Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Holy Buckets I ran into another beauracratic snag or setback here.
We wanted to build using highly polished aluminum however after speaking with the Safety Officials and Caravan Inspection people this cannot be used due to high reflection of light or sun hindering vehicles driving behind us.

I need to get this in writing before I believe any of it. Nothing was said using this on the side walls though. Kind of leaves us hanging in the air for the moment. Ive managed however to overcome all this nonsense before so I think just maybe I can manage this ... I think

Are the Finland Safety Officials and Caravan Inspection people related to the California CARB group? They sound similar...

seems rather strange since we have tons of semi trailer trucks on the road with polished aluminum doors on the back.. but you know what they say.. every day congress sits, you lose a little more of your freedom..

afreegreek wrote:seems rather strange since we have tons of semi trailer trucks on the road with polished aluminum doors on the back.. but you know what they say.. every day congress sits, you lose a little more of your freedom..

We do, but we shouldn't. They're definitely a traffic hazard. Why anyone would want to subject other drivers to that is beyond me.....

halfdome, Danny wrote:Heikki, it makes a lot of sense not to have a highly reflective surface on the rear of a vehicle. With these new bluish lights running on some vehicles the reflection could affect drivers and pedestrians adversely. It could affect a driver as if he were driving into a vehicle with high beams on. Sun reflection could be a safety concern too. I know a nice shiny teardrop looks great but safety should be the first concern. IMHO. Danny

I can see it as for safety. But sure raises the blood pressure of one hobbyist.. The only..

RonS wrote:

afreegreek wrote:seems rather strange since we have tons of semi trailer trucks on the road with polished aluminum doors on the back.. but you know what they say.. every day congress sits, you lose a little more of your freedom..

We do, but we shouldn't. They're definitely a traffic hazard. Why anyone would want to subject other drivers to that is beyond me.....

Here we dont see the polished doors on truck trailers or..Its mainly white fiberglass or some other material.

Juneaudave wrote:Are the Finland Safety Officials and Caravan Inspection people related to the California CARB group? They sound similar...

Good Question Dave.. Makes me wonder.

afreegreek wrote:seems rather strange since we have tons of semi trailer trucks on the road with polished aluminum doors on the back.. but you know what they say.. every day congress sits, you lose a little more of your freedom..

Those doors are higher than headlights. Danny

halfdome, Danny wrote:

afreegreek wrote:seems rather strange since we have tons of semi trailer trucks on the road with polished aluminum doors on the back.. but you know what they say.. every day congress sits, you lose a little more of your freedom..

Those doors are higher than headlights. Danny

true but they can still shine the sun back at you.. realistically though, I can't see the headlights reflecting back at you as a problem unless you're tailgating.. stuff like that is hard to picture in your mind though. I've never even seen a TD in the flesh, never mind a shiny one but I've seen and followed a lot of real shiny airstream trailers and never noticed a problem..

afreegreek wrote:seems rather strange since we have tons of semi trailer trucks on the road with polished aluminum doors on the back.. but you know what they say.. every day congress sits, you lose a little more of your freedom..

To paraphrase and old saying, one man's right to have a polished aluminum trailer ends at another man's eyes.

I've been hit by one of those reflections Danny mentioned, and it is dangerous. The finish looks pretty, until the sun hits it just right, and you can't see for a few seconds.

CD

afreegreek wrote:

halfdome, Danny wrote:

afreegreek wrote:seems rather strange since we have tons of semi trailer trucks on the road with polished aluminum doors on the back.. but you know what they say.. every day congress sits, you lose a little more of your freedom..

Those doors are higher than headlights. Danny

true but they can still shine the sun back at you.. realistically though, I can't see the headlights reflecting back at you as a problem unless you're tailgating.. stuff like that is hard to picture in your mind though. I've never even seen a TD in the flesh, never mind a shiny one but I've seen and followed a lot of real shiny airstream trailers and never noticed a problem..

When I think of "highly polished aluminum," I think of the stuff that has the same reflective qualities of chrome. The average Airstream is not that finely polished -- it has just enough "texture" to diffuse light to a tolerable level.

CD

Is the reflection any more than off the rear windscreen glass?

Secondly, maybe a coat of non-reflective paint would cure "the problem".

david

Having been on the receiving end of the reflection from a highly polished semi I can understand. However figure angle of incidence and a curved surface, you will be reflecting only a small part of the sun on a curved surface.

Heikki, I wonder if doing something like this would satisfy them?

I had a trailer with this 'quilting' done to the stainless rear doors and was repeatedly told it was easier to follow at night than smooth stainless. It would add a little cost but retain the shine if the powers that be would accept it. That particular pic is from a site in Urup.