Reverse lights on a toggle?

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Fenrir14

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I have this idea to put the reverse lights in the tail lights on a switch that I can flip on if someone is on my ass.

I don't want to put LED pods in my bumper. I have really bright reverse and cargo lights. I was thinking of how to make it so if I hit cargo button the reverse lights come on too. I'd be fine with my cargo light coming on in reverse as well.
 

Jimmy07

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Why would you want to temporarily (and purposely) blind someone, and increase the chances that he rear ends you, or worse, hits someone else and injuring them?
 

turkeybird56

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Fenrir14, not a good idea in TX. Don't ask me how I know. U would open yerself up to stuff and U may not be happy..IMHO
 
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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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Turkeybird56 I tried looking up regulations on this but didn't find anything. It's not aux lighting which is illegal. I guess I'll just forget about it. Sick of people riding my ass though.

Maybe I'll do the license plate flip to a fake plate that says **** off
 
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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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Jimmy07 Doubtful I'd blind them. It's daylight when I go to work and go home, which is when I get people on my ass. It's more like a warning. I was hit with reverse light pods because I flashed my brights when he cut me off. That's what gave me the idea in the first place, but it didn't blind me.

Like I said maybe I'll just do the license plate flip to a **** off plate
 

crash68

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Two major reasons for someone being tailgated.. they're either traveling too slow in the left lane(s) or they're oblivious to the world around them usually because of texting and/or talking their cellphone.
Most states have laws on the books for slow traffic to stay in the right lanes(it's not always posted) and they require people use handsfree devices to use the phone while driving.
 
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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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Crash68 I agree. In this case neither of those apply. I live in Houston. No gives a **** about speed limits. I'm speeding most of the time too. When it happens most often to me, 2 lane road, speed limit is 35, I'm usually doing 40, and everyone wants to go 60. The road is kind of curvy so no pass for majority of the road. Also I have Alpine ilx207 wireless Android Auto with Google Assistant and Chromecast in my HDMI input. My cell phone stays in my pocket. All I have to do is talk to do whatever I want.
 

nwsewell

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Crash68 I agree. In this case neither of those apply. I live in Houston. No gives a **** about speed limits. I'm speeding most of the time too. When it happens most often to me, 2 lane road, speed limit is 35, I'm usually doing 40, and everyone wants to go 60. The road is kind of curvy so no pass for majority of the road. Also I have Alpine ilx207 wireless Android Auto with Google Assistant and Chromecast in my HDMI input. My cell phone stays in my pocket. All I have to do is talk to do whatever I want.
As a fellow Houstonian, I know the pain. I installed LED lightbars inside the back window of my old Kia Soul to an on/off switch as a "**** off" measure for people riding my bumper. Took me about an hour and a half to install and wire up. With my dark tint you couldnt tell they were there until they were on.
But ultimately, i only used it maybe 5 times in the 3 years I had that installed, so I probably wouldnt do it again.
Nowadays i just do the ******* thing and let off the gas to slow down when people are riding too close to my bumper. (Let the record also show that im never in the left lane unless I am passing and I typically drive 5-10mph over the speed limit except in residential areas)

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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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As a fellow Houstonian, I know the pain. I installed LED lightbars inside the back window of my old Kia Soul to an on/off switch as a "**** off" measure for people riding my bumper. Took me about an hour and a half to install and wire up. With my dark tint you couldnt tell they were there until they were on.
But ultimately, i only used it maybe 5 times in the 3 years I had that installed, so I probably wouldnt do it again.
Nowadays i just do the ******* thing and let off the gas to slow down when people are riding too close to my bumper. (Let the record also show that im never in the left lane unless I am passing and I typically drive 5-10mph over the speed limit except in residential areas)

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That's a good idea but I'd have the same issue, rear tint is too dark. I really don't like the look of light bars on the exterior just bolted onto spots. I'm a clean cut kind of guy, my truck reflects that.

I do that too. It doesn't work on this road because they can't really go around me. I'm already speeding as it is. It's really annoying. People are assholes for no reason.

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Unless you're afraid the tailgater is going push you off the road or shoot you when they eventually do pass, why do you care? If you're driving in the right lane of a multi-lane, or at an adequate speed on a 2-lane, the space you occupy is legally yours. If they rear-end you they'll always be at fault and they'll do more damage to their nose than your tail. Don't brake check them. Just ignore them. Drive safely and attentively and wave and smile as they pass. Don't let their miserable life and ****** attitude get to you. Retaliation or retribution are not worth the trouble you'll invite. People are dead who couldn't ignore an idiot tailgater and escalated the situation.
 
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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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You can do it with a diode, 2 inputs (one from switch and one from oem wire) and one output to the bulb or light

https://www.amazon.com/Roadmaster-792-Hy-Power-Diode-Pack/dp/B0002UHVHI
People like you... amazing. Thank you for answering my question. Would I have to this 4 times to get cargo and reverse to come on together whether I put it in reverse or hit the cargo. I kind of like the idea that cargo and reverse all come on no matter what. Like if I'm backing up in a parking lot, someone might see my cargo light but can't see my tail lights and think hey maybes he's reversing

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rwhjr

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People like you... amazing. Thank you for answering my question. Would I have to this 4 times to get cargo and reverse to come on together whether I put it in reverse or hit the cargo. I kind of like the idea that cargo and reverse all come on no matter what. Like if I'm backing up in a parking lot, someone might see my cargo light but can't see my tail lights and think hey maybes he's reversing

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I guess you didn’t learn anything from post #10? It contained some wisdom within.

