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Fresnel lens to see traffic lights

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I saw one of these on a Lotus. Pretty cool. The website is on the lens.
Fresnel.png
 
Neat idea but I'd get annoyed at that thing always hanging around on my windshield.

After taking my visors off I've improved seeing the lights pretty well (I'm 6'). There's usually a low and high light. Also when the clear-top is on there is no issue. I could also always carry one of these nifty periscopes with in case there is one out of sight. They come in some standard Roadster colors as well ;)


41kR32ysd6L.jpg

car-periscope-curb-your-enthusiasm-larry-david.png
 
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I find the clear top handy as well for seeing stop lights. Being able to look through the roof to see the state of the stop light - handy, and simultaneously amusing to me :)

I think I need to figure out how to get those visors off - I think I can still count with 1 hand in 2 years, the number of times the visor was just what I needed to handle the sun. The rest of the time, it's just a minor occlusion to a small world view, looking out from the cockpit of the car. That's another thing the glass top helps with - even if it's just a perception of "bigness", you see more of the world around you.
 
I find the clear top handy as well for seeing stop lights. Being able to look through the roof to see the state of the stop light - handy, and simultaneously amusing to me :)

I think I need to figure out how to get those visors off - I think I can still count with 1 hand in 2 years, the number of times the visor was just what I needed to handle the sun. The rest of the time, it's just a minor occlusion to a small world view, looking out from the cockpit of the car. That's another thing the glass top helps with - even if it's just a perception of "bigness", you see more of the world around you.

I'm 6' 2" and the visors were the first thing I did. Takes 5 seconds if you are slow. Just slide them horizontally off of the pins.
 
Just make sure to keep a baseball cap in the Roadster at all times after removing the visors. If you do get any glare from the sun, since the visors are gone, just throw the cap on and tilt the brim down until it filters the sun.

I also removed the overly huge rear view mirror and replaced it with the micro-mirror. Helps clean up the windshield area and offers more visibility. The micro mirror is the perfect size, visibility covers the space between the two head rests of the rear window so you're not missing really much from what the big mirror offered. Only issue is you have to manually pull the mirror down for night driving. I may look into having the anti-glare/blue film put over the mirror.

This is a random pic off the net with it on the Elise:

elise5.jpg
 
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@wiztecy, with your micro mirror are you saying that at night the glare is such that you have to reposition the mirror and tilt it down so that it is not usable? There is no day/night version?

I wonder if an anti-glare film on that mirror would be enough to make it usable at night?

Where did you buy the mirror from? I think you posted about it in another thread but I've forgotten who the manufacturer is. Thanks.
 
@wiztecy, with your micro mirror are you saying that at night the glare is such that you have to reposition the mirror and tilt it down so that it is not usable? There is no day/night version?

I wonder if an anti-glare film on that mirror would be enough to make it usable at night?

Where did you buy the mirror from? I think you posted about it in another thread but I've forgotten who the manufacturer is. Thanks.


The mirror doesn't have the tab to flick it up or down like the stock one has, so I tilt it down. Only thing I'm worried about the blue film is that its another layer put on the mirror, so filtering the image so to speak. Would be nice if that was an option for the mirror. I do think that would take the glare the headlights cause out of the picture. I picked the micro-mirror up from Sector 111:

microMIRRORâ„¢ Rear View Mirror for the Lotus Elise and Exige - Sector111
 
Here I always stop so I cab see the light. Consequently I stop a car length or more back. Learning to drive Mom asked me why I stop so far back? "So I can see the light" She never realized that as she was shorter than me. I am just over 6'
 
Thanks for the link. So you are saying that it is usable at night, you just have to manually adjust it, which in effect does the same thing as if it had a day/night tab, just not as conveniently?

I think I would be okay with that. Looks like the install is simple.

The mirror doesn't have the tab to flick it up or down like the stock one has, so I tilt it down. Only thing I'm worried about the blue film is that its another layer put on the mirror, so filtering the image so to speak. Would be nice if that was an option for the mirror. I do think that would take the glare the headlights cause out of the picture. I picked the micro-mirror up from Sector 111:

microMIRRORâ„¢ Rear View Mirror for the Lotus Elise and Exige - Sector111
 
I use a MicroMirror, but it's horrible at night unless tinted. Just put a 30% tint on it - the light has to go through twice so that will give you 60%. That level of tint is just fine day or night.

