3rd Brake light 2015 Edge question

[Mikula]

And I’m saying when a driver is looking DOWN at their phone or other things in the vehicle they won’t notice a flashing brake light ahead of them because it’s not in their peripheral vision.

 

If you disagree that’s fine - there isn’t any point continuing to argue about it.

ok chief. if the kid was staring at his crotch for 30 seconds you are correct he PROBABLY wouldn't have noticed a flashing light. though of all the cell phone users i see driving, most have them up in the air, near the steering wheel, in which case there would be peripheral vision involved.

 

if you disagree that's fine.. there isn't any point continuing to argue about it (take your own advice mr. last word)

 

If it was up to me, I'd slap the phone out of every one of the morons with their phone in their hand while driving

 

Why? He’s exactly right. You should be paying attention to the road in front of you.

 

and behind you. and to the left and right.

 

 

1. There's clearly a legality involved. If you are not an Emergency Responder, a flashing light is not allowed (I had to take 2 EVOC courses and sign my life away to get a blue light in NJ).

 

Clearly, anyone will do whatever they want to their vehicles, just please keep in mind the effect it will have on all other drivers who, respectfully, pay attention.

 

there are so many "legalities" most people (and officers) don't know them/enforce them. have a sticker on your window? illegal. obstruction of view. something hanging from your mirror. illegal. obstruction of view. tint (obviously varies by state, but generally illegal past a certain point). licence plate frame? illegal if it covers any part of your plate.. including words and symbols not associated with your plate number.

 

the point is, i can't believe people are "annoyed" because a brake light flashes 3 times. let them deal with the ticket (that they most likely will never get)

[TheWizard]

Seriously? Your excuse is that you know it's illegal but it's not often enforced so who cares?

 

You yourself admit that you find cell phone use while driving annoying and dangerous. Most states have laws restricting to varying degrees the use of electronics while driving but those laws aren't consistently enforced. By your logic, that makes it okay to text while driving because it's just a "legality" and the driver is unlikely to get a ticket even though they are endangering (and annoying) other drivers on the road.

Edited November 20, 2017 by TheWizard

[Mikula]

Seriously? Your excuse is that you know it's illegal but it's not often enforced so who cares?

 

You yourself admit that you find cell phone use while driving annoying and dangerous. Most states have laws restricting to varying degrees the use of electronics while driving but those laws aren't consistently enforced. By your logic, that makes it okay to text while driving because it's just a "legality" and the driver is unlikely to get a ticket even though they are endangering (and annoying) other drivers on the road.

 

i didn't intend to make it sound like it was "okay". endangering other drivers is (in my opinion) often different than annoying other drivers. If a brake light is annoying, it means you saw it, isn't that the point of someone installing these?

 

i defend these because i ride. i have one on my bike. if it annoys every driver, i'm fine with that. if 1 person hits the brakes because they notice the flashing, then It did its job. I don't get into fender benders on my motorcycle. i get pushed into the middle of an intersection and run over.

[TheWizard]

I'm with you on visibility on a motorcycle. But a big difference is that bikes are much smaller and generally have smaller and less noticeable tail lights that are easily overlooked. It's hard to overlook an SUV with three large (and bright) brake lights. And bikes are far less common on the road so the occasional one with a brake light flasher is not nearly as annoying as the recent proliferation of them on full size vehicles.

 

I remember an instructor at one of our Experienced Rider Courses talking about the fact that almost three quarters of motorcycle accidents happen in the front yet bikers tend to put most of their accessory lighting on the back. That's why I installed a headlight modulator on my last Gold Wing and didn't bother with a brake light flasher (also because a Wing has a lot more lighting in back than a typical bike so it's more visible anyway).

[Tightanium]

I just saw the flashing 3rd brake light last night on a car. Yes it got my attention and yes it was a bit annoying. Another thing I noticed was if he had his turn signal on and put his brakes on to turn the 3rd brake light did not flash. With all the crazy new car headlight configurations that are very bright and annoying I thought that cars manufacturer just took the brake light Set up a notch to be different. I didn't know there were laws about flashing 3rd brake lights.

Edited November 23, 2017 by Tightanium

[Mikula]

I just saw the flashing 3rd brake light last night on a car. Yes it got my attention and yes it was a bit annoying. Another thing I noticed was if he had his turn signal on and put his brakes on to turn the 3 brake lights did not flash. With all the crazy new car headlight configurations that are very bright and annoying I thought that cars manufacturer just took the brake light Set up a notch to be different. I didn't know there were laws about flashing brake lights.

 

it depends where you live.. which is why the blanket statements found in this thread by some are inaccurate. in texas, they are legal if it is your tail lamps only, and they cannot remain flashing. 3rd brake light flashing is breaking the law. also, they cannot alternate flashes, they have to flash at the same time.