🚀 go-pugleaf

In an article on this newsgroup, Surendar Chandra wrote:
> This may sound weird, but has anyone else noticed the amazingly high 
> numbers of drivers from NC driving with only one head lamp. Yesterday 
> I even noticed one Porsche with just one parking lights working. Could
> this be coincidence or did God actually curse NC to drive around 
> with one lamp :-(

I think God cursed NC with a lot more than just a one headlamp plague.

+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| YitB (WA),    D.J. \/ /\      |    The best way to accelerate a   |
|  YLB (T),          /\/__\'95  |       Macintosh is 9.86 m/s^2.    |
+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

In article <32r4p4$93g@news.duke.edu> surendar@tamil.cs.duke.edu writes:
>This may sound weird, but has anyone else noticed the amazingly high 
>numbers of drivers from NC driving with only one head lamp. Yesterday 
>I even noticed one Porsche with just one parking lights working. Could
>this be coincidence or did God actually curse NC to drive around 
>with one lamp :-(
>

Actually the question is:  Automobile headlights are made in the same
plant at the same time using the same specs and installed in your car at
the same time.  The same voltage is applied to each headlight an equal
number of times for an equal amount of time.  Yet, one headlight always
burns out YEARS before the other.  Why is this?

The answer is simple:  Headlights are actually manufactured in TWO different
lots -- the A lot and the B lot (these aren't the technical terms), the
B-group headlights being DESIGNED to burn out more quickly than the A-group
headlights.  The reason is that having one headlight burn out on a long trip
at night is not a serious problem, but having BOTH of them burn out would be
a catastrophic failure.  By equipping cars with a headlight from each group,
the driver has plenty of time to replace the burned out headlight before
the second one goes.  Even if the replacement light is the same group-type
as the remaining headlight, the fact that they were put in at different times
will keep them both from failing simultaneously.  This is why you don't see
an A-lot/B-lot designation on headlights at auto-parts stores -- the
distinction is no longer important.





The problem with this story is that it is, in fact, complete nonsense, but
try it out on an electrical engineer sometime -- I guarantee you won't be
disappointed.


Paul Denisowski (MSEE student)

padeniso@eos.ncsu.edu
or
Paul.Denisowski@bnr.ca

In article <32r4p4$93g@news.duke.edu>,
Surendar Chandra <surendar@tamil.cs.duke.edu> wrote:
>This may sound weird, but has anyone else noticed the amazingly high 
>numbers of drivers from NC driving with only one head lamp. Yesterday 
>I even noticed one Porsche with just one parking lights working. Could
>this be coincidence or did God actually curse NC to drive around 
>with one lamp :-(

Oh, it's a cult...  I thought everyone knew this!

There are several of these cults out there.. The one-headlight group is 
one of them. Among the other driving cults are: those who drive with 
their lights on during the day; those who drive with their hazard light 
on for no particular reason;  and the strangest of all are those who 
drive around with their winshield wipers on for no reason...

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| John Maultsby  (maultsby@bga.com)   | Broadcasting live from Austin, TX  |
| Amateur callsign: KE4CLW            | Professional Night Owl             |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

How about this:
When you make a turn the outside headlight experiences more acceleration
than the inside headlight. (By inside/outside, I mean it in the sense of
"ouside/inside" of turning circle" ) Therefore the outside headlight
experiences more mechanical stress.  If you assume that people take more
right-handed turns, you might assume that the left headight burns out more
rapidly.  Of course since you drive on the right side of the road (an
assumption, but then again we're talking about NC drivers), right handed
turns have a greater difference in centripetal acceleration of the headlights
than a left-handed turn.  Therefore, again, even if you take an equal amount
of right-hand and left-hand turns, the left headlight comes out for the worse.

Any stats on which headlight is burned out?

Of course, this could be complete hogwash (actually, I'm sure it is), and
I make a lot of intuitive assumptions that a Mech or Elec Eng. (or physicist,
or NC driver or Dale Earnhardt or you) might laugh at.

yuji

testcoop@brtph400.bnr.ca wrote:
: In article <32r4p4$93g@news.duke.edu> surendar@tamil.cs.duke.edu writes:
: >This may sound weird, but has anyone else noticed the amazingly high 
: >numbers of drivers from NC driving with only one head lamp. Yesterday 
: >I even noticed one Porsche with just one parking lights working. Could
: >this be coincidence or did God actually curse NC to drive around 
: >with one lamp :-(
: >

: Actually the question is:  Automobile headlights are made in the same
: plant at the same time using the same specs and installed in your car at
: the same time.  The same voltage is applied to each headlight an equal
: number of times for an equal amount of time.  Yet, one headlight always
: burns out YEARS before the other.  Why is this?

: The answer is simple:  Headlights are actually manufactured in TWO different
: lots -- the A lot and the B lot (these aren't the technical terms), the
: B-group headlights being DESIGNED to burn out more quickly than the A-group
: headlights.  The reason is that having one headlight burn out on a long trip
: at night is not a serious problem, but having BOTH of them burn out would be
: a catastrophic failure.  By equipping cars with a headlight from each group,
: the driver has plenty of time to replace the burned out headlight before
: the second one goes.  Even if the replacement light is the same group-type
: as the remaining headlight, the fact that they were put in at different times
: will keep them both from failing simultaneously.  This is why you don't see
: an A-lot/B-lot designation on headlights at auto-parts stores -- the
: distinction is no longer important.





: The problem with this story is that it is, in fact, complete nonsense, but
: try it out on an electrical engineer sometime -- I guarantee you won't be
: disappointed.


