3 ms·

Part of me feels like we need to just make cars much much much more reflective (being careful to not have hard corners or flat surfaces that could create glare

by saurik 4y ago

Part of me feels like we need to just make cars much much much more reflective (being careful to not have hard corners or flat surfaces that could create glare during the day). First of all, that would make them much more easily visible at night (which would be great, and is something everyone should want)... but it would also mean that if you are an asshole and use your high beams or otherwise shine a light at a car you will also get blinded and thereby there will be an actual incentive to not harm others with your lighting setups. (I would personally award bonus points if this is implemented with some kind of inverse adaptive "matrix" mirror mechanism whereby reflective-ness is automatically concentrated at light sources that are directing light at you. This is again a win for good light citizens as it would make the car not overly bright during the day while managing to boost its visibility specifically to people who themselves have lights looking for obstacles, with the only side effect of blinding people with dangerous lightings setups who are blinding others already.)

Animats 4y ago
I would personally award bonus points if this is implemented with some kind of inverse adaptive "matrix" mirror mechanism whereby reflective-ness is automatically concentrated at light sources that are directing light at you. That's how reflective signs, vests, and auto reflectors work.[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroreflector https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroreflector
HPsquared 4y ago
Deliberately dazzling drivers at night may have liability issues.
- saurik 4y ago
  You'd think, and yet people drive around with headlights that do this all the time. The argument seems to be "but it helps me see: you being blinded is merely an unfortunate side effect"... so here "but it helps me be more visible".
saiya-jin 4y ago
That matrix mirror won't work in ie dirty cars, and as something seemingly complex and expensive, no manufacturer would put it willingly and most buyers wouldn't pay up for it neither. You would have to enforce this via regulators. Good luck pushing such thing in nimby-ridden US (for lack of better expression). How about other approach - trying to foster a culture amongst people of not being an a-hole to others, especially on the roads? Rather than playing whack-a-mole with all possible variants how assholism can be manifested. It generally works quite well in western Europe, I can't remember the last time somebody blinded me (if I don't count split-second situations of popping up suddenly from behind some tight curve).
mnw21cam 4y ago
There are quite a lot of lorries, trucks, and vans on the road right now with exactly this, with diagonal red and yellow stripes. Do a google image search for "rear reflective chevron" for examples. I think it's a great idea, and would love to see it on more vehicles. The main disadvantage is that the road by contrast may become harder to see. But I'd argue that the road also needs to become way more reflective, on the painted lines. The paint itself has some amount of retroreflective material, but it rapidly gets dirty. Cats-eyes are fabulous, but they also need to be regularly maintained and replaced, and that has definitely been slipping in many places.

by saurik 4y ago

Animats 4y ago

I would personally award bonus points if this is implemented with some kind of inverse adaptive "matrix" mirror mechanism whereby reflective-ness is automatically concentrated at light sources that are directing light at you. That's how reflective signs, vests, and auto reflectors work.[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroreflector https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroreflector

HPsquared 4y ago

Deliberately dazzling drivers at night may have liability issues.

saurik 4y ago
You'd think, and yet people drive around with headlights that do this all the time. The argument seems to be "but it helps me see: you being blinded is merely an unfortunate side effect"... so here "but it helps me be more visible".

saiya-jin 4y ago

That matrix mirror won't work in ie dirty cars, and as something seemingly complex and expensive, no manufacturer would put it willingly and most buyers wouldn't pay up for it neither. You would have to enforce this via regulators. Good luck pushing such thing in nimby-ridden US (for lack of better expression). How about other approach - trying to foster a culture amongst people of not being an a-hole to others, especially on the roads? Rather than playing whack-a-mole with all possible variants how assholism can be manifested. It generally works quite well in western Europe, I can't remember the last time somebody blinded me (if I don't count split-second situations of popping up suddenly from behind some tight curve).

mnw21cam 4y ago

There are quite a lot of lorries, trucks, and vans on the road right now with exactly this, with diagonal red and yellow stripes. Do a google image search for "rear reflective chevron" for examples. I think it's a great idea, and would love to see it on more vehicles. The main disadvantage is that the road by contrast may become harder to see. But I'd argue that the road also needs to become way more reflective, on the painted lines. The paint itself has some amount of retroreflective material, but it rapidly gets dirty. Cats-eyes are fabulous, but they also need to be regularly maintained and replaced, and that has definitely been slipping in many places.