So I have always kind of wondered this, but today I finally decided to ask the question:
Why do car blinkers blink at different speeds and is it only me that cares/notices?
Apparently not. One of my favorite comics (XKCD) did a blinker comic
I also found another cool blinker story here which made me glad that I don’t put THAT much thought into why they don’t go at the same rate. However I was able to find out that all flashers must comply with FMSVSS108-S.A.E. J590b that’s mumbo jumbo: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 108 – Socient of Automotive Engineers J590B. Even though I couldn’t find the text that specifically said it, I was able to find a product reference to being compliant and going between 60 and 120 Flashes per minute. So there’s my answer. There IS a standard, it’s just really varied… it would be pretty awesome someday to sit behind a vehicle that happened to turn their flashers on at the same time and blink at the same rate.
As it is now, I’m happy to know that ’03 VW Passats and ’05 Mercury Cougar Coupes blink at NEARLY the same rate (my experience today).
–dez
