Yes but you are shooting lights of oncoming traffic or traffic going away from you.
If you would have shot a car going past in the first pic it would have a more dramatic feel to it. That is the surroundings would be dark while the subject (car lights) would have been in focus and bright.
This is what i was trying to achieve: Its not at f8, but i took this pic last year when i got into photography.. didnt know f8 was the sweet spot..
Also i should mention that it was pretty dark down there. Dont be fooled with those lights..
All im saying is for the stock kit lens the sweet spot is at f8. You can ask anyone on the canon forums if you wish.
Im just saying there is no need to shoot at such high iso.
The shutter release cable will deff help.. but im guessing you didnt have it so you had to shoot at high iso..
But i can understand what you are saying by the first pic is dark..
NOW in regards to IS turned on or off issue on tripod. (no editing in these pics at all - that is no photoshop work.. yes i know its not straight, i blame the tripod)
Here is a pic with it turned ON at f13, 52 seconds
Here is a pic of it turned OFF AND at f8, 57 seconds
I got told by at least 20 people on the canon forums to try it at f8, turn off IS on tripod and do mirror lock(but i didnt do that as i didnt know how to on my old 350d)
Anyways i dont want this to turn into a fight..
Im just suggesting and recommending to use f8 at night time, have a shutter release cable, and use iso 100. Use bulb mode too
Here is another pic taken at f8:
My friends s15 (took this ages ago with my old camera)
My car (took this ages ago too)
under the bridge!! I got hundreds of these shots at f8
I got plenty more
Here is a pic taken into pitch black!! NO street lights or a car light etc etc.. Check exif data if you wanna know the time the pic was taken..
Also taken at f8.. but with a very long exposure.. its noisy already at iso 100.. so imagine iso 1600
ANYWAYS all good man..
Each to their own..
Like i said earlier i like the concept and as a veiwer/photographer i would have like to seen the surroundings darker while the main focus of the subject is the car trail lights!!
Exactly like this: http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/3480/storm8nc8.jpg
I like this photo.. Just saying i wish it was a tad darker..