I think turning on your reverse lights during the day (like you’re saying you want to do) will have zero effect and they’ll just wonder for a split second if the truck in front of them has some sort of electrical malfunction.

Or you can place your bet on your idea working.....and maybe your reverse lights will change the driving habits of everyone around you?

I know your pain. I live in a big metro area with more traffic than you can imagine. But you need to learn to ignore assholes and worry about just yourself when you’re driving.

Good luck!
 

Dinky

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Yeah doing this will get you a ticket. Your lights have Been modified and the bulb is not OEM. If you cause a accident your ******. Also in Oregon it is a class c felony for road rage and playing road games is covered under road rage. Why do you get mad if someone is tailgating you? They are not hitting you and if they do hit you it's their fault. People get bent out of shape over this and its plain stupid.
 
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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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I guess you didn’t learn anything from post #10? It contained some wisdom within.

I think turning on your reverse lights during the day (like you’re saying you want to do) will have zero effect and they’ll just wonder for a split second if the truck in front of them has some sort of electrical malfunction.

Or you can place your bet on your idea working.....and maybe your reverse lights will change the driving habits of everyone around you?

I know your pain. I live in a big metro area with more traffic than you can imagine. But you need to learn to ignore assholes and worry about just yourself when you’re driving.

Good luck!
My thing is i didn't ask for the ethics or legality of this. I asked how to do it. Someone answered my question. My truck isn't legal as it is because of my tint, lights, and exhaust. I could care less about getting a ticket.

If you asked a locksmith to come open a door because you locked your keys inside, would you appreciate him telling you not to lock your keys inside? Obviously.. you just need the job done. I just want the question answered. Doubtful I'll go through the trouble of doing it because it sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth to run a wire from the cargo switch to the reverse lights, or cargo light to reverse lights. But someone answered my question which I appreciate. If anything I learned a 2input 1output diode exists and I could use it for other applications, like when I do the floorboard lighting. Having the lighting come on when I with the interior lights and on a switch or when my headlights are on. Useful information beyond ethics.

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rwhjr

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My thing is i didn't ask for the ethics or legality of this. I asked how to do it. Someone answered my question. My truck isn't legal as it is because of my tint, lights, and exhaust. I could care less about getting a ticket.

If you asked a locksmith to come open a door because you locked your keys inside, would you appreciate him telling you not to lock your keys inside? Obviously.. you just need the job done. I just want the question answered. Doubtful I'll go through the trouble of doing it because it sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth to run a wire from the cargo switch to the reverse lights, or cargo light to reverse lights. But someone answered my question which I appreciate. If anything I learned a 2input 1output diode exists and I could use it for other applications, like when I do the floorboard lighting. Having the lighting come on when I with the interior lights and on a switch or when my headlights are on. Useful information beyond ethics.

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No you didn’t but it’s a forum made for opinions and you’re asking about something stupid.

Also your locksmith analogy doesn’t work. The proper analogy would be more like me asking him “hey Mr Locksmith how can I lock my keys in my car?”

And to which he’d probably say “that’s really dumb, but here’s how ya do it...”

Then it’s safe to say if I proceed to lock them in, that I’d be an idiot.

Just like you’d be if you modify you reverse lights and cause someone to get mad and more aggressive.......or maybe it causes an accident because it blinds/distracts them (when they’re already dangerously close to you).

Orrrrr like I said it doesn’t do anything except make your truck appear to have an electrical problem.

I mean come on....what could possibly be the positive outcome from this modification? I can tell you that you’re not going to change the driving habits of anyone with them and only negative **** is going to result from it. You’d be smarter if you just stuck to modifying your floorboard lights.
 
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Agree with everyone, having the reverse lights turn on is a bad idea. If you hit the brakes, they may rear-end you because the bright reverse lights will cover the red stop (everybody has dash cams now).

I installed a LED flasher in my 3rd / high mount stop light. When I hit the brakes, the high mount LED will hyper-flash for a 5-7 times in 1 second then go solid red. I originally installed it in my Ford Explorer so people would not rear end me with my German Shepherd in the cargo area. Noticed people do not tailgate me as much with it.
 
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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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Now that is super interesting. How would I go about doing that?

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Fenrir14

Fenrir14

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Again you're trying to answer a question with an opinion. I don't care. I don't have to explain. It was an idea I had. I wanted the answer. It's 0 concern of yours whether I do it or not. If you can't help, leave it alone. If this was a test, you'd have failed and your teacher would call you stupid.

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JB1

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People like you... amazing. Thank you for answering my question. Would I have to this 4 times to get cargo and reverse to come on together whether I put it in reverse or hit the cargo. I kind of like the idea that cargo and reverse all come on no matter what. Like if I'm backing up in a parking lot, someone might see my cargo light but can't see my tail lights and think hey maybes he's reversing

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I have never looked into doing this, you would have to do some custom wiring.
 

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