Clear indicators

[pzkpfw]

Just wanted to run an idea past you. (Getting real deja-vu, sorry if this is a re-post; I did search)

I noticed that I don't seem to "see" clear indicators as much as "normal" or "old fashioned" ones.

At first I thought I was mentaly blocking out the boy racers who put them on their cars, but recently ("seeing" them in more places, like on bikes) I think I figured it out:

Old style:

ON: Brain says "Orange light = indicator"
OFF: Brain says "That light was orange = indicator"

Clear style:

ON: Brain says "Orange light = indicator"
OFF: Brain says "Where'd that light go? What was it? Who am I?"

Basically, when I look at an old style indicator, and it turns off, I am still looking at an orange thing.

So I decided not to ever put clear indicators on a vehicle (if I get a choice).

Dunno.

Cheers,

[98tls]

Kind of know what you mean........for a while i had a clear lens with intergrated indicator/tailight led board that fitted in original TLS tailight.......never felt safe to be honest so got rid of.................

[MisterD]

Indicators? Don't have 'em, hand-signals only here.

[frogfeaturesFZR]

Know what you mean, seems to take a little longer to register...shit thats an indicator !

[Indiana_Jones]

I love my orange indicators :D

My old FXR's clear ones were cool though.

-Indy

[crashe]

Yeah I prefer to see that orange indicator flashing as well..


Are the 'clear' ones legal?
Does anyone know?
I sure somewhere in the road code they speak of orange indicators....

Or have the rules gone and changed on us yet again.......????

[Indiana_Jones]

The ones I really hate are red indicators, that shit drives me insane lol

-Indy

[crashe]

The ones I really hate are red indicators, that shit drives me insane lol

-Indy

You find them on the big yank cars......
They do both brake and indicator......

I have to look twice to make sure what the driver is doing as well.

[sunhuntin]

anything that dont look like it should doesnt register with me.
i hate those cars that have all the bulbs under one clear panel... the indicator tends to be above the headlight, and with the headlight going, you cant see the blinker.

they should keep colors they way they are meant to be. bloody dangerous changing shit.

[Sniper]

Thats not an idea, thats a statement

[pzkpfw]

That's not an idea, that's a statement.

Well, yeah. Maybe more of a stream of consciousness thing. It all came out of my head; same place I keep my ideas.

Just wanted comments - and appreciate those I got.

Cheers,

[bert_is_evil]

Hmm, you make a good point, I've been waiting on a web retailer to get back to me about buying a set of clear indicators, perhaps I'll have a rethink.

[hXc]

Are the 'clear' ones legal?I had custom indicators on the Spada. They were there when I bought it, 'cause the old one's got mashed in the first accident it was involved in.

It had orange lens on the rear, and clear lens on the front. I got pulled up by the police a few times (only ticketed once) and they never got looked at twice. Same story at warrants. It passed with flying colours, apart from the first time I took it for one, it didn't have a reflector or some bullshit.

No problems with clear indicators. I liked them. They were bright, easy to see when flashing, but not ugly in your face when not in use. People used to ask me where my indicators were, I just flicked 'em on and they could see them fine.

[pzkpfw]

People used to ask me where my indicators were, I just flicked 'em on and they could see them fine.


Kind of my point. You only see 'em when they are on.


[Hope your case is going better. Keep an eye on your car (when you get it) if you park it at school again; that girl who hit you may go for the "payback" thing with a key. She sounds like the type.]

Cheers,

[scumdog]

The ones I really hate are red indicators, that shit drives me insane lol

-Indy

Got 'em on the rear of the Thunderbird and C.B.s '62 fairlane.

Got clear indicators on the front of my '55 F100 and C.B.s '62.

All factory.

Bikes have trad. orange ones all round.

[vifferman]

Are the 'clear' ones legal?
Does anyone know?
Yes, someone knows.

There are only legal if they are marked with the relevant 'E' marks, and if they satisfy specific regulations about visibility: they have to be visible from "x" metres away (can't remember the figure), and have to visible at the front from 80 degrees to the opposite side of straight ahead (i.e., to the left, for the one mounted on the right front, and to the right, for the onef mounted on the left front of the vehicle). They also have to be visible at 90 degrees out to the side. The last regulation refers to how fast they blink: if you change to LEDs, you have to either add a resistor or change the flasher unit to an electronic one.

