Cars clear indicators

[Kiwifruit]

Is it just me or do others have trouble seeing an orange bulb flashing behind a clear lens.
In bright sunlight l find it damn near impossible.

[VladTepes]

Depends on way too many factors- How sunny is it? Sunlight direction? Incandescent bulbs, OEM LED lights, stock lights replaced with LED bulbs....

You're lucky if people indicate anyway. A lot here are mystified as to the purpose of that particular 'stalk' on the steering column.

[seth]

We have orange bulbs behind smoked lenses
They are brighter than standard and much easier to see than my mates 1250 bandit that has orange bulbs with clear lenses.

[KiwiCol]

I've noticed on the way to work in the early morning & just after starting work, vehicles with the indicator bulb right beside the headlight are damn near impossible to see when the headlight is going as well.  Dangerous design flaw I reckon.

[Mister Fishfinger]

I am noticing this lately as well. I think it's been highlighted by our unusually good summer - the sun is bright and low in the mornings and evenings when I'm going to work and coming home, making it very hard to pick out indicators at roundabouts and so on. A lot of modern indicators are a triumph of form over function in my opinion - they look great in the showroom but they are no use at all on the road.

[T 24]

Original orange lenses will give the best visibility in bike or car.
That's why I don't like mini indicators or clear lenses.Dangerous stuff. IMO.

[grog]

Agree totally, very hard to see on a lot of new cars.

[Hooli]

You're lucky if people indicate anyway. A lot here are mystified as to the purpose of that particular 'stalk' on the steering column.

I know what that stalk is for, the cruise control bits are on it...

[ARH]

Hooli...now you've confused the hell out me...my cruise control bits are on my steering wheel.   What is that other stalk for then?   

[gsxbarmy]

Hooli...now you've confused the hell out me...my cruise control bits are on my steering wheel.   What is that other stalk for then?   

Cruise Control ARH (Audi/VW/Seat/Skoda - Cruise is all on a separate stalk, not on the Steering Wheel)

[seth]

Unbelievably the indicators are on the same stork in audi's not that you'd ever guess 

[gsxbarmy]

I think we should put this into context, most new cars these days have LED indicators which are much brighter and much easier to see and it doesn't really matter whether they are behind clear or smoked lenses. On my Audi, on the front when I put the indicator on, it changes the complete DRL on that side from bright white to flashing amber and is extremely easy to see. Even behind clear lenses. On the rear, it lights the appropriate indicator up flashing from the inside LED to the outside LED, and is easy to pick out. Many other manufacturers now do these "change of function" style LED indicators in a similar way to those on Audi's/

It's only some of the older vehicles with clear lenses and orange bulbs that are the issue, and in all honesty with bright sunlight Ion the lamp unit, it's hard to make out any lights that are working irrelevant of what sort of light they are. So I just stay back a bit further so you can take the appropriate action if they brake or turn to give myself a bit more "hazard awareness" room.

Dangerous? Not a bit

[Hooli]

Hooli...now you've confused the hell out me...my cruise control bits are on my steering wheel.   What is that other stalk for then?   

Cruise Control ARH (Audi/VW/Seat/Skoda - Cruise is all on a separate stalk, not on the Steering Wheel)

Mine's a Saab, cruise is on a stalk. Seems to be broken though as if I move the stalk up & down I keep hearing a clicking sound & a green light flashes on the dash?

As to seeing them, they only ever indicate what the driver is already doing around here unless it's what they did 2 miles ago. I never trust them even if I can see them.

[ARH]

Aha.... at long last Barmy is wrong about something!!    

My VW Tiguan has adaptive CC and all the related driver aids on the steering wheel....

[T 24]

And one more thing concerning LED rear lights: Led doesn't create heat as much as older type "glow bulb", so in winter time LED rear lights are often under snow, when older lamps will melt the snow - Dangerous