Back-up Lights
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From: For the strength of the pack is the wolf . . . . . . and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Back-up Lights
Why are the back-up lights so low?
I presume they comply with whatever regulations apply, but -
they seem awfully low for the following reasons:
1) If their purpose is to warn people you are backing up, then cars close behind you will have difficulty seeing them (That's one reason we have CHMSLs).
2) If their purpose is to light the way behind you, so you can see, then the combination of the high C6 deck (even higher than the C5's), and their low height will make the light they throw difficult to see.
3) They seem low enough to pick up a lot of road grime. This will muck up the lenses and scuff up the surface over time, filtering out the light they throw.
I'm sure they gave this a lot of thought, but I think that, functionally, it's a bad design.
(I apologize if this is a dupe, but new posts have been coming so fast and furious. I couldn't keep track.)
I presume they comply with whatever regulations apply, but -
they seem awfully low for the following reasons:
1) If their purpose is to warn people you are backing up, then cars close behind you will have difficulty seeing them (That's one reason we have CHMSLs).
2) If their purpose is to light the way behind you, so you can see, then the combination of the high C6 deck (even higher than the C5's), and their low height will make the light they throw difficult to see.
3) They seem low enough to pick up a lot of road grime. This will muck up the lenses and scuff up the surface over time, filtering out the light they throw.
I'm sure they gave this a lot of thought, but I think that, functionally, it's a bad design.
(I apologize if this is a dupe, but new posts have been coming so fast and furious. I couldn't keep track.)
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Re: Back-up Lights (RPOZ25)
I sorta wondered the same thing... they are a little low.. maybe they are brighter than the current ones... not sure
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From: For the strength of the pack is the wolf . . . . . . and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Re: Back-up Lights (GDP)
Wouldn't they light up the ground more if they were mounted high, and pointed down?
I didn't even think about it being more difficult to light stuff that is up high, but that's another good point.
(Is this a dupe?)
I didn't even think about it being more difficult to light stuff that is up high, but that's another good point.
(Is this a dupe?)
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From: For the strength of the pack is the wolf . . . . . . and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Re: Back-up Lights (Traceys2vettes)
Maybe they are a higher intensity, but if they are all full of mud and grime, they aren't going to do much good.
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From: For the strength of the pack is the wolf . . . . . . and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Re: Back-up Lights (-vet)
I think they double as fog lights - suitably modified for the European Market.
That doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
(I remember in the '70s that the "cool guys" rigged their back up lights to be on as they cruised the town, looking to race. That was something you could get a ticket for.)
[Modified by RPOZ25, 3:56 AM 1/4/2004]
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Re: Back-up Lights (RPOZ25)
I think they double as fog lights - suitably modified for the European Market.
Do you mean they'll be on when the car is in a forward gear?
That doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
Do you mean they'll be on when the car is in a forward gear?
That doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
That's what the Europeans have to have though. If you saw the back of the Euro spec C5s you would see that this would be a much more attractive alternative.
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Re: Back-up Lights (RPOZ25)
No, rearward facing foglights are a requirement in Europe. They must be red, and go on with the fog lights. I don't have a picture handy, but next time you see the back of an exported C5, you may notice those HUGE, gaudy, ugly red things in the middle of the bumper. That would be the rearward facing foglights that weren't thought about during the design of the C5 until afterward.
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From: For the strength of the pack is the wolf . . . . . . and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Re: Back-up Lights (GDP)
Do you know if Europeans are also required to have back up lights?
I would imagine they do. If the C6 needs fog lights and back up lights for export (and I've read they are going to pay more attention to export), then why wouldn't they just provide for both?
I would imagine they do. If the C6 needs fog lights and back up lights for export (and I've read they are going to pay more attention to export), then why wouldn't they just provide for both?
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Re: Back-up Lights (RPOZ25)
I back up my 1/8 mile driveway every day in my C5, so perhaps I can shed some light on this. ( :D )
The C5 reverse lights are useless for seeing what is behind you at night. They are in the middle and are too high. They're useful only for lighting up a person who is standing directly behind you.
With reverse lights down low and to the sides I can finally use my side-view mirrors to back and and see where my rear tires are going, if they're about to run over a curb, about to run my rear into a pole, etc. Almost everything you can run into is touching the ground. When the lights are up high, they only light up tall things. When they are low, they light up the bases of tall and short things.
Also, it appears that the reverse lights are brighter, given the reflectors they now use. This is an obvious improvement.
The C5 reverse lights are useless for seeing what is behind you at night. They are in the middle and are too high. They're useful only for lighting up a person who is standing directly behind you.
With reverse lights down low and to the sides I can finally use my side-view mirrors to back and and see where my rear tires are going, if they're about to run over a curb, about to run my rear into a pole, etc. Almost everything you can run into is touching the ground. When the lights are up high, they only light up tall things. When they are low, they light up the bases of tall and short things.
Also, it appears that the reverse lights are brighter, given the reflectors they now use. This is an obvious improvement.
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From: Seville OH
Re: Back-up Lights (DngrZne)
Those of us heritics who drive our Vette's in less-than-optimum weather can tell those hwo don't that the back end of a C5 collects every bit of dirt and dust within a 10 mile radius. Brighter or not, dirty lenses will be useless.
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Re: Back-up Lights (RPOZ25)
I believe that placing the backup lights down low was purely a styling decision, in order to make the area for the plate wide enough for European plates.
They can integrate the European fog lights into one or more of the rear taillights (they have four of them to work with, LOL). Don't know if they will do this or not, but I doubt they will have gone to all of this trouble and then have to place them on the rear like the C5 (provided an awful look to European-spec Vettes - I know - I was living in Europe when the C5 came out!)
:cheers:
They can integrate the European fog lights into one or more of the rear taillights (they have four of them to work with, LOL). Don't know if they will do this or not, but I doubt they will have gone to all of this trouble and then have to place them on the rear like the C5 (provided an awful look to European-spec Vettes - I know - I was living in Europe when the C5 came out!)
:cheers:
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From: For the strength of the pack is the wolf . . . . . . and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Re: Back-up Lights (hihoSilver)
RP0Z25, How dare u driving your new C6 around muddy and grimey. Thats against the law. :jester
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From: For the strength of the pack is the wolf . . . . . . and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Re: Back-up Lights (Scissors)
From what you say, it sounds like this new location is an improvement, and makes sense.