You’ve seen it before – flashing brake lights, usually on modified vehicles. They are about as ubiquitous on our roads as a Perodua Myvi, and are typically installed under the pretence of increased visibility and safety. Of course, brake lights that strobe aren’t exactly new – some carmakers offer emergency stop signals that do the same thing, while others like Honda use systems that flash the hazard lights.
But while the ex-factory examples only come on during hard braking and stay on for only a few seconds, the ones you see on that wannabe Civic Type R light up as soon as the driver touches the brake pedal, and continue strobing as long as their foot stays on the pedal, making for quite an annoying sight at a red light.
Make no mistake, this is a not only a nuisance on a public road, but also a safety concern – and at least one country is trying to put a stop to that. The Philippine Land Transport Office (LTO) is apparently pulling over motorists with flashing brake lights as part of the country’s stricter enforcement of traffic rules, according to a report by local automotive portal AutoIndustriya.com.
It’s not just brake lights the authority is checking – it is also looking at missing number plates, missing or expired driving licences and jeepneys with worn tyres and lacking functional handbrakes. The latter is part of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernisation Programme (PUVMP) that eventually aims to replace all jeepneys and buses older than 15 years with newer, safer and more environmentally-friendly transportation.
What do you guys think – should Malaysia be doing the same enforcement over here? And if you’re thinking of getting flashing brake lights, please don’t. Not only is it distracting for other road users, it’s also downright dangerous for those suffering from epilepsy.
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They should also catch those idiots which use the foglamp when there is no fog, some with bright white light some more. not to forget those who uses led bulb in a reflector housing. too many idiocy nowadays!
We also should do the same but the problem is, most of the abang2 PDRM and JPJ guys mintak duit kopi. And once they get their duit kopi, they let the offenders lose.
The cycle perpetuates. This has always the problem. Until we give up corruption and dedak, this is difficult to enforce.
Just like speeding, always offender gets away scott free when he parts with his RM50 note.
Why do the takers sell out their own country?
Too many accidents are caused by repeat offenders who have given dedak b4
Front fog light is not as damaging as rear fog light. These Japanese Celups think it’s cool and trendy to turn on rear fog light on a clear night condition.
Many of them don’t know when a car’s rear fog lamp should be used, blatantly just leave them On all the time. This poses a problem to everyone driving behind the person as rear fog lamps are very Bright. At the end, we end up getting Blinded by them.
The owner manual already stated it should only be : {Used in Low Visibility Situations such as Fog as well as Heavy Rain Only},
maybe those Celup’s salesperson too excited to close a sale asap, the Celupshizophrenia sets in, forget to inform their Celup’s buyers this very important message.
I agree with you but I blame our corrupted lazy officers who always asking for money. they should catch and confiscate these cars.
How can they confiscate when rear foglamp is legal. Bodoh ke?
gunpowder is legal but gunpowder in the bullet is illegal
Badrul that shows your ignorance. Gunpowder is controlled substance under Explosive Act. It is not legal to own without a license. Rear foglamps from OEM had gotten all approvals that is why Toyota don’t get sued.
Agreed. If our officers are not lazy and corrupted, they would have long ago close down Toyota and Perodua operations for encouraging use of illegal rear foglamps and easily spoiled brake lights.
I hope the new gomen will take quick action to close down Toyota and Perodua for being a danger on the road. Do something for the rakyat which our ball-less PH gomen do note dare for the 21months they were boss.
Front fog light, or rear fog light are the same annoying effect…
This should be like drugs….penalise the seller. Why aren’t the corrupted authorities going after the shops selling all this?
It is like selling bullet and gun. Dangerous for people.
So fed up with this lights. So blinding. PDRM cop car pass by also make don’t know
Even Federal Highway also cannot catch all the motobikes using the fast lane, they want to catch this now?
Everyday so many accidents on Federal Highway because the kutu bikers refuse to use Bike Lane.
I see Mat Rempit pass polis car also on Federal Highway (non biker lane) but polis takut to kejar him or saman him later
Police must be pro-active instead of makan gaji and do their minimum
This isn’t a police offence if JPJ allows foglamps.
Police can stop the bike.. But the jams will terrible and you will be cursing yourself to hell and shouting at the police not to do that again.
Forever.
Typical Malaysian.. you are absolutely correct.. so sick of those car- modified Kutu always turn on the bloody non-compliant modified HID and HID fog light flash behind you like nobody business until your eyes pain looking at it. Where the hell is PDRM/JPJ enforcement.. sleeping on their job ?. At some point I am so frustrated and pull a side a let the Kutu pass me then I follow the Kutu back and chase the fellow with high-beam.
Too many Protons do this offence because most of the drivers come from Mat Rempit background
Well not necessarily Mat Rempit but those who watches fast and furious franchise upwards 4 and still does not know how to differentiate racing and action movies.
Enforcement in this country is lacking. We need better and cleaner people in our enforcement.
A blinking brake light in its ori housing will not glare but better. Should pay more attention on lorries n bikes tyre tubes with no SIRIM approved cert. These tubes burst with loadings. Sometimes pump in air also burst. Use recycled butyl usually fr china. My bikes n lorry burst without reasons on highway. Sad to say all these inferior quality tubes allowed to sell.
