The LED brake lights on the new cars can be really annoying, especially the
new Cadillacs.  I get really pissed when I get stuck behind one of those in
a traffic jam.  Way too bright.

Cheers, 

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
David Marshall
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 4:04 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: high wattage light bulbs - A caution

I also find it annoying as hell following someone with mega bright tail
lights.� I think it is real danger.� Tail lights should be
normal brightness.� By all means have the brake lights mega bright to
get someone's attention, but if the difference between tail lights and
brake lights is small and someone is already POed about the bright tails
and now isn't looking directly at you as it is too bright, they might not
notice the brake lights when they go on.

LED lights for brake
lights work fantastic!

Just my two cents worth!

David Marshall
VW Adventure Driver and BMW Adventure Rider

http://www.hasenwerk.ca

On Mon, May 25, 2009 11:34, John
Rodgers wrote:
> 
> I write this as a separate topic from
Tom Stones current thread of
> similar subject. I do this for the
archives.
> 
> The high wattage bulbs that get installed 
as back-up lights, turn
> signals, brake lights, and tail lights -
produce a lot of heat. The
> plastic materials used in the
fixtures for these lights soften and
> distort at the temperatures
the bulbs produce. How do I know? BTDT!!
> Yup! melted my tail
lights. Actually distorted the plastics and rendered
> one of them
unusable and I had to replace it. Maybe could have started a
>
fire - but it didn't, and I'm grateful for that. I first realized there
> was a problem when one night I was looking at a tail light and saw
the
> distortion in the pattern in the plastic. It was clearly
distorted. Next
> day I removed the fixture and took a look and
discovered the damage. I
> went back to the old bulb for all
except the backup lights. I kept the
> 50 bulbs there, because
those bulb don't stay on long enough to do any
> damage, but to
use them you must understand that. Put it in revers, back
> up,
take it out of reverse. Don't dilly-dally - you will over heat the
> plastic. If you get on with the business of backing up then get out
of
> reverse quickly, you can enjoy the benefits of the brighter
light
> without the hazard of over heating. But that backup light
is the only
> one I would use in a 50W bulb .
> 
>
Regards,
> 
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>