This weekend was a perfect example of why headlights should be requried

[Jab31169]

I know headlights are not required for "daytime only" races, but this weekend at barber seems to make the case for why headlights should be a standard safety item.  We had a lot of cars running without headlights in POURING rain and you had no idea where they were once they got behind you.  Got worse as the day went on and it started to get darker.  Some of those cars were unfortunately flat black and it made it even harder to see.  We ran our lights all race, both days, and we might even pull the cone crushers motto of always running the light bar.  

 

Some of those cars also had no running lights at the rear either...which is the other reason I was glad we had all our lights on.

Edited December 10, 2018 by Jab31169

[Team Infiniti]

As a faster, quiet car, policy has been, lights on even if it's a beautiful day.

[Ian]

Just like people on the road when it rains.  Headlights don't help you see, but help you be seen.

 

I perminantly installed the headlights on our car and if it's anything but sunny, they're on.

[JC_CRapshoot]

100% agree...very handy when passing or being passed.  I ran at VIR 2 weeks ago without them in the rain and really wish I had them when  passing several times.  It is easier to tell where a car has gone using the mirrors when the lights are on.  I also wish the rain lights were mandatory.  Going down those straights in total spray losing the car in front of you is a scary proposition.

[jakks]

I’m writing a petition for it. Suggest others do the same. Even a 16” light bar is better than nothing and I hate light bars. 

[Snorman]

Regarding the rain lights, be careful what you wish for...

We have the future "series mandated" rain light on both of our cars. And they are bright. I believe we are going to have to put some tint over the lens to actually use it without blinding every single racer behind us.

S. 

[Team Infiniti]

1 hour ago, Snorman said:

Regarding the rain lights, be careful what you wish for...

We have the future "series mandated" rain light on both of our cars. And they are bright. I believe we are going to have to put some tint over the lens to actually use it without blinding every single racer behind us.

S. 

Not quite a fan, Too bright and they will be mandated to go where I still place my tags.

 

[DaveH]

I saw some folks with the FIA flasher at VIR, which was nice, but I think I would caution against those at night.  They're TOO bright then.  We will probably need a rule that says you have to turn it off once the sun goes down and just rely on stockish tail lights.

[Snorman]

8 minutes ago, Team Infiniti said:

Not quite a fan, Too bright and they will be mandated to go where I still place my tags.

 

Oh it's bright. 

Really bright. And yeah, our light is right in tag recess. 

S. 

[Jab31169]

We had our rain light on and a few others did as well at Barber.  Didn't bother me in the later afternoon when it was getting dark, the spray off cars was pretty intense and the rain light does a good job of cutting though it.  Night might be a different story but I'd still rather have it on than get hit or hit someone else without one.

[Wittenauer Racing]

I think that's the main thing about rain lights (and really anything in life)- Gotta use your head. Very light drizzle and might be better off with them turned off. Downpour just stopped but your wipers are still blasting on high? Probably should be on. 

 

The Vintage Openwheel guys around here are required to have these rain lights, have been for a few years. The grid workers have a big board with "rain lights" which is displayed when they're expected to have them on, and it's checked that you have it on before you go out. If the sign is displayed you turn them on, otherwise you leave it off. Maybe do the same at pit out? Just have a sign at the pit out timer station that says "rain lights" which is only displayed when you should have lights on? 

[Team Infiniti]

5 minutes ago, Wittenauer Racing said:

at pit out

No, things can change during a stint, perhaps @  black flag?

[mhr650]

I plan to install some kind of daytime running lights on my next car. Those and the tail lights will not have a switch, if the engine is running they will be on. Having worked the pits during night races it is shocking how often we had to tell a team to radio the driver to turn the tail lights on, if they couldn’t get the driver to do it black flag to call him in.

[jakks]

5 hours ago, Jab31169 said:

We had our rain light on and a few others did as well at Barber.  Didn't bother me in the later afternoon when it was getting dark, the spray off cars was pretty intense and the rain light does a good job of cutting though it.  Night might be a different story but I'd still rather have it on than get hit or hit someone else without one.

I was at VIR last weekend. The e46 has one that was blinding and a very big distraction. I didn’t see any at Barber that were that way. Not sure if they were different or what. 

[Logdog]

I added a set of some cheapie Walmart "driving" lights between day 1 and day 2 at Gingerman this year after realizing how much easier it was to see the cars with lights.  A last second DRL.   Came in handy when the fog rolled in.  

