Hot Rods Why get hit in the rear end?

Welcome to building a car in Australia!!

 

According to the letter of the law, in England anyway, it is not legal to have a single central red light on an automobile, unless it is beyond a certain age, like 1927 or something.

And I really can't see how or why all these modern cars suddenly spouted single brake lights in the rear screen. Why ONE? Why not two? Why not one each side of the screen?

I'm guessing it is a fashion statement, somebody started it, so every dork and his dog decided it looks cool.

I'm a firm believer in decent lights, don't go a bundle on all these 'hidden' lights, just to look cool. Fitting a 3/4" turn signal just below your fender edge, so it is legal but hardly visible, well, what can you say??

 

The sad fact remains that my 48 Plymouth lights up like a Christmas tree from behind when all three L.E.D lit lights are are on, yet in 17 years of driving, it still has been hit twice. The hardest, where I should have just thrown the car away, was exactly what carsick described a few posts back. I just get sick of the lack of responsibility that people accept as normal today.

 

I've got one out of a late 80's Audi that can be mounted the same way. Damned small in size too.

Sometimes we as rodders and especially when we carry the "traditional thing" to the T are our own worst enemies when it comes to being seen from behind. We tend to like small lights that are often positioned a lot lower than they were originally. We also tend to make other modifications that make the lights hard to see such as frenching the lights or putting them in the bumper guards.

I've said it before in another thread but how many of us have actually followed our own car down the road and though traffic? Both in the day time and at night? In ever rod group I have ever been around there is one guy that everyone else hates to have to follow because you just flat assed can't see his lights either tail or brake or turn.
Everyone on here, especially the guys who hate third brake lights, led's or bright bulbs should make it a point to have someone else drive their car and follow it in a different car in the next few days so that they can see how well or poorly the lights work or can be seen from behind. I have a feeling that some will have the piss shocked out of them at how hard their lights are for others to see.

 

add weight ? seriously ? wow.

FWIW I think its worth doing. a 6" black strip at the bottom of a coupe rear window is hardly gonna be noticeable until it lights up..

 

You are right of course, a third brake light adds to the possibility that a driver following me might see my brake lights come on. That initial warning might be the factor that prevented a collision. That initial warning is what brake lights are for.

That more people don't install them is a matter of indiffeence to safety in general, I think. Some ignore safety features, choosing "look" instead. It's amazing how many go out of their way to point out to me that my 3rd "Just don't look good". The choice is a no-brainer for me.

 

Check out the new setup. Now nobody can hit you!

 

Now you've got a fire hazard!

There's just no satisfying the safety patrol.

 

maybe OT
Has someone tried reflective tape inside of ol taillites instead of white or silver paint?

i have 3 inch wide ROLLS.. white ,orange and red 3M tape even if pieced together and applied around a bulb / lite housing........... wonder if it would help the older car lite problems?

i have save some bags from computer parts that are made of a chromed/silver plastic in hope of using thier reflective quilitys somehow ..

adding a 3rd lite could be a life saver

i have run a single lite "stock"on some cars .. scary most folks don't know hand signals .. even bicycle riders

seems the comment of " i did not ever see your center brake lite" would fall into the next young generation catagory of life with out a cordless phone and no microwave ovens.. whipper snappers (don't know what they are either)

 

There is a bunch of really good info on the HAMB. I've learned a lot. But, every time we discuss safety, the dumbest shit gets posted.

 

triple time here, that's the way to go!!!

 

Yes, in fact when I started this post, I was surprised to find that there is no Subject on the HAMB that is called "SAFETY". Should we have one???

 

For me, safety is very important, especially because I live in a densely populated part of the country and I drive my cars frequently.The roads here are crowded with inattentative drivers and idiots driving battering rams. My cars are fragile and anything I can do to improve my chances is worth taking. I think my third brake lights look ok. Other folks may make their own decisions concerning their own cars.

 

No matter which side of the issue you find yourself on, this (^^^^) is the truest statement in the entire thread.

 

I would rather be safer than get hit. On my 36 Chevy, I have 37 Chev taillights on each rear fender. They are LED lights that look the same as stock. Then my third brake light (LED) is a 37 Chev light that also lights up my license plate. When I step on the brakes they light up nice and bright, even in the day time.

Argue all you want about being "traditional" or stay "stock".
After you have been hit...it is too late!!

"Better safe, than sorry"

PS you can buy just the LED bulbs to put into your stock lights.

 

True dat! In fact, I'm guilty of posting some of it.

Its not that I don't like safety...what's NOT to like about safety. But, I just hate the nanny state and busy bodies. (Not talking about this particular thread...this one has been conducted quite well, with some humor interjected.) Its one of those things that each individual should be deciding for themselves. Constructive how-to's on safety are fine, but public smack downs for those that aren't "true believers" are not.

Like BeatnikPirate said:

That's the right attitude.

 

There seems to be more bad drivers cause there's more cars on the road every day.Rear end crashes aren't some new thing,news travels fast today,seems like everyone has a phone camera,traffic cameras on a lot of intersections.10 years ago the recent hot rod fire and rescue might be only found on the back page of a local newspaper.
Put bright lights on your vehicle,consider relocating or leak proofing fuel tanks.

 

The reason for third brake lights and their high mounting point is to draw the following drivers attention away from the blinking turn signal.

 

The whole rear end of your car could be a red light and some one could still run into you. I think depth perception is a dying sense.
But with our cars a little extra light sure couldn't be a bad thing, hell, there's a ton of cool lights that could be used.

 

It must have been time for another 3rd brakelight thread, again.

The ones on seatbelts, diskbrakes, radials, etc, will follow...