Flashed out of a junction on driving test - should you go?

[cornish]

I have been teaching my partners son to drive afer the past couple of months and he has done really well and has his test next week. He has had a few professional lessons with a local instructor who said he driving is good hence the test.

So we are out yesterday and at a particularly junction where we wanted to go right the car to our left stops and flashes to let us out. I tell him to wait as I was always told back in the 80’s when I learnt to drive that nobody has the authority to let you out other than the police. I was also told that if you do go and have a crash then it is your fault and saying that the other car flashed is no defense.

So we sit there for a while looking at the other car and it became apparent that the elderly gentleman was keen for us to go so eventually we did and he checked it was clear etc.

I asked the instructor and he said that we were right to go but I am not sure this is right. He came home tonight and said that he heard of someone at college who failed recently for going when flashed when they should have given way.

So my question to any driving instructors or anonymous examiners out there is what should you do?

My gut feel is to wait and say to the examiner that it is not your right of way and just wait.

Any advice would be greatly received.

[thatsprettyshady]

when I was learning I was told that fishing lights was similar to the horn i.e. Used to "announce" you're there. I was told by my instructor to make eye contact with whoever is doing to flashing and then go, and as long as I was taking time to be safe etc then I would be fine in my test.

[Flumpo]

I’m pretty sure the driving instructor always said that flashing lights or someone giving way would get you in trouble. Just wait for them to get on, then make your manoeuvre when safe and clear.

[stevensdrs]

There is no definitive answer to this question as there are a lot of variables to consider. On a test it depends on how the examiner perceives the risks. If you just sit there when the only other car is the one that has flashed you out, you will likely fail for hesitation. If you go and the car that flashed you moves at the same time you will fail. The best policy is to make eye contact with the other driver and try to get a more definite response from the other driver as to his intentions. Sometimes tests can just be a matter of luck in what you encounter.

[citizensm1th]

Flashing headlights highway code
The Highway Code states: 'Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.'

and i think if you were failed by a examiner for not pulling out when flashed by another motorist i think you would have a very strong case to appeal any test failure.

[Ayahuasca]

Safest I would think is to wave the other driver on.

[roadsmash]

It is really quite simple.

Providing the other car has stopped to let you go, and you make all the other necessary observations, you will not be failed.

The common risk is that learner/inexperienced drivers take a flash as “it is safe to go” rather than “he is letting me go” and put their trust into the other driver, potentially pulling out in front of another driver or similar, because their routine has been broken and they forget to do their own observations.

Providing it is safe to go and it is clear the other car has stopped to let you go, then you will not be failed.

[konark]

Ayahuasca said:

Safest I would think is to wave the other driver on.

Safest way to fail your test.

[Tophatron]

I actually failed my B+E test with a similar situation. I was waiting to turn right against slow moving traffic and an oncoming truck flashed me. I didn’t want to appear that I responded to the flash so I waited a bit longer for a gap and ended up getting failed due to hesitation.

It was a bit of a tight fail tbh. The instructor suggested that in the ideal response would have probably been to turn right but say to the examiner that I was responding to the gap being left by the truck and not the fact he flashed me.

[Wozy68]

roadsmash said:

It is really quite simple.

Providing the other car has stopped to let you go, and you make all the other necessary observations, you will not be failed.

The common risk is that learner/inexperienced drivers take a flash as “it is safe to go” rather than “he is letting me go” and put their trust into the other driver, potentially pulling out in front of another driver or similar, because their routine has been broken and they forget to do their own observations.

Providing it is safe to go and it is clear the other car has stopped to let you go, then you will not be failed.

This ^^^^. It happened on my test (back in 1986) and the examiner asked and explained exactly this. I passed.

[anonymous-user]

roadsmash said:

It is really quite simple.

Providing the other car has stopped to let you go, and you make all the other necessary observations, you will not be failed.

The common risk is that learner/inexperienced drivers take a flash as “it is safe to go” rather than “he is letting me go” and put their trust into the other driver, potentially pulling out in front of another driver or similar, because their routine has been broken and they forget to do their own observations.

Providing it is safe to go and it is clear the other car has stopped to let you go, then you will not be failed.

That's my take on It, and confirmed by my mobile test examiner. Common sense.