Illegal HID bright lights also failed to prevent, now already wanna catch this thing?
IMHO the normal-flashing type 3rd brake lamp or additional 4th is actually really good in term of getting other road users attention.
Its the fancy-style flashing that uses the original light that should be banned.
Shouldnt the police go after people who’s third brake light has failed
i could see it on so many cars, some owners are unware and some just dont care. Surely that is far more dangerous than this?
Should go after no rear lights on at all at night especially motorcycles.
So many kampung people come into bandar, they don’t know the rules of city living. #rd brake light is so important
Imply that majority of Perodua owners are kampung people, perhaps you meant Kampung New Village bro?
Flashing brake lights better to alert those not paying attention behind, especially those teong people very close. These people would make sure their brake lights are working. Why penalise these people?
Better to go after those idiots whose car have no working brake lights, those are not a nuisance but downright dangerous!!! Especially Perodua drivers, the authorities should take actions on Perodua for giving cars with easily spoiled brake lights. Those are the real hazards on the road.
Flashing brake lights are annoying and could trigger seizures. Google photosensitive epilepsy. It is also problematic for some drivers with astigmatism. Hence it is dangerous.
Epileptic persons should refrain from driving as they won’t know when a police, or ambulance, or Bomba, or any one of govt vehicles with strobbing lights will come upon them and kill them.
Some continental cars have flashing brake lights. However, they only flash if the driver stomps the brakes. It is to tell drivers behind that our car will be decelerating at a much faster rate than what they would expect. If all brake lights flash no matter the circumstances, then in a real emergency there is a fraction of a second delay for the people behind to realize that what is hapoening isn’t a normal braking.
Drivers shluld be alert of ALL brake lights. Why do we have to work to get people’s attention? We don’t all drive ambulances.
Its called taking precautions mate.
Check also the led headlight not only after market but OEM too. Eg honda so an annoying.
For me they should also enforce the acc shop that supply and install those thing, not only the driver. If you want to kill a snake you must cut off its head, tq.
Totally agree.
Confiscate and penalise the distributors, importers and shops selling these things.
That’s the right thing to ,and easier to enforce.
Stop blaming the traffic cops etc. Asking them to police millions of cars in Malaysia is impossible. It makes more sense to penalise and fine those involved in making these nuisances parts available.
Philippines are islands without any road connections to other countries, unlike Malaysia.
Flashing brake lights makes sense, but they don’t match international standards. Possibly Singapore and Thailand will not allow cars with flashing brake lights to enter as they don’t match international standards.
Flashing high mount brake lamp is compliance with UN ECE MOT. So does the sequential indicator lamp found on latest car model. Suggest those countries should get education and updates according to latest global standard.
Malaysia can’t even catch users without 3rd break light!!!
you can implement all the laws as you like, but who will enforce them?
The police and govt are too busy stealing money to care about any of this. Besides, they ride around in their VIP convoys anyway. What do they care?
catching offenders? In Malaysia, the onely “catching” are cleverly done by enforcement officers will then intimidate, solicit for kopi-money.
You tolong I, I tolong you, boss.
Personally, I don’t think those flashing brake light do any bad. But, those factory LED head light from Honda and BMW nearly kill me, a few times.
And also, those cars which rear windscreen tinted too dark, hardly can see through, have to be controlled.
FOG lights are for foggy environment. Pls summon those who abuse the front and rear fog lights… especially those that modify the front fogs to LED/ HID.. Pls pls JPJ do something about it
PDRM or JPJ should strengthen & enforce their fundamental rules before topping up these and that… Example, penalise the shops who selling non-standard VLT tint instead of keep disturbing those on-road drivers (although i didnt see much actions from the gov officers)… anywhere i do see more and more tinted car with VLT lower than 30% on the road nowadays… how can police or public identify if any criminal is ongoing inside the car?
“those cars which rear windscreen tinted too dark”
Ini semua salahan Loki.
should Malaysia do the same?
This shouldn’t even be a question.
The law says the only lights that should be flashing on a vehicle is the signal/indicator lights.
i got an idea. i wanna use my dash cam records all the vehicles without 3rd brake functioning and post to my fb group and ig with their plate number showing and people who know them will share and viral, what do you think? who agree with me?
New Gomen should just ban all Perodua cars for their failed 3rd brake lights. Just ban them all from the road and we can travel safer. Safety First!
Police can stop the bike.. But the jams will terrible and you will be cursing yourself to hell and shouting at the police not to do that again.
Forever.
Flashing brake light not as idiot as using white led bulb inside halogen lamp housing. And also driving with high beam all the way on highway without ever noticing.
Mercedes and Volvo have flashing brake lights, but they are to indicate an EMERGENCY stop. That is to tell everyone behind that your car will be decelerating very rapidly.
If your brake lights flash under every circumstance, then drivers behind can be caught off guard if you actually do need to stop rapidly. There’s a fraction of a second delay before they realize they are approaching you at a much faster rate then they expect.
There are so many idiots behind the wheel on our roads today. Apart from retrofitting their halogen headlamps with LED ones, many switch on their blinding LED light bars, LED fog lamps and LED spotlights on a well lit and maintained highway. I just, don’t understand the purpose. Is it for showing off? JPJ should do something about this.