dseagull Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/car/d138/ Want If it is legal, I'm tempted! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Reminds me of the Top Gear episode where they went caravanning. they bought an LED strip readout. Later, when they had created a queue of cars, the one immediately behind them was towing a horse box. The sign they posted? "Serves you right!" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dutch_Master Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Illegal: the view in/through the windows should be clear and unobstructed... Sorry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 You might get away with: http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/car/afe6/. And you can add custom messages Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium mezzoman253 Posted June 13, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 13, 2010 Both signs are illegal in this country. Why you would want one is beyond me. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 You might get away with sticking the scrolling one on your roof (until it gets wet and goes pop) but I'm with Mezzoman on this - why ? I suppose it would give you something else to fiddle with inbetween adjusting your CD player, radio, sat nav, Ipod, phone, etc. It must be so distracting having to look up from all the gadgetry occasionally to see what's going on outside. Apart from anything else, road rage by proxy doesn't strike me as a particularly good idea. Yes, I'm a grumpy old man. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted June 13, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 13, 2010 No I doubt its legality as well - anything else to distract a driver is just another nuisance to other road users - the number of accidents that are now caused by driver distraction is incredible - I have only the radio on when I drive - mobile is on voicemail, and no distracting CD changes, Satnavs, anr anything else - a mate of mine has a car with so many gadgets on it as standard that it's a bit like an Airbus flight deck in his car - and he seems to spend more time making sure that the gadgets are all doing what they should that he misses important things around him - you know, things like buses, red lights, kids crossing the road, etc... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammstein2609 Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 I have seen quite a few traffic police cars with the long bar version of this in the back window. I saw it on the motorway a while back when a BMW 5 series traffic unit pulled in front of the car in front of me and put a message up on the unit saying please turn your fog lights off. After the car in front turned them off the traffic unit moved away further down the motorway. Obviously there were two officers in the vehicle so the passenger would be operating the message unit leaving the driver to focus on the road. Cheers Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNWR lives on Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Illegal: the view in/through the windows should be clear and unobstructed... Sorry Legal as long as you have clear view from two of your three mirrors, and if you placed it to one side of the back window you would still maintain vision form all three mirrors Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 I could think of far better things to spend ~£20 GBP on - apart from that, it looks like another one of those cases where technology is further advanced in relation to legal requirements. For example, those travelling to/thru France by car this summer, it is worth noting that : - it is not contrary to regulations to have onboard radar speed detection equipment - however it is illegal to use it Which gives way to strange behaviour - like when known speed traps are in the vicinity, a whole pile of brake lights redden up - the fear of a speeding fine is greater than something that could be very serious - material damage is one thing, injury and potential disability to people as a result of this type of (re)action is apparently not considered...dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 material damage is one thing, injury and potential disability to people as a result of this type of (re)action is apparently not considered Not to open a can of worms, but surely this is only an issue if you're driving too close to react to the brake lights of the car in front of you in time...? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share Posted June 13, 2010 I just thought it was both cool and wonderfully geeky. Ticks all the boxes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted June 13, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 13, 2010 "surely this is only an issue if you're driving too close to react to the brake lights of the car in front of you in time...? " I was under the impression that this was fairly normal, despite being dangerous. I don't drive but am a frequent passenger + commuter cyclist. Staying a safe distance from the car in front often seems to result in somebody overtaking you and occupying said space. As for the device under discussion, I feel it has the potential to provoke 'road rage' or at least unwanted and possibly dangerous behaviour from some drivers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Not to open a can of worms, but surely this is only an issue if you're driving too close to react to the brake lights of the car in front of you in time...? While you can control your vehicle in relation to the traffic in front of you, when it comes to the behaviour of whatever is following, things become different... One of missus d's acquaintances and three kids were 'crushed' when queuing on a road to a roundabout, the traffic at a standstill ... brakelights on and off (visible upfront), and yet this didn't stop the idiot behind hitting the victim's car at at an estimated 90kph (in a 50kph speed zone) with a loaded 40 tonne lorry... the rest of the story is so harrowing, I'll spare you the detail...dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 I just thought it was both cool and wonderfully geeky. Ticks all the boxes Sounds like it is commercially geeky. Cool, and ticks the boxes ?...Nah, there are other things in life that are way more important...dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share Posted June 13, 2010 Sounds like it is commercially geeky. Cool, and ticks the boxes ?...Nah, there are other things in life that are way more important...dilbert Oh, probably wont buy one. Payday will come, and other things will take priority! - did amuse me though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 I have seen quite a few traffic police cars with the long bar version of this in the back window. I saw it on the motorway a while back when a BMW 5 series traffic unit pulled in front of the car in front of me and put a message up on the unit saying please turn your fog lights off. After the car in front turned them off the traffic unit moved away further down the motorway. Obviously there were two officers in the vehicle so the passenger would be operating the message unit leaving the driver to focus on the road. Cheers Martin Hi Martin, Yes, the Thames Valley Police down here have their unmarked patrol cars fitted with scrolling LED bars that lift up. If you watch Road Wars, you can see them being used. Ok, those things way be usefull to the Police, but why would you want one, it would just distract you further from driving. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Legal? Yes. The LED's are red. Wise? No. Distracting to operate and too small to be effective. Useful? No. Desirable? Yes. For about a week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 if you could program it to say "its driving rain and you are in a silver car - put your ****ing lights on you t***!" I'd have one. Other favourites - 'its not foggy! You dont NEED fog lights!" Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Hey Jim, all things you could theoretically put into the second one heh. I agree with the fact that the last thing drivers need is another distraction though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 BMW/Mercedes or someone are probably developing an automatic or voice activated version as we speak . My most frequently used one would probably be "get out of the ******* middle lane you moron". But only in my imagination , I'd never actually use one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 A bit of research reveals that....... yes...... the device is totally legal in the UK and EU countries, the makers sought and obtained full approval for the devices.......with the legal caveat that the use of these devices might well be a motoring offence!!!......in other words, inappropriate use that caused an accident for instance, could lead to prosecution for dangerous driving etc., etc., It could also contribute to a rejection of an insurance claim, the use leading to contributing to the blame for an accident, and reduction or rejection of claims, and liability for damages to others might be affected if the use contributed. Stephen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 BMW/Mercedes or someone are probably developing an automatic or voice activated version as we speak ..... I've been trying to get hold of one of those reversing alarms that large commercial vehicles seem to have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 5944 Posted June 14, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 14, 2010 if you could program it to say "its driving rain and you are in a silver car - put your ****ing lights on you t***!" I'd have one. Other favourites - 'its not foggy! You dont NEED fog lights!" Cheers Jim If you could program it to show the writing backwards you could put it in the from windscreen and get to it to show "Stop hogging the middle lane you ****!" I'd definitely get one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Legal to have as long as the driver does not operate it. It would be classed as driving without due care and attention if the driver were to use it whilst the vehicle was in motion. A passenger, however, would be free to operate it. The kid down the road will be sure to want it - his car already resembles mission control with the amount of gadgets he has in and on it. It even makes the road glow blue underneath it when he drives along. Whatever floats his boat I suppose. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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