Forward facing "rain" light

[Sgt.Gator]

I came across this forward facing LED light in the Radical forums. It's green because Red and Yellow are official emergency vehicle colors that are prohibited to face forwards in race cars.
It seemed like a pretty good idea for a racing 818, or even a street 818. And it's not just for rain, the driver leaves it on all the time.

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[phil1734]

I'm not aware of any place it would be legal to use on the street. You're typically limited to 4 forward facing white lights, and any others must be yellow/amber.

Otherwise, not much different than the LEDs that all the endurance teams run to help with vehicle identification at night. Maybe slightly more visible in daylight or something?

[first time builder]

In some states Green is for Ambulance workers.
Kenny

[Sgt.Gator]

I'm not aware of any place it would be legal to use on the street. You're typically limited to 4 forward facing white lights, and any others must be yellow/amber.

Otherwise, not much different than the LEDs that all the endurance teams run to help with vehicle identification at night. Maybe slightly more visible in daylight or something?

Yeah, you're right, it would be illegal on he street.

I think this is much brighter than the LED strip lights you see on nighttime endurance cars. This is an actual LED light bar.

Related:
I did just see in the Thunderhill 25 proposed regs for 2017 that they will require an amber strobe light (JAWS) that's switched to be turned on when your car has stopped on the track at night. It's a required IO Port Racing kit, but it looks like the exact same strobe that Super Brite LEDs sells.

http://www.ioportracing.com/i/o-port-products/jacques-advanced-warning-system-jaws-i/o-port/

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/strobe-beacons/led-hideaway-strobe-lights-mini-emergency-vehicle-led-warning-lights/1905/

[phil1734]

That's a great idea, so long as the driver remembers to turn it on while they're in panic mode. I would hope that they allow them to be removable for the daytime as they certainly aren't the prettiest things to have stuck to your roof.

The IO part looks to have a bit of wiring. Probably not $60 worth, but it does say "racing." :D

[Jim1855]

Why?

Maybe I'm just not smart enough to understand but what is the purpose of the light?

Jim

[phil1734]

It's to increase visibility. It'd be handy for a track day or other multi-class events where you might be approaching and passing cars much faster than they are expecting to help them see you coming.

Of course, if everyone starts running one, it'll become meaningless again.

[DanielsDM]

Why?

Maybe I'm just not smart enough to understand but what is the purpose of the light?

Jim

The purpose of the I/O port light required in the NASA 25Hr is to warn approaching drivers in the event a car is stopped on the course. In 2013 a car was hit after losing a motor between turns 1+2. In 2014 a car was stopped on the back straight and hit by another car. In both incidents the moving car was going nearly 100 mph. A flashing light gives warning that the car has an issue, whereas with just the tail lights on, the approaching driver may not recognize the car isn't moving until it's too late.

[Steve Powell]

I think a light is a great idea. If I was King of the world there would be no black, grey, light blue, charcoal, dark silver, etc. race cars. Up here in the northwest we get many grey cloudy days. If you take a dark painted car against a grey sky on a grey race track on a rather dark day, you can't see cars over taking you. The flat non-shiny wraps are even worse. It is amazing what a difference it makes by just placing a few orange or day glow strips on the front of a car or even on the front of the mirrors. I have even suggested people run their headlights (if the race car has headlights) during the day. I run with a lot of fast GT cars and the overtaking speed is quite significant. When you're old and slow like me you get passed a lot so it really helps when you can see them coming in the mirrors. My two cents worth.

[DanielsDM]

You're right about the light Steve. When it's raining I think all cars on the track should have to run a forward facing light and a tail light. Many race organizations only require a brake light.