Reversing with Hazard Warning Lights on - WTF?

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Sorry if this has been covered before, couldn't find anything on google...

What is with this latest craze of reversing with the hazards on?

I keep seeing people doing it, usually at slightly less than snails pace, engine at 4000RPM, clutch barely engaged, not looking behind, with hazards on!

WHY???

AAARRRGGGHHHH

[paprika]

Catch 22.

You don't put them on and the guy behind drives up so you can reverse into your parking spot.

You put them on and people go wtf and back off giving you a chance to reverse! But you then have a pher flipping out and posting it online !

Just to add, I've never done this hazard thing anyway.

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:18

But then again it can be classed as a hazard when you are pulling off a reversing maneuver though??

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:19

[pugwash4x4]

paprika said:

You put them on and people go wtf and back off giving you a chance to reverse! But you then have a pher flipping out and posting it online !

is that why people do it?

seriously, fin empty space, accelerat a bit to give you some room from car behind, left hand indicator on, reverse lights on soon after, in space 20 secs later- you only need about 2.5m backwards from where the driver is sitting- if that!

[HalfMoon]

Can't see an issue with it personally. Maybe it helps stop people driving up their bumper when they're trying to reverse park?

[shakotan]

pugwash4x4 said:

paprika said:

You put them on and people go wtf and back off giving you a chance to reverse! But you then have a pher flipping out and posting it online !

is that why people do it?

seriously, fin empty space, accelerat a bit to give you some room from car behind, left hand indicator on, reverse lights on soon after, in space 20 secs later- you only need about 2.5m backwards from where the driver is sitting- if that!

I take issue with this...

"Accelerat [sic] a bit to give you some room from the car behind"

But what if you can't? What if you are in slow moving traffic and spot a space coming up on the left. By the time you've moving past it with your left indicator on, the car behind will be up your rear, thinking you are about to turn left. Even if you sit there, there will patiently wait for you to move off.

However, if you indicate left and then place hazards on as coming to a stop, it makes your intentions much clearer, and the car behind is more likely to leave you space, or manouevre around you.

Certainly can't see any issue with reversing with hazards. Why not make yourself and your intentions appear as clear as possible?

It's a bit like folks who drive around London at night with only sidelights on. I don't understand why you'd want to make yourself LESS visible to other road users?

Edited by shakotan on Friday 3rd September 13:55

[GreenDog]

I thought it was an offence to have your hazards on whilst the car in motion.

[Jasandjules]

Perhaps they are putting the Hazards on to warn you that they are doing something a bit odd (like reversing) - If they are just waiting for a space then surely just signalling left would do?!!?

[carmadgaz]

My mate does this, he says it's force of habit because they put them on when reversing the trailers at work.

[pugwash4x4]

shakotan said:

pugwash4x4 said:

paprika said:

You put them on and people go wtf and back off giving you a chance to reverse! But you then have a pher flipping out and posting it online !

is that why people do it?

seriously, fin empty space, accelerat a bit to give you some room from car behind, left hand indicator on, reverse lights on soon after, in space 20 secs later- you only need about 2.5m backwards from where the driver is sitting- if that!

I take issue with this...

"Accelerat [sic] a bit to give you some room from the car behind"

But what if you can't? What if you are in slow moving traffic and spot a space coming up on the left. By the time you've moving past it with your left indicator on, the car behind will be up your rear, thinking you are about to turn left. Even if you sit there, there will patiently wait for you to move off.

However, if you indicate left and then place hazzards on as coming to a stop, it makes your intentions much clearer, and the car behind is more likely to leave you space, or manouevre around you.

Certainly can't see any issue with reversing with hazzards. Why not make yourself and your intentions appear as clear as possible?

It's a bit like folks who drive around London at night with only sidelights on. I don't understand why you'd want to make yourself LESS visible to other road users?

if you are in slow moving traffic and see a space then stop before the space- allow a gap to build in front, put your indicator on, accelerate past the space and proceed as before (i obviously don't mean accelerate hard, just not dawdle away from the stop).

Hazard lights do not make your intentions any clearer- they just make it more confusing as to what the hell you are doing.

although really agree on the sidelight thing- not seen it myself, but what the hell is that all about- al;most as silly as the sidelight and foglight combo seen around these parts occasionally.

[shakotan]

GreenDog said:

I thought it was an offence to have your hazards on whilst the car in motion.

Unless on an unrestricted dual-carriageway or motorway and you are signalling to the traffic behind of a hazard.

However, the Highway Code says that flashing your headlights should only be used to warn other motorists of your presence, yet it's become widely acknowledged - rightly or wrongly - as an "I'm giving way to you" signal.

[Petrolhead_Rich]

paprika said:

Catch 22.

You don't put them on and the guy behind drives up so you can reverse into your parking spot.

You put them on and people go wtf and back off giving you a chance to reverse! But you then have a pher flipping out and posting it online !

Just to add, I've never done this hazard thing anyway.

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:18

But then again it can be classed as a hazard when you are pulling off a reversing maneuver though??

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:19

Usually I find the white lights on the back of my car make my intentions fairly clear, then moving back encourages them to move.

Hazards on, I think car is broken down (stuck in reverse), and move to pass.

If the driver behind hasn't noticed your reversing lights, and your positioning towards the empty space, I think hazard warning lights are going to make bks all difference!!!

