55 minutes ago, Ian Lanc said:

Who remembers the older safety reflective belts which cyclists used in the 70's & 80's, even some pedestrians using them, the belt clipped around your waist with a shoulder strap ??

When I was in Junior school (1960's) we were all given an orange sash to wear when walking to school. It was only semi-reflective and just went across your chest. Photo below is the improved 1970's model 😉

20 hours ago, Justin Smith said:

I thought there was another advantage that orange light didn't affect your night vision so much ?

My understanding was that they were much better in foggy conditions. White light scatters more in fog. Back in the day you could get yellow filters for the headlights.

3 hours ago, Ian Lanc said:

older safety reflective belts

Still got one, it is in one of my cars, others have hi-vis tabards

This whole issue of LED v Sodium lighting, reminds me of digital radio v FM. On digital, you either get a signal or not, with FM, even if you went into a weakened signal area, you could still listen to the radio station, yes, maybe a bit crackly, but you'd get something. With DAB, you just get silence when signal goes weak... I keep saying this, but new tech isn't always best!

I'll mention this again as I know this can be done on the LED lamps that are used in Kent, they can be dimmed or controlled remotely so what you may see on a lamp may not be its full brightness and therefore you would be advised to contact the relevant authority to check/ask if you have a concern or worry.

On 12/8/2023 at 12:34 PM, mjt said:

Our local council passed control of the street lighting to a private company and the first thing they did was take out the only lamp standard that was actually over the footpath. All the others are on the other side of the road (grass verge), buried in vegetation. They've also been changed to LED and are now virtually useless, just pools of dim light a few metres across. The first time I came home after it had been done I nearly drove into our front fence because I couldn't see the entrance to the drive. I've needed to put reflectors on the posts to locate them.

Like this :

 

 

Yep. Exactly like that. I now have to use a torch when I go round the corner to my neighbour's house and a head torch when I put the bins out. I saw someone using one to find their way along the pavement a few days ago.

29 minutes ago, mjt said:

I now have to use a torch when I go round the corner to my neighbour's house and a head torch

...but look on the "bright" side you're keeping Greta happy 🤣

9 hours ago, unofix said:

...but look on the "bright" side you're keeping Greta happy 🤣

Another bright side, when you've been knocked down you can look up and see the stars (literally as well as metaphorically).

These modern LED street lights are indeed pants. Bright white light with little dispersal field so they basically only light the spot where they point to. 
I've had several near misses and close calls with cyclists and pedestrians because you can barely see them unless they are standing right under the damn lights. 
It also doesn't help that you can barely see the road with those lights and the headlights on my current Fiesta aren't the best. Even though bulbs are upgraded to 200x ones, there are times the road is so dirty that you can't see the tarmac in front of your bonnet. 

I hate driving at night for those reasons and also cos car headlights now are extremely bright and blinding, even on dipped beam. 

Everyone I speak to about headlights agree that they have problems with the modern excessively intense white ones. Many, like me, now actively avoid driving at night because of them.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-12942101/Rise-drivers-dazzled-headlights-RAC-blames-brighter-LEDs-SUVs.html

5 hours ago, mjt said:

problems with the modern excessively intense white ones.

Digressing from topic :

If 80% of drivers (including me) think modern vehicle lights are too bright, why is nothing being done about it ?  Poor field of view for the single (!) reversing light, indicators obscured by bright headlights or brake lights, and indicator/DRLs better suited to Xmas trees.

It strikes me Vivienne Westwood could design better lighting ! 

3 minutes ago, Paulkp said:

... Poor field of view for the single (!) reversing light, indicators obscured by bright headlights or brake lights, and indicator/DRLs better suited to Xmas trees.

I have added my own additional LED reversing light as I agree, the factory provided one is atrocious (even with an upgraded bulb). I also guess that's why many cars 'mute' the DRL/headlight when the indicator is in use.

Oh, you do know that Vivienne is no longer with us? 😁

To be honest I've always believed that the only purpose of a reversing light is to indicate to someone behind that the vehicle is reversing, not to provide illumination.

22 minutes ago, mjt said:

To be honest I've always believed that the only purpose of a reversing light is to indicate to someone behind that the vehicle is reversing, not to provide illumination.

We'll disagree on that one, mine provides proper illumination...

Indeed we will Stephen. You believe the lamp should provide illumination, I believe it was only ever intended as a signal.

Do you just blindly reverse into the abyss when it's dark then?  

I too believe the idea of it being a white light is to illuminate the area you're driving into.

4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Do you just blindly reverse into the abyss when it's dark then?  

I too believe the idea of it being a white light is to illuminate the area you're driving into.

I had this sort of thing on a few cars (including several Minis) back in the day😀

 

5 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

I had this sort of thing on a few cars (including several Minis) back in the day😀

Function over form anyday!!

Surely should be dual purpose ?  A pair that illuminate kerbs at least, with a sufficiently wide viewing angle so that you do not have to be directly behind a vehicle.

Who hasn't driven up a residential road, and seen the back end of a car poking out from between the hedges, and wondered if it is about to reverse out ?

2 minutes ago, Paulkp said:

Who hasn't driven up a residential road, and seen the back end of a car poking out from between the hedges, and wondered if it is about to reverse out ?

mmm... that'll be me LOL 🤣

20 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Do you just blindly reverse into the abyss when it's dark then?

Yes . Well no, actually. If I can't see I don't reverse, but since I don't drive at night anymore due to the blinding modern headlights its not an issue for me.

On 1/31/2024 at 8:20 AM, Nick Y said:

These modern LED street lights are indeed pants. Bright white light with little dispersal field so they basically only light the spot where they point to. 
I've had several near misses and close calls with cyclists and pedestrians because you can barely see them unless they are standing right under the damn lights. 
It also doesn't help that you can barely see the road with those lights and the headlights on my current Fiesta aren't the best. Even though bulbs are upgraded to 200x ones, there are times the road is so dirty that you can't see the tarmac in front of your bonnet. 

I hate driving at night for those reasons and also cos car headlights now are extremely bright and blinding, even on dipped beam. 

But astronomers can see the stars better, so that's adequate compensation for all the extra accidents, surely ?

It would be if Musk wasn't filling the sky with satellites.