biketrailerguy
Active Member
Wondered how many others mention to drivers - of stationary cars, typically at traffic lights - that they have such a problem.
Faulty brake light advisory service.
- Thread starter biketrailerguy
- Start date
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Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
After politely knocking on a drivers window one dark night to tell her she had no lights on and all I got was her deliberately ignoring me, I don't bother any more.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Perhaps if you'd out you schlong back in your trousers first...?
I did once knock on the window of a Micra that had stopped at traffic lights and clearly had no working tail lights. The driver did thank me as he hadn't realised.
Once while driving, I came up behind a Toyota Hilux pulling a trailer load of old broken up masonry and bits of it were falling from the trailer as it was really overloaded and not covered. I flashed the headlights a few times and the driver stopped. I was told to **** off and mind my own business.
Once while driving, I came up behind a Toyota Hilux pulling a trailer load of old broken up masonry and bits of it were falling from the trailer as it was really overloaded and not covered. I flashed the headlights a few times and the driver stopped. I was told to **** off and mind my own business.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
My 'one of your rear tyres is flat, is smoking, and is about to catch fire' advisory service failed miserably... 
A few years back I was riding up the climb of the Keighley Road out of Hebden Bridge when I heard a vehicle coming up behind me making a strange noise. I looked over my shoulder and saw that smoke was billowing out of its nearside rear tyre. I tried flagging down the driver but she completely ignored me and carried on past me. As she went by I saw that the tyre was flat and was dragging along the road.
It is 3 miles to the top of the hill from there and when I got to the summit, I saw the woman standing next to her vehicle and using a fire extinguisher on the now burning tyre!
I stopped to offer assistance and established that:
- She hadn't noticed that the vehicle's handling was bad.
- She hadn't seen the smoke in her rear-view mirror.
- She had no recollection of driving past a cyclist who had been waving frantically and pointing at the back of the vehicle.
- She'd only stopped at the top of the hill because she smelled the smoke!
This was in the days before mobile phones so I took her husband's work telephone number and rode home to ring him and give him the good news. He wasn't a happy fellow when I explained that his wife had almost burned out their vehicle by driving up a 4 mile hill on a flat tyre...
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
It was something that people routinely did years ago. In the days when the driver was likely to be stopped by the police if spotted with a light off.
I don't bother now. No-one seems to care. My neighbour has had a stop light out for a few months. I expect it'll get spotted when the car gets mot'd.
When I was regularly using my car I got into the habit of checking my front lights against my garage door when parked on the drive and the rear ones reflected in the windows across the street.
I don't bother now. No-one seems to care. My neighbour has had a stop light out for a few months. I expect it'll get spotted when the car gets mot'd.
When I was regularly using my car I got into the habit of checking my front lights against my garage door when parked on the drive and the rear ones reflected in the windows across the street.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Most modern cars, even cheap basic spec ones, have OBCs with tell tales, so most will know they've a light out and have made a wilful decision to carry on driving anyway.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
Many many years ago a group of us were in a car driving along a country road
we caught up with an old MG and noticed that the exhaust was hanging very low and causing loads of sparks
which was flying all round the petrol tank
seemed rather dangerous so we passed him and waved like crazy so he pulled over
He was very grateful - then drove off again
we tool another route home as we didn;t want to feel like we had to get involved in dragging victims out of a burning car!
we caught up with an old MG and noticed that the exhaust was hanging very low and causing loads of sparks
which was flying all round the petrol tank
seemed rather dangerous so we passed him and waved like crazy so he pulled over
He was very grateful - then drove off again
we tool another route home as we didn;t want to feel like we had to get involved in dragging victims out of a burning car!
Bristolian
Über Member
- Location
- Bristol, UK
I think the main problem with people driving with no rear lights is that don't realise their DRLs only work on the front. There doesn't appear to be a standard for this but I see plenty of Japanese cars with their front DRLs on but no rear lights. Other makes may be different.
My previous car, a 2009 Mercedes C-class had DRLs that worked both back and front whereas on my current car, a 2016 E-class, they only work on the front. Go figure
My previous car, a 2009 Mercedes C-class had DRLs that worked both back and front whereas on my current car, a 2016 E-class, they only work on the front. Go figure
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Some Japanese cars illuminate the ABS warning light if a brake light has failed, which certainly gets your attention.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
I do, can be quite entertaining as the car driver is often expecting a rant from a cyclist and when you tell them you've a brake light out (or a tail light) they can get quite flummoxed.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
Had a van driver yelling at me after I'd said "Lights" as he passed me. He stopped up the road and was indeed flummoxed when I said I was merely trying to alert him to his faulty lights. Found a grateful Mum though, when I told her no lights whatsoever were functional on the rear of her car full of kids.
OP
OP
biketrailerguy
Active Member
I've been doing it for years, but -
Never bang on roof, tap on window or otherwise touch the vehicle.
Always in a stationary situation.
Stand back and attempt to catch driver's eye / attention and make appropriate gestures for winding windows down ( yes, I know, but someone's got to supply the material...)
Never bother with mobile boom boxes full of rowdy individuals - even if they've lost a rear wheel / tyre.
My 'are you aware one (or more) of your brake lights isn't working / faulty / duff etc is generally answered with a 'No, which one'
It's a rare week that goes by without this happening - added to which, it's a rare trip when I don't see the scenario / condition - even though I can't do anything about it.
Re modern cars having some sort of alert - I've never had a modern car, but I made a set of indicators for mrsbtg's bike about 40yrs ago - and they had audible warning of blown bulbs - so it's hardly surprising tin boxes have such a system.
Never bang on roof, tap on window or otherwise touch the vehicle.
Always in a stationary situation.
Stand back and attempt to catch driver's eye / attention and make appropriate gestures for winding windows down ( yes, I know, but someone's got to supply the material...)
Never bother with mobile boom boxes full of rowdy individuals - even if they've lost a rear wheel / tyre.
My 'are you aware one (or more) of your brake lights isn't working / faulty / duff etc is generally answered with a 'No, which one'
It's a rare week that goes by without this happening - added to which, it's a rare trip when I don't see the scenario / condition - even though I can't do anything about it.
Re modern cars having some sort of alert - I've never had a modern car, but I made a set of indicators for mrsbtg's bike about 40yrs ago - and they had audible warning of blown bulbs - so it's hardly surprising tin boxes have such a system.