[Steve-O56]

carmadgaz said:

My mate does this, he says it's force of habit because they put them on when reversing the trailers at work.

I do this out of habit when reversing anything bigger than a car, our lorries didn't used to have reverse lights so you get into the routine of using the hazards

[Arese]

Petrolhead_Rich said:

Hazards on, I think car is broken down (stuck in reverse), and move to pass.

Well then that's you making an assumption, which might well be wrong.

If a car has it's hazards on, you should really only assume that the driver is trying to warn other drivers of a potential 'hazard'. It can prove dangerous to read anything else into it.

[paprika]

Petrolhead_Rich said:

paprika said:

Catch 22.

You don't put them on and the guy behind drives up so you can reverse into your parking spot.

You put them on and people go wtf and back off giving you a chance to reverse! But you then have a pher flipping out and posting it online !

Just to add, I've never done this hazard thing anyway.

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:18

But then again it can be classed as a hazard when you are pulling off a reversing maneuver though??

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:19

Usually I find the white lights on the back of my car make my intentions fairly clear, then moving back encourages them to move.

Hazards on, I think car is broken down (stuck in reverse), and move to pass.

If the driver behind hasn't noticed your reversing lights, and your positioning towards the empty space, I think hazard warning lights are going to make bks all difference!!!

Right, what if they are following you pretty close ? As you stop to engage reverse, they are around a meter away from you then what .....

If you are driving along and put on your hazard lights, the person behind is more LIKELY to stop or increase the gap infront don't you think ?

Lets think logically here.

[speedchick]

Other half uses them sometimes when reversing into the drive, as there are a couple of people round here and that can't seem to associate the white lights, the angle and the fact there is a drive there and make the correct assumption as to what his intentions are, and will happilly try and go up the inside while he is reversing.

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Arese said:

Petrolhead_Rich said:

Hazards on, I think car is broken down (stuck in reverse), and move to pass.

Well then that's you making an assumption, which might well be wrong.

If a car has it's hazards on, you should really only assume that the driver is trying to warn other drivers of a potential 'hazard'. It can prove dangerous to read anything else into it.

where is the hazard? they are reversing? Its a car, not a HGV or nuclear missile, why add the confusion??

If the hazard is that the car is moving, then why not drive everywhere with hazards on???

[Petrolhead_Rich]

paprika said:

Petrolhead_Rich said:

paprika said:

Catch 22.

You don't put them on and the guy behind drives up so you can reverse into your parking spot.

You put them on and people go wtf and back off giving you a chance to reverse! But you then have a pher flipping out and posting it online !

Just to add, I've never done this hazard thing anyway.

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:18

But then again it can be classed as a hazard when you are pulling off a reversing maneuver though??

Edited by paprika on Friday 3rd September 13:19

Usually I find the white lights on the back of my car make my intentions fairly clear, then moving back encourages them to move.

Hazards on, I think car is broken down (stuck in reverse), and move to pass.

If the driver behind hasn't noticed your reversing lights, and your positioning towards the empty space, I think hazard warning lights are going to make bks all difference!!!

Right, what if they are following you pretty close ? As you stop to engage reverse, they are around a meter away from you then what .....

If you are driving along and put on your hazard lights, the person behind is more LIKELY to stop or increase the gap infront don't you think ?

Lets think logically here.

I'm thinking logically that there is no hazard and as such hazard warning lights are inappropriate?!

[Poledriver]

Petrolhead_Rich said:

Arese said:

Petrolhead_Rich said:

Hazards on, I think car is broken down (stuck in reverse), and move to pass.

Well then that's you making an assumption, which might well be wrong.

If a car has it's hazards on, you should really only assume that the driver is trying to warn other drivers of a potential 'hazard'. It can prove dangerous to read anything else into it.

where is the hazard? they are reversing? Its a car, not a HGV or nuclear missile, why add the confusion??

If the hazard is that the car is moving, then why not drive everywhere with hazards on???

It's obvious! The driver is the hazard!

[72twink]

I do this but then I live on a corner, if I just put my right indicator on as I slow to reverse onto my drive with someone following they are on my bumper "persuading" me (horns, fingers, waved arms etc) to take the turn they think I can't make my mind up on before I can get into reverse, putting the hazards on as I pull up gets their attention early and allows them to stop with enough room for me to reverse onto my drive and give them due thanks as they pass - it doesn't happen often and may well be wrong/mad but it works.

[Petrolhead_Rich]

72twink said:

I do this but then I live on a corner, if I just put my right indicator on as I slow to reverse onto my drive with someone following they are on my bumper "persuading" me (horns, fingers, waved arms etc) to take the turn they think I can't make my mind up on before I can get into reverse, putting the hazards on as I pull up gets their attention early and allows them to stop with enough room for me to reverse onto my drive and give them due thanks as they pass - it doesn't happen often and may well be wrong/mad but it works.

My anger is more towards the people who just always put them on, I have never seen it until recently and it just seems like total bks to me...

I accept that there are a handful of situations where some extra information needs to be put across, but for me, old biddy reversing into a parking space, with only stationary cars around her seems like bks.

I know shes a hazard, its an old person in a car, but I also know its reversing, its just lined up for a parking space and has one/two big white lights on the back, usually accompanied with a nice grinding noise too!

Yet another load of st, along with fog lights for going round corners, although that's forced on people by the manufacturer!!