defects -do u tell them?

[jphanna]

one of the things i have found myself doing, over the 3 decades of driving, is notifying other road users of possible defects on their cars. (before i get hammered, i am not talking about modified cars, which is the owners choice) , i am talking about the everyday normal cars running around.

the most common one i see, is one of the rear lights gone, even on current model cars. if i am behind them and i stop at the lights, i always wind the windows down and let them know.

one of the other ones i see, but not very often, (and i dont know if its defectable), is cars that 'crab'. while following a car you can see the whole side of the car on one side, and nothing on the other because the alignment of the back axle is out. that points to dodgy rear end crash repairs i suspect. i saw a small early 2000's Merc driving with a 'crab' action this year.

do you tell them if you can, or not?

[Jimmyd]

Always

[StealthAu]

IF they are driving the car, how can they not know it is crabbing?

[ELGT4me]

Originally Posted by StealthAu

IF they are driving the car, how can they not know it is crabbing?

You would be surprised, I have had to tell people they have a flat tyre!!!

[Danny]

Originally Posted by ELGT4me

You would be surprised, I have had to tell people they have a flat tyre!!!

You'd not believe how hard it is to notice if it is on a rear wheel of a 35 profile tyre, and you are just driving slowly through traffic

[Mr Hardware]

yes i do

[AUIIPURSUIT]

ive told people about headlights being out, tyres having belts hanging out. You normally get a look of "who the hell are you" and then a very flat toned "yea ok thanks".

[ELGT4me]

Originally Posted by AUIIPURSUIT

ive told people about headlights being out, tyres having belts hanging out. You normally get a look of "who the hell are you" and then a very flat toned "yea ok thanks".

Exactly the response I get. It's as if, I am intruding into their own "little world".

[flappist]

Originally Posted by AUIIPURSUIT

ive told people about headlights being out, tyres having belts hanging out. You normally get a look of "who the hell are you" and then a very flat toned "yea ok thanks".

Yes but occasionally you get a "Geez thanks mate, I will get that sorted right now".

Thats how you would reply isn't it?

[J.C.]

It's not a bad idea and yes some people get really annoyed with someone else telling them something is defective on their car.
Indicators and mirrors are a good one, especially when the car crosses lanes and you have to take action to avoid and incident (when you know perfectly well that they haven't even bothered to indicate, or look for that matter, as their right hand arm is hanging out the window or hasn't even moved from the steering wheel......)
The best one I have encountered so far is the defective driver.

[FTE72]

I let people know for sure, espescially if it is brake lights and they are in the same peak hour crawl as me. I hate to say it, but so many times I get a look like I just spat in their face, or a "yeah, I know mate"
Well if you know, bl**dy fix 'em before playing in bumper to bumper traffic fool!

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by FTE72

I let people know for sure, espescially if it is brake lights and they are in the same peak hour crawl as me. I hate to say it, but so many times I get a look like I just spat in their face, or a "yeah, I know mate"
Well if you know, bl**dy fix 'em before playing in bumper to bumper traffic fool!

How do you know that there wasn't some decent motorists that had prewarned them a few kays back?

I had 2 people tell me my brake lights didn't work within 5 kays. The reason they weren't fixed the first time, is the brake light switch stuffed up and Ford wasn't open on a Sunday. . So I drove the car home, jumped into another one of mine and high tailed it to the wreckers.

So, yes good idea just letting people know a light is out, or even a tyre is going flat. Especially these low profile ones.

[ELGT4me]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

How do you know that there wasn't some decent motorists that had prewarned them a few kays back?

I had 2 people tell me my brake lights didn't work within 5 kays. The reason they weren't fixed the first time, is the brake light switch stuffed up and Ford wasn't open on a Sunday.

In the old days that was an on the spot defect & fine. Was it not possible to source the part from somewhere else? Not having a "go" at you , just curious.

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by ELGT4me

In the old days that was an on the spot defect & fine. Was it not possible to source the part from somewhere else? Not having a "go" at you , just curious.

My house was closer than the nearest wrecker/spare parts place. (wreckers being the closest place), so I took the car home and jumped into another to get the part. IMA, I did pull over to check what the problem was the first time a motorist told me, hence why I discovered what the issue was.

