defects -do u tell them?

jphanna · 30-06-2011, 08:59 AM

one of the things i have found myself doing, over the 3 decades of driving, is notifying other road users of possible defects on their cars. (before i get hammered, i am not talking about modified cars, which is the owners choice) , i am talking about the everyday normal cars running around.

the most common one i see, is one of the rear lights gone, even on current model cars. if i am behind them and i stop at the lights, i always wind the windows down and let them know.

one of the other ones i see, but not very often, (and i dont know if its defectable), is cars that 'crab'. while following a car you can see the whole side of the car on one side, and nothing on the other because the alignment of the back axle is out. that points to dodgy rear end crash repairs i suspect. i saw a small early 2000's Merc driving with a 'crab' action this year.

do you tell them if you can, or not?

Jimmyd · 30-06-2011, 09:00 AM

Always

StealthAu · 30-06-2011, 09:03 AM

IF they are driving the car, how can they not know it is crabbing?

Mr Hardware · 30-06-2011, 09:09 AM

yes i do

ELGT4me · 30-06-2011, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StealthAu

IF they are driving the car, how can they not know it is crabbing?

You would be surprised, I have had to tell people they have a flat tyre!!!

AUIIPURSUIT · 30-06-2011, 09:13 AM

ive told people about headlights being out, tyres having belts hanging out. You normally get a look of "who the hell are you" and then a very flat toned "yea ok thanks".

ELGT4me · 30-06-2011, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUIIPURSUIT

ive told people about headlights being out, tyres having belts hanging out. You normally get a look of "who the hell are you" and then a very flat toned "yea ok thanks".

Exactly the response I get. It's as if, I am intruding into their own "little world".

flappist · 30-06-2011, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUIIPURSUIT

ive told people about headlights being out, tyres having belts hanging out. You normally get a look of "who the hell are you" and then a very flat toned "yea ok thanks".

Yes but occasionally you get a "Geez thanks mate, I will get that sorted right now".

Thats how you would reply isn't it?

J.C. · 30-06-2011, 09:32 AM

It's not a bad idea and yes some people get really annoyed with someone else telling them something is defective on their car.
Indicators and mirrors are a good one, especially when the car crosses lanes and you have to take action to avoid and incident (when you know perfectly well that they haven't even bothered to indicate, or look for that matter, as their right hand arm is hanging out the window or hasn't even moved from the steering wheel......)
The best one I have encountered so far is the defective driver.

FTE72 · 30-06-2011, 09:37 AM

I let people know for sure, espescially if it is brake lights and they are in the same peak hour crawl as me. I hate to say it, but so many times I get a look like I just spat in their face, or a "yeah, I know mate"
Well if you know, bl**dy fix 'em before playing in bumper to bumper traffic fool!

pottery beige · 30-06-2011, 09:38 AM

just a few weeks back a policemans brought to my attention that my rear tyres were bald... what else could i do.. i thanked him....

ELGT4me · 30-06-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.C.

It's not a bad idea and yes some people get really annoyed with someone else telling them something is defective on their car.
Indicators and mirrors are a good one, especially when the car crosses lanes and you have to take action to avoid and incident (when you know perfectly well that they haven't even bothered to indicate, or look for that matter, as their right hand arm is hanging out the window or hasn't even moved from the steering wheel......)
The best one I have encountered so far is the defective driver.

Yep defective driver, very common in WA, they can be identified by the mobile phone stuck to their ear, while they check the rear view mirror as they suddenly change lanes. Of course the indicators, were a delete option when they purchased/stole their car.

jphanna · 30-06-2011, 09:40 AM

i think it important to distinguish betweeen a genuine 'pre delivery' oversight, as i see brand new cars with tail lights out.....and a person who is running around on bald tyres. its clear that that is THEIR choice, and i say nothing to them.

ELGT4me · 30-06-2011, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

just a few weeks back a policemans brought to my attention that my rear tyres were bald... what else could i do.. i thanked him....

You could give your right foot the Jenny Craig treatment

john3136 · 30-06-2011, 09:44 AM

Yep tell them. They might not know!

Many years ago some guy jumped out of his car to tell me I had no brake lights. Pretty dangerous, but I had no idea that the little switch on the pedal had died. I wouldn't have found out until the next time I towed the boat and did a trailer lights check.

I remeber driving with dad on the SE freeway (no, it wasn't the Monash then) and I pointed out the car next to us had a dead flat rear (they were still doing freeway speed) - took a fair bit of flashing honking and waving to get their attention...

AUIIPURSUIT · 30-06-2011, 09:47 AM

haha, reminds me, a lady was waving at me on the freeway, just to let me know 1 tonneau strap wasnt on. hahaahah.

FTe342 · 30-06-2011, 09:52 AM

Brake lights out is a pet hate of mine so I always tell them if I can get alongside. Some poor innocent is going to tail end them and be thinking, "I don't remember seeing brake lights in front of me". Trouble is, the evidence is now all over the ground and nothing can be proved!

