DR YEN

I was wondering if anyone knows of a way to modify the Reverse / Backup Light so you could manually switch them on --without actually going into reverse.

I was thinking this may be an effective way to deter tail-gaters by "switching on" the reverse lights to get them off your tail.

If anyone has figured this out or has done this before --please share!! I would definately be interested in trying this out.


DR YEN

wyzard

not sure how to do this, but i know slowing down more usualy gets em mad enough to move over and go around.

csmeance

my idea would be to find the power wire, and cut it and supply a i think 12v source to it to turn them on.

KJSmitty

It would be an entirely easy mod yet I wouldn't recommend it. Most likely get you a ticket if caught and or reported. Slowing down or "break checking" will also get you sighted..
I wont even go into how one could perform a reverse light mod due to the fact Acurazine probably wouldn't condone it etc..

I do however agree that tailgaters, people who stagnate in the passing lane for no reason, and anyone else falling in the category of an "ignorant" driver tend to get under my skin..

When my mature brain takes over, I tend to look at my driving to ensure what I am doing isn't unnecessarily ticking the person off behind me etc.. If my mature brain hasn't resorted into ticked off mode then I tend to attempt to just get out of the "ignorant drivers" way. Other times/moments, as with most of us, we succumb to the anger and digress to the ignorant drivers level....

Be safe

It's not worth pi$$ing off the wrong person who follows you to work , home or where ever/whenever, resulting in much worse than a car to close to your rear bumper..

Their are some real wacko's out there..

HEK

I used to just turn on the lights but now I just downshift....

chfields

I usually just touch the brake enough to turn on the brake light and if they are persistant and the family is not in the car, I will brake check them. If family in car I will either mantain speed or slow down and let them pass. One time my wife did hard brake check on a guy and almost put my through the windshield, but he backed off and didn't tailgate her again........

However, now that I have a new car, I think I will just let them go around or move, don't want to take the chance the idiot's not paying attention and does hit me, then I'd have to kill him....j/k

Burgman

My windshield normaly looks dirty to me when I have a tailgater so I have to use the windshield washers to get it clean. People seem to back off when driving into a mist of windshield washer fluid.

mg7726

WTF would you need this mod? Just move over and let the person pass. They do that in Europe and it's not so hard.

kennyc

yup! I use the windshield washer method as well

And yes... if someone is tailgating you, move to the right lane. Left lane is for passing.

smx95

Test your ABS. That will wake them up

DCC

dR. YEN,

If you really want to do it, then hookup is pretty simple. Two ways:

1. Tap into a 12v power source which connects to a toggle switch. The other wire coming from the toggle switch will then connect to the 12v power wire of each reverse light. Done.

2. Use a relay (proper way to do it): I won't go into detail about how to wire up the relay ( you can google search that) but basically 12v power tap goes to relay. Separate wire to ground relay. Then you must tap another 12v source going to the switch. The switch then connects to the power source terminal on the relay. Lastly, the output or accessory terminal of the relay gets connected to the power wires of the two reverse lights.

I've done the 'ghetto' version using option 1 to my previous car and have had no problems with it, since you'll only be turning on the light momentarily. Just make sure to place an inline fuse to wherever you will be tapping power just as a precaution.

The other option is to just brake check like everybody else said above! But, I gave you the option of doing the install since that was your original question to begin with. Good luck!

bluenoise

Back when I was in high school, I had a friend with a VW Rabbit that had all sorts of silly mods in it. One "mod" was his rear windshield washer was broken, but the sprayer still worked. He filled it with a really foul-smelling liquid (like rotten eggs) and aimed the jet backwards like a roostertail. It was hard to see it spraying, but it sure did stink. That worked pretty well for tailgaters because they didn't realize it was a spray coming off his car (the mist evaporated very quickly so there were no drops landing on the tailgater's windshield).

Later, he added a mod that I'm sure was very illegal. He mounted a pellet gun in the back that fired out through a small hole near the back bumper. He could press a button on the dash and fire a BB. The gun was a semi-auto repeater, so he had several shots available at the press of a button. One night we were out cruising and someone was tailgating him. He gave them the spray and they got pissed and started following us. Once we got onto the freeway, it was clear this guy wasn't going to leave us alone. My friend hit the button a couple of times and, several minutes later, there was a lot of steam pouring out of the tailgater's radiator and he had to stop to try to figure out why he developed a hole in his radiator.

I knew a guy who was getting tailgated in his pickup truck by a guy in a BMW M3. The truck driver noticed a log (piece of firewood) in the road and straddled it knowing he had plenty of ground clearance. The guy on his butt didn't. A harsh lesson was taught.

