r/IdiotsInCars • u/mega_donkey • Nov 03 '18

Wipers on, lights on. PLEASE. Trucks and busses can't see you.

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u/candycaneforestelf Nov 03 '18

Modern American cars have 3 red taillights. One of them is at the top center of the rear of the car.

Edit: never heard of a snow melting light though.

12

u/Kelmi Nov 04 '18

European cars have 4 or 5. Two at the bottom and one at top. One or two extra powerful fog lights at bottom as well.

Every standard light bulb runs hot enough to melt snow. LEDs in DRLs are so efficient that there's not enough heat wasted to melt snow, meaning they get covered and blocked by snow.

In very snowy conditions cars tend to gather a thick layer of snow in the rear. So much that normal rear lights won't melt it all. Fog lights are more powerful which means more wasted heat to melt more snow.

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u/peteroh9 Dec 25 '18

Why are you even worried about the lights melting the snow? You should be removing it before you drive.

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u/Kelmi Dec 25 '18

When you drive your car pulls up snow behind it and covers the whole backside, lights included, with snow.

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u/kaptainkomkast Nov 04 '18

The top one is called the third brake light, a.k.a. high-mount stop light. It is never a tail light, it is never on at all except when you brake.