Communicating with other drivers

Communicating with other drivers

Author
Discussion

trevorh

Original Poster:

1,359 posts

284 months

Wednesday 18th January 2006
quotequote all
Aside from the normal(ish) signals for 'thank you', and maybe 'sorry', do my fellow PHers have any suggestions for how one might communicate to other drivers in the following situations? (If one bothers at all, that is)

1. Your rear fogs are on
2. Your front fogs are on
3. You're still on main beam (When they're behind you) (Ooh, pretty blue light on my dash!)
4. You've got no lights on at all
5. You really should be on headlights and not parking lights

1 and 4 are pretty straightforward, I think, and 2 is generally a lost cause, but 3 & 5?

s a m

509 posts

237 months

Wednesday 18th January 2006
quotequote all
1. Your rear fogs are on
... Sit behind them going Flash Flash Flash Flash Flash until they work it out.
... or pass them and leave them to it, or drop back, depending on road.

2. Your front fogs are on
... Most of the time they already know and dont care... a few flashes can even things up. Otherwise ignore, they pass in seconds.

3. You're still on main beam (When they're behind you) (Ooh, pretty blue light on my dash!)
... stick rear fogs on... or get a car with self fading mirrors

4. You've got no lights on at all
... Flash flash flash flash flash

5. You really should be on headlights and not parking lights
... Usually they have their front fogs on insted, so flash flash flash flash....


Flat in Fifth

44,073 posts

251 months

Wednesday 18th January 2006
quotequote all
1, 2, 3, 4 = Fiuxed Penalty Notice and £30 please would be my suggestion for how to communicate to the sinners.

5 also as above depending upon circumstances.

Have I misunderstood?

7db

6,058 posts

230 months

Wednesday 18th January 2006
quotequote all
FiF - This truly is the evidence that they aren't interested in the money (pace SafeSpeed et al). The number of people around here who drive with at least one of these out of order is astounding. In fact, you are hard pressed to find someone driving fully legally round here, and it's not cos there's no traffic.

I could make a far better living taking £30 off the sinners around here than I could doing an honest day's work.

markmullen

15,877 posts

234 months

Wednesday 18th January 2006
quotequote all
1. Your rear fogs are on - Full Beam
2. Your front fogs are on - Full Beam
3. You're still on main beam (When they're behind you) (Ooh, pretty blue light on my dash!) - Full Beam
4. You've got no lights on at all - Full Beam
5. You really should be on headlights and not parking lights - Full Beam

Possibly with an side order of the coffee beans.

Flat in Fifth

44,073 posts

251 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
7db said:
FiF - This truly is the evidence that they aren't interested in the money (pace SafeSpeed et al). The number of people around here who drive with at least one of these out of order is astounding. In fact, you are hard pressed to find someone driving fully legally round here, and it's not cos there's no traffic.

I could make a far better living taking £30 off the sinners around here than I could doing an honest day's work.

Funnily enough 7db I started a thread somewhere the other day which was an offshhot of how many bib do you see these days.

the content went

Flat in Fifth said:
Thought I'd start a thread pointing out ratio of genuine bib seen on journey versus Highways Agency muppets.

Yesterday & Today 450 miles, mostly M5.

Plod 1 Hatos 7 (seven!)

And guess who was the only one actually attending an incident, broken down heavy actually?

Hint it didn't involve a 4x4 with black/yellow Battenburg but a Blue /yellow Volvo V70.

mk1fan

10,517 posts

225 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
7db said:
FiF - This truly is the evidence that they aren't interested in the money (pace SafeSpeed et al). The number of people around here who drive with at least one of these out of order is astounding. In fact, you are hard pressed to find someone driving fully legally round here, and it's not cos there's no traffic.

I could make a far better living taking £30 off the sinners around here than I could doing an honest day's work.


It's not evidence at all. It is relatively straight forward to digitally assess and process someone exceeding the speed limit. To try and remotely - without the need for a bib to be there - assess and process these 'illumination' offences is significantly harder = more £ = less return.

You can be prosecuted for driving with fogs/no lights etc (not sure if it is fp or not) but it tends to be down to the judgement of the Trafpol who stops you.

Does it not say in the Highway code that sidelights are the minimum lighting required whilst driving through urban areas?

7db

6,058 posts

230 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
That's right -- sidelights are necessary after lighting up time in a streetlit area.

Personally I drive on headlights all the time.

mk1fan

10,517 posts

225 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
7db said:
That's right -- sidelights are necessary after lighting up time in a streetlit area.

Personally I drive on headlights all the time.


I know a few women like that!

7db

6,058 posts

230 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
7db said:
The number of people around here who drive with at least one of these out of order is astounding. In fact, you are hard pressed to find someone driving fully legally round here, and it's not cos there's no traffic.


Well stuff me. I wrote this recently in this thread and the whole of Notting Hill has been crawling with Trafpol this afternoon pulling people for inspections. Brilliant response. I eat my words.

