I said "Do you drive a lot?"

I was behind a pickup truck in stop & go traffic and the vehicle only had one working brake light. I got into the adjacent lane on the next red light and saw the driver had his window rolled down. I rolled mine down to ask "Do you drive a lot?"
His response was that he already knew his brake lights were broken and I added isn't it worth the $10 so you don't get pulled over for faulty equipment?
He didn't want to hear that, but said... "Yeah. I'll get to it."

What an inconvenience. Change out a light bulb. Usually, it's a warning, but it's a reason for police to pull you over and check you out.

I used to say "Do you know how much a ticket for a broken tail light is?" Rarely did they know and I would add, Last I heard it's $75 and new bulbs are around $10.

Once warned a 'happy Spanish woman' who was playing music, singing and all the windows were down. Her brake lights didn't work. I told her. She was nonchalantly surprised and it didn't seem to 'soak in' so... I added, if someone crashes into the back of her car and the police see you didn't have brake lights, there is a chance she could be charged with the accident. If it's a bad accident, chances are they will take both of you to the same hospital. The light in her head came on!


I often have logical conversations with my ex-wife as we talk about the high percentage of bad drivers. I mentioned the guy in the pickup truck already knew his lights were broken.
Her comment to me was to stop being a good Samaritan. People are 'on the edge' and you never know when someone will take helpful advice the wrong way.

She's right...