Cars with fast flashing brake lights - the weather?

newfoundglory

Has anyone else seen cars driving around with their brake lights flickering on and off really fast, even when not breaking?

I was following one, which was odd.... but then ended up behind another with the same problem.:think:

Dave101t

wiring, fuses.

esmerobbo

Could be a poorly adjusted/faulty brake light switch. Must admit never seen them rapidly flash! Seen a few not working or one out of three!

custardy

emergency braking warning/ adaptive brake lights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQBrYM-f98

newfoundglory

custardy wrote: »

emergency braking warning/ adaptive brake lights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQBrYM-f98

Yeah, that looks like it!

vikingaero

Most new cars will now come equipped with flashing brake lights when the driver performs an emergency stop. The mechanism used varies from car to car. Some will activate flashing when the brake pedal is stomped to a certain degree. Others will calculate the speed of the accelerator pedal being lifted and the suddenness of the brake application.

DaveF327

A good idea, but last time I checked the construction and use regulations, it was illegal for a car to display anything other than a steady light with the exception of direction indicators and emergency beacons.

How did these cars get approval for registration in the UK?

Stigy

DaveF327 wrote: »

A good idea, but last time I checked the construction and use regulations, it was illegal for a car to display anything other than a steady light with the exception of direction indicators and emergency beacons.

How did these cars get approval for registration in the UK?

I agree, although I've seen some HGVs with them as opposed to cars. I understood it that only an emergency vehicle was allowed to display rear flashing red lights....maybe that only takes light bars/beacons in to account?

Alot of new cars have harzard lights that come on under heavy braking, but I've not noticed flashing brake lights. Also, in the current weather conditions, alot of driver wilol feather their brake pedal, which could also cause the flashing lights...

Kilty_2

If any of them were 59 plate Astra J's then it's a fault Vauxhall know about and fix on request but aren't recalling them.

Lots of cars do it when the ABS kicks in tho

choc_mouse

According to wiki they're classed officially as an Emergency Stop Signal, so it's supposed to flash - to improve the reaction time of the driver behind.

patman99

I;d say that it would increase the reaction time of the driver behind as their first thought would be '!!!!!!' rather than 'better hit the brakes'. I wouldn't mind betting that there will be a lot of rear-end shunts caused by these lights.