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Yup ,I always use the hazard to warn of sharp breaking too

I always think us drivers find the safest way of communicating our intentions and actions DESPITE the rules and reluations!!

Quote: Originally posted by arc systems on 22/6/2008

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Well nice to see most posts agree with being polite and flashing people in or out or whatever.

Flashing started in the late 60's when manufactures fitted a means of doing it, drivers then developed the 'flash' to mean something to the majority of themselves.

Somewhere along the line I remember the news telling me I was wrong to flash someone to give them the right of way, in other words 'I'll wait here until you go' so there in no doubt of my intentions and we all get on with the minimum of fuss
I was told a flash means I'M HERE AND I'M NOT STOPPING, er no, that's full beam blazing not a quick couple of flashes and entirely different, as different as indicating right or left is entirely different.
For years after many of us just ignored it and carried on but somehow it rarely happen anymore, flashing a truck in perhaps the only one?

What I've often wondered since is which prat with some power at the time didn't understand this simple bit of home grown courtesy and managed to turn everything on it's head to suit their way of thinking???

I don't travel the motorways as much as I did but if you find yourself thundering up to a jam or whatever, it became common practice to slip the hazards on when you needed to brake really hard.
I've not yet heard anything on the news but I hope this is not been banned? it's another bit of commonsense use that seems simple enough to understand to me!

Or am I going to be told this really means the car in front is about to split in two!!!


Post last edited on 22/06/2008 23:52:38

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That's silly - surely use of headlights would be more sensible? As you say, when the hazards are on the indicators can't be used. That's why folk are wrong who use hazards on a vehicle being towed.

To the best of my knowledge, in the last 10 years there has not been any change to situations where hazards should be used.

They are:

On any single carriageway road - When blocking the carriageway in an emergency such as a breakdown or accident. (If the vehicle is parked they are not needed - you shouldn't be on the pavement, on yellow lines, too close to the junction or whatever anyway)

On motorways or dual carriageways because of the higher speeds involved - blocking carriageway or on hard shoulder due to breakdown or accident, also when you have to slow down very quickly due to a problem in the road ahead because it is difficult for following drivers to realise how quckly you have slowed otherwise.

Interestingly, on the subject of flashing headlights (back on topic  ) - this morning we were waiting to turn right at a T junction in a 30 mph limit - to our left the speed limit changes to national about 10 yards past the junction. A car was approaching from the right, and flashed his lights. My customer said "Does that mean he's giving way to us?" I said "No - look at his speed and position signal." He was anticipating the speed limit change and accelerating quite sharply - well over 30 mph as he passed us. So his flash wasn't to tell us that he was giving way, quite the opposite.

Incidentally, I won't give a prize for guessing what make of car it was.

I am back with a volvo again & i find that people pull out on you. thinking that you have flashed them. being a volvo the lights are on all the time & with all the bumpy roads it looks like your flashing them. so the moral of the story is. don't pull out if it as a volvo badge.

read the road & other cars speed then make a decision. better to be safe then sorry.

My husband always flashes his lights as a friendly guesture

Quote: Originally posted by Mrs Mop on 24/6/2008

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My husband always flashes his lights as a friendly guesture

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Quote: Originally posted by gazza12345 on 23/6/2008

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I am back with a volvo again & i find that people pull out on you. thinking that you have flashed them. being a volvo the lights are on all the time & with all the bumpy roads it looks like your flashing them. so the moral of the story is. don't pull out if it as a volvo badge.

read the road & other cars speed then make a decision. better to be safe then sorry.

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What seems to get me even more is when you pull in on a road to let someone through and they dont say thanks or anything. whatever happened to abit of common decency???

Its not just inexperienced drivers that dont flash people, I am only 20 and have been driving 2yrs but i make it habit to wave if someone gives me right of way, or to pop on the hazards if somebody lets me out or lets me back in a lane on the M-way.

So its more ignorance than anything else i think. But thats just my opinion.

Nathaniel