 

 

[Racer28173]

11 hours ago, jakks said:

I was at VIR last weekend. The e46 has one that was blinding and a very big distraction. I didn’t see any at Barber that were that way. Not sure if they were different or what. 

Yeah.  There was a car at WGI that had a blinding one. Distracted me so much that I pushed really hard to pass him.  Would have been ironic if I had slid in the rain and put a fender on him because I hated his light.....

[JDChristianson]

20 hours ago, Jab31169 said:

 this weekend at barber seems to make the case for why headlights should be a standard safety item.

Yep.  There needs to be something on every car.

[DaveH]

Looks like there some disagreement between series on the behavior of those rain lights about when they're steady on and when they blink. 

 

https://www.discoveryparts.com/race-car-electrical-lighting-components/4319-fia-rainbrake-light-behavior-modification-kit-afterburner-40080.html

 

Reading the 2019 BCCR, the wording of 9.9.4.1 sucks.  No offense to whoever wrote it, but someone with a technical writing background needs to be involved in drafting this thing.

 

Edit: I just sent an e-mail with a suggested wording update to Tech.

Edited December 11, 2018 by DaveH

[MoparBoyy]

21 hours ago, Team Infiniti said:

Not quite a fan, Too bright and they will be mandated to go where I still place my tags.

 

 

Spacers and you can install the plate, I’ve done this on the cobra.

[Racer28173]

3 hours ago, DaveH said:

Looks like there some disagreement between series on the behavior of those rain lights about when they're steady on and when they blink. 

 

https://www.discoveryparts.com/race-car-electrical-lighting-components/4319-fia-rainbrake-light-behavior-modification-kit-afterburner-40080.html

 

Reading the 2019 BCCR, the wording of 9.9.4.1 sucks.  No offense to whoever wrote it, but someone with a technical writing background needs to be involved in drafting this thing.

 

Edit: I just sent an e-mail with a suggested wording update to Tech.

I agree with the NASA approach.   Steady on normally and blinking under braking.  The continuous blinking is just too damn annoying when they are as bright as they are. 

[DaveH]

3 hours ago, Racer28173 said:

I agree with the NASA approach.   Steady on normally and blinking under braking.  The continuous blinking is just too damn annoying when they are as bright as they are. 

 

I didn't suggest changing the behavior in my e-mail.  I'm not sure all of them are capable of being set up that way, short of doing some relay logic with the brake signal, and we aren't exactly flush with electrical engineers in this series.

 

I would say let it go for a season with the rule like it is (suggested, but not mandatory) and then evaluate at the end of 2019 if you want them to be mandatory and if you want the NASA or FIA behavior.

Edited December 11, 2018 by DaveH

[Chris Huggins]

3 hours ago, Racer28173 said:

I agree with the NASA approach.   Steady on normally and blinking under braking.  The continuous blinking is just too damn annoying when they are as bright as they are. 

NASA south east approach...

 

NASA mid Atlantic is opposite...

17 minutes ago, DaveH said:

 

I didn't suggest changing the behavior in my e-mail.  I'm not sure all of them are capable of being set up that way, short of doing some relay logic with the brake signal, and we aren't exactly flush with electrical engineers in this series.

 

 

Lots of smart people, including electrical engineers, race with us.

 

doesnt take a genius to adjust these

 

 

[DaveH]

1 minute ago, Huggy said:

NASA south east approach...

 

NASA mid Atlantic is opposite...

 

Lots of smart people, including electrical engineers, race with us.

 

doesnt take a genius to adjust these

 

 

 

Sorry, forgot to include the green text.  Fixed it now.

[Wink]

1 hour ago, DaveH said:

I didn't suggest changing the behavior in my e-mail.  I'm not sure all of them are capable of being set up that way, short of doing some relay logic with the brake signal

  The lifeline light I have came set up do to this. 1 power wire, 1 signal and a ground. Wire pwr to power source, and spice the signal into the brake lights harness. 

http://www.lifeline-fire.com/ledrainlight.aspx

[DaveH]

13 minutes ago, Wink said:

  The lifeline light I have came set up do to this. 1 power wire, 1 signal and a ground. Wire pwr to power source, and spice the signal into the brake lights harness. 

http://www.lifeline-fire.com/ledrainlight.aspx

Yeah, but they're talking about making it work the other way, so its steady when the brakes aren't on and flashing when they are on.  Unless there's a jumper or something, you'd have to do it with an external relay that inverts the brake signal.