Safe Speed Forums

I have noticed recently that I find myself preferring the older orange lamps (low pressure sodium?) to the wider spectrum lamps (high pressure sodium) when driving. My perception is that I get better contrast and depth perception with the old lamps. I can see my headlamps illuminating roadside objects distinct from the general street lighting whereas with the new lamps it is hard to tell whether your headlamps are even on.

Does anyone else notice this or am I just slightly barmy?

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Driving fast is for a particular time and place, I can do it I just only do it occasionally because I am a gentleman.
- James May

I always quite liked the old monochromatic orange sodium street lamps. Theye were certainly better than the mercury and fluorescent designs that were also common years ago.

Sometime the more modern pinkish high pressure sodium lights are significantly brighter, which I think is helpful. But if I was offered all the widely used technologies at equal brightness I think I'd like the orange sodium the best.

Some of the latest very high brightness whitish lights used for roundabouts and the like are truly excellent. These might be advanced mercury or metal halide or something, I don't know.

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Paul Smith
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The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

know what you mean. driving through london now there is almost no need to have lights on your car, everything so bright night or day

Halide is a very crisp, white light, but not used commonly for ammieneties, usually more for lighting architecture or displays. Often at junctions and roundabouts the post size increases 2-4 metres and the lamps will be brighter, eg 150, 250 or 400w son (sodium) instead of the 70/100 on bog standard roads.

that said, local councils have a habit of thinking they know how to "improve" on national standards, so it could be there's some halide-lit roundabouts near you.

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

That could be it, the brightest 'white' lights are good but the average ones are probably what I am noticing.

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Driving fast is for a particular time and place, I can do it I just only do it occasionally because I am a gentleman.
- James May

It sounds like there could be an opportunity for road safety here Paul, in fact I think I've seen it employed in some cases either through accident or design. Having the Sodium Lamps as standard and Halide or Mercury lamps at junctions. The colour should give an extra clue to the stranger driver in the dark....