Perhaps I should have phrased my question as: "Is there some point I'm missing, because it seems pointless--even foolish--to go to the effort of darkening your taillamps."

I've seen taillamp overlays that mask out some of the unused areas and give a distinctive look to the lamps, but as this isn't a particularly noticeable change, why bother?

But I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt by wondering if I was missing something.

Would-be hypermiler

It is considered cool by some.
Being cool is important to some people.
Other people don't get it.

People are different; nobody is wrong.

But in this case safety is compromised.
I'd find another way to be cool.
No point being cool and dead.

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

Well, personally I don't care for it.

However, I do know the brake lights are still clearly visible.

All that matters is that YOU like it.

No, they are less visible.
In many situations and with many drivers it may make the difference between being noticed or not.

This is not just a personal choice of style issue.

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

I didn't say they weren't less visible. I said the brake lights are still clearly visible. I have seen this tint on brake lights and when they are activated the lights are clearly visible. Have you seen them?

The red may be less visible in the daytime, but forunately you have the entire car as a visual indicator that there is a car.

It is comparable to tinting your windows. Is it a safety issue that you can't see out of tinted windows?

Anyway, this is silly. I'm done.

Tinting windows also reduces visiblity.

What, you think you can darken something and it doesn't darken something?

The question is if the owner cares.
It is a fact that putting on dark taillight covers make the taillights darker.
It is a fact that darkening a window makes it darker.

Safety is not black and white.
In an emergency in unfavorable lighting conditions tinted windows will make anyone a little less able to see dim things, like this scar with darkened brake lights.

Now, if you don't care then so be it.
But don't say darkening taillights make them as clearly visible as non-darkened taillights.

I'm done too.
Unless you're not.

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

Wait for it..... okay, done.

for the record, with the shade of tint i chose, the signals are still plainly visible in both bright-and-dark lighting situations. the leds in the civic's brake lights are very, very bright.