ways to make rear of Escape more attention grabbing, that is legal in all states?

[LosAngeles]

Hello all you wise people.

I'm looking for ways to make rear of an Escape more attention grabbing, visually, that is legal in all states......

Of course I can put some reflective tape on the rear bumper. ;D

any other clever ideas?

Thanks.

Los Angeles

 

[freespirit]

Hello all you wise people.

I'm looking for ways to make rear of an Escape more attention grabbing, visually, that is legal in all states......

Of course I can put some reflective tape on the rear bumper. ;D

any other clever ideas?

Thanks.

Los Angeles

put one of those big Led moving signs in the rear window...pre-program some appropriate gestures or slogans to display when needed and then happy driving!

 

[SFDavis50]

A Yosemite Sam "Back Off" sticker. Also I was following a Semi at night a few months ago and he turned on a bright LED spotlight which was at the top rear of the trailer and angled to shine in my face, or a loading dock. I backed off Not sure that was legal but it worked.

 

[thoer]

One of these hung in the back window? LED Emergency Flasher

 

[sturski]

I have the additional brake lights on my 19 and turn on the parking lights at all times while towing. If that doesn't do it, I doubt adding anything will help.

I also just go with the flow in traffic. I don't have the HP to continually pass people, nor the patience to stick with 55 when others are doing 65.

 

[SFDavis50]

I tow a sailplane trailer rather often and I am always paranoid about a rear impact as the wing tips of the sailplane are about two inches from the rear of the trailer, which is an inch thick piece of aluminum. A rear impact could do a lot of damage to the wings. Often if someone is too close i wag the trailer back and forth. That trailer is narrow but 30 ft. long so I have good visibility with the side mirrors.
I am interested in knowing if the back up camera system offered by Escape can also be used as a rear camera for driving or if I should look into a different system.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I have the additional brake lights on my 19 and turn on the parking lights at all times while towing. If that doesn't do it, I doubt adding anything will help.

I also just go with the flow in traffic. I don't have the HP to continually pass people, nor the patience to stick with 55 when others are doing 65.

I see this as very sensible, on both accounts.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I am interested in knowing if the back up camera system offered by Escape can also be used as a rear camera for driving or if I should look into a different system.

Some do use it, or ones like it, for that. I think your use of the mirrors is the way to go though. I too like to keep track of folks on the road, including those behind me.

 

[Brian B-P]

Of course I can put some reflective tape on the rear bumper. ;D

any other clever ideas?

Although the bumper is a good place for the tape, you can also put some much higher, where it can be seen over low cars.

 

[Donna D.]

Come up with something really clever and install it on the spare tire cover. Reflective tape too, maybe in a design on the cover around the front edge.

 

[Iowa Dave]

Don't know about the back of an Escape but did like the bumper sticker on the bumper of a horse trailer W/ two horses in it. When I got too close I could read it. It said "you are what you see!"
Dave

 

[padlin]

How about something along this line, make yourself more visible.

TM3N Pair of Individual WirelessTow Lights

 

[tractors1]

I tow a sailplane trailer rather often and I am always paranoid about a rear impact as the wing tips of the sailplane are about two inches from the rear of the trailer, which is an inch thick piece of aluminum. A rear impact could do a lot of damage to the wings. Often if someone is too close i wag the trailer back and forth. That trailer is narrow but 30 ft. long so I have good visibility with the side mirrors.
I am interested in knowing if the back up camera system offered by Escape can also be used as a rear camera for driving or if I should look into a different system.

I have the TADI system that Escape has made a standard. The field of view is great, wide enough that rear vehicles are well into the view of my truck mirrors. I chose it primarily for a rear view system to see the zoomies headed for my rear bumper, although it IS a great backup camera for tucking the 21 into it's narrow bay in my barn. The ETI system has a separate monitor; I use a mirror-mount monitor that clips over the standard truck mirror - note that others have had issues with the image brightness of the mirror mount style, though.

