That's good, were you eyeballing the lights last night or relying on cheap help. :haha:

Thinking back on it, I think I was standing too close to the car when I checked it. I could see that the tail lights all worked by looking up and down the line of lights, and when my wife hit the brakes, I didn't notice the pattern of lights that got brighter wasn't symmetrical because I couldn't take it all in at once. There are 5 brake lights.

Following in the car, I was 100 feet back, and could more easily see. Even so, it was a subtle difference and I don't know if a cop would notice unless he was looking for a reason to pull our car over.

I switched the cars in the driveway so we'll be driving the legal car, and I'll pick up a bulb and install it on Saturday.

if you have 4 of 5 working tail lights, you're probably legal.

Don't give 'em a reason.

It's my motto.

Right, if they hassle you make it for something you can argue in court, not some cut and dried bullshit like an equipment violation. Oh, and have your papers in order and with you.

We're legal now. And my daughter did all the work with me talking her through it. I even showed her how the owners manual explains the process. Nice little bonding.

I bet she remembers that experience forever. Good for you.

Damnit glatt, next they'll be wanting to vote and drive horseless carriages. ;)

Invest in buggy whips and corsets. Retro is the new "in".

How many does it take to replace a light bulb? Any kid knows that. None. If it starts, then nothing is wrong. That's why god invented parents.

Just spotted a self driving car in the wild. As it made a turn when the light changed, the drivers hands were not on the wheel
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/12/aba6e2av.jpg

But that's not proof, I see a lot of people driving without their hands on the wheel. :lol2:

Was that in DC or VA, glatt?

The car pulled up to a red light in Mountain View, CA, and came to a stop. When the light turned green, it turned to the right, and while the steering wheel was turning, I couldn't see the driver's hands on the wheel. I'm pretty sure the car was driving itself.

Yah. Scroll down a bit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_driverless_car

OK, CA and UT are crawling with them as that's where Google is... um, well, er, "guiding" the DMVs and legislatures in drafting the laws which will become models for the rest of the states.

Another car question.

I've got a cousin for whom I have power of attorney. Just moved him into an assisted living facility. I want to sell his car, but need to get the piece of shit Ford running before that can happen.

2009 Ford Focus

Won't start. Won't turn over. Not even a clicking sound coming from the starter. But the fucking car alarm is going off the entire time. And the flashers flash. And all the lights on the instrument panel are blinking. It's like the car is possessed. I thought initially the button cell battery in the key was dead, so I replaced that with a new one. The doors don't unlock with the key remote, even with a fresh battery. So I unlock with the metal key manually. Get in, and the car starts beeping at me. I try to start the car, and a second or two later the car starts honking non-stop.

The neighbors say that it used to do this for my cousin too.

He has dementia, and had lost his keys. I found paperwork from Ford that they made a new key for him. And I think the car had worked for him after that. But I don't know and can't ask him.

I feel like this is a bad key/alarm/ignition lockout issue, but could be totally wrong.

I'm at the point where I'm thinking of having the car towed to the dealership, but thought I'd solicit advice here first.

Anyone want to buy a fucking Ford?