As for an on the spot fine and/or defect. It still is, however 99% of coppers generally let you off with a warning, providing you're really polite and act surprised.

[ELGT4me]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

How do you know that there wasn't some decent motorists that had prewarned them a few kays back?

I had 2 people tell me my brake lights didn't work within 5 kays. The reason they weren't fixed the first time, is the brake light switch stuffed up and Ford wasn't open on a Sunday. . So I drove the car home, jumped into another one of mine and high tailed it to the wreckers.

So, yes good idea just letting people know a light is out, or even a tyre is going flat. Especially these low profile ones.

Oops, my apologies, I just read the rest of your reply. My computer/server/ provider is a little slow tonight.

[FTE72]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

How do you know that there wasn't some decent motorists that had prewarned them a few kays back?

I had 2 people tell me my brake lights didn't work within 5 kays. The reason they weren't fixed the first time, is the brake light switch stuffed up and Ford wasn't open on a Sunday. . So I drove the car home, jumped into another one of mine and high tailed it to the wreckers.

So, yes good idea just letting people know a light is out, or even a tyre is going flat. Especially these low profile ones.

Well if my brakelights were not working and I had been informed, I would not continue to drive close to the car infront and brake late in bumper to bumper traffic for 15km's.(an example) It is not hard to tell if someone gives a crap or not.
I have had the odd courteous thank you, but mostly disregard.
I am not some dogooder watching out for defects just to have a go at people. I just dislike carelessness and a lack of courtesy making an already unpleasant carpark commute worse.

[ELGT4me]

Originally Posted by J.C.

It's not a bad idea and yes some people get really annoyed with someone else telling them something is defective on their car.
Indicators and mirrors are a good one, especially when the car crosses lanes and you have to take action to avoid and incident (when you know perfectly well that they haven't even bothered to indicate, or look for that matter, as their right hand arm is hanging out the window or hasn't even moved from the steering wheel......)
The best one I have encountered so far is the defective driver.

Yep defective driver, very common in WA, they can be identified by the mobile phone stuck to their ear, while they check the rear view mirror as they suddenly change lanes. Of course the indicators, were a delete option when they purchased/stole their car.

[pottery beige]

just a few weeks back a policemans brought to my attention that my rear tyres were bald... what else could i do.. i thanked him....

[ELGT4me]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

just a few weeks back a policemans brought to my attention that my rear tyres were bald... what else could i do.. i thanked him....

You could give your right foot the Jenny Craig treatment

[jphanna]

i think it important to distinguish betweeen a genuine 'pre delivery' oversight, as i see brand new cars with tail lights out.....and a person who is running around on bald tyres. its clear that that is THEIR choice, and i say nothing to them.

[john3136]

Yep tell them. They might not know!

Many years ago some guy jumped out of his car to tell me I had no brake lights. Pretty dangerous, but I had no idea that the little switch on the pedal had died. I wouldn't have found out until the next time I towed the boat and did a trailer lights check.


I remeber driving with dad on the SE freeway (no, it wasn't the Monash then) and I pointed out the car next to us had a dead flat rear (they were still doing freeway speed) - took a fair bit of flashing honking and waving to get their attention...

[AUIIPURSUIT]

haha, reminds me, a lady was waving at me on the freeway, just to let me know 1 tonneau strap wasnt on. hahaahah.

[FTe342]

Brake lights out is a pet hate of mine so I always tell them if I can get alongside. Some poor innocent is going to tail end them and be thinking, "I don't remember seeing brake lights in front of me". Trouble is, the evidence is now all over the ground and nothing can be proved!

[ryanstev]

Originally Posted by FTe342

Brake lights out is a pet hate of mine so I always tell them if I can get alongside. Some poor innocent is going to tail end them and be thinking, "I don't remember seeing brake lights in front of me". Trouble is, the evidence is now all over the ground and nothing can be proved!

I almost rear ended someone in the wet a couple weeks ago, locking up my ABS.

I couldn't believe what I had done and it was only when the car in front of me got to the next lights that I realised he had no working brake lights. His tail lights were on, but they didn't get brighter when he braked, so for a few minutes I thought I had done something really stupid, when it wasn't my fault at all.