 

[mk1549]

A Yosemite Sam "Back Off" sticker. Also I was following a Semi at night a few months ago and he turned on a bright LED spotlight which was at the top rear of the trailer and angled to shine in my face, or a loading dock. I backed off Not sure that was legal but it worked.

Very illegal

 

[LosAngeles]

Come up with something really clever and install it on the spare tire cover. Reflective tape too, maybe in a design on the cover around the front edge.

Always good info and ideas and sensible thoughts from Donna D.

thanks. will likely do this, plus some other reflective tape in various places. ;D

 

[Greg A]

We got the extra lights on the back of the 19 and recently when a friend was following us towing they commented about how visible we were with all the lights. Not sure what the state of the options/standard are, but I'd recommending getting all the lights they're offering.

 

[NW Cat Owner]

Don't know about the back of an Escape but did like the bumper sticker on the bumper of a horse trailer W/ two horses in it. When I got too close I could read it. It said "you are what you see!"
Dave

My license plate frame on my FJ says "Get off my ass I'm not in heat". It's always funny to see when folks read it while pulled up at a light. They point and laugh. I've had it for years and moved it from my Isuzu Trooper to my FJ. I'll probably get one for the trailer as well. :whistling:

I know that's not what the OP was looking for, but what the heck. Problem is, the way folks use their cell phones and text while driving (and other stuff), if someone is really not paying attention, there isn't much you can do. And if you have too much stuff back there, it might be too overwhelming and cause problems.

Although I did like the suggestion of "student driver".

 

[StarvingHyena]

My biggest irritation comes from drivers who close in on my bumper at night ... with their high beams on KILL. The best solution to this extreme rudness I ever saw was a Teardrop trailer builder who skinned his trailer with stainless steel sheet metal. Every afternoon at get- togethers he would some spend time polishing up his rear trailer surfaces. He'd tell me that inconsiderate folks would zoom up on his rear end .... then fall back a quarter mile until they could pass him with their low beams on.

Very effective and I have been trying to figure out how to make a very reflective surface on my trailer .... maybe a reversed one way mirror for a rear window?????

Tom

 

[SFDavis50]

Metallized mylar tape comes in 2 inch widths. Alternate strips with the red and white reflective tape but put the mylar higher so it reflects back the high beam more than low beam. Also put it on the spare tire cover.
In recent years I have made many trips between Dallas and Colorado. Between Amarillo and Limon, CO I often drive thru the night and much of the road is 2 lane. A lot of big trucks use that route to get to and from I-70 and I-40 so I always get behind one and just follow it. Some have highly polished trailers which reflect light back and it is annoying for us followers. I don't use high beams but using cruise control it is hard to keep an exact distance; the trucks slow down and speed up on hills at different rates than me. I'm sure my being there is also annoying for the big rigs but in darkness at 70 mph I would rather follow something big.

 

[Jim Bennett]

My biggest irritation comes from drivers who close in on my bumper at night ... with their high beams on KILL. The best solution to this extreme rudness I ever saw was a Teardrop trailer builder who skinned his trailer with stainless steel sheet metal. Every afternoon at get- togethers he would some spend time polishing up his rear trailer surfaces. He'd tell me that inconsiderate folks would zoom up on his rear end .... then fall back a quarter mile until they could pass him with their low beams on.

Very effective and I have been trying to figure out how to make a very reflective surface on my trailer .... maybe a reversed one way mirror for a rear window?????

Tom

Though effective, not sure this is the best idea.

A good friend with travel with built a custom rear storage box (more like a shed) for his motorhome out of polished aluminum checker plate. When following him at night, even at a very safe distance, I would constantly get flashed by the reflection of my headlights. It was very annoying and tiring, even somewhat dangerous. We ended up always being the lead when travelling in the dark.

He is now building version II of his rear storage unit, this time it will hose their bikes inside, along with other stuff. He is having it powder coated an non-reflective black.

I too hate tailgaters, one of my biggest pet peeves of bad driving, and on the rare occasion that happens, I just slow down for a while. This gives them the message to either pass or back off.