Well...if you guys didn't know already Ford SUCKS...from their safety to their design, are just lame. One thing I have a problem while driving behind a ford is their tail lights are entirely Red, from turn signals to brake light to backup light all red and worst of all using just 1 bulb. Imagine what will happen when that bulb is blown....if you guys haven't notice this an entirely red taillight is extremely hard to see in bright sunny days, let along 1 red bulb serving 4 purposes.

Today while driving along the freeway at around 4:50 pm, I noticed a Hondy minivan in front of me signaling trying to change lanes to the right. For some cookie cutter reason they are now using all red tail lights on their mini vans and civics, but at least their signal lights use independent bulbs from brake light.

Now as the Honda is signaling, the suv at the next lane is going a little bit faster and OBVIOUSLY didn't see the minivan's dim, all red turn signal and kept accelerating (I mean I can barely see the signal light so I assume the other guy didn't either). Just when the suv is at the Honda's rear quarter panel the Honda starts to move into the right lane the driver in the suv got spooked and smash the horn. Then I see the mini van wooble and swerve back into my lane and for some reason, panic or just stupidity, he SLAMS on the brakes while swerving back in front of me.

The traffic was pretty heavy going about 40 mph, and I pretty much saw it coming so I was ready to stop short. The Benz had no problems stopping fast, the brakes GRAB hard and ABS does it's magic. By that time I was just praying the guy behind me is actually awake and aware and not driving some beater with 20" wheels with stock brakes. Luckly the car behind me kept a good distance and did not even come close to hitting me. Or else that would be a pretty long day for me...I made it home safely got out of the car, pondered for a moment in my garage and appreciated all the advanced safety technology being built in my Benz.

Well...the moral of this article is. Ford = Honda rear tail lights also =

Thanks for reading.

 

Interesting story. Another reason to thank MB and their safety reliability. Good to hear you're all right.

 

You do bring up a good point about tail lights. Many of the manufacturers are using the single color, single bulb which as you have pointed out can create issues. One of the classics was a Chevy station wagon where the tail lights were recessed in the bumper. This was particularly bad in areas with snow ( evidently Detroit doesn't have snow ) because the slush would build up in the recesses and you couldn't see the tail lights at all, even at night with the brakes on.
I find it very amusing that GM touts the daytime running lights on their cars as safety features while still using the single bulb tail/turn/brake lights on many of their vehicles and none of them has a rear fog light!

 

The addition of the third (high mounted) light has helped but not for the turn signal issue you describe. Good to hear you were alert (and the guy behind you too!). I always shoot a look at the rearview in situations like that and a little prayer helps as well!!

 

My Audi S6 has separate light bulbs for the blinkers and stop lights, but they are all red. When I lived in Europe, this was illegal and people were installing red blinkers in their cars to be different .

I personally prefer amber blinkers, but I guess that my Audi's separate bulb is OK.

Steve