If I had hit him, I would have thought it was my fault.

[The Outsider]

Originally Posted by ryanstev

so for a few minutes I thought I had done something really stupid, when it wasn't my fault at all.

If I had hit him, I would have thought it was my fault.

and i would suggest that it is still your fault




i tell people tail/brake lights are out on a regular basis.

i would hope someone would do the same for me.

afterall it is the right thing to do.

[ryanstev]

Originally Posted by The Outsider

and i would suggest that it is still your fault

I'm not sure how you would get that idea, I had a 4 second following distance, he braked, but I had no idea, I only noticed that I was suddenly getting a lot closer to him, so I braked to keep my distance, but I was still getting closer so I had to brake even harder.

He braked hard, but had no lights on, unless I had a telepathic ability to know he was braking, why would I brake when he did and why would I brake hard like he did?

When you follow people and they have working brake lights, do you slam your brakes on as soon as you see their brake lights come on? No, you brake gently, if you have a following distance you can then adjust your braking pressure if you realise that they are braking hard.

If their brake lights aren't working, then unless you brake hard straight away, you're going to get either very close to them, or hit them.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by ryanstev

I'm not sure how you would get that idea, I had a 4 second following distance, he braked, but I had no idea, I only noticed that I was suddenly getting a lot closer to him, so I braked to keep my distance, but I was still getting closer so I had to brake even harder.

He braked hard, but had no lights on, unless I had a telepathic ability to know he was braking, why would I brake when he did and why would I brake hard like he did?

When you follow people and they have working brake lights, do you slam your brakes on as soon as you see their brake lights come on? No, you brake gently, if you have a following distance you can then adjust your braking pressure if you realise that they are braking hard.

If their brake lights aren't working, then unless you brake hard straight away, you're going to get either very close to them, or hit them.

This is where it become tricky, you would have to prove his brake lights did not work which will be hard to do because by that time they do not work, they are spread all over the road.

Most of the time, if you are at a safe following distance and an alert driver you will still have enough room to perceive the hazard and respond without the brake lights to warn you

[The Outsider]

Originally Posted by ryanstev

I'm not sure how you would get that idea, I had a 4 second following distance, perhaps your 4 sec gap was not enough for the conditions

he braked, but I had no idea, I only noticed that I was suddenly getting a lot closer to him, so I braked to keep my distance, but I was still getting closer so I had to brake even harder. that suggest to me that you where possibly not paying enough attention

He braked hard, but had no lights on, unless I had a telepathic ability to know he was braking, why would I brake when he did and why would I brake hard like he did? because all of a sudden the car in front of you is getting closer. if you left a safe enough gap then it wouldnt matter if his lights worked or not. you would then be in control of your own destiny and not relying on the roadworthiness of someone elses car

When you follow people and they have working brake lights, do you slam your brakes on as soon as you see their brake lights come on? No, you brake gently, no i dont brake at all.

keep reading

if you have a following distance you can then adjust your braking pressure if you realise that they are braking hard. because i pay attention and leave a safe enough gap to react to them i do not need to brake every time some donkey in front of me taps the brakes. if they are actually braking THEN i can start using my brakes accordingly

If their brake lights aren't working, then unless you brake hard straight away, you're going to get either very close to them, or hit them.no

you relied on something that was out of your control and you hit the other car. you might feel hard done by because the lights didnt work.
rather than lay blame on them why not look at what YOU could have done to reduce your risks and consider that next time you drive.
please dont feel like im attacing you, that is not my intention.
most of us learn from our experiences.
questions is, what are you going to learn from this event

Originally Posted by geckoGT

Most of the time, if you are at a safe following distance and an alert driver you will still have enough room to perceive the hazard and respond without the brake lights to warn you

gecko, if only we had more road users such as yourself, everyone would be much better off.

[XRtowcar]

Told a woman driving a HSV clubbie that the rear tyre was flat.
No thanks, and she drove off on it anyway.
Glad i'm not paying for her 19" rim and tyre.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

Told a woman driving a HSV clubbie that the rear tyre was flat.
No thanks, and she drove off on it anyway.
Glad i'm not paying for her 19" rim and tyre.

What's the problem? it is only flat on the bottom, the rest is ok.