Headlight Question

[aggieroad]

Howdy!

I am a researcher who studies traffic signs and pavement markings, and I was hoping to ask for some input from those with CDLs. To give you a little background, my research often focuses on investigating how we can improve the signing and pavement markings for the driving public. One area that I am considering getting more involved with is vehicle systems, and seeing if there is something we can do to help drivers from within their vehicle to better gather the appropriate information from the signs and pavement markings.

That said, I would like to see if anyone would be willing to list any things that you like or do not like about the signs and pavement markings that you have seen on the roadways today. If you decide to respond, please consider night versus day, and rural versus urban.

To start this thread off, I will refer back to the title. I was recently conducting some research and we did some nighttime viewing of signs from inside a RV. I never realized how much more difficult it was to read signs at night for drivers of larger vehicles. Have you noticed this as well? Does this concern you? Is there something you do that helps you in these situations?

I would appreciate any input you will offer.

[Windwalker]

At niight, with the new LED traffic lights, it can become difficult to read street signs, even the large ones. we have the technology to be able to sense the ambient amount of light, and adjust circuits automatically. Why can't we do that on the new traffic lights? They're bright enough to be seen in daylight, but BLINDING at night. The technology that reduces the brightness at night could be applied to those new traffic lights. Very often, because of the green light, it becomes difficult to be able to see just where and when you have to turn at one of them...

Standardizing street signs and making them a bit larger, with the reflective paint would be good. As it is, first you have to find it... Then try to read it at night. For that matter, there are many towns that don't think street signs are required at all. There are a couple of places that I've delivered to a dozen times, and I have yet to find a street sign where I need to turn to get to the customer.

In some towns, truck routes are marked with yellow posts. When you get there, you not only have to look for the street signs, and pray you are going to be able to read them, but you have to try to find yellow posts as well. At night, reflective yellow on those posts would be a very big help. Dirty yellow on the posts makes all posts look the same. Now, find the truck route... Oh, yes... And, don't miss the street you have to turn on.