Wanting to convert my rear center brake light to blink when applied

[Luke]

Yesterday, while driving on the Los Angeles #405 (remember, I do this daily), noticed a vehicle in front of me, while stopping, his center brake light went into a "blinking" mode, while both outside brake likes remained on. It certainly caught my eye, and I feel this would be a considerable improvement in alerting those on thier phones, coming up to my rear while stopping on the freeway.

Does anyone out there know of this modification, for I would like to make it ??

In advance, thank you for your input.

(((I took my brain pill)))

[TedL]

Google returned this, among many other sources of info:

www.BrakeLiteBlinker.com

[geartooth94]

You should probably check with local law enforcement to see if this is even legal.

That being said, I'd like to know too!

[bennett9000]

I would rear-end someone on PURPOSE if they pulled that crap in front of me. That's annoying...

[silverblueL200]

Isn't this something a lot of new cars are doing from the factory? I've noticed quite a few them around here.

[pcfixer_VA]

In some places they are very common. Some of them are designed so that the flash rate is proportional to how hard the brake pedal is pressed. This way the person behind you knows how hard you are braking.

[PowerByBrower]

Originally posted by pcfixer_VA
In some places they are very common. Some of them are designed so that the flash rate is proportional to how hard the brake pedal is pressed. This way the person behind you knows how hard you are braking.

From what I've read, this will be standard equipment on all new Mercedes cars.
Just the newest "safety fetish", like DRLs.

[eljefino]

This thing is ridiculously out of hand. School busses around me have white strobes on the roof, like the red flashing lights and GIANT STOPPED YELLOW THING aren't enough. It's like driving the strip in Vegas at night; you can hardly see the traffic lights for all the distractions.

That said, one safety thing that's catching on which I approve of are the LED red brake lights. If you watch carefully, some cars have LED center high mounted lights and incandescent tails. The LED goes from "off" to "on" significantly faster than the old style. 18 wheelers are getting them for the zillion hour lamp life. Oh, wait, Luke, you might like the long life. :P

They make retrofit LED bulbs in the 1157 style, etc. but it's hard to seperate the good from the rice meant to go with "altezza" garbage.

[FrozenPilot]

The LED 1157s aren't very bright at all. I've seen a Chrysler LeBaron running around with them... not good. But if some LEDs would fit the center brakelight, that I think would work well.

And yes, I hate the school buses with the big white strobe on them. Its especially bad when they're driving through fog at night. If you can't see a yellow bus with flashing red lights that is stopped, then you shouldn't be driving.

[Qlara]

Originally posted by PowerByBrower
From what I've read, this will be standard equipment on all new Mercedes cars.

It's true, but the version I read about Mercedes equipped is the intensity of brake lights relative to how hard the padel is pressed on......

I haven't seen any blinking Brake lamps (Center top) on the roads so far.......still wonder if this is DOT approved. (Blinking Brake Lights?)

[lostwages_ls2]

I see lots of cars with them around here. I have also seen units that alternate bright-dim-bright instead of blinking completely off.

[Saturn-Eh!]

TO actually make high mount light blink, one would only need to put a common automotive flasher in line in the high mount brake light circuit...

That being said, how long before everyoine does this, then all the bozo's out there ignore flashing lights, as even they are common?

What would be next after that? a high powered strobe in the high mount brake light (ala-state-trooper)?

The Benz version of this effect does vary with braking intensity. Having a lamp that flashes every time you touch the brakes is annoying, and akin to the boy who cried wolf - eventually everyone will simply ignore flashing lights, as they mean no more than standard brake lights.

[pcfixer_VA]

Hopefully there are or will be some regulations in effect that govern this (state inspection checks maybe). That way there wouldn't be "as many" odd flashers out there. At least then people won't have to guess if a car is braking hard or the owner just liked the fast flash (kinda voiding the whole idea). Maybe there could be a set high and low flash rate that can only vary by X amount of flashes per minute....

[geartooth94]

I'm pretty sure that if I cracked this unit open, it would reveal a simple flip-flop circuit. Changing the flash rate would just be a matter of swapping out a capacitor or resistor.

I love my 300-in-one electronics kit I got when I was in sixth grade!

[Luke]

Ted L
Thank you for the source--I'll check it out.

Fm Bennett
I would rear-end someone on PURPOSE if they pulled that crap in front of me. That's annoying...

Point well made, however, you've not driven on our southern California freeways (#405), having to be confronted with women (and some men) drivers talking on their cell phones and simply not being very alert to the driving conditions.

Fm withphone
I'm pretty sure that if I cracked this unit open, it would reveal a simple flip-flop circuit. Changing the flash rate would just be a matter of swapping out a capacitor or resistor.

I'll have to do some homework -- I like that idea...

Fm Saturn-EH
TO actually make high mount light blink, one would only need to put a common automotive flasher in line in the high mount brake light circuit...

I had actually thought of that; but wanted to raise the question.

[Luke]

elJefino
That said, one safety thing that's catching on which I approve of are the LED red brake lights

That has been on my ajenda for some time -- particularly seeing how effective the one appear to be on the 18 wheelers -- crisper flashing & brighter.

[auxmike]

I've seen those flashing third eyes,I can't stand 'em!
Spend 20 min. at night in traffic behind one,you'll see....

[Rear-Vue]

Originally posted by auxmike
I've seen those flashing third eyes,I can't stand 'em!
Spend 20 min. at night in traffic behind one,you'll see....

hehe.. ya.. i think it would be more of a distraction.. OH look flashing red light.. *smash... . or the guy in the next lane has that and you look over.. and bash. read end someone or whatever. personally ithink its a bad idea..

[petdmc]

i like the idea of having the lights get brighter the harder you break but i also think it would be great to have the centre deflector light up too.

i know that LED's would be sweet if they made good ones.

i'm thinking of going the custom route and making my own cluster taillights, like the ones on caddy's

[eljefino]

Word to the wise... your current taillights are DOT approved... Look... there's DOT stamped right on there. Mess with that and you are open game for being liable in an accident. If someone rearends you it's usually easily found their fault but if you messed with your brake lights the attorneys will love that... and not in a good (for you) way. Sure your insurance might pay, but they raise your rates. Or they might welch out saying they only insure "unmodified vehicles."

If they make a LED that fits in the OEM socket with the OEM lens and reflector, omitting OEM lumens in the OEM direction in the OEM color one would be okay installing it.

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