A few may remember my TDS system that I was in the process of putting together to ward off moronic tailgaters.
A quick update. I ended up abandoning the squirter portion. The windshield washer pump didn't put out enough pressure or volume to deliver enough spray. I even went so far as to purchase 1/8" copper tubing to fashion custom squirt nozzles from. The pressure and flow were so anemic that I dropped from 2 nozzles to one, and though testing showed a 1.5 GPM flow rate delivered 8.5 feet behind the vehicle, at speeds over 20 mph, wind destroyed the spray pattern, forcing it downward; at 40+ mph, the wind directs it down so hard that all you end up with is a wet bumper. I'm contemplating installing a much larger 12v pump capable of delivering 5 GPM at 30+ psi, but installing something like this may be something I'll tackle this summer.
The taillight switch seems to be a success however. One driver I tested it on in a 25 mph. zone did indeed hit the brakes, as I accelerated a bit, leaving a safe gap between us. However, she quickly figured out what I had done, and almost immediately ROARED back onto my bumper, and tailgated me for several additional blocks before turning off and hoisting the big #1 out the window. What a nice lady!
I've also used this to very successfully ward off tailgaters who enjoy 'red-lighting' me through intersections. This occurs when I snag a yellow light, cross safely, and the idiot tailgater illegally crosses through too late, catching the red light. Hitting the button just as the light turns yellow ALWAYS causes the tailgater to hit his brakes, as I gently glide though the yellow light.
Another good use of the stoplight button is to encourage idiot tailgaters to pass when using the right lane, when used along with the right turn signal. Simply click on the signal, press the stoplight button, and almost instantly, Marty the Moron jogs left and passes. Works like a charm.
If anyone else successfully installs a working sprayer system in their car, I'd love to see how they did it. The problem for me was flow and pressure, and I'm sure both could be remedied by using a larger, stronger fluid pump.
-JD
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