BRIGHT backup light for car?

[leehljp]

Anyone know of an externally mounted bright backup light for a car?

It seems, in particular since Covid, American drivers in my area have gotten RUDE or extremely impatient. In numerous times when I pull into a parking lot - Walmart, Costco, Drug store, doctors office or shopping center, when I get ready to back out, I look both ways, INCH my way back, and when am clear enough of the next vehicle (usually an SUV/truck) to be able to see down the lane, - zooom - a car or pickup goes gunning by just inches from my bumper. I INCH back pumping my brakes to let people know I am backing out. With the 6 to 10 seconds it takes to get a clear view, they have had plenty of notice, but it seems that I am only advertising for them to speed up.

I don't even get a "horn blow". My thinking: "A "horn blow" indicates that I would normally be at fault. No "horn blow" indicates that they saw me but they didn't care to slow down."

I was thinking of adding a very bright blinking backup light to my trunk. I have had more than a few very close calls when inching back. Even a few minutes ago, backing out of a donut parking lot, -zoom - the driver roared past and I was 3 feet out before he turned into the lane that I was backing out of. (I know, ended that sentence with a preposition!)

When I see someone inching back and know that their view is blinded by the vehicle between them and me, I stop and hold traffic to let them out. I used to see this all the time, and still do on occasion, but now, it is mostly just “zoom” to see if the driver can get by without having to stop.

I am serious about advertising that I am backing out. I don’t think we have that many narrow visioned drivers in the USA that can't see a driver backing out.

Rant off

Anyone know of a good magnetic light to put on the back or a car. I don’t want to send LOML back there to announce that I am backing out!

[Jim Frye]

Fortunately, both of our cars have backup cameras with a 180 degree setting. As soon as they clear the cars on either side, you can see up and down the aisle. Still get the oblivious driver in zoom mode, but at least we're not surprised. Don't know if your car can accommodate them, but perhaps aftermarket LED lamps in your backup light sockets would be brighter? Most auto supply stores could help.

[capncarl]

I’ve long thought that everyone should have at least one old beater, whether truck or car, with railroad rails welded on for front and rear bumpers, just to use in traffic where the inconsiderate drivers rule.


Backup cameras are a wonderful safety item and a great item for backing an automobile, but that still doesn’t excuse the behavior Lee is describing. I’d like to stand at the buggy rack ( that’s what us southerners call a shopping cart ) and shove buggy’s into the inconsiderate drivers grill as they speed by, but there just aren’t enough buggy’s. You just can’t fix stupid.

[leehljp]

I noticed something this afternoon that might work. Many city utility trucks have small bright white flashing (strobe) lights that have a very fast flash rate. I have seen them many times before but didn't think about them until the evening as I saw one truck with them flashing. I wish there was a way to put them inside my cars backup light's housing.

My wife's car, an SUV has the backup camera but the view is not 180° from side to side. My 2009 Camry hybrid still runs great but it does not have a rear facing camera,

[atgcpaul]

Our Highlander has some kind of rear "radar" so if I'm backing up and it detects movement behind the car even if I can't see it in the backup camera, it quickly beeps an alert. That's saved me a bunch.

However, in your case I'm not sure how giving the other drivers more "heads up" is going to change their behavior.

Rather than a brighter light or even a flashing light (there is probably some law restricting the brightness or flash rate, I'm guessing), could you install one of those "beepers" you hear on commercial trucks and buses when they back up? It's hard to ignore that sound and everyone in the vicinity of your car would be on alert rather than having to be line of sight. Bonus points if you're allowed to install one and extra bonus points if you can disable it, too, say when you're backing out from your house or church and don't want to annoy people.

[leehljp]

Our Highlander has some kind of rear "radar" so if I'm backing up and it detects movement behind the car even if I can't see it in the backup camera, it quickly beeps an alert. That's saved me a bunch.

However, in your case I'm not sure how giving the other drivers more "heads up" is going to change their behavior.

Rather than a brighter light or even a flashing light (there is probably some law restricting the brightness or flash rate, I'm guessing), could you install one of those "beepers" you hear on commercial trucks and buses when they back up? It's hard to ignore that sound and everyone in the vicinity of your car would be on alert rather than having to be line of sight. Bonus points if you're allowed to install one and extra bonus points if you can disable it, too, say when you're backing out from your house or church and don't want to annoy people.

I do not know specifically how fast most are going, but my estimate is that they are going 20 - 25 mph. Not that fast, but fast enough that collisions can take place. LOML's Rav4 has the radar, but mine doesn't. Even her Rav4 has to be either equal to in length or beyond the end of the next vehicle for the radar to catch those coming at 20-25 mph. On my car, it takes me about 5 - 8 seconds of slowly backing out so that my rear door is equal to the end of the car/truck I am next to (when I am "blind" - can't see because of the vehicle next to me). So I am usually 3 to 4 feet out. I do not lurch outward. There is plenty of time and visible movement to be seen. That may be my problem - they see me and decide to see if they can make it by me before I get out into the middle of the lane.

Many People are just rude and dangerous in their vehicles in close traffic situations.

[atgcpaul]

Many People are just rude and dangerous in their vehicles in close traffic situations.

Maybe bring some traffic cones and block the way? No, don't do that.

What I have gotten into the habit of doing in these types of parking lots is to back into the spot. Then I can make a quick exit. Of course, if you have a lot of stuff to haul away and you need access to the trunk, you don't really have a choice. Luckily down here, most parking lots have attendants that direct traffic.

I have not driven everywhere in the world, and Americans aren't the best or worst drivers in the world, but IMHO they are some of the most discourteous. Drivers in the Middle East can be aggressive, but there isn't that malice I feel when I'm driving in the DC beltway. Someone gets cut off, meh, it happens. Move on with your life. There's even a hand gesture we expats call the "onion". You raise your hand with palm facing up, then close your hand so all 5 fingertips meet at the top. There could be a line of cars backed up behind one car waiting to park and if that driver gives the "onion", that's it. You wait. There's no more honking or stress. It's going to take as long as it takes.

We've got aggressive drivers down here, too, but they are generally more courteous, sometimes too courteous. If you're turning left, oncoming drivers will slow/stop and flash their high beams and let you turn. It usually happens if there's a long line of cars backed up behind you waiting. They're probably on par with the US with letting people merge into traffic, but if a gap doesn't open up, they're not shy to stick an arm out. At this point it would be rude to not let them in (from my dashcam).



Oh, and don't forget about the clowns that direct traffic at busy intersections. I still don't know if this is just some free public service, their job, or some elaborate pandhandling gig:

[Carlos]

I had a couple of cheap LED floods on the back of my Wrangler, very bright and effective. They were on their own switch. I may do the same on the Gladiator, but its factory LEDs are brighter to begin with. You can easy buy lamps to mount on the bumper or whatever, and wire into the backup lights. If you have a 7-way trailer connector you can just plug into there.