Obscuring brake / tail lights with modifications

[jeep-N-montero]

I would be more than happy to be "that guy" if it keeps idiots from hitting us. I do not believe in accidents or excuses and am a firm believer in "if you hit me in the rear then I will hit you in the front". Your car is a weapon, use it wisely!

 

[technoweenie]

Auxiliary brake lights are inexpensive and easy to wire in. Regardless of legal issues, it's just NOT safe to have no brake lights.. I happened to be behind a guy with a bike carrier, with 4 bikes on it. COMPLETELY obscured his rear end.. Couldn't see his license plate, tail lights, brake lights, NOTHING..and it was on a Jetta, his entire rear view was obscured.... He happened to pull into the gas station I was going to, and I complimented him on his bikes (Trek's, I've had a couple).... then started asking him about his setup and politely remarking how unsafe it was. The guy flat out said he LIKED IT THAT WAY, because people kept their distance, and he mistakenly thought that if someone DID rear end him that he'd get a huge payout to replace his cars/bike.. I pointed out the fact that 1. Obscured brake lights are against the law, and if someone rear ended him, at BEST it'd be shared fault, but most likely ruled HIS fault, and 2. Obscured license plate = illegal (he commented that he didn't have to worry about red light cams, half joking half serious), and 3. it endangers his family, regardless of whose fault it was..... He politely dismissed me.... We agreed to disagree and parted ways... The only good thing to come out of it was seeing him get pulled over a block later for having an obstructed tag (Gotta love having a county portable).

But, that just goes to show you, as mentioned earlier, the 'I'm invincible, it won't happen to me' attitude. I have a hard enough time with vehicles tailgating, not paying attention and almost hitting me, etc as it is, I don't need to HELP THEM rear end me..

If you DO mount stuff that blocks your factory lights, the very LEAST you can do is mount add'l lights that aren't obstructed... It takes 2 seconds to add lights to those racks you slide into your hitch, and a lot of them are available with them preinstalled.

 

[trailscape]

The website below is great for dash cam info. Battery failure has been my biggest issue as they tend to fail and swell in the heat, but there's the "super capacitor" options for more $$.

https://dashcamtalk.com/

Any recommendations on one? I had a cheesy one for a bit and it died.

 

[trailscape]

I like that set up.

Thanks. Insurance might cover the cost of replacement parts, but I put too much time and effort to start over if a few extra lights can help prevent it. The lights are also a great fail safe when towing my trailer as they sit high enough to remain visible.

 

[rayra]

Yeah, I understand the law of hitting some one from behind. I guess I'm wondering what law mandates the driver in front has not blocked their brake lights. Unfortunately, the driver who hits from behind is immediately at fault (even when people wedge in...)

There already are laws about not obscuring tail lights or license plates etc etc no shortage of laws for just about anything you can imagine. What people obey or care to enforce is something else entirely and no amount of wishing or law-casting can fix it. Hell, here in CA, the socialists in Sacramento get 900 new laws and regulation 'enhancements' EVERY year. Do you see it making CA any better?

/MUCH bigger things to worry about. I have to wonder why you even started the topic

 

[pyrate]

There already are laws about not obscuring tail lights or license plates etc etc no shortage of laws for just about anything you can imagine. What people obey or care to enforce is something else entirely and no amount of wishing or law-casting can fix it. Hell, here in CA, the socialists in Sacramento get 900 new laws and regulation 'enhancements' EVERY year. Do you see it making CA any better?

/MUCH bigger things to worry about. I have to wonder why you even started the topic

Maybe to create an awarenesss among the community here on Expo. I see Expo style rigs quite often as they head toward the desert or MX and some fit the concern of this topic.

We spend a fair amount of $ on our rigs, making them reliable for extreme conditions and as comfortable as we choose. But if we never make it to the dirt because of an oversight like this, what’s the point?

I’m not really concerned with a law or those that make the law. Laws are more about defining liability when things go wrong. This topic kind was more about common sense and I was hoping to inspire some.

 

[jeffjeeptj]

I like trailscape's Tundra. The lights add some value, but, i think the hitch insert with the foot step is more obvious.
Used to work with a guy that put a large vise (probably 8" jaws) on a hitch insert after being rear-ended a couple of times. Did not get rear ended again. Probably coincidence?
Also, my cousin had a 356 Porsche (a 7 year old used car at the time) with a luggage rack on the engine cover. He fit a doctored up grocery cart to hold a medium size acetylene and oxygen bottle that would get strapped to the rack for transport. Amazing how big some people's eyes got when they recognized what was on the car, and then backed way off. Even the people who sqeezed in (without turn signals) between the last guy who backed off, distanced themselves, too. Some people ARE observant.

 

[dman93]

Maybe to create an awarenesss among the community here on Expo. I see Expo style rigs quite often as they head toward the desert or MX and some fit the concern of this topic.

We spend a fair amount of $ on our rigs, making them reliable for extreme conditions and as comfortable as we choose. But if we never make it to the dirt because of an oversight like this, what's the point?

I for one appreciate your raising this question. I use a hitch rack to carry bicycles and though my plate is obscured, I think my rear lights are quite visible, perhaps fully legal (my 3rd brake light is well above the bikes). That said, I notice that more people seem to do quick lane changes behind me or cut me off, even though I'm signaling, when I have the bikes on the back. I wonder if the bikes are a distraction, not that people are staring at them, but that it takes longer to register that a red or orange light is shining through the spokes or frame, especially in daylight. I'll take a look and maybe add some lights to plug in the trailer harness. I have probably hauled the bikes back there for at least 5000 miles and never been pulled over. Or rear-ended (knock on wood).

 

[justrom]

take a look and maybe add some lights to plug in the trailer harness.

I built something like this and it seems to work pretty well. My third brake light is covered by the Rooftop Tent and the bikes make the side tail lights less obvious. I attached an 8" red LED bar to a piece of pipe that was just wide enough to span the supports on the bike rack (a hanging style not trays). Used a 4 plug trailer connector to activate the light. The brake lights up the whole bar, turn signals make the whole bar flash. Not quite as obvious but it hopefully alerts the vehicle behind that you're doing something so they look harder at the tail lights.