Dipshit on freeway rear ended my Bus

[jtauxe]

[skid]

Terrible. Hope that all works out for you.
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'71 Westfalia

[Opossum]

Very sorry to read about your accident.
I don't know if it would have made a difference, but do you have a third brake light? I've seen some close ones with cars that didn't have that light. I guess people have gotten accustomed to only looking for the middle brake light.
_________________
"You can lead an aircooled to water, but you can't make it drink"
"Live and learn or crash and burn"
"It's only Cool, If it's Air-Cooled"
Virginia Whiteface (Opossum) the first VW
Camper Special Club Member
1973 Orange Westfalia Hard top, Original owner

[udidwht]

[chabanais]

It was bumper-to-bumper traffic moving at 10 mph. I seriously doubt a third brake light would have done anything.

[skid]

Buddy was probably paying more attention to his cellphone than the vehicles in front of him.
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'71 Westfalia

[sxuxrxf]

chabanais...
I'm sorry. It seems like you're used to it now. This shit makes me insane!

Just a few months ago me and a buddy were in my '71 Westy, in the right (slow) lane on a long stretch of freeway, when all of a sudden a white van appears in my mirror FLYING up on me. I quickly swerved to the shoulder trying to get out of the way. We felt the Bus kinda swerve or buck forward as his bumper clipped mine. He had to have been doing near 90 mph.
I don't know if he was high, asleep, or ??? All I know is that he was GONE!

I can't imagine what would have happend if I hadn't seen him coming and he hit us at full speed? I came home and bought a long-arm mirror from a '69 that afternoon so that I can see as far behind me as my eyesight will allow.
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(ignore the X's )

[chabanais]

Well the fellow managed to locate a mint 71 bumper and brackets (WTF?) and picked them up and says he's having them prepared, painted, etc...

I told him last Monday that this Sunday was my deadline. I have to go (not my idea) to this "retreat" where there will likely be a bunch of brain dead hippie crunchers so I wanted my Bus for that (my NRA sticker even showed up!).

So now I'm going to take my dented 71 bumper back and have that restored so I can keep it... in my kitchen with all my other *$%&# Bus parts.

I'll let you know how it goes.

People drive like shit and the Bus isn't forgiving of that crap.
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"I spud therefore I yam."

[rustbus]

Opossum raises a good point, I picked up a flashing LED high mount brake light for my bus. Came with suction cups but I used double sided tape. From a beetle guy here who makes them. You can adjust the duration of the flashing too. I,ve now literally watched people behind me snap their head up when I hit the brakes and pay attention. It's super bright and flickers like all the fire trucks and ambulances around here have. Good investment, and no mods necessary. Since it's LED it draws so little power I just used one of those flat piggyback connectors and tapped into the regular brake light circuit. I love it
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May of '72 Deluxe. 2.0L L-Jet CS & 091 trans conversion
my Bus thread

[Skoolieman]

[chabanais]

Flashing brake lights are currently illegal in the States save for motorcycles.

There is a DIY here from someone who installed a third brake light.

Of the three times my Bus has been rear ended not once was it moving or coming to a stop!

First time I was sitting at a light for about 30 seconds and WHAM.

Second time the car was parked and WHAM.

Third time I was moving at 5-10 MPH and stopped for about 5 seconds and WHAM.
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"I spud therefore I yam."

[rustbus]

This is the LED I used. http://www.brakeflasher.com/brake.htm
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May of '72 Deluxe. 2.0L L-Jet CS & 091 trans conversion
my Bus thread

[dugfresh]

As far as legallity goes.. I'd rather beg forgiveness than permission for something like that. If a cop is going to pull you over for a flashing brake light he was going to pull you over anyways for any reason. I'm all for being visible!
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78 Riviera
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjDRJPa1

[telford dorr]

FYI

Copied from the Cali vehicle code:

25251.5.
(c) Any stoplamp or supplemental stoplamp required or permitted by Section 24603 may be equipped so as to flash not more than four times within the first four seconds after actuation by application of the brakes.
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'71 panel, now with FI
'Experience' is the ability to recognize a mistake when you're making it again - Franklin P. Jones
In theory, theory works in practice; in practice, it doesn't - William T. Harbaugh
When you're dead, you don't know you're dead. The pain is only felt by others.
Same thing happens when you're stupid. - Philippe Geluck
More VW electrical at http://telforddorr.com/ (available 9am to 9pm PST)

[karlonwheels]

Ouch! I love that the guy works on bodies, though. Best of luck with it.

[chabanais]

[udidwht]

[ned]

Bummer

[BUSBOSS]

[udidwht]