Stupid idea?

Hello,

first of all, I've found this board to be very informative.

Before I post my "stupid" idea, allow me to provide some information to my fellow Canadians who, like I, live in a province where detectors are illegal:

It's perfectly OK to bring in a detector from a trip to the US (I got back from a 7-day trip with an STi yesterday) and declare it. More likely than not, they'll want to search your bags, as was the case for me, but that's not a problem: customs do not apply provincial law, but federal law. They know you're probably going to break provincial law, but it's basically none of their business (in my case, the supervisor thought it was a pretty cool detector :-)

I admit I was a bit nervous yesterday, but everything turned out fine. Completed a hard-wired install today. I decided on left side of dash for quick removal and ran the wire through ventilation. Anyone with an E46 BMW, I'll be happy to explain.

Now, for the "stupid" part. I was thinking about building a small circuit with a timer and relay to disable the brake lights for 5ish seconds on an alert (probably with an override switch :-). This way, I won't be afraid to brake when I get a serious alert... Evidently, you'd want to be careful of anyone behind you. Crazy?

I wouldn't do it sounds kind of illegal :roll: :roll:

That would be bad assszzzzzzz man lol if you can pull it off

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Originally Posted by venexoz

I wouldn't do it sounds kind of illegal :roll: :roll:

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Sure... as is using a radar detector here in Quebec!

Only thing is if your really halling azz they look for the nose dip....but the break lights from behind would be tight..

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Originally Posted by mh

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Originally Posted by venexoz

I wouldn't do it sounds kind of illegal :roll: :roll:

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Sure... as is using a radar detector here in Quebec!

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and speeding....................but it sounds DANGEROUD to me, I could care less about the illegal part.....we all break the laws on a daily basis right (Remember 1 over the speed LIMIT is breaking the law :wink: )

yes the 5sec timer delay does sound stupid, imagine if someone's right behind you... it'll suck because the accident just became your fault. If you're hit with instant-on it's pretty pointless to brake, most likely he already has your speed by the time the rd gives a warning

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Originally Posted by mh

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Originally Posted by venexoz

I wouldn't do it sounds kind of illegal :roll: :roll:

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Sure... as is using a radar detector here in Quebec!

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Seeing as how probably 1% of the times it alerts it will be something of importance to react to, I wouldn't bother with an "automatic" setup. Mind you a manually triggered kill switch may be handy. A momentary switch is probably ideal. I mentioned in another thread the idea of putting a relay or an extra switch on the handbrake, thus when the handbrake is pulled slightly to trigger the idiot lamp on the dash, the brake lamps are disabled. This also has the advantage of giving you a clear "warning" that the brake lamps are not operational.

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Originally Posted by mh

Hello,

first of all, I've found this board to be very informative.

Before I post my "stupid" idea, allow me to provide some information to my fellow Canadians who, like I, live in a province where detectors are illegal:

It's perfectly OK to bring in a detector from a trip to the US (I got back from a 7-day trip with an STi yesterday) and declare it. More likely than not, they'll want to search your bags, as was the case for me, but that's not a problem: customs do not apply provincial law, but federal law. They know you're probably going to break provincial law, but it's basically none of their business (in my case, the supervisor thought it was a pretty cool detector :-)

I admit I was a bit nervous yesterday, but everything turned out fine. Completed a hard-wired install today. I decided on left side of dash for quick removal and ran the wire through ventilation. Anyone with an E46 BMW, I'll be happy to explain.

Now, for the "stupid" part. I was thinking about building a small circuit with a timer and relay to disable the brake lights for 5ish seconds on an alert (probably with an override switch :-). This way, I won't be afraid to brake when I get a serious alert... Evidently, you'd want to be careful of anyone behind you. Crazy?

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Lets see some pics of the install dude!!!!! :wink:

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Originally Posted by SmaartAasSaabr

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Originally Posted by mh

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Originally Posted by venexoz

I wouldn't do it sounds kind of illegal :roll: :roll:

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Sure... as is using a radar detector here in Quebec!

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Seeing as how probably 1% of the times it alerts it will be something of importance to react to, I wouldn't bother with an "automatic" setup. Mind you a manually triggered kill switch may be handy. A momentary switch is probably ideal. I mentioned in another thread the idea of putting a relay or an extra switch on the handbrake, thus when the handbrake is pulled slightly to trigger the idiot lamp on the dash, the brake lamps are disabled. This also has the advantage of giving you a clear "warning" that the brake lamps are not operational.

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Yeah, that's probably the best thing to do, but that requires good reflexes.

Bear-Tweezy: a pic of my install. You'll see it's pretty simple (the mute button, not shown, is in the footwell). What you're seeing in this pic is the phone-type connector sticking out. I'll add a female-female adaptor there so I don't have to always pull out the wire, and probably paint it black.


http://internet.bang.ca/img/simple.jpg

I used to have a "dead man" switch on my brake lights. It only work while it was held in. this way I could disable brake lights when needed any other time things were normal. I just wired it in the brake light switch wire.

I also have a brake light disable switch. I don't you'd at all want it attached to the v1 alert sytem or any detector for that matter.

I just went to walmart and grabbed a switch. Used a broken fuse that I had - soddered the wires at the top of the highest metal part of the fuse and than I just ran the wire to the switch and voila its done. I think I was smart when I did this part though:

I got one of the LED switches - which says it requires ground - but it really doesn't. Anyway - so this way when the brake light DOESN"T go on but the brake is applied, the LED gets bright - otherwise its passive and no light goes on in the switch.

Well i have touchtronic in my car so i always thought that i could just down shift. Do you guys think that this is just as effective?
thanks

Moderately effective, a downshift (particularly on a hydraulic torque converter gearbox) won't give the same kind of maximum deceleration as the brakes. But you might not need or want that much deceleration.

I have a similar system like the mod you asked about for your brake lights.

On the back of my steering wheel i have a momentary switch that when i hold it i dis-able the brake lights for as long as im braking and holding that button.

i use it for when i see a LEO and need to slow down and don't want my "guilt" lights to show when they pass me if im still braking.

don't use it often but sometimes its really handy

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Originally Posted by carter840

Well i have touchtronic in my car so i always thought that i could just down shift. Do you guys think that this is just as effective?
thanks

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I do the same thing, even though mine isnt anything advanced like a sequential gearbox, but I can drop it into 3rd by capping off 4th and down to 2nd or 1st...........4 speed AT so gears are pretty wide (Minus 1st) so I can engine brake rather smoothly despite my cars soft suspension