How I deal with tailgaters now that I'm supposedly grown up: If I can move over to the right to allow them to pass, I do. If I can't (single lane, for example), I drive as if no one is tailgating me. In other words, I don't do anything differently than I normally would. In my head, though, I wish them a blowout.

brian92873

why not install an oil slicker, or missiles that pop out of your car? that would also be an effective tailgating deterrent. take a cue from knight rider and install a turbo boost...that way you could magically jump your car out of the way of the wascally dwiver.

this is the dumbest thing i've ever heard...if you are actually stupid enough to do this mod you should be arrested...you'd risk causing an accident just to "send a hint" that you don't like to be tailgated? to whoever said "just get out of the person's lane," i'll add, get out of the lane, pull off to the side of the road and get of your car because you don't belong behind the wheel.

sotgecho

You never know what people will do now a days.

Watch this video of these guys chasing around someone in their truck. Make you think twice before doing something stupid again.

http://www.filecabi.net/video/billyscamera.html

cM3go

Excellent idea!

coykiam

my friend has one of those custome foglamps hidden under the bumper, its pretty bright but cost lots of $$$ for the custome work. It was in one of the Hummers I saw in HIN a couple years ago, I forgot the website for the shop that did it...but the Windshield washer method works most of the time...i aint spending or doing a dime just to let those wackos behind me get around me....

smx95

HAHAHAHA OMG great vid.

coykiam

haahahhahahaahhaah.....lol....man free camera!!! I hope it wasnt one of them hick cams

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Personally....I would have ballbatted that guy with the gun soon as he pulled it....he wasnt gonna use it....dude was all talk. I question if the video was even real honestly....looked a lot like a set-up video.

bluenoise

It may have been set up, but I sure wouldn't have messed with the guy once the gun was out. He may have been all talk up until then, but all it takes is a shaky finger on the trigger to end that talk.

HEK

a friend of mine would fill the gas cap area with ball bearings and open it when he someone "really" bothering him... , I wouldn't recommend it since he was caught by a cop.... , just move over and done deal....remember the extreme left lane is for passing only...

DR YEN

Thanks everyone for all the feedback.

I would definately agree: break-checking, slowing-down, switching lanes, installing an oil slicker, ball-bearings, BB-Gun, installing missiles that pop out, and the windshield washer are all wonderful methods / ideas to deter tailgaters.

The Reverse light was just a thought and I was just wondering if anyone had done it before.

Thanks DCC for the instructions -- regarding the second method, is it possible to tap into the original relay that is powering on the reverse lights?

But now that I think of it, I would agree with cTLgo that my windshield does look pretty dirty when there's a tailgater behind me.


DR YEN

leedogg

pretty sure reverse lights on a highway are illegal.

paradigm

i know someone that was killed as a result of a tailgater...she was driving on a 2 lane highway...got cut off by someone pulling out in front of her...she slammed on the brakes to prevent rear-ending them...the tailgater slammed into her and pushed her into the oncoming lane that had a semi coming at her at 55+ MPH. she lived long enough to suffer for about 10 hours in the hospital.

bottom line: remove yourself from the situation. do not just "pretend like they are not there" because it is dangerous. if you slam on your brakes to "teach them a lesson" then be prepared to get rear-ended. if they do hit you, then think of the possibilities...let alone the inconvenience (if you live) of dealing with the person, their lawyer, your laywer, the time involved, the expense, etc. simply not worth it.

Will Y.

Ditto^^^. One other technique that I have used a couple of times is the opposite of a brake check-- I hit the brake just enough to have the brake lights go on while using the accelerator. Amazing how quickly space increases between my car accelerating and tailgater slowing. Also keeps tailgaters from following closely again- they usually drop into another lane or back off a safe distance.

This is only for the moron tailgaters, not drivers who get a little close for a few seconds. If possible, it's best just to switch lanes and let the tailgater follow someone else.

Don't modify the brake light-- it's unnecessary and can't be worth the trouble of tapping into the wiring to address serious tailgaters, which I've found to be a pretty rare event.

ding069

if someone wants to drive faster than you, let them. pull over into a slower lane where you belong.

Digits

I can't believe all of these posts.

If someone is tailgaiting, move to the right and get the f*** out of the way and don't cause an accident. It's not up to you to teach someone a lesson. The people that tap their brakes are just looking for trouble and shows a true lack of intelligence. This is especially true on a major highway/freeway. This just shows how many people don't know how to drive. You're supposed to be aware of your surroundings, not just what is in front. If a vehicle is coming up behind you, you need to move to the right. Would you try all these stunts with a tractor trailer coming up on you? Get smart. :shakehead

subinf

if someone is on your ass, that means move.

SpecialFX

A couple of years ago I "brake checked" a tailgeter HARD on the way to work at about 5:30 in the morning. Turned out to be a trooper in an unmarked car (it was still dark - I couldn't tell). Next thing the lights and siren come on and he pulled into the middle lane next to me. He started yelling "Don't you ever do that...." Without thinking I yelled back "Get off my a$$" He yelled something back and took off. I don't do that anymore.

Just get out of the way if you can. I usually watch my mirrors closely and most times no one gets that close before I can get out of the way, The exception is if someone is really flying and there isn't time to move safely.. I stay put because I don't want to move over and have them move over at the same time. Someone who is really flying can find his own way around, I don't want to be the cause of the wreck.

brianp6621

What'd he do when he needed to fill up?