MOT without third brake light - RESULTS ARE IN

[wonkydonkey]

Absolutely.

The results are in - you were right Maximum points to you, sir!

[wonkydonkey]

So as per my update at the top of this thread, the car did not fail for a non-functioning third brake light. I declared that I had disconnected it due to concerns regarding potential water ingress into the electrics via the cracked lens. The replacement light should arrive next week and I'll fit it immediately as I do not want to be driving a car without its third brake light.

[buzyg]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out.

[BeeEmm]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out

Bonjour, With modern cars that have an automatic parking brake and start/stop, the brake lights are always on when stationary, even though the driver has their feet of the pedals. Not something I agree with.

[wonkydonkey]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out.

Don't get me started on these people. Seems at least 80% of cars at a standstill on the road (traffic lights, junctions, roundabouts etc) have their brake lights on. What are they doing??!

[buzyg]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out

Bonjour, With modern cars that have an automatic parking brake and start/stop, the brake lights are always on, even though the driver has their feet of the pedals. Not something I agree with.

Didn't know that. So tis the designersand not all of the drivers, who are twonks.

[wonkydonkey]

A bit like all the cars out there with auto lights that happily let their owners drive around in the dark without any rear lights on

[srhutch]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out.

The idea being the car behind you might have better visibility of the car in front of you that is breaking as the brake light might be visible through the windows of your car.

[ben g]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out.

Don't get me started on these people. Seems at least 80% of cars at a standstill on the road (traffic lights, junctions, roundabouts etc) have their brake lights on. What are they doing??!

I hate it too, but weirdly, if Im sat stationery with stop/start on in the mercedes, the engine will go off if I leave the auto box in gear and hold the brakes.

If I then put it in P and release the brakes, the engine will start back up.

So it makes more sense to stay in gear and hold the brakes as the engine will cut out that way, saving fuel.

[andyf1140]

They are mandatory so IMHO it should have failed

[wonkydonkey]

ben g one of my colleagues told me about his Merc doing that too. It's like they didn't quite understand the memo!

[wonkydonkey]

andyf1140 besides the obvious added benefits the third brake light brings in terms of visibility, it also adds another very useful level of redundancy. The chances of all three brake lights going pop is much lower than if you only had two. I don't necessarily agree with the MOT ruling here but it suited me today

[buzyg]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out.

Don't get me started on these people. Seems at least 80% of cars at a standstill on the road (traffic lights, junctions, roundabouts etc) have their brake lights on. What are they doing??!

I hate it too, but weirdly, if Im sat stationery with stop/start on in the mercedes, the engine will go off if I leave the auto box in gear and hold the brakes.

If I then put it in P and release the brakes, the engine will start back up.

So it makes more sense to stay in gear and hold the brakes as the engine will cut out that way, saving fuel.

As a man who spends his day solving logic problems. That"s frelln bonkers.

[BeeEmm]

Andy f1140 wrote: They are mandatory so IMHO it should have failed.

Appreciate your view, but that is the case. Also, if the brake lights are composed of multiple lights (usually LEDs) it is an MOT pass if only 50% of the LED's are working on any one unit. More than that and it fails.

[Smartbear]

andyf1140 besides the obvious added benefits the third brake light brings in terms of visibility, it also adds another very useful level of redundancy. The chances of all three brake lights going pop is much higher than if you only had two. I don't necessarily agree with the MOT ruling here but it suited me today

Did you mean the chances of all three lights going pop is much lower (not higher) than if you only had two?
Rob