# A strange VW Bug **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2000, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226 "2000-07-28T15:53:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RavingMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/edb3f5/32.png) [@RavingMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RavingMad)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/1 "2000-07-28T15:53:56Z")
A couple of weeks ago, I saw a new VW Bug, mostly normal, except for one thing: one of its reverse lights is colored red, like a brake light. Ever since spotting it, I’ve been on a quest to find another Bug like that. I’ve seen that same bizarre Bug a couple more times, but so far, have been unable to find any of its brethren. My question, of course, is \*\*WTF is up wit dat??? Why a reverse light that’s red? \*\* Was it a manufacturer mistake that the plant’s QC, the dealership, and the new owner all somehow missed? If so, should I leave a sticky note on the Bug’s windshield informing the owner of his vehicular freak? A fashion statement? If so, is it even legal to have a red reverse light? A new feature that no other Bug has? If so, what possible purpose could that serve? Extra info if it helps to solve the mystery: the VW Bug is in Washington DC, it’s black, the red reverse light is the left one, and the red plastic appears to be a stock item (even though, as far as I can tell, there’s no call for a red plastic disk of that size anywhere on the bug). ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/2 "2000-07-28T16:35:20Z")
Have you seen it close enough to make sure that it was plastic? They have red tape for brozen taillights that you just stick on over the broken part of the plastic to simulate a whole red light. Maybe the person broke a reverse light and without thinking put some of the red tape over it. ---
**Author:** ![RavingMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/edb3f5/32.png) [@RavingMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RavingMad)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/3 "2000-07-28T16:40:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wolfman \* > **Have you seen it close enough to make sure that it was plastic?** Absolutely. It’s definitely a hard plastic disk, not colored tape. The car’s been parked each time I’ve seen it and so I’ve taken the time to inspect it pretty closely. Like so closely that if the owner saw me he probably would have yelled at me to get the \*@&%! away from his car. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/4 "2000-07-28T17:17:44Z")
Is it the left or the right side which is red? If it’s the left, it means the car is gay. If it’s the right, it’s just a fashion statement. Hope I don’t have that backward. ---
**Author:** ![RavingMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/edb3f5/32.png) [@RavingMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RavingMad)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/5 "2000-07-28T17:30:20Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by me_ > Extra info if it helps to solve the mystery: the VW Bug is in Washington DC, it’s black, **the red reverse light is the left one** , and the red plastic appears to be a stock item (even though, as far as I can tell, there’s no call for a red plastic disk of that size anywhere on the bug). ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/6 "2000-07-28T17:41:43Z")
It is not illegal to have a red reverse light. It is illegal to show a red or blue light facing the front of a private vehicle. If it bugs you, write a note asking the owner to email you with an explanation. Give him/her the note the next time you see him/her. Or, leave it under the windshield wiper blade if you find the car parked somewhere. Better yet, get the license plate number, have it traced, call the owner and ask for an explanation. Even better, buy the thing from the owner. Then you will have a one-of-a-kind collector kind of car. ---
**Author:** ![Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henry)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/7 "2000-07-28T18:24:27Z")
It’s fairly common in Europe to have a special red light installed on the back of a car. It’s used during foggy conditions to help prevent being rear-ended. Any chance that this is what you saw? ---
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/8 "2000-07-28T20:39:03Z")
What about the weird (blue) dashboard lights-I find them really strange! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/9 "2000-07-28T22:04:47Z")
Wire a switch to the dashboard to turn on your white reverse lights. Next time someone tailgates, turn it on! Fun. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/10 "2000-07-28T22:11:13Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s fairly common in Europe to have a special red light installed on the back of a car. It’s used during foggy conditions to help prevent being rear-ended. Any chance that this is what you saw? I was going to get one of these for my Porsche. It attached to the left side of the bumper and hung below it. The existing light-cluster was untouched. ---
**Author:** ![MinkMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minkman/32/19170_2.png) [@MinkMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinkMan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/11 "2000-07-28T22:17:03Z")
Henry has it right. My Audi A4 (Audi & VW are manufactured by the same company a la Pontiac and Chevy) also has a single red rear fog light on the left. The idea is so that drivers from the rear have better visiblity of you if they try to pass in bad weather. ---
**Author:** ![RavingMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/edb3f5/32.png) [@RavingMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RavingMad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/12 "2000-07-31T15:06:14Z")
Henry & MinkMan, The only problem is that it wasn’t in _addition_ to the reverse lights, the red light is _in lieu of_ the left reverse light. Still the same thing, do you think? ---
**Author:** ![gEEk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed8c4c/32.png) [@gEEk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gEEk)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-strange-vw-bug/27226/13 "2000-07-31T15:40:48Z")
Some Volvo’s have a similar thing, and it is indeed a fog light. My mom’s Volvo came with one, it doesn’t replace an existing light, it is just an additional bulb in the cluster. Left side, like the bug. Could be the bug doesn’t have enough room for an additional light in the back, so they co-opted one of the reverse lights. gEEk