How to tell drivers their lights are out?

Mark Richardson

WHEELS EDITOR

It's happened to me every evening this week. Last night, it happened three times.

Up ahead in the traffic on the highway, a car was showing no lights on at the rear. The driver was oblivious, completely unaware that the car was illuminated at the rear by only its reflectors.

The daytime running lights were on at the front – maybe the actual headlights themselves – but nothing at the back.

I even did the same thing a couple of weeks ago.

Driving home after dark in an unfamiliar car, the instrument lights were on and the headlights were on, but it was only when I pulled off and finally noticed that the lights on the radio buttons were out that I clued in to also having no driving lights at the rear.

My question is – how do you inform another driver that his or her lights need to be turned on?

Approaching cars can flash their lights, but what do you do when you're behind, or alongside? Flashing lights in the rear-view mirror are just interpreted as "move over," and when alongside, all you can do is honk your horn and jab your finger in the general direction of the car's front. It rarely seems to get the message across.

So please – if you have a better method of telling drivers about their lights being out, write in to wheels@thestar.ca or send us a letter and share it. We all need to know.

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