XRtowcar · 30-06-2011, 10:08 AM

Told a woman driving a HSV clubbie that the rear tyre was flat.
No thanks, and she drove off on it anyway.
Glad i'm not paying for her 19" rim and tyre.

geckoGT · 30-06-2011, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

Told a woman driving a HSV clubbie that the rear tyre was flat.
No thanks, and she drove off on it anyway.
Glad i'm not paying for her 19" rim and tyre.

What's the problem? it is only flat on the bottom, the rest is ok.

J.C. · 30-06-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geckoGT

What's the problem? it is only flat on the bottom, the rest is ok.

UNR8D · 30-06-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geckoGT

What's the problem? it is only flat on the bottom, the rest is ok.

****

I have before, only to be met with the "none of your busniess" from a guy in a magna with wire hanging out of the LH front tyre.. why bother?

QT are focused mainly on the heavy vehicles, qld police only concerned if your car makes over 90db or is somewhat modified, so if you drive a stock corolla/magna/white goods on wheels and you have no brakes, tyres would work better as slicks if they wernt about to rupture and non working seatbealts... dont worry your fine mate.

SEZ213 · 30-06-2011, 11:22 AM

This is probably going to sound like one of those 'stupid woman' moments, but I actually had a guy point out to me that one of my tyres was flat when I stopped at a set of lights. Prior to him telling me, I was a little freaked out to be honest, he was a big guy in a fourby, I was a little girl in a small car...I thanked him, and said I'd check it out - but didn't tell him I would pull over.

I hadn't noticed that I had a flat tyre, mostly because I didn't have one flat tyre - I had two, and discovered when I pulled over to check (far away from the man in the fourby)...a piece of metal in one, and a nail in the other...

davenl5l · 30-06-2011, 11:53 AM

how could you not notice 2 flat tyres ?

aussie muscle · 30-06-2011, 12:00 PM

how hard would it be for a car to let you know its brake lights are out? (warning on dash). it's not like you can get out and check it.

SEZ213 · 30-06-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davenl5l

how could you not notice 2 flat tyres ?

When they're not completely flat, just reducing in pressure, it was a straight road, not one bend or curve from where I had come from, and I didn't have to turn anywhere...like I said, sounds like one of those 'stupid woman' moments...but there was no difference in the drive of it, a little bumpy, but driving regularly on Brisbane roads, that was pretty common...

Auslandau · 30-06-2011, 12:22 PM

Got told last week that I had no brake lights at all! The brake switch stuffed up and I was none the wiser. Dont know how long they were not working but if wasnt told I wouldnt have known.

Ben Williams · 30-06-2011, 01:19 PM

I do try and do this myself and I am very grateful for people that do this sort of thing. A couple of months ago had someone pull up beside me and let me know that all my brake lights were out (02 Liberty, including LED strip on spoiler and I had just replaced an outer globe).
Thought something was up so pulled over and found a fuse had blown. Got the spare from under the bonnet and replaced.

For all I know that could be what stopped me from being rear-ended at a set of lights later that day.

ryanstev · 30-06-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FTe342

Brake lights out is a pet hate of mine so I always tell them if I can get alongside. Some poor innocent is going to tail end them and be thinking, "I don't remember seeing brake lights in front of me". Trouble is, the evidence is now all over the ground and nothing can be proved!

I almost rear ended someone in the wet a couple weeks ago, locking up my ABS.

I couldn't believe what I had done and it was only when the car in front of me got to the next lights that I realised he had no working brake lights. His tail lights were on, but they didn't get brighter when he braked, so for a few minutes I thought I had done something really stupid, when it wasn't my fault at all.

If I had hit him, I would have thought it was my fault.

LTDHO · 30-06-2011, 01:27 PM

Most road users don't care, as long as they get from A to B.
As long as they are not speeding or hooning, police don't care.
So neither do I. Sad but true.

Walk a car park and note how many tires are no legal or low pressure.
Stopped at the lights, how many brake lights are out?
Both these things easy to test, but who cars?

When was the last time you saw a TAC ad regarding vehicle condition?
Never?
So then it's assumed that it is relatively safe.

rancidpunx · 30-06-2011, 02:19 PM

^^^ We have a winner.

I see other peoples cars everyday of my working life. 90% will have at lease one tyre past the tread marker. I always point it out along with a little "the police are really hot on that at the moment" line. That way it appears im looking out for their best interests and im not just an interfering know it all.
If I follow someone with flat tyres, no lights, I make sure they know about it. Also there are so many trucks/utes/4wd out there with the undercarriage mounted spare all but dragging along behind its pretty scary.
Reality is im looking out for my best interests. The more people with roadworthy cars whilst im on the road is a good think for me and my car. I beleive that QLD rego should have to include a roadworthy. So thats a yearly test. Maybe 3 yearly for new cars or something.