(The MicroMirror is essential IMHO - I can lose whole cars at 4-way stop signs otherwise).

And yes, the visor is easy to remove. Just slide off the pivot sideway, wiggle it back and forth as you do so and it comes off easily. Easily replaced if you need it. Made all the difference in seeing traffic lights.
 
Doug, did you notice any distortion from the mirror after applying the film? Any tips/tricks? Would a Blue film be preferable over the grey/black?

Here's another idea for the fresnal lens, its a credit card magnifier and its smaller:

Amazon.com: Wholesale Lot of 10 Credit Card Sized Wallet Magnifiers 3X Lenses by OpticLens: Office Products

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Found that in this thread:
How To See Traffic Lights If You're Tall

Here's a picture of a medium fresnal lens in action, you can see how the traffic light is pulled down and shrunk in the lens:

DSC03007.jpg
 
Doug, did you notice any distortion from the mirror after applying the film? Any tips/tricks? Would a Blue film be preferable over the grey/black?

I tried about half a dozen times to get it perfectly flat and failed. There are a couple of bubbles. I don't really notice them.

Blue would be a matter of preference. The main thing is to dim the headlights of the car behind you - they're always at eye level in the Roadster - without making it too dim for daytime use. I found the standard grey tint worked fine.

Of course another option is to 60% tint the entire rear window. Same effect.
 
That Micromirror is highly overpriced, in my opinion... Are there any alternatives to this?
In the Netherlands, the traffic lights aren't placed on the opposite side of the crossing like in the USA, so it's virtually impossible to see the lights without keeping my head on my steering wheel...
 
This is a random pic off the net with it on the Elise:
Not too impressed with the Elise RADAR installation... Here's mine:

Here is the remote head (its just in front of the trunk release so you reach over it to hit the button - not even remotely hard):
IMG_20141029_104318.jpg

The actual unit is mounted on Velcro so I can easily remove it when I leave the car (its easier than putting up the top!) Everyone who sees it's first reaction is that I have installed backwards :tongue:
IMG_20141029_104306.jpg
 
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Here I always stop so I cab see the light. Consequently I stop a car length or more back. Learning to drive Mom asked me why I stop so far back? "So I can see the light" She never realized that as she was shorter than me. I am just over 6'

Doesnt work like that around here. Many of our traffic lights are demand controlled via induction coils in the roadway, if no car stops over the embedded wires the lights don't change. And yes, it's horribly frustrating during the winter when we are flooded with careful driving tourists and snowbirds who don't realize how these things work and they refuse to pull forward to the stop line.
 
These are great if you have trouble seeing the signal. I have one of these in my S2000 for 15 years! It sticks on like static film.

Only issue is you have to manually pull the mirror down for night driving. I may look into having the anti-glare/blue film put over the mirror.
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Wow! I can't believe it doesn't have the manual dimming switch. I agree that is waaay over priced. I'm in the process of installing an auto dimming mirror from a Cooper mini. It's about the same size as the micro for less than half the price, and it's auto dimming. Picked up a used one off eBay.

BTW, this thread is all over the place: fresnel lenses, rear view mirrors and radar detectors. You can search for my set-up using my user name.
 
I am interested to learn how you are mounting a Mini Coper rear view mirror in your Roadster. I searched for your username but only found about 8 threads, none about mirrors. Please give the thread subject line or a link to it. Thanks.

I'm in the process of installing an auto dimming mirror from a Cooper mini. It's about the same size as the micro for less than half the price, and it's auto dimming. Picked up a used one off eBay.
BTW, this thread is all over the place: fresnel lenses, rear view mirrors and radar detectors. You can search for my set-up using my user name.
 
I am interested to learn how you are mounting a Mini Coper rear view mirror in your Roadster. I searched for your username but only found about 8 threads, none about mirrors. Please give the thread subject line or a link to it. Thanks.

I haven't finished it yet. The thread I was referring to was regarding my V1 remote display. I'll post the mirror install once it's done.
 
The micro-mirror from s111 is machined out of billet aluminum, hence the higher cost. Its super solid for sure and yes on the higher end of things for price, but its of really good quality. Looking forward seeing the Cooper mirror and mounted in the Roadster. I may take my micro mirror to a tint shop to see if they can add some tint, can't cost much since they most likely have scraps that size laying around. I'm guessing the micro mirror since its machined is the reason they didn't put a dimmer switch on it, but they seriously should have added the anti-glare blue tint to it at least. It also would look cooler.