Patent ID: 7000563

Claim:
In combination: a vehicle having a tailgate movable between a substantially vertical closed position and a substantially horizontal open position; the tailgate having a top surface and a pair of side surfaces; a tailgate position indicator carried by the tailgate and moving with the tailgate between the open and closed positions; the tailgate position indicator carried by the tailgate in a secure manner that allows the indicator to remain on the tailgate while the vehicle is driven in normal use; the tailgate position indicator extending substantially horizontally away from one of the sides of the tailgate; the vehicle including a cab, a bed disposed behind the cab, and a side view mirror; at least a portion of the tailgate position indicator being visible from the cab when the tailgate is in the open position and the closed position whereby a driver in the cab of the vehicle can see at least a portion of the tailgate position indicator in the side view mirror when the bed of the vehicle is loaded or covered to block the driver's view of the tailgate; and the tailgate position indicator including an indicator rod and a plurality of spaced indicator bodies carried by the indicator rod; each of the indicator bodies having a thickness larger than the thickness of the rod.