I had a failed green arrow bulb on a right turn arrow on a traffic light. I sat there. The oncoming traffic stopped. It was clear that it "should" have been a green light . I thought, I can't just sit here like a wally. So I make loads of safety checks and proceeded with caution.

I asked afterwards and he confirmed he'd have failed me if I sat there doing nothing.

[Pothole]

I won't pull out for these idiots. Most often they have stopped in the carriageway with nothing behind them for miles at a junction with really good sight lines for no other reason than their own stupid idea that they're being kind/helpful. In 35+ years of driving I've not yet needed to rely on anyone's kindness to execute a simple manoeuvre like pulling out of a junction. These fools fail to appreciate that continuing past me would enable me to see clearly farther up the road and pull out perfectly safely all on my own. I delight in the confused and/or angry looks on their faces when I wave them on.

[LeoSayer]

If it's safe to go, then go.

Don't rely on the flasher to tell you it's safe.

[CanAm]

Pothole said:

I won't pull out for these idiots. Most often they have stopped in the carriageway with nothing behind them for miles at a junction with really good sight lines for no other reason than their own stupid idea that they're being kind/helpful. In 35+ years of driving I've not yet needed to rely on anyone's kindness to execute a simple manoeuvre like pulling out of a junction. These fools fail to appreciate that continuing past me would enable me to see clearly farther up the road and pull out perfectly safely all on my own. I delight in the confused and/or angry looks on their faces when I wave them on.

And if they'd carried on at 30mph, your exit would have been clear sooner!

[dogbucket]

This was actually a verbal question in my driving test (yes back in days when you just got a few random questions after the driving segment). I think I said something along the lines of "I would take it to mean nothing until they stopped" and passed.

[JB8]

I got a minor fault on my test for 'hesitation' because someone flashed me out of a junction and I didn't pull out like my instructor taught me.

[anonymous-user]

Pothole said:

I won't pull out for these idiots. Most often they have stopped in the carriageway with nothing behind them for miles at a junction with really good sight lines for no other reason than their own stupid idea that they're being kind/helpful. In 35+ years of driving I've not yet needed to rely on anyone's kindness to execute a simple manoeuvre like pulling out of a junction. These fools fail to appreciate that continuing past me would enable me to see clearly farther up the road and pull out perfectly safely all on my own. I delight in the confused and/or angry looks on their faces when I wave them on.

Wow. Nice outlook.

[anonymous-user]

RogerDodger said:

Pothole said:

I won't pull out for these idiots. Most often they have stopped in the carriageway with nothing behind them for miles at a junction with really good sight lines for no other reason than their own stupid idea that they're being kind/helpful. In 35+ years of driving I've not yet needed to rely on anyone's kindness to execute a simple manoeuvre like pulling out of a junction. These fools fail to appreciate that continuing past me would enable me to see clearly farther up the road and pull out perfectly safely all on my own. I delight in the confused and/or angry looks on their faces when I wave them on.

Wow. Nice outlook.

I wouldn’t worry about it. Just imagine what all those people think of pothole. Much the same as we think, in all probability.

[Pothole]

REALIST123 said:

RogerDodger said:

Pothole said:

I won't pull out for these idiots. Most often they have stopped in the carriageway with nothing behind them for miles at a junction with really good sight lines for no other reason than their own stupid idea that they're being kind/helpful. In 35+ years of driving I've not yet needed to rely on anyone's kindness to execute a simple manoeuvre like pulling out of a junction. These fools fail to appreciate that continuing past me would enable me to see clearly farther up the road and pull out perfectly safely all on my own. I delight in the confused and/or angry looks on their faces when I wave them on.

Wow. Nice outlook.

I wouldn’t worry about it. Just imagine what all those people think of pothole. Much the same as we think, in all probability.

Oh no, someone on the internet doesn't think I'm TBTSSB!! I reckon I'll care about that as much as I care about the opinions of driving morons.

[drmike37]

I would wait until an unequivocal invitation to proceed - Car slowing/stopping, 'beckoning' wave, repeat flash etc. The Highway Code is very clear on the correct use of flashing lights.
What would be wrong with the driver explaining their thought process? eg "I see this car has flashed its lights. I'll wait for them to stop before I turn just in case the other driver has read the Highway Code and doesn't mean for me to go. Oh, they've slowed down a lot and are waving at me to go..."