Blinking third brake light - Good idea or not?

[Jarwa]

I saw, for the first time, a blinking third brake light (you know, the one in the middle that is always above the other two ) on a full size GMC Sierra today. I was thinking WTF? the first time I saw it start blinking when the dude hit his brakes. It was almost distracting to the point of not paying attention to the other cars around me. Have I been living under a rock or something? I've just never seen one blink before.

I think it's kind of distracting. Do you think that's it's an added safety feature or just another stupid idea?

 

[txgixer]

Distracting . . . . . .

 

[Cattlegod]

it could also be a bad connection.

my middle break light used to do the same thing one day when i would slow down. it jus started blinking, everyone thought it was something i did to my car, but i did nothing to it.

 

[BlueApple]

Yup, sounds like a shortage. Just like in the cars that have their turn signals blink really fast.

 

[CraigRT]

I think that's pretty crappy.. the dimwitted people would probably think "how do you turn straight???" as in flashing = turning...but in the middle of the car?? brain overload!!! haha... i'd never want a flashing brake light.

 

[iamwiz82]

lots of hicks around here love to have their third brake light flash. The local truck customization shop(Truck King :roll sells a kit for that, i believe. They always hook it up so that the 3rd brake light flashes whe nthey turn on a turn signal, as Yield said.

 

[Jarwa]

A mod to the brake light, huh? Never thought of that. Course, I had worked all night long, and was on the way home.

 

[bunker]

I live in Atlanta and about 1/4 of all vehicles here have that. I'm used to it so it's not distracting.

 

[ObiDon]

Originally posted by: BlueApple
Yup, sounds like a shortage. Just like in the cars that have their turn signals blink really fast.

I don't know if this applies to all cars but, when one of my turn signal directions blinks really fast it means that one of the signal lights for that side of the car is burnt out.

 

[Jarwa]

DOH! Saw another vehicle with a blinking third brake light. It was a Pontiac Asstek. Bleh... Assteks are annoying in and of themselves, and even more with a blinking brake light.

And I saw the same GMC Sierra on the road again, too - blinking brake light and all.........

 

[KingNothing]

It is really distracting. The first time I saw it I was in heavy traffic with a few friends in the car and we were staring at the car ahead of us for 20 minutes watching that dumb light. :disgust:

 

[technogeeky]

I'm in Atlanta too - see it all the time.

It's actually a saftey feature. The BellSouth / Georgia Power peope or something started using them and Ford picked up on it and it's on a bunch of the Explorers down here.

 

[SerraYX]

I've never seen one of these before. When/why do they turn on?

 

[Jarwa]

Originally posted by: SerraYX
I've never seen one of these before. When/why do they turn on?

When you hit the brakes, the third brake light starts blinking. Very annoying and distracting. Seems to distract you from other traffic around you.

 

[pyonir]

i vote not. i hate 'em

 

[StattlichPassat]

It's done in F1 racing- particularly in the rain. I think it's a brilliant idea, but not for everyone on a sunny day. I think it should be an optional switch (like fog lights) to be used in bad weather. Heck, it wouldn't even be that hard to wire up yourself!

<lightbulb! muses, and starts a RadioShack list...>

 

[StattlichPassat]

Originally posted by: Yield
I think that's pretty crappy.. the dimwitted people would probably think "how do you turn straight???" as in flashing = turning...but in the middle of the car?? brain overload!!! haha... i'd never want a flashing brake light.

HAHA!

 

[Nefrodite]

only kewl/useful mod for tail lights would be graduated brightness based on pressure applied.

 

[neomits]

yeah I've seen that before.... I think its unnecessary... I do think however thing the third brake light IS a good idea. It makes it even more obvious at night that someone is BRAKING its not just their lights