I'm looking at replacing the ugly front indicators on the VFR (the only bit of the bike I don't like) with some less protruberant clear ones, but I'm having trouble with that 80 degrees visibility thing. One of the troubles with the VFR front indicators (apart from looks) is they're the first thing to hit the deck in an 'off', and they invariably punch through the fairing, causing many shekels worth of damage.

So far, I've found two (2) likely candidates, both from scooters: Vespa ET2/ET4 indicators, for $22 each, including bulbs (!), and TGB 303 front indicators, unknown price.

BTW - with clear indicators, you can get either orange bulbs, or silvered bulbs that glow orange but don't stand out (so they don't look like egg yolks).

First pic shows the "Dumbo Ears", second shows a mockup with clear Vespa indicators.

[scumdog]

Who measures the 80-degree thing?

Does the garage actually check that?

[vifferman]

Who measures the 80-degree thing?

Does the garage actually check that?
Presumably, if the injamickators looked legal, no-one would check them. But if they looked out of place, or it was a vehicle that required certification (like a streetfightered sprotsbike or a chopper) then a pedant or bureaucrat might check.
My scheme is to make some plates to fill the existing holes, and mount the new indicators in/on those, and use the OEM plugs, so if it all turns pear-shaped from a legal point of view it can easily revert to stock.
I did the same thing with my stoplight flasher - it's currently illegal, and failed the recent WOF, so all I had to do to pass it was a quick unplug/replug. The MarkIII version will have a bypass switch, so if I get pulled up by the popo I can disable it so I don't cop an extra ticket for that.

[KLOWN]

Some clear indicators don't bother me, some on the mercs are highly visable the ones I really don't like are the ones that flash almost a white colour with a tinge of oragnge they make it difficult to tell what the hell is happening. On a side note I like the merc indicators on the wing mirrors they are always really easy to see.

[scumdog]

Presumably, if the injamickators looked legal, no-one would check them. But if they looked out of place, or it was a vehicle that required certification (like a streetfightered sprotsbike or a chopper) then a pedant or bureaucrat might check.
My scheme is to make some plates to fill the existing holes, and mount the new indicators in/on those, and use the OEM plugs, so if it all turns pear-shaped from a legal point of view it can easily revert to stock.
I did the same thing with my stoplight flasher - it's currently illegal, and failed the recent WOF, so all I had to do to pass it was a quick unplug/replug. The MarkIII version will have a bypass switch, so if I get pulled up by the popo I can disable it so I don't cop an extra ticket for that.

Make it look factory and you'll pretty much get away with it.

BTW Never heard of ANYBODY being hassled about indicators/stop-light flashers down here. (Have heard of one guy getting a rev-up for not having ANY indicators on a bike that should have had them.

[Motu]

Who measures the 80-degree thing?

Does the garage actually check that?

We don't have to check standard markings and other fitting regulations every single time....if we did that a car WoF would take a couple of hours and the complaints would clog the KB site.These things were passed in the VIN prosess and should stay within spec from then on.But if we ''suspect'' there has been a change then we look.If you alter something and it manages to look factory then it won't trigger the ''bastard'' module fitted to all AVI's....but if you PK screw some Mercedes car mirrors to your fairing then even I might notice.Kinda like your job.....The P dealer with a dead body in the boot can drive right past you,but little pimple face in the Civic who can't see over the steering wheel is going to get your attention more.

[crashe]

There are only legal if they are marked with the relevant 'E' marks, and if they satisfy specific regulations about visibility: they have to be visible from "x" metres away (can't remember the figure), and have to visible at the front from 80 degrees to the opposite side of straight ahead (i.e., to the left, for the one mounted on the right front, and to the right, for the onef mounted on the left front of the vehicle). They also have to be visible at 90 degrees out to the side. The last regulation refers to how fast they blink: if you change to LEDs, you have to either add a resistor or change the flasher unit to an electronic one.

...........

BTW - with clear indicators, you can get either orange bulbs, or silvered bulbs that glow orange but don't stand out (so they don't look like egg yolks).

Cheers for that... much appreciated...

[Indiana_Jones]

Does it really matter if the indicators are clear or not? lol

-Indy

[Motu]

They can be any damn colour you like - so long as they have standards markings on them.

[Kittyhawk]

:innocent: Just look for the flashy coloured lights, but if they are blue and red run!~!

[Kendog]

Does it really matter if the indicators are clear or not? lol

-Indy

Cause some people (like me) want a more refined look.
Those stock Honda jobs were massive.