Auxiliary lights

[Tennessee Jed]

I passed a whole line of Army vehicles on the highway yesterday - Hummers, big 2 ton trucks, etc. etc. It dawned on me that not one of them had any sort of auxiliary lights other than the two round headlights on the vehicle. Every off road vehicle seems to have at least one extra pair of lights bolted on somewhere, if not 2 or 3 extra pair.

What is the real origin of all these off road lights and are they really necessary?

I know the Baja and Paris/Dakar racers and the Camel Trophy sort of defined a lot of the "style" of offroad vehicles, and I still think that a lot of what is done to most offroad trucks is done for style reasons rather than utility.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Driving at high speed through the desert at night it helps to have a broad field of view. When I ran aux lights I focused them such that I could "see around corners". This allowed me to anticipate turns and rough spots in the road. The longer range also lets you see cows, horses and other critters. I used mine a lot for "on road" driving through open range areas of rural Nevada, a couple of time they gave me that extra times that made the difference between a controlled stop and a panic stop or worse.

 

[sandcruiser]

those military folk often drive in convoys and have only to see the vehicle in front of them

if you drive on dark roads.... extra light helps.

 

[sandcruiser]

... and if you don't know if you need lights, you don't need them.

 

[maniacv]

Who needs lights when we have NVGs??

 

[Devilmans Hand]

Who needs lights when we have NVGs??

Pretty much. Lots of light is usually a bad thing unless it's attached to a weapon system. When military vehicles are driven on regular roads they must still comply with civilian rules, so big bright lights would not likely be allowed. Some armor even have turn signals.

 

[NorCalBorn]

Who needs lights when we have NVGs??

Yep. Convoy+Surveillance+Scopes+Night Vision=No need.

 

[sirenmoses]

And if you check out some of the rigs in the sticky'd Chat mil forum (link to come), the dudes actually in the s*** want more lights than are issued. One of the 4wd shops actually matches up to $100 donation towards lights for those in-theater....

And my Daylighters definately help me see deer/ turkey/ coyote/ bear/ horse/ cattle/ chupacabre/ Bigfoot before the stock lights do. Not cuz I'm hunting 'em, but cuza the damage they can do...

 

[80t0ylc]

It's the "need for speed" that demands the auxiliary lighting. The faster you travel at night, the further down the road and the wider vision you need to see the obstacles and potential critters that might jump in your path.

With that said, it's nice to have some aux. lights for different "reasonable speed" situations, such as fog lights or more powerful back up lights than OEM. But IMHO. I agree that most of the flashy high powered lights that you see are not necessary, and are installed for effect and not function.

 

[fieldsken1]

you can never have enough lights

 

[80t0ylc]

you can never have enough lights

Why is it that with your obvious preoccupation with lights, that one can barely see your turn signal or hazard lights?

 

[sirenmoses]

Why is it that with your obvious preoccupation with lights, that one can barely see your turn signal or hazard lights?

stole it right outta my brain...

"where are your turn signals?"


scweet 40, btw!

 

[Randy88FJ62]

I love my roof lights when travelling at night on remote Death Valley roads. There can be sudden washouts in the road that can be dangerous.

To be honest, I don't need them but I love having them.

 

[bogus one]

I love my roof lights when travelling at night on remote Death Valley roads. There can be sudden washouts in the road that can be dangerous.

To be honest, I don't need them but I love having them.

Amen to that.

Plus, they look

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Nice rig bogus one. How often do you frequent Death Valley? now that snow is hitting south pass, I'm tempted to make a run into Saline Valley. The bad weather keeps everyone out.

 

[bogus one]

Nice rig bogus one. How often do you frequent Death Valley? now that snow is hitting south pass, I'm tempted to make a run into Saline Valley. The bad weather keeps everyone out.

Thanks

We were just in DV TG week.

Won't get out again until after New Years

 

[1loudLX]

Why is it that with your obvious preoccupation with lights, that one can barely see your turn signal or hazard lights?

stole it right outta my brain...

"where are your turn signals?"


scweet 40, btw!

Hes got large LED tractor trailer signals in his bumpers, dont worry yourselves.

 

[80t0ylc]

Hes got large LED tractor trailer signals in his bumpers, dont worry yourselves.

Well, they're not in the pic. Comments can only be made from what we see - we're not psychic. BTW - who are you, - his lawyer? The only turn signals visible are well hidden by bumper hoop and that, to most cops, is a safety hazard. Just thought to mention it as an observation and maybe jog the owner into realizing it. Yeah, aux lighting is the subject of this thread and that 40 definitely has aux lights! But in the interest of safety, being seen is at least as important as seeing, for driving in traffic.

 

[1loudLX]

no im not his lawyer, but I do happen to remember watching the build of his truck. I'm just letting you know....you cant tell everything by one picture.

 

[80t0ylc]

no im not his lawyer, but I do happen to remember watching the build of his truck. I'm just letting you know....you cant tell everything by one picture.

Yeah, nice looking 40! Can see the lights in the bumper, in this pic. As turn signals/flashers, that's an excellent location. Shouldn't the lenses be amber, though? You sure those aren't fog lights?

Are those aux lights up by the windshield adjustable hand spots? They won't be much use as roadlights because the glare off the hood will render them useless.