Northbound Traffic

I've just been looking at cars for the past eight hours.
Well, thats not exactly a fair statement. I've mostly been looking at brake lights, all sorts of different brake lights.
Raise your hand if you drive a car.
Now, raise your hand if you have ever thought about your brake lights.
If you haven't, I really cannot stress hard enough my recommendation that you take a minute out of your routine to do so.
Maybe you don't know this, but the 3rd brake light is a more recent innovation in auto design. Wikkipedia confirms this, calling this light a "Centre High Mount Stop Lamp", which just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
So these third brake lights, well from what I can glean from the article, are required by law in huge sections of the planet because they reduce accidents. Hurrah! We've figured out one way as a society to stop killing ourselves.
Thomas Edison is credited with inventing the light bulb. Light bulb. Think about it. You've probably got at least two in your home. I bet there's one on near you right now. Every few weeks though, when you reach for your trusty light switch, and the lamp refuses to cooperate.
No biggie, right? New light bulb.
So, how many of you have thought about your brake lights? Eight hours on the road, and I can point out at least ten drivers whose brake lights have given out on them. I can only assume that these people have worn out the poor bulbs by following too closely on an interstate, and been that driver forever on the brakes because he has to avoid becoming one with the lead cars rear bumper. A certain beige Volvo C70 on the turnpike today jumps to mind for exhibiting perfectly this driving style, where by one constantly flashes the brake lights in an asinine and amateur fashion.
Whether or not you have such a driver following you through the rain at highway speeds, not having a third brake light increases the chances that you'll get into a crash. If you do indeed have a death wish, I hope very much that you have the consideration to off yourself in a way which is less detrimental to others. And no, don't go jump off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, because the investigation will only mean they close down lanes, and the resulting million of us in traffic jams will hate you just as much as we feel sorry for you.

Cliff's Notes: Check your brake lights, don't be a dick.