My 2nd-favorite topic

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
03/06/2020 at 17:47 • Filed to: None

I had an odd experience a few minutes ago, so it’s time to return to everyone else’s least -favorite topic: busted tail lights.

First, the anecdote: I was walking to my rental car in a parking lot when I noticed someone backing out with a reverse light out. I jogged over to let her know, and on the way back I spotted a truck doing the same.

While waiting for him to finish backing into his spot I saw another car with a reverse light out a few feet away.

So, literally 2 minutes to spot and alert three drivers to missing reverse lights.

(And I spotted and notified someone of a bad brake light out as I write this in the parking lot.)

The other point to this mostly pointless post: a few days ago I finally captured something on video I’ve been asking about here and the FP and have never gotten a definitive answer to.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

So, with the video above illustrating my question, any ideas? The best I’ve heard is that the bulbs in some vehicles are easy to insert backwards but I’d expect the lights to switch roles instead of the brake light being on all the time.

DISCUSSION (11)

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Just Jeepin'
03/06/2020 at 18:00

It really is just the dumbest thing. You’re basically begging to get pulled over for a $3 inconvenience. Most cars even tell you when you have a bulb out. Go watch a LivePD episode (it’s a YouTube guilty pleasure) , or an old COPS episode and count how many times they make arrests and drug busts from tail lights being out.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Just Jeepin'
03/06/2020 at 18:01

There are worse hobbies to have...

;)

Just Jeepin' > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
03/06/2020 at 18:11

I’ve seen police behind a car with no brake lights at all, apparently not noticing. It’s fairly easy to spot someone with one or two out, but you really have to pay attention to find those with all three busted.

Thisismydisplayname > Just Jeepin'
03/06/2020 at 18:14

To answer your question. If the bulb is an older style that can be easily reversed then you could have the situation above where the driving lights are effectively on the brake light bright filament so it would be on all the time the driving lights are on, then if the brake light is depressed and lights up the low filament on top of the already bright one, you don’t see it.

Just Jeepin' > Thisismydisplayname
03/06/2020 at 18:18

A-ha, that makes sense. The running light (circuit) is always on when the lights are on , of course, not sure why that didn’t occur to me.

Just Jeepin' > VincentMalamute-Kim
03/06/2020 at 18:18

Depends on whether you want something to talk about at parties.

Svend > Just Jeepin'
03/06/2020 at 18:19

Surely a bulb would either work if put in correctly, or not work if put in incorrectly.

Always on looks more like a short somewhere, such as, if the headlights were turned off, would the right hand rear brake light remain on?

I know you guys drive autos and don’t put it into neutral with the handbrake/auto handbrake on (like the rest of the world) but sitting with your foot on the foot brake causing not only brake burn but also dazzling drivers to the rear of you but it really really annoys me.

Urambo Tauro > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
03/06/2020 at 19:27

I wish I had a dollar for every time I visited the parts store, and heard some other customer lamenting about the cops p ulling them over because of a light out. They act like they’re fixing the lights just to make the cops happy, and it makes me want to tell them well t he rest of us would appreciate being able to see your lights too, y’ know...

Just Jeepin' > Svend
03/06/2020 at 20:26

Engineering those bulbs to only fit one direction would have cost someone a few dollars more, I’m sure...

Svend > Just Jeepin'
03/06/2020 at 20:54

But they did with the old ones.

Kinja'd!!!

Scottie > Just Jeepin'
03/08/2020 at 11:39

The amount of people that have zero business fiddling with their vehicles electrical system is extremely high, but those are the same people that insist on installing their own stereos/sp eakers and tapping into unknown wiring to power aftermarket lights and junk...I wouldn't doubt if a few of these oddly lit brake and running lights are from just that type of hack job wiring