Brake Light Pulser ... DIY

[Smart Car Geek]

Originally Posted by bigcritter

Which is why every emergency vehicle out there has them.

Yes, and only they should have them. You could just as easily attract someone attention and have them hit another car (that's not yours). The driver needs to focus on the road, not something that will pull their eyes away from the road. They are the same menace as cell phones.

[rawlus®]

just a friendly FYI for MA residents. flashing red lights of any type facing any direction are not permitted on personal vehicles under Chapter 90, Section 7E of the Mass General Laws. fine IIRC is $300 for violation.

[bigcritter]

[quote=Smart Car Geek;89973] The driver needs to focus on the road, not something that will pull their eyes away from the road.

That's my point exactly!! DRVER'S need to focus on the road! The problem IS that too few actually DO!! They're way too busy doing other things.......as you said.....like talking on cell phones! Which is why I'VE chosen to use the pulser. Dave777 and I have agreed to disagree on the "Regular vs. Premium" debate, but we both seem to agree that we need to increase our visibility somewhat, which is the reason for the pulser! That's our choice! The same as it's YOUR choice NOT to use one! That's what makes this country......and this forum.........so GREAT!! Everyone can have their own opinion!! So.........I'll just say one more thing and then I'll drop the subject! While I'm out there driving with my pulser and praying that I don't get rear-ended......I'll be praying that you, and everyone else on this forum out there driving their smarties..........don't get rear-ended EITHER.......WITH OR WITHOUT A PULSAR!!! Have a great day!! Gotta go to work and pay for my smartie!!

[Dave777]

SmartcarGeek and rawlUSA,

I appreciate your concerns, and thank you for sharing them.

FWIW I won't live in fear of getting ticketed in MA or anywhere else. Mercedes has done extensive testing of the center pulsing light and believes it is a significant safety enhancement. They now have it on some of their cars, with, BTW, DOT approval.

The lights are common on some motorcycles now too, as a way to catch the attention of a distracted trailing driver.

This particular one from Webelectric doesn't flash every time the brakes are applied, and so is not an annoyance to trailing drivers in stop and go traffic.

Again, I thank you for your concerns and observations. If you owned a Mercedes with this feature I don't think you'd disable it, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Smart Car Geek]

Originally Posted by rawlus®

just a friendly FYI for MA residents. flashing red lights of any type facing any direction are not permitted on personal vehicles under Chapter 90, Section 7E of the Mass General Laws. fine IIRC is $300 for violation.

Thanks for this rawlus® I was just doing some googling and from what I can see after 2003 no state allows flashing red lights on passenger cars. The regulations were amended in 2005 to permit flashing lights on bicycles. In Canada the fine is less (110.00 per offense) and in Europe there is something called the road traffic act which makes them illegal. Flashing amber lights are OK though. Some states (like MA that you mentioned) make them illegal just by virtue of being mounted on the car. The law reads "Any unit designed to emit light", so these lights are illegal whether they are on or off. Someone also said something about there being a surcharge on your insurance for getting this kind of a ticket, so check with your insurance company about this. Each state will have different wording, so check with the laws of your state on this. Here is information on California's laws. People won't think these lights are so cute after they have to shell out $300 a pop for violations, and then have to remove them anyway. Some of the products that I saw for sale had wording which said something similar to "may not be applicable for street use" or "Laws vary from state to state and country to country. We make no representation or warranty to the legality of this product for street use on any vehicle or in any location". In 2006 the NHTSA gave Mercedes a temporary exemption from the laws noted above, allowing it to test 5,000 vehicles with a similar feature to the one in this thread (although it works completely different). More information here. Again, thanks for the heads up on this ;)

Originally Posted by Dave777

They now have it on some of their cars, with, BTW, DOT approval.

As noted above they only got approval for testing 5000 cars. Gee, come to think of it they wouldn't need approval if they were legal now would they Regarding motorcycles, the laws read differently for them and if you've noticed many places selling these flashing brake light adapters show pictures of motorcycles on their site so they can't get in trouble selling them for cars. It is disingenuous for you to even compare what Mercedes is doing with the ones mentioned in this thread, because Mercedes has NHTSA permission, unlike anyone else here, and the Mercedes circuit works completely different according to speed But hey, it's your ticket, so enjoy ;)

[rawlus®]

factory installed NHTSA-approved stuff is seen different by many laws than after-market user-installed stuff. a common one is window tint, many SUV's come with the rear windows tinted fairly heavily right from the factory... what's interesting is that applying that level of tint yourself in some jurisdictions would be considered a violation. i can't justify the reasoning behind it, it's just the way it is. some states are now trying to prohibit aftermarket exhausts that are not identical factory replacements.. i think they're targeting the coffee-can mufflers on the ricer vehicles personally but who knows.

[Dave777]

Thank you for your input and research.

As BigCritter said, we'll agree to disagree.

I will not live in fear of getting a ticket, nor of having my insurance cancelled.

[bigcritter]

I still think that when the traffic codes reference "flashing lights" on a vehicle being "UNLAWFUL", since ILLEGAL is a SICK BIRD, the code is referencing flashing lights mounted on vehicles which attempt to give the impression that it's an emergency vehicle! If fact, in one of the links given above, it quotes a California Traffic Code which says nothing whatsoever about a flashing third brake light.........especially a light which is already mounted as standard equipment. The "reporter" draws a conclusion, and states that it is "illegal", yet without referencing the CODE that makes it "illegal." Certainly, if you read the Code that IS cited, there is CERTAINLY nothing in that specific code that says that a flashing third brake light is "illegal".............or even "unlawful!!" Either way, I will research this in the Revised Code of Washington, and perhaps even speak with the Washington State Patrol, but regardless, I like Dave777, would prefer to take my chances on being cited as opposed to being injured in a rear-end collision. I'm sure that the LEOs in THIS area have far more important things on their minds than citing someone for something so trivial, especially when they've got all of the "low-riders" and others driving around with NEON lights & LED lights all over and under their vehicles, creating a very REAL distraction. Also, if you've never actually SEEN this brake pulser in action, you might be visualizing something FAR MORE intense (such as a STOBE LIGHT effect), and that certainly ISN'T what this is. This is no different than tapping the brake pedal a few times in succession before you go to steady pressing. That's all it is! It's NOT like having a STROBE mounted in the brake light.......NOT AT ALL!!! So......would it be "ILLEGAL" for me to tap my brake 3 times before applying the brake each time...........or should it be?? NOPE..Don't think so!! So I will continue to use my pulser! It's just one of those risks that I'm willing to take! :>)

[rawlus®]

easy. easy. not need to get all riled up. as i said before, it was just an FYI for MA residents. for MA residents, it's your decision whether you want to risk it or not, i was just making you aware of the risks. i'm not condemning anyone. cripes. bartender! chill pills for the house!

[bigcritter]

Nobody is upset here! Just enthusiastic debaters! I personally think that everyone has the right to make their own decisions! I make mine, you make yours, Dave777 makes his.........IT'S ALL GOOD!! ;) Realistically, I'll only get about 8-10 hrs. of sleep at night worrying about what anyone thinks of MY decisions, and I'm sure that most people are the same way!! I DO love good debate, though! So..........bartender..........set up another round!!