No rear lights in heavy rain.

[brucemillar]

I drove from North Kent to Brighton and back today. M20, M26. M25, M23. The weather was shocking with monsoon rain and spray bringing the visibility down to just a few yards in places.

So why is it that so many cars (and I mean loads of them) had no rear lights on? They had front lights on – possibly DRL's but no rears. This in conditions where rear fogs would be considered legal. Jeez it was frightening. Cars suddenly appearing out of the spray completely un-lit until you pass then they have front lights only. Now it may be just my mind playing tricks on me? The majority of these cars appeared to be newish Vauxhalls, certainly they were all newer cars. Is it possible that these drivers think that they are lit up all round, not realising that they have no rear lights on? Surely this is a design flaw?

What is the legal take on this if stopped by the Police or involved in an accident where somebody runs into the back of you?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Yes.

 

[trapperjohn]

Ah the good old days when "dash" lights only came on with sidelights so you knew if you had external lights on or not.

 

[renault12ts]

It is the fact they have DRLs they don't realise they don't have rear lights on...stupid. And it is not just Vauxhalls Bruce.

When Volvos came with DRLs in the 70s the rear lights were also on. This is a stupid situation that any thinking person could have foreseen...but not car manufacturers.

 

[optimusprime]

But what about all these new cars that have no indicators at all .You have to guess the way they are going .

 

[lxi]

But what about all these new cars that have no indicators at all .You have to guess the way they are going .

That feature was introduced by Volvo many years ago, now superseded by indicators that only come on to tell you what it's just done

 

[automaniaman]

But what about all these new cars that have no indicators at all .You have to guess the way they are going .

BMW & Audi have had these for years...

 

[MancMike]

The worst for no indicating is those who also have terrible road positioning too and are wanting to turn right but aren't just left of the centre line, so no room to pass on the left and basically it's just a car stopped in the middle of the road and nobody knows why until it gets a gap and turns right...

 

[GLK]

... now superseded by indicators that only come on to tell you what it's just done

These and also the magic ones, able to re-write the Highway Code in an instant, giving the car in question priority ... must be a very expensive factory option, that one.