third break light flasher

tools113 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 7:47 pm

Installed a third break light flasher unit today. When you apply breaks it flashes 3 times then stay lit. Had one on my Mini Cooper and it really gets peoples attention. Kinda wakes them up.

Mike08Liberty · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 8:26 pm

How legal is that? I wonder what a cop would do if he was behind you ... ever had any issues?

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 8:30 pm

I can't imagine that there is any regulation against the flashing 3rd brake lights, too many vehicles come with them OEM now for that to be such an issue

Mike08Liberty · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 8:31 pm

I've never seen a car with a flashing brake light ... I know motorcycles have them

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 8:40 pm

friend got a free pt cruiser when he bought he truck, and it's got one, either the impreza or mitsu version of the same car has one as an option

now i have no idea if these are options that the particular dealer installed (atleast i know the PT cruiser's wasn't requested, it was just like that but why it was i can't say)

im not sayin they're stock, cause i dont know, but there's atleast some cars rollin off the show room with them installed

i can't really see why they wouldn't be legal, they do get your attention, it is the 3rd brake light, although i've seen flashing brake lights in the UK that work int he same fashion, 2 or 3 quick flashes and then steady on, then it pauses and does it again

now that i think about it ive seen quite a few on 4 runners and isuzus as well as pickup trucks over the past few months

it's been too long since i was doing DOT inspections to quote any regs and those regs get changed all the time due to technology etc, at one point when i was still doing inspections, LED brake lights were illegal as it was stated that LED's were only valid for aux marker lights as per NC's DOT

I've been wanting to get a new 3rd brake light anyway, i think it was Rip that put a led 3rd on his (non-blinking) but my 3rd is a little jacked up i need a new one, half the gasket is gone and it leaks

tools113 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 8:50 pm

I never had a problem with police and the blinking rear light. I have had it for 4 years on my Mini and I have driven through 15 different states with it installed.
It does not flash all the time only when you first apply your breaks. If it flashed all the time while breaks are applied then you would have problems.

tools113 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 8:52 pm

And there must be a reason you see so many motorcycles with them. Why not cars?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 9:10 pm

tools113 wrote:

And there must be a reason you see so many motorcycles with them. Why not cars?

It's annoying,I want to run those dang motorcycles off the road with those dang flashing headlights.

Mike08Liberty · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 9:33 pm

Motorcycles flash because they only have 1 very small rear brake light. It's a lot harder to see then a big SUV ... They have it for safety and I wouldn't ride a bike without one. My 929 had it and it was one of the best things it could have!

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2009 12:25 am

Mike08Liberty wrote:

Motorcycles flash because they only have 1 very small rear brake light. It's a lot harder to see then a big SUV ... They have it for safety and I wouldn't ride a bike without one. My 929 had it and it was one of the best things it could have!

Guess you never driven anywhere close to Sturgis SD in August at 2am in the morning,you wouldn't know what why to turn or go from those dang things blinking all over the place.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2009 12:27 am

Mike08Liberty wrote:

Motorcycles flash because they only have 1 very small rear brake light. It's a lot harder to see then a big SUV ... They have it for safety and I wouldn't ride a bike without one. My 929 had it and it was one of the best things it could have!

Stupid things I hate them and hate to ride with anyone who has them. Been riding Harleys since 1973 and never needed them. But then mine had three tail lights always , converted the turns to running lights on everyone I had along with red lenses.
Now for the go fast over the pond junk maybe you do need them :lol:

nightdrv · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2009 10:10 am

Why are there 2 of these threads?

hrogi · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2009 12:27 pm

These kits have sold for years on smaller sport cars.
Like the mazda MX-5.. it is a huge hit for uses that have less then good brake lights...

The MX-5 rear brake lighte are piss poor and hard to see. so this kit would really help out. Saved many folks from being rear-ened..

the 3 second flash is great.. not to long and not very annoying..
If it was 5 or 10 seconds it would be back.. but i feel 3 is a good number..

third break light flasher

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