Ever had a tough time seeing the stop lights when you are first in line at a stop light? Roof line, or maybe the vertical windshield angle makes it tough to see some stop lights if the light is mounted too high, or not far enough away from the car.

I need to crank my seat down, or try another seat position to see if it helps. Feel funny leaning up to the steering wheel and looking up like I'm looking for a UFO or something.

Oh, maybe I'll just open the sunroof, and look out of that hole.

 

:smile: Try visiting this site - www.lightinsight.com - we bought one and it works like a charm!...

Chow!

Donna :smile:

 

Check out www.lightinsight.com

They sell a small flat fresnel lens that adheres to the top of your windshield to make it possible to see stoplights even if they are directly above you!

Certainly one of the best $12 I have ever spent on my MINI!

 

What does it look like on your car? Any pics both inside and out?

Thanks,

Andy

 

You all are great. Thanks for the tip. Looks like you solved that issue for me.

 

No pics, but it just looks like a clear sticker. Basically invisible and unobtrusive until you need to see a poorly positioned stoplight . . . At the worst, it is less obtrusive than an oil change reminder sticker.

Since it is a static-cling "decal", it can be instantly removed and reapplied . .

 

Pretty interesting product. Never seen or heard of that before. I'll have to pick myself up one as well. I'm a little over 6'2". And I have the seat all the way back when I drive, so the lights are totally out of my viewing unless I stop back far enough from the stopping point before the interesection.
Actually on another note, my rearview mirror seems to get in my way with seeing stop signs that are on the right side of the road. On my way home, I'd take the backroads home so as not to put up with the rush hour traffic on the hwy. I'd turn right onto a section of road and go for about 20' before making a left onto the intersecting street to the left. It took having a friend with me one day to make me realize that there was a stop sign at that intsecting point to turn left. All of this time for about 2 weeks I was turning right onto the first street and just blasting through the next intersection to turn left. Couldn't believe it. My mirror totally blocked that sign from the second I turned right and still didn't see it when I was turning left at the next street. So now I need to oversome that situation now as well.
Well, now I'll have one problem of those two situations solved. Thanx for sharing.
Cheers,

 

I don't have one yet, but I can vouch for their effectiveness. I saw a club member's MINI with it installed and it's small. The pictures on the website seem to make it look larger than it is, which is great since it's unobtrusive. But it certainly works as advertised! Think I'm gonna head over there now and get mine!

 

I'll have to check into one of those also. Nice tip.

The difficulty seeing stoplights really isn't a design flaw per se, so much as a design decision problematic for the market here. In Europe stoplights are usually mounted on poles, much like we used to here but usually lower, instead of overhead. I'd assumed it was one of those eccentricities all people and things we love have. Glad to know there's a pretty good solution.

 

I've been using it for several weeks now and it's great! I no longer have to lean forward with the head tilted, gazing upward in anticipation for the light to turn green. Very awkward position!

The small clear rubbery piece is a cling-on, which is removable and reusable. Everything appears reduced in size and allows wide-angle view of the light(s). Very useful for an inexpensive mod with a practical purpose!

 

I have had it for a couple of weeks and it seems to work OK MOST of the time.

The only problem I have is, if the light is mounted high and its a bright day (especially if sun is behind light) it difficult to tell if the light is red or green. Still like it for the cost.

 

Two things about this product:
1. It is smaller than one might expect and comes in such a small envelope that I thought it was just the invoice at first. I was about to call the company after a few weeks to see when it was going to arrive and then I opened the small envelope- I felt a bit silly realizing I'd had it for weeks.
2. Small downside: you also pick up the sun when it's in front and above the car, which gives you a bit of glare you wouldn't otherwise get, though it's not too severe. Overall, I'd say the convenience makes up for it.

 

I noticed that too, but for the few minutes of the day that the sun is at just the right angle to shine through the lens and add some glare, I simply move the visor down about an inch or two from its usual upright and locked position.

 

Nifty. So, where exactly do you mount it? The car in their photo has no rear-view mirror. Do you put it behind the mirror, or toward the driver's side? Anyone willing to post a photo?

 

10-4 on using the visor, YuccaPatrol, that's what I do. Re: location- no pic, but I have mine up at the top of the window, about 5 inches to the left of the mirror. Works great in this location.

 

Mine's ordered. Do they really take 2-3 weeks to get? Naw, couldn't unless they are like MINIs and made after ordered. Besides I'm only two states away.:smile: I like it when there are advantages to living in the midwest instead of Hawaii.

 

I just ordered one for myself. Also, I hope it doesn't actually take 3 weeks.
The hidden traffic light syndrome happens to me daily.

 

It wasn't so much a problem seeing STOP lights, I see them as I approach
the intersection before they disappear over the roof line when I get close enuf.
But then, seeing the GO light was a big problem. Fixed many months ago
by getting a Light-In-Sight!!

 

It really does take 3 weeks, although I have no idea why. It's not more than about four inches across, so it's small, but you see a LOT with it. Well worth it.
-Cor.

 

[QUOTE=asodestrom]What does it look like on your car? Any pics both inside and out?

Andy:

I've had the plastic fresnel lens on my '04 MCS for six months now -- it's terrific. If you want to see a picture, go to: www.allminitrackday.com. Click on "Mini of the Month" - then click on "March 2004." It'll take a few moments for several large pictures to load. Scroll down past the equipment list to the first picture.

There at the top of the windshield on the driver's side you can barely make out the little lens. It's very unobtrusive. You won't be sorry !

Go Get One !

Joe

 

Small downside: you also pick up the sun when it's in front and above the car, which gives you a bit of glare you wouldn't otherwise get, though it's not too severe. Overall, I'd say the convenience makes up for it.[/QUOTE]
firstly:got mine and I do love it, really works well!secondly ,and this is a small downside,you do have to get used to seeing things traverse the lens,that you wouldn't otherwise see i.e. telephone poles, tree branches etc. A couple of times I found myself bracing for impact when I caught sight of something in the lens that looked like it was coming through the windshield (could be after six windshields, I am a little gun shy ) and yes, it really does take three weeks????????? (item being drop shipped from somewhere else?)

 

Best way to see the stop light is to stop before the crosswalk, and make sure the bonnet doesn't protrude into it.

Never had a problem here seeing the light.

 

Hey "No" --

What you said works just fine where traffic signals are on posts at the far side of wide intersections.

But in many places in the United States, especially here in smaller Texas towns, there is only one 4-way traffic light at an intersection, suspended by cables in the center of the intersection. These lights are impossible to see through a Mini windshield unless the Mini is at least 50 feet back away from the intersection, or one scrunches down to stick his head close to the dashboard.

Joe

 

>>These lights are impossible to see through a Mini windshield unless the Mini is at least 50 feet back away from the intersection<<

Joe-- I like this... Give the other guys a chance... launch from 50 feet back and let the dust fly!

Dogspeed.

 

wadda ya want with seeing them lights? sheesh....get a move on, I am in a hurry...TOOOOOT!!!!