Question about using a flashlight as an emergency flasher if your car breaks down

tel0004 · Nov 24, 2012

I got a flat tire last night, and It made me think a bit. In my scenario, I pulled into a parking lot, so it was safe, but also well lit, although that may not always be an option.

I carry a quark X CR1232 and a zebralight SC51 in my car. If I were to have a flat tire or breakdown, the SC51 would be used for task lighting as a headlamp, and that leaves the quark to emergency flasher duties. So with that said, what is the best way to use the quark as a flasher. (since blinding other drivers is never a great idea. Do you guys use a diffuser, or point your light off the side of the highway? Or simply putting it on the ground would light it up well without blinding other drivers ( I would assume). I was thinking a diffuser/red filter would work really well to get peoples attention.

I know I'm over thinking this, but I just wanted to get your guys ideas.

ragweed · Nov 24, 2012

Road flares..!

Yamabushi · Nov 24, 2012

I carry a pair of LED "road flares". Unlike real road flares which have very limited burn time, the blinking LEDs will run for a couple of days. Also a lot safer at an accident site if there's spilled fuel.

tsask · Nov 24, 2012

good idea, An sos beam or a strobe pointed at the sky would help. also a colored LED or filter such as red would be a good idea as well.

bob4apple · Nov 24, 2012

I would get that light up as high as possible...the roof perhaps...and use a large diffuser.
You need to make your vehicle noticeable. You should also have lights further out to lead
traffic away from your car.

reppans · Nov 24, 2012

bob4apple said:
I would get that light up as high as possible...the roof perhaps...and use a large diffuser.
You need to make your vehicle noticeable. You should also have lights further out to lead traffic away from your car.

Using the strobe with a diffuser makes a lot of sense to me... here's idea for that although it was originally intended for use my camping lantern (and "necklamp") clicky.

This comment copied over from another thread also seems like a good idea to me.

herosemblem said:
........Strobe is nice for when I'm changing my tire on the side of the road at night. I prop the light up with a pebble, put it on strobe, and aim it at my rear license plate (Yes, of course my hazard lights are on).......

Yamabushi · Nov 24, 2012

The Fenix AD201 orange traffic wand will fit a Quark X CR1232 and makes a nice "flare" with the strobe mode.

EDIT: At night, it is almost too bright; it might be better to point it the back of your car, away from approaching traffic.

Onthelightside · Nov 24, 2012

I wonder if you could put the Quark on strobe on your roof and put a sheet of paper in front of the light to act as a diffuser

Quiksilver · Nov 24, 2012

tel0004 said:
I got a flat tire last night, and It made me think a bit. In my scenario, I pulled into a parking lot, so it was safe, but also well lit, although that may not always be an option.

I carry a quark X CR1232 and a zebralight SC51 in my car. If I were to have a flat tire or breakdown, the SC51 would be used for task lighting as a headlamp, and that leaves the quark to emergency flasher duties. So with that said, what is the best way to use the quark as a flasher. (since blinding other drivers is never a great idea. Do you guys use a diffuser, or point your light off the side of the highway? Or simply putting it on the ground would light it up well without blinding other drivers ( I would assume). I was thinking a diffuser/red filter would work really well to get peoples attention.

I know I'm over thinking this, but I just wanted to get your guys ideas.

I just recently bought some traffic wand diffusers for my 6Ps.

With a +200lm drop-in, they are seriously bright.

Also helps to have some cheap "quick cones" in the trunk. little two-dimensional highly reflecting 'cones'. use the lights of oncoming traffic to your advantage.

some heavy duty reflector strips on your car would help as well.

illuminating your car with a light would help too.

ico · Nov 25, 2012

The 4Hz strobe of the SC51 maybe a good signaling light to incomnig traffic

ikeyballz · Nov 25, 2012

I have a couple green/blue glow sticks. Those suckers are extremely noticeable at night, especially when its dark around you. If its bright - you're probably safer without flares/markers since its less distracting to the drivers.

LGT · Nov 25, 2012

I carry a reflective vest in my vehicle. While it may seem extreme, it makes you quite visible to oncoming motorist. But if the roadway is high speed, I'll ride on and ruin the rim to get to a safe location to change a tire before taking the chance of being hit I cringe when I see somebody changing flat tire on a highway.

zespectre · Nov 25, 2012

I have an empty 1/2 gallon plastic milk-jug that rides in my trunk in case I need a bottle for something (radiator or whatever). It's a translucent white. During a roadside emergency I held it over my flashlight and it made a pretty serviceable signal-device.

tubed · Nov 25, 2012

I started a thread recently that dealt with the same topic. Interestingly, i got different (but equally helpful) suggestions. I've posted the link below but if that doesn't work -search for the words "car mode" on the cpf search engine and it should be the top hit.
Mostly - i wish more lights came with a simple blink mode (like many headlights have) instead of SOS (too serious) and strobe (too disturbing). LIke others said, never shine at oncoming cars. Other good suggestions were:
1. the Smittybilt UFO led blinker ($20 - I'm getting a bunch)
2. a Fenix red cone difuser ($4-6)
3. the INOVA 24/7 (more expensive)

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...t-s-the-best-car-distress-mode-any-experience

Samy · Nov 26, 2012

I have a quark flashlight and a fenix traffic wand in each of my family's vehicles and in my work vehicles. There were a few roadside incidents in the last 12 months where i needed a wand or strobe to slow down oncoming traffic. If there's a spare person on hand, the wand being waved is the best thing to slow down traffic. Otherwise i leave it on the roof on it's side or clipped under a rear or front windshield wiper. Even leave it on the road on it's side beside the car, the quark strobe is VERY bright and really stands out.

SimulatedZero · Nov 26, 2012

Honestly, a red diffuser or red traffic wand with a strobe make excellent signalling devices. Also, putting the light on the roof of your car is another great tip. I like to put my LD12 on strobe, place in on the roof of my car as close to the road as possible, and point it across the road at a slight angle. I've had people stop to help and comment that the light was very, very noticeable, but that it wasn't much worse than passing a police car with full lights on.

tel0004 · Nov 26, 2012

The fenix traffic wand is exactly what I'm looking for. Amazon and optics planet both have a model designed for CR123 fenix lights, so I should be able to get it to fit on my quark. Thanks.

I do keep an emergency triangle (which I should probably buy 2 more of) and a high visibility vest, so I try to stay pretty safe, but it looks like a 4.00 product can help even more, so thanks again.

Question about using a flashlight as an emergency flasher if your car breaks down

tel0004

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ragweed

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Yamabushi

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tsask

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bob4apple

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reppans

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Yamabushi

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Onthelightside

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Quiksilver

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ico

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ikeyballz

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LGT

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zespectre

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tubed

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Samy

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SimulatedZero

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tel0004

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