Driving with Hazards Flashing
Discussion
Last night I got stuck in a queue of cars that were following a car driving at 35mph or less (on NSL roads)with it's hazard lights flashing. Is it legal to drive with these on for long distances, we were behind it for about 5 miles? I'm assuming something wasn't working on the car hence the 35mph, but I would have thought if the vehicle couldn't maintain its normal road speed (and BMW 3 series are usually a smidge quicker than that) it shouldn't be going anywhere hazards or not?
Simon
Simon
The only excuse for hazards when moving is to warn of a sudden stop / accident on a fast road.
Ticks me off no end when cars on tow have their hazards on; it adds no information and prevents the driver from indicating, which just might actually be useful
I'm pretty sure this used to be covered in the Highway Code but as far as I can see (using the new, non-intuitive interface) it's not there.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Hig...
Ticks me off no end when cars on tow have their hazards on; it adds no information and prevents the driver from indicating, which just might actually be useful
I'm pretty sure this used to be covered in the Highway Code but as far as I can see (using the new, non-intuitive interface) it's not there.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Hig...
Yes I'm assuming it was just limping home as it turned off into a village after fives miles. It could have pulled over several times and allowed the cars to pass but it didn't (as I said it was a BMW 
), and because no one up front seemed to know what it was doing they seemed loathe to overtake.
Yes I would have been quite happy for it to be at the roadside, and as for being on a bend, since it had the power to move itself for five miles, I'm sure the driver could have pulled it over safely and waited for help.
), and because no one up front seemed to know what it was doing they seemed loathe to overtake. Yes I would have been quite happy for it to be at the roadside, and as for being on a bend, since it had the power to move itself for five miles, I'm sure the driver could have pulled it over safely and waited for help.
pdV6 said:
The only excuse for hazards when moving is to warn of a sudden stop / accident on a fast road.
Ticks me off no end when cars on tow have their hazards on; it adds no information and prevents the driver from indicating, which just might actually be useful
I'm pretty sure this used to be covered in the Highway Code but as far as I can see (using the new, non-intuitive interface) it's not there.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Hig...
Its an effective way to warn other drivers of a hazard imo, you could be parked in a less than ideal place , the traffic may be slowing quickly or there may be some other hazard ahead, flooded road, RTA cattle on the road etc etc. There are lots of reasonsTicks me off no end when cars on tow have their hazards on; it adds no information and prevents the driver from indicating, which just might actually be useful
I'm pretty sure this used to be covered in the Highway Code but as far as I can see (using the new, non-intuitive interface) it's not there.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Hig...
I've also used it when being towed to indicate that we are moving slower than other traffic may expect
If you need to indicate you just use hand signals.
Not convinced there is any need to have them on at 35mph though as i wouldnt tow at that speed
liner33 said:
Its an effective way to warn other drivers of a hazard imo, you could be parked in a less than ideal place
That's fair enough and (being just a little pedantic here) if you're parked you're not actually moving.liner33 said:
the traffic may be slowing quickly or there may be some other hazard ahead, flooded road, RTA cattle on the road etc etc.
Yes, as I originally stated.liner33 said:
I've also used it when being towed to indicate that we are moving slower than other traffic may expect
This is the one I don't like. The "ON TOW" sign you are obliged to display should clarify that issue and what's to stop faster traffic from overtaking where safe to do so (obviously, allowing for the extra distance required to pass 2 vehicles, as indicated by the aforementioned "ON TOW" sign).People (not necessarily you!) towing without an "ON TOW" sign and instead relying on hazards actually create more of a problem than they solve IMO.
Had a nasty incident last year - rear brakes went. Since I was on a country A road and about two or three miles from the nearest village I limped to the village to make it easier for the recovery truck to find me.
I didn't get over 20mph. So - in order to assist the traffic behind I
Two miles later I stopped outside the pub, called the RAC and settled down to wait.
I didn't get over 20mph. So - in order to assist the traffic behind I
- Switched my hazard lights on to reinforce the fact that I was moving unnaturally slowly on a fast road.
- When a car came up behind me, I switched them off and indicated left, slowing further and tucking in to make it as easy as possible to overtake. If an overtake was not on I waited until it was before doing the indication.
Two miles later I stopped outside the pub, called the RAC and settled down to wait.
supermono said:
My damned Peugeot 207 has a fault where the hazard lights come on as you approach a roundabout from speed. Doesn't always happen, but it sure must confuse the hell out of everyone.
SM
Ummm... it's not a fault... it's a safety feature. SM
If you brake really hard it's assuming you're on a motorway and there is a hazard ahead so it automatically switches them on for about 5 seconds.
RTFM
Unless you're joking of course.
supermono said:
My damned Peugeot 207 has a fault where the hazard lights come on as you approach a roundabout from speed. Doesn't always happen, but it sure must confuse the hell out of everyone.
SM
I had a pug406 estate and the hazards automatically came on if you braked really hard........SM
supermono said:
blueyes said:
Ummm... it's not a fault... it's a safety feature.
If you brake really hard it's assuming you're on a motorway and there is a hazard ahead so it automatically switches them on for about 5 seconds.
You're kidding, right? How dumb is that!??If you brake really hard it's assuming you're on a motorway and there is a hazard ahead so it automatically switches them on for about 5 seconds.
SM
pdV6 said:
liner33 said:
I've also used it when being towed to indicate that we are moving slower than other traffic may expect
This is the one I don't like. The "ON TOW" sign you are obliged to display should clarify that issue and what's to stop faster traffic from overtaking where safe to do so (obviously, allowing for the extra distance required to pass 2 vehicles, as indicated by the aforementioned "ON TOW" sign).People (not necessarily you!) towing without an "ON TOW" sign and instead relying on hazards actually create more of a problem than they solve IMO.
Don said:
Had a nasty incident last year - rear brakes went. Since I was on a country A road and about two or three miles from the nearest village I limped to the village to make it easier for the recovery truck to find me.
I didn't get over 20mph. So - in order to assist the traffic behind I
Two miles later I stopped outside the pub, called the RAC and settled down to wait.
Done this myself in similar circumstances. Seems like the considerate thing to do, to me.I didn't get over 20mph. So - in order to assist the traffic behind I
- Switched my hazard lights on to reinforce the fact that I was moving unnaturally slowly on a fast road.
- When a car came up behind me, I switched them off and indicated left, slowing further and tucking in to make it as easy as possible to overtake. If an overtake was not on I waited until it was before doing the indication.
Two miles later I stopped outside the pub, called the RAC and settled down to wait.
AL666 said:
pdV6 said:
liner33 said:
I've also used it when being towed to indicate that we are moving slower than other traffic may expect
This is the one I don't like. The "ON TOW" sign you are obliged to display should clarify that issue and what's to stop faster traffic from overtaking where safe to do so (obviously, allowing for the extra distance required to pass 2 vehicles, as indicated by the aforementioned "ON TOW" sign).People (not necessarily you!) towing without an "ON TOW" sign and instead relying on hazards actually create more of a problem than they solve IMO.
Hello, Dave? It's me mate. Yeah. I've broken down, could you come and give us a tow? Cheers. Oh - and could you bring some card and a marker pen?Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff