How do you tell someone to turn their lights on?

How do you tell someone to turn their lights on?

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Discussion

romeogolf

Original Poster:

2,056 posts

120 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Behind a Vauxhall Meriva this morning on the A33 into Southampton without his lights on. Raining, before dawn, and he's only got the bloody DRLs on the front with nothing at the back.

Would you have tried to tell him? Flashed him from behind? Flashed your fogs when in front? Waved? Hooted? Smoke signals?

Tuvra

7,921 posts

226 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Good dose of high beams.

Its very, very common around here, drives me up the wall banghead

RobM77

35,349 posts

235 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Flash, take the torrent of abuse on the chin.

repeat.

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
The once I was following someone for ages and kept flashing my lights and got really pissed off with me. We eventually came to an island where he said out the window (quite aggressively) whats your problem? And when I said your lights are not on he did up us window, flicked them on and sped off.
Out of embarrassment I presume. Idiot.

OGR4M

847 posts

154 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
This is a daily event for most people on our roads these days.

Shirley there's a case for the removal of DRLs from cars. Shouldn't they turn off at night? Given what the 'D' stands for...

Obviously not the DIY kits on a 1989 Ford Orion, though - they look well sik.


In answer to the question. I have an almost-elaborate way of turning my front fogs on (so people can see me) and flicking my lights from dipped beam to side lights. Tend to get swearing more than results.

ETA: I blame the fact that the instruments light up with the DRLs. If they were off, 'cos ya know... it's Daytime, then people would hopefully realise that they're being planks.

Edited by OGR4M on Wednesday 17th December 09:03

thatdude

2,655 posts

128 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
I flash. Then flash more. then flash again. If they dont get it after a third time, then I just dont bother and try and put distance between me and them

I've done it a few times, most people are quite attentive and guess something is up, and say thankyou. A few dont really care so I just give up. I was driving with my sidelights on once and got flashed, and didnt realise at first, then the guy stopped behind, honked his horn, flashed and I realised my error (the lower idle speed also gave it away!)

I was sheepish because its a silly mistake but it happens

hornetrider

63,161 posts

206 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
Flash, take the torrent of abuse on the chin.

repeat.
This. Then overtake and point at the front of the car whilst going past, to further torrents of abuse. Then watch with satisfaction as the realisation dawns and the lights go on in your rear view mirrors.

mrtwisty

3,057 posts

166 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Flash flash flash

Lights off (briefly) and back on.

Overtake (if safe), flash rear fogs. Lights off and back on.

If none of that works, leave them to their fate!

shost

825 posts

144 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
The ultra bright DRL's in my brothers Audi make it easy to see forward without the dipped beams on. Even in pitch black.

Usefully the engineers thought of this. So the instrument binnacle fades to dark in a few moments e.g when going through a tunnel or stays black if it's already dark.

If other cars have this sort of feature, them you can see we don't have any hope. They have negotiated their way onto main roads on poor conditions without once glancing at the speedo. They are unlikely to notice any one.



KrazyIvan

4,341 posts

176 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
I don't think the issue is the DRLs but more the dashboard being constantly illuminated. In the oold days no lights on outside meant no dash lights, so you would realise pretty early on in your journey.

As for how you tell someone, if there coming towards me, I turn mine off and on a couple of times, if they are in front , I'll try and wait till there stopped and the tap on their window and tell them.

Paul O

2,723 posts

184 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
shost said:
The ultra bright DRL's in my brothers Audi make it easy to see forward without the dipped beams on. Even in pitch black.

Usefully the engineers thought of this. So the instrument binnacle fades to dark in a few moments e.g when going through a tunnel or stays black if it's already dark.

If other cars have this sort of feature, them you can see we don't have any hope. They have negotiated their way onto main roads on poor conditions without once glancing at the speedo. They are unlikely to notice any one.
Mine doesn't do this - the whole dash it permanently illuminated which is stupid really. Perhaps not as stupid as me for forgetting, but hey ho. Only forgot once in this car and in that instance, it was a policeman in the car next to me that told me. Doh!

As for telling someone, I flash a few times from behind, or once quickly if going the other way. As most people do this, after 3 or 4 flashes from other cars, said person should get the message.


roystinho

3,767 posts

176 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Saw a learner this morning, in the dark, black fiesta, no lights on... Flashed, waved, did the blinking hands sign, the guy didn't have a clue

furrywoolyhatuk

682 posts

155 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Iv noticed this a fair bit in the last few days (more so then usual.

I say let Darwinism do its thing, iv given up flashing etc.


TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

127 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
roystinho said:
did the blinking hands sign
The _what_?

BobSaunders

3,033 posts

156 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Isn't this what automatic headlights are for and why they are a good idea?

Someone will be along in a bit to moan about lane change alerting and how the twenty-first century technology is runing health and safety.

Ps. flash of headlights at distance in quick succession.

zedx19

2,759 posts

141 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
I'm sure some people just think headlights need to be on at certain times of the day, regardless of conditions. I think these people are the same sort whose foot can only press the accelerator at a specific angle, therefore when they approach a hill they slow down and when they go down a hill they speed up.

Monkeylegend

26,471 posts

232 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
roystinho said:
the blinking hands sign,
I have done this for people when they haven't bothered to indicate leaving me sitting needlessly at a junction or roundabout.

They usually say thanks with their middle or first two fingers, well I assume they are saying thank you.

motco

15,968 posts

247 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
Don't bother...

DoubleSix

11,718 posts

177 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
roystinho said:
did the blinking hands sign
The _what_?
The blinking hands sign. Universal sign language, a bit like coffee beans etc

Double blinking hands was the only thing that worked for the idiot that was hammering along the M4 in the rain at dusk with no lights the other day.

My OH administered them perfectly from the passengers seat into the screwed up face of a particularly dim driver while all his passengers lent forward to see what our issue was....

Full retard.

funinhounslow

1,641 posts

143 months

Wednesday 17th December 2014
quotequote all
As with Audis noted above, the Up/Mii/Citigo dashboard is usually illuminated. When it gets dark the sensor turns off the illumination forcing you to put your lights on so you can read the dials.

Such a simple, sensible idea!