: Paul Denisowski (MSEE student)

: padeniso@eos.ncsu.edu
: or
: Paul.Denisowski@bnr.ca


--
Yuji Shinozaki              Computer Systems Manager
(919)660-1514               Box 90347 / Dept of Chemistry
yuji@chem.duke.edu          Duke University
http://www.chem.duke.edu    Durham, NC 27708-0347   

In article <32ujkr$akm@lia.bga.com>, maultsby@bga.com (John Maultsby) writes:
> In article <32r4p4$93g@news.duke.edu>,
> Surendar Chandra <surendar@tamil.cs.duke.edu> wrote:
> >This may sound weird, but has anyone else noticed the amazingly high 
> >numbers of drivers from NC driving with only one head lamp. Yesterday 
> >I even noticed one Porsche with just one parking lights working. Could
> >this be coincidence or did God actually curse NC to drive around 
> >with one lamp :-(
> 
> Oh, it's a cult...  I thought everyone knew this!
> 
> There are several of these cults out there.. The one-headlight group is 
> one of them. Among the other driving cults are: those who drive with 
> their lights on during the day; those who drive with their hazard light 
> on for no particular reason;  and the strangest of all are those who 
> drive around with their winshield wipers on for no reason...
> 
> -- 

Don't forget the one where they drive around with their turn signal
on with no intention of turning anywhere. (*8
-- 
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|"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!" |
+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
|       Randy M. Tuttle              BNR Inc.                       |
|       e-mail: rmtuttle@bnr.ca      Dept:3Z31, Mail Stop:028       |
|       Phone: (919) 991-4570        35 Davis Drive                 |
|                                    RTP, NC 27709, USA             |
+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+

Randy Tuttle P030 (rmtuttle@brtph8b5) wrote:

: Don't forget the one where they drive around with their turn signal
: on with no intention of turning anywhere. (*8

This is actually a morse code message that says "I'm stupid."

Steve Crisp

In article <1994Aug19.171512.3854@brtph560.bnr.ca>,
Randy Tuttle P030 <rmtuttle@bnr.ca> wrote:
>
>Don't forget the one where they drive around with their turn signal
>on with no intention of turning anywhere. (*8
>-- 

I thought the NC drivers only used those things to indicate that they 
had just Completed a turn.

james Wagner
james@cds.duke.edu

In <32r4p4$93g@news.duke.edu> surendar@duke.cs.duke.edu (Surendar Chandra) writes:
>This may sound weird, but has anyone else noticed the amazingly high 
>numbers of drivers from NC driving with only one head lamp. 

I've noticed that headlights tend to burn out more often in cold weather.
When the lights are switched on, the filament changes temperature too
quickly and breaks from the stress. 

Now, NC isn't exactly known for its cold weather. On the other hand, it
has been awfully wet lately. I don't know if wet weather could produce
the same effect, but it seems that it might.

SD

In <32ujkr$akm@lia.bga.com> maultsby@bga.com (John Maultsby) writes:
>There are several of these cults out there.. The one-headlight group is 
>one of them. Among the other driving cults are: those who drive with 
>their lights on during the day; those who drive with their hazard light 
>on for no particular reason;  and the strangest of all are those who 
>drive around with their winshield wipers on for no reason...

You forgot the ones that drive down the freeway with their left turn
signals on.

SD

In <332scv$r7l@taco.cc.ncsu.edu>, py225@unity.ncsu.edu (Steven J. Crisp) writes:
>Randy Tuttle P030 (rmtuttle@brtph8b5) wrote:
>
>: Don't forget the one where they drive around with their turn signal
>: on with no intention of turning anywhere. (*8
>
>This is actually a morse code message that says "I'm stupid."
>

When stealing a joke from a well-known comedian, it is usually considered polite
to give credit, in this case to Gallagher.

Mike Fox

"Indecision is the key to flexibility"

DISCLAIMER:  My opinions, not IBM's.  Void where close-minded.  Reader
             viewpoint may affect actual perception.  For comparison
             purposes only; your ideas may may vary.  Some intelligence
             required. Toy does not fly. Optional equipment shown. Lessee is
             responsible for blah.  Blah blah blah.  Blah blah blah. Blah.

Mike Fox (MJF@VNET.IBM.COM) wrote:

: When stealing a joke from a well-known comedian, it is usually considered polite
: to give credit, in this case to Gallagher.

Actually, I've only seen Gallagher once many years ago. The only thing I 
remember about him was that he was rather lame. I've had no desire to 
view his silly antics since. As to attribution, does one need to remember 
where one heard everything? Thinking back, I believe I first heard this 
statement made by a friend about 10 years ago while we were tooling down 
the road. Would you like a complete citation on him and thereafter a 
documented chain of citation back to the source? Get a life.

Steve Crisp

|> > Oh, it's a cult...  I thought everyone knew this!
|> > 
|> > There are several of these cults out there.. The one-headlight group is 
|> > one of them. Among the other driving cults are: those who drive with 
|> > their lights on during the day; those who drive with their hazard light 
|> > on for no particular reason;  and the strangest of all are those who 
|> > drive around with their winshield wipers on for no reason...

|> Don't forget the one where they drive around with their turn signal
|> on with no intention of turning anywhere. (*8

Used car salesman in Florida (my home), to customer:

   "Yes sir, the turn signals on this baby are guaranteed to stay on FOR LIFE!"

In article <1994Aug17.150014.24022@brtph560.bnr.ca> ,
testcoop@brtph400.bnr.ca writes:
>>This may sound weird, but has anyone else noticed the amazingly high 
>>numbers of drivers from NC driving with only one head lamp. Yesterday 
>>I even noticed one Porsche with just one parking lights working. Could
I thought of this funny message thread this weekend because one of my
headlamps just went out. The curse of the Raleigh Durham area?????????
Wasn't funny driving home from somewhere at midnight with my brights on
the whole way home!!!!!