[Spridgets] More on visibility

[Michael Rowe]

I was fussing with my tail lights today, putting on the rounded fixtures 
from a pre-1970 car, which has the dual-filament running/stop bulb on the 
bottom instead of the top like the later cars.  I think higher is better for 
the running lights, and I realized that the running filaments are the 
weakest of all.  The turn signal is brightest.  So I rewired the fixture to: 
1.  Brightest on top for running; 2. Next brightest on the bottom for 
stopping;  3.  Weakest on the bottom for turning.  The fixture is all red, 
no yellow part.

My mechanic/tutor came over and said, "What'd you do that for?  Don't you 
think they have this figured out after 30 years?"  I am not sure that they 
did have it figured out.  They certainly did not consider SUV's on the Long 
Island Expressway at night when they came up with this configuration.  And 
they did change the arrangement somewhat in 1970.

So what is the concensus of the list?  I think that the primary 
consideration is to be seen by Robert Duquette's Subaru and it's cousins 
approaching from the rear at night.  I don't judge turn signals as highest 
priority.  Maybe the stop lights should be the brightest, but that puts the 
running lights  closer to the road.

Are there brighter bulbs that will fit the sockets and not overheat the 
wires?

Michael Rowe
'74 Midget
Long Island, NY