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Sequential pattern...for brake lights...why is it that some frown upon its use?

Evolvd

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Just my .02 but out of the MILLIONS of cars on the road I doubt one VERY small minority of Mustang drivers is going to make it any more dangerous on the roads to have sequential brakes.

And since we are on the topic of studies, I'm willing to put money down that the majority of rear-endings are due to following too closely or driver inattention. Brake lights won't do a damn bit of good for you there if the person behind you isn't paying attention or is riding your ass.

Sequence away...I do.
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HoosierDaddy

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Interesting positions. one side says sequenced brake lights get noticed better. The other side says sequenced brake light won't get noticed better.

Lets see, the side against sequenced says that brake lights should come on immediately to be effective.

In defense of the sequenced crowd, The first segment of sequenced taillights therefore come on just as fast as non sequenced LED taillights. To my mind that defeats the argument of immediacy being different.
To me immediacy never was an issue. But you do point out the reduction in amount of light and where that light is visible from. In the case of the Mustang, it would be 1/3 the initial amount of light. Plus a delay for anyone with something between them and the lit elements. Brake lights aren't just for the car directly behind. Even if one segment met minimal standards, it doesn't mean 3 aren't safer.
Studies have shown that flashing lights get noticed. That is why all emergency vehicles are equipped with them. Sequential taillights then resemble the flashing of emergency vehicles for the time it takes them to fully activate. That seems to be a plus if getting other drivers attention is the goal, which of course it is in the case of brake lights.
Emergency vehicles have flashing lights so they will be noticed at a distance in a sea of closer non-flashing lights so that people can react at a relatively leisurely rate and not generate new emergencies.

Regardless of whether flashing lights WOULD be better, the fact remains, they are still different. And that adds complexity to those that need to react to them. That is the biggest problem with flashing or sequential. If all cars flashed or all had sequential, they would not cause delays in reaction for the people who take that extra split second to decide what they mean. Are they a kind of brake light I never saw, or are do I think its just a car changing lanes when I can only see one side, etc..
 

Fraye

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Might be more useful if the sequencing correlated to how hard you hit your brakes.

E46 BMWs with LED taillights do this; inner section lights up for normal braking, additional outer ring lights up under panic braking.
 

Road Dog

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In the case of the Mustang, it would be 1/3 the initial amount of light. Plus a delay for anyone with something between them and the lit elements. Brake lights aren't just for the car directly behind. Even if one segment met minimal standards, it doesn't mean 3 aren't safer.
No it would be the high mount light and two side lights that are the same as on many many current cars. Then it adds the remains segments that are also as bright as many other cars so when the sequence is complete the Mustang has three times the number of brake lights as many cars.

Emergency vehicles have flashing lights so they will be noticed at a distance in a sea of closer non-flashing lights so that people can react at a relatively leisurely rate and not generate new emergencies.
True but you haven't disputed the fact that the flashing attracts attention regardless of the intent of use. Sequencing does not detract from the noticeability of the brake lights.

Regardless of whether flashing lights WOULD be better, the fact remains, they are still different. And that adds complexity to those that need to react to them. That is the biggest problem with flashing or sequential. If all cars flashed or all had sequential, they would not cause delays in reaction for the people who take that extra split second to decide what they mean. Are they a kind of brake light I never saw, or are do I think its just a car changing lanes when I can only see one side, etc..
We concede they activate differently but the difference causes them to be more noticeable, and we add that the high mounted light is also there and signaling a braking action with no ambiguity. That and the fact that the first segments on both sides of the car signal nothing but a braking action make the sequencing brake lights different yes but extremely effective also.
 

Road Dog

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Might be more useful if the sequencing correlated to how hard you hit your brakes.

E46 BMWs with LED taillights do this; inner section lights up for normal braking, additional outer ring lights up under panic braking.
So the BMW engineers added more segments that light up to attract more attention. But they trigger them with either a higher rate of deceleration or higher brake pedal pressure. Both take time to trigger. The Mustang sequencer lights them all up at the same rate regardless of deceleration rate.
 

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P4RKER

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You guys need to drive around metro detroit for a few days. Everyday on my way home I end up behind at least 1 car with no taillights of any kind and another car that is accelerating down the highway riding their brakes the entire time. It is almost refreshing when I happen upon an S197 with the sequencing tail light mod because they at least care enough about their lights to have them and not ride them.

I will say though that the first few times I saw these on older mustangs it took me a second to realize they were brakes. I knew about the sequencing turn signals and assumed I was just seeing those (luckily I don't tailgate or I would have crashed). The high 3rd brake light is an excellent point but when you compare it to the normal brake lights in terms of size and "right in your face" factor it is almost irrelevant.
I do, however, like the motorcycle flashing brake lights. Those are unmistakable.
 

Trackaholic

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Flashing lights definitely get noticed more than constant ones, especially if it occurs outside of your direct line of sight.

However, making a brake light look like a turn signal (and vice versa) is terribly confusing.

One of my biggest gripes is the use of red turn signals, because in traffic it is difficult to know if the car ahead in the next lane over is trying to change lanes or if they are just slowing down.

The sequencing blinker on the Mustang at least helps mitigate that confusion.

I therefore think sequencing the tail lights is a terrible idea because it adds to that brief moment of uncertainty.

However, I do like the idea of flashing the middle brake light in order to better attract the attention of drivers behind.

-T
 

stoli

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In the 80s people argued the 3rd brake light was too much of a distraction and would cause more rear end accidents...
 

soldier989

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In this world, there's many types of people, that includes smart people dumb people and those who want to blame everything that goes wrong on someone...or something else. I can only imagine that one day I hop on this website and open a thread that deals with being rear ended. The OP mentions they're having issues with insurance cause the person who rear ended them played stupid and said their taillights malfunctioned and a turn signal displayed, rather than a solid brake light. The insurance company then finds out the brake lights were modified away from how they operate from the factory, and possibly decline covering the claim.

If both taillights sequence when the brake is applied, your only saving grace is the 3rd brake light, which can be overlooked because of the distracting light show happening when you hit your brakes. I personally don't think that having sequencing brake lights would cause any major issues, but it only takes 1 person to know that they ARENT supposed to do that from the factory.

This sounds like a good way to get Ford to remove the sequential turn signals from the car entirely. I'm not familiar with why Ford removed them from the T-bird and Cougar in the 1st place. Maybe cost, or because of tail light design....or some kind of regulation change?
 
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Freedom

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Here's the thing I wanna know, since it violates DoT. Couldn't the person ramming your rear say your lights didnt flash properly? hmmmm
 

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Evolvd

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It violates what DoT? Each state has their own rules on how vehicles will operate.

If 3 bright-ass lights suddenly appear on the car in front of you and you don't realize they are braking you might need your IQ checked or your driver's license revoked...regardless of how many other lights come on within a second of the first three.

Funny how folks will argue something that can't be proven..."sequential tail lights aren't as safe" or "you'll be at fault if someone rear ends you".

Time to unsubscribe, this post is killing brain cells.
 

tom_sprecher

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It violates NHSTA regulations, not that they police it.
 

ForTehNguyen

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motorcycles need flash because they have tiny ass brake lights. Mustangs are already bright like a vegas strip sign
 

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To the OP, I didn't read the replies here but here is my opinion... who cares?

Anybody that has so little going on in their life that they would complain about someone else's brake lights sequencing is doing pretty damned well and just looking for something to complain about. If you like it, go for it. Certainly you want to consider how the car will be used and the laws in the state you live in and if you want to risk braking those laws.
 

lemers

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I want a 4th brake light to flash F1 style while leaving the regular brake lights alone.
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