusing the author of having an "older car"...a comment an elitist would thrive on.

Now, I have a 2000 vehicle, and a 2001 vehicle, and the lights DO NOT come on automatically, unless the outside lighting conditions are dim enough.

Now, if "headlight function" is going to override the point of offering respect and condolences, then do something else; drive with your flashers on, or put that little rear window flag you bought for 9/11 back on the car.

Take white shoe polish and write "God Bless President Reagan" across the back glass (not on the paint).

And those of you who thought this thread was about "headlight function", stop trying so hard to miss the point.

[clintonh8r]

So when all cars have their lights on what difference will it make? There will be no differentiation, just total visual clutter.

[Dead Corpse]

Will do.

[Cold Heat]

Unfortunately, I cannot turn mine off!

Will a American flag and numerous bumperstickers suffice?:-)

My next major road trip will be to California to visit the Reagan Library and to salute the best Commander in Chief that ever was.

God Bless the Reagan family.

[kellynla]

Well, I came into this thread - an obvious attempt at putting forth a suggestion to show respect and honor to a great President - and the whole thread denigrated into a debate on how headlights function.

No good deed goes unpunished. :-]

But I'll turn the lights on Friday out of respect for Ronald Reagan.
Semper Fi, Kelly

[ricer1]

Yes, the discussion did denigrate.

I can turn the lights on my 2002 anytime I want.

If you can't do the same, then pay your respect and honor this great man the best way you know how.

[Judith Anne]

And so will Hub and I.

[kellynla]

might I propose that we honor this great man (in a small way, granted)Ronald Reagan, by driving with our car headlights ON all day

Will do!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[Sloth]

A recent study found that driving with your headlights on during the day reduces your risk of being involved in an accident with another vehicle by 5 percent, and reduces your risk of striking a pedestrian by 9 percent! It's worth it!

It also increases your chance of draining your battery by a huge percentage, if you have an older car that doesn't alert you that your lights are on when you open the door.

[ricer1]

Thanks, Kelly.

It seems that some are still stuck on the technical debates of this suggestion...

[petercooper]

Ok Ok - let's get back to the issue- honoring this great man!

[Sloth]

That is a cool pic.

[petercooper]

You're damn right Sloth. Next question.

[Xenalyte]

That's why I bought a candy-apple-red car. If they can't see a bright-red Saturn coming toward 'em, they're gonna miss my headlights too - which is why I bought a car made entirely of fiberglas. (Or so my body shop seems to think.)

[Xenalyte]

That's why I bought a candy-apple-red car. If they can't see a bright-red Saturn coming toward 'em, they're gonna miss my headlights too.

[Question_Assumptions]

Actually, I'm thinking about wearing a Reagan/Bush '84 campaign button on Friday.

[ricer1]

I've got one of those as well. It's been a LONG time since I wore mine.

[reagan_fanatic]

There are several tens of millions of reasons for this ~ among them are the elderly for whom any increase in the level of glare is an unmitigated disaster

I don't know how many times I've seen a car coming down the road at me in the middle of the day with headlights so bright I get a headache just looking at them, and it turns out to be granny gumms hunched over the steering wheel squinting through the windshield with her beady little eyes. I can't for the life of me figure out how bright headlights in the middle of the day helps the elderly see any better.