Terry, riding around with brake bulbs in place of = taillight bulbs is inconsiderate to fellow motorists (not to mention = ILLEGAL in South Africa, for good reason). Dim lights are caused by = either blackened bulbs, dirty lenses or bad circuitry. When I ride = behind 3 lanes of cars at night, I sort of like the pupils of my eyes = to stay the same size while I peruse the sea of evenly-lit taillights = in front of me. By re-focusing on a taillight 10 times the brightness = it should be, my pupil constricts and the other normal taillights in = the other lanes, in comparison, fade into dimness. This is dangerous. = By all means, make your taillights brighter, but WITHIN REASON. Or = attach a 3rd taillight in your rear windscreen.

Nigel

-----Original Message-----
From: CTONLINE@webtv.net [mailto:CTONLINE@webtv.net]=
Sent: 26 April 2001 01:19
To: NigelB@foschini.co.za
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Brighter tail lamps

Nigel,
Quite frankly, I was tired of being one of those = obscured cars in an
adjacent lane with dangerously dim tailights.

At one point I was considering, placing a white = reflective sign across
the back of my rear hatch stating; CAUTION THIS = VEHICLE IS POWERED BY
THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS!!

I think VW must have studied Joe Lucas's
electrical systems very closely, and copied him to a = T.

I feel that the stock tailights are way below safe = standards.

And, because they are so low to the ground, they = cause absolutely no
dangerous glare, or blinding light to other = motorist's, as reported by
an inquiring fellow Vanogonite, who followed me for = 3 miles, to find out
how to acquire the same effect on the rear of his = van.

I feel so much better about being able to be = seen,rather tan smacked by
the flying fools here in the Chicago area, after = dark.

Later,

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Terry 85 GL