Although the whitecap did wonder what I was grinning so inanely at when we went past. Miserbale so-and-so...

AquilaEagle

439 posts

248 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
1 and 2 are easy:



or




henrycrun

2,449 posts

240 months

Thursday 19th January 2006
quotequote all
4 can be dealt with by just flicking your lights OFF momentarily

>> Edited by henrycrun on Thursday 19th January 23:15

Zod

35,295 posts

258 months

Sunday 22nd January 2006
quotequote all
trevorh said:
Aside from the normal(ish) signals for 'thank you', and maybe 'sorry', do my fellow PHers have any suggestions for how one might communicate to other drivers in the following situations? (If one bothers at all, that is)

1. Your rear fogs are on
2. Your front fogs are on
3. You're still on main beam (When they're behind you) (Ooh, pretty blue light on my dash!)
4. You've got no lights on at all
5. You really should be on headlights and not parking lights

1 and 4 are pretty straightforward, I think, and 2 is generally a lost cause, but 3 & 5?

1 I flash them a few times.
2 I flash my rear fog at them
3 I flash them
4 I switch my lights on and off
5 I don't knwo how you can get the message throguh to someone this stupid.

bmw114

676 posts

237 months

Sunday 22nd January 2006
quotequote all
4. You`ve got no lights on at all.

I was following someone down Park Lane in London a few years back and he had no lights on so i pulled along side him at a set of traffic lights that were on red, I had to toot my horn to get his attention.
With both hands in front of me in the closed position i opened them up like a flower opens and mouthed the words PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON.
He stuck 2 fingers up at me and i burst out laughing,the lights changed and he carried on his merry way without lights.
He did have a turban on so perhaps he thought he was exempt.



>> Edited by bmw114 on Sunday 22 January 19:06

Fat Audi 80

2,403 posts

251 months

Monday 23rd January 2006
quotequote all
markmullen said:
1. Your rear fogs are on - Full Beam
2. Your front fogs are on - Full Beam
3. You're still on main beam (When they're behind you) (Ooh, pretty blue light on my dash!) - Full Beam
4. You've got no lights on at all - Full Beam
5. You really should be on headlights and not parking lights - Full Beam

Possibly with an side order of the coffee beans.



Exactly what I do.

martaay

114 posts

223 months

Tuesday 31st January 2006
quotequote all
Fat Audi 80 said:
markmullen said:
1. Your rear fogs are on - Full Beam
2. Your front fogs are on - Full Beam
3. You're still on main beam (When they're behind you) (Ooh, pretty blue light on my dash!) - Full Beam
4. You've got no lights on at all - Full Beam
5. You really should be on headlights and not parking lights - Full Beam

Possibly with an side order of the coffee beans.



Exactly what I do.


Well when they are behind you with full beam on, putting your full beam on wont do jack but....

1. angle lights right up, one long flash to make em actually look in their mirrors then flick the fogs on and off
2. mutter 'twat' and if theres no innocent drivers behind them give em some full beam for their sins
3. flash rear fog on and off until they realise but tbh this rarely happens when they are behind you.
4. flash flash flash
5. flash flash flash

jazzyjeff

3,652 posts

259 months

Sunday 12th February 2006
quotequote all
This is all very well, but can quite easily open you up to road rage from the other party. Whilst one would hope most people are in error by mistake and would welcome a polite reminder, these warnings can be easily misinterpreted, or worse, taken as a "come on then" by someone who is deliberately flouting the rules for one reason or another (e.g. in the case of front fogs dozy chavs thinking they look cool in their blinged up Corsa shite).

I have been on the end of the worst case scenario at least once. A few years ago at 2am I overtook an Escort that was crawling along about 10mph with his rear fogs blazing. Naturally, I signalled my intention to pass, then as I did so flashed my fogs briefly twice, then the rears once after passing. Next thing I know the scrote is chasing me down the road at great speed and rams me up the back. When he refuses to give me his insurance details I call the police who manage to draw out his name and address (oh how I'd love to print those on here!!) Sole independent witness was a bit pissed and ignored by plod, who then insists on breathalysing me and then tells me off because the machine didn't seem to be working properly... the cheek!

So beware

JJ

Rob_the_Sparky

1,000 posts

238 months

Thursday 16th February 2006
quotequote all
Whatever happened to warnings? Why do the Pod feel it necessary to fine people for what in most cases a simple mistake?

From another thread it seems that also fines are being issued for a broken bulb as well. In what way is this helping? How often are we meant to check rear bulbs (particularly brake lights)? Is it now the case that you are not allowed to make a mistake anymore?

Sure using front fogs is unlikely to be a mistake but the others? Even no lights, in a well lit urban area it is perfectly possible to not notice for a moment or two. What about using front fog lights when a bulb is out? I used to do this to get me home when I had a bulb out but again in a parallel thread it seems that this will simply get you two fines! Surely it is safer to use the fogs in this case so why the fines?

Rant mode off...