rain light letter

P

Protech Racing

Well-known member
I put in a letter to allow flashing rain lights. Sorta like the rest of the world. The low mounted stock OE running lights will be dim at racing speed. The high mounted red flasher will be much more visible. IMHO.
 
I think it’s already allowed in a round about way.

After having 3 weekends with rain this year the first step would be to have people actually turn their rain lights on. I would say 75% of people never did
 
It appears to be clearly ambiguous:

9.3.32.B.3. Original equipment tail light assemblies may be used. Light assemblies may perform both rain and
brake light functions provided they have two distinct illumination levels. Lights that function as
strobe lights are not permitted except in Formula and Sports Racer classes. The taillight may strobe
when directed to be used as a rain light.
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It appears that, if raining, it can strobe, but cannot otherwise.
 
Terribly ambiguous verbiage.

The reason that sports and formula cars can using strobing lights is because they do not have brake lights.

For cars that require brake lights, using a strobing rain light (besides being terribly distracting) can and will cause a confusion between strobe lights and brake lights.

For these reasons, cars with brake lights should be required to have non-strobing running/rain lights. And I believe that is the intent of the regs.

- GA
 
planet6racing":2tu1d9ei said:
It appears to be clearly ambiguous:

9.3.32.B.3. Original equipment tail light assemblies may be used. Light assemblies may perform both rain and
brake light functions provided they have two distinct illumination levels. Lights that function as
strobe lights are not permitted except in Formula and Sports Racer classes. The taillight may strobe
when directed to be used as a rain light.
Click to expand...

It appears that, if raining, it can strobe, but cannot otherwise.
Click to expand...

Not ambiguous at all. One sentence limits which classes can use strobes and following sentence defines when they can be used.
 
Turn 1 at at Nelson Ledges about a month ago.

Bill had a rain light. Thanks Bill !

View attachment 1


This other fellow. Well, not so much.
See the ghost car. Look closely he is there.

 
we had rainlights on at Prodfest/VIR last year. Could not see them at all, and doubt if strobing would have helped in that deluge
 
The flash or strobe increases your eyes, resolution , raising the light to the rear window or roll bar reduces the spray cloud on the lumens.
Both will help a lot and either wont hurt . Check with ice racers.
 
This baffles me. The only way I can make sense of it is if the strobing lights were the same lights as used for brake lights.

If I have a center mounted rain light that is physically different than the brake lights, why can it not strobe? And, what if it flashes instead of strobing?
 
Honestly, if you cannot see the car in front of you unless the light is flashing/strobing, we're probably not racing because the corners probably can't see each other.

It's fine. We'll survive.
 
the most dense cloud of 'fog' during a rain race is between two cars. corners can see the cars themselves, but the driver in the rear can't see 50ft straight forward. Just don't act like the NASCAR boys did at COTA and run full steam into a corner waiting on your spotter to tell you when to brake because you can't see the car in front of you.
 
I agree, this is confusing/ambiguous.

"B. RAIN LIGHTS
All cars shall be equipped with rain light(s) clearly visible from the rear.
1. Non-Formula and Sports Racing cars shall utilize the original equipment red tail lights or the rain
light described in 9.3.32.B.2 or both.
2. All Formula (open wheel) and Sports Racing cars shall be equipped with a red taillight of at least
the equivalent illumination power of a 15-watt bulb. This light shall be mounted on the centerline
of the car. Light assemblies shall be considered one light for the purposes of this rule, irrespective
of the number of individual lamps the assembly may contain.
3. Original equipment tail light assemblies may be used. Light assemblies may perform both rain and
brake light functions provided they have two distinct illumination levels. Lights that function as
strobe lights are not permitted except in Formula and Sports Racer classes. The taillight may strobe
when directed to be used as a rain light."

There are already three points being made. Why not have a separate line for formula cars, Sports Racers, everything else, and use positive/concrete verbiage that applies to one type of car only.
No cross referencing and no indirect referencing (non-). I think it could be done in the same space, with the same number of words and would result in a person only needing to read rules about their specific type of car.




Why is this even stated in the general prod rules?

In GCR, Section 9.1.5.C.4, please change as follows:
"Track specifications will be set at 103% of the car’s stock track, plus 2.5 inches."

I think every line in the PCS has the track specified.

I have observed people becoming confused when they compared their "calculated" number with that in the spec. line.
Do we include explanatory equations for any other or all numbers in the spec. lines? No.
 
GT6":3qp4kel2 said:
I agree, this is confusing/ambiguous.
Click to expand...

Damn reg has been re-written at least twice. I stopped submitting verbiage recommendations.

Why is this even stated in the general prod rules? ...I think every line in the PCS has the track specified."
Click to expand...

Even if it is listed in each (for the benefit of the scutineers; and it's not, see EP Mazda RX-2 and Toyota Supra), it describes in the regs how those numbers were attained (for the benefit of the competitors).

Note the only change to that line this month is the addition of a comma. I was unclear if it was "(103% of the car’s stock track) plus 2.5 inches" or "103% of (the car’s stock track plus 2.5 inches)". I figured it was the former so I suggested a comma placement to clarify.

Do we include explanatory equations for any other or all numbers in the spec. lines? No.
Click to expand...
Sure: gearboxes come immediately to mind. But not all gearbox weights are included in the spec lines (EP BMW320i, for example) and brakes weight are not specified.

But you're a smart guy, you can figure it out. Stop being grumpy. :)
 
planet6racing":2mr9k0op said:
Matt93SE":2mr9k0op said:
high mounted light- fine.. please do.

flashing/strobing? no. annoying.
Click to expand...

What's more annoying? My flashing rain light or being behind a SATURN? :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Click to expand...
Wouldn't know. only Saturn I've seen on a track was while I was lapping it. ;)
 
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