Driving in britain - Flashing of the main beam....
Discussion
Im still young, but over the last 2 years, ive noticed more and more people flashing everytime they disagree with anything
This can be;
1) car going slower than the speed limit, I have cruise control on at said limit, and I over take them. He/she flashes? Why?
2) Going down the motorway, person sat in lane 3 with a clear lane 2, I wait, wait again, and wait some more. He/she doesn't move over, so a go around him. He/she flashes?
Plus a whole manor of other things!
Has this always been the case or something over the last few years? It really winds me up. I cant put it into context on the 'internet'.
I've driven all over Europe and never had this in any country. (this could be down to the fact I actually move over when I've overtaken).
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Thanks x
This can be;
1) car going slower than the speed limit, I have cruise control on at said limit, and I over take them. He/she flashes? Why?
2) Going down the motorway, person sat in lane 3 with a clear lane 2, I wait, wait again, and wait some more. He/she doesn't move over, so a go around him. He/she flashes?
Plus a whole manor of other things!
Has this always been the case or something over the last few years? It really winds me up. I cant put it into context on the 'internet'.
I've driven all over Europe and never had this in any country. (this could be down to the fact I actually move over when I've overtaken).
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Thanks x
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Best just to slow, leave a gap or whatever and let the other person check it's safe and make their own decision as to when to pull out.Most people flash because they feel that you, yes YOU, have intentionally insulted them by daring to go faster than them. Ignore them.
Oh, flashing to 'let people out' isn't advised either, if you flash, they just assume it's safe to go, which isn't always the case.
& also stop insulting people by going faster than them, who on earth do you think you are?
Oh, flashing to 'let people out' isn't advised either, if you flash, they just assume it's safe to go, which isn't always the case.
& also stop insulting people by going faster than them, who on earth do you think you are?
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Edited by McSam on Tuesday 25th January 23:50
McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Best just to slow, leave a gap or whatever and let the other person check it's safe and make their own decision as to when to pull out.Almost nobody does it.
Patrick Bateman said:
McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Best just to slow, leave a gap or whatever and let the other person check it's safe and make their own decision as to when to pull out.Almost nobody does it.
) to mean "go ahead, I'm letting you through" - most commonly when I'm waiting at a junction - is at least ten times more than the occasions where someone's done it to alert me to their presence!McSam said:
Patrick Bateman said:
McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Best just to slow, leave a gap or whatever and let the other person check it's safe and make their own decision as to when to pull out.Almost nobody does it.
) to mean "go ahead, I'm letting you through" - most commonly when I'm waiting at a junction - is at least ten times more than the occasions where someone's done it to alert me to their presence!Patrick Bateman said:
McSam said:
Patrick Bateman said:
McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation.Almost nobody does it.
) to mean "go ahead, I'm letting you through" - most commonly when I'm waiting at a junction - is at least ten times more than the occasions where someone's done it to alert me to their presence!
my quote edited accordingly.McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Edited by McSam on Tuesday 25th January 23:50
McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Edited by McSam on Tuesday 25th January 23:50
PHmember said:
McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Edited by McSam on Tuesday 25th January 23:50
McSam said:
I know - but it's used so frequently that I'd go as far to say it's universally understood in this country, wouldn't you?
Understood by whom? The driver waiting to pull out of a junction, the driver waiting to turn off, the pedestrian waiting to cross, or your mate that you've just spotted driving towards you? Which of these were you flashing? Perhaps they will all think that it's them. No problem there then...McSam said:
PHmember said:
McSam said:
AllNines said:
R12HCO said:
The only time I flash at anyone is to let somebody out of a junction, which i feel is the only time it is needed, as you cant always see the drivers actions.
Well that's possibly the most dangerous use of flashing main beams there is. I wouldn't recommend it at all - far too open to misinterpretation. Edited by McSam on Tuesday 25th January 23:50
What happens when you're approaching a car waiting to join the road you're on from the left whilst you're busy flashing at your mate coming in the opposite direction? Is it ok for the car waiting to join from the left to just pull out?
Or do you flash in morse code so that it's crystal clear to everyone else?
PHmember said:
Universally misunderstood more like. I agree, we all do it, I do it myself - the problem is that we quite often see somebody flash their lights & assume it's ok to proceed without checking anything else - like traffic coming the other way.
What happens when you're approaching a car waiting to join the road you're on from the left whilst you're busy flashing at your mate coming in the opposite direction? Is it ok for the car waiting to join from the left to just pull out?
Anyone who pulls out without looking irrespective of being flashed or not is an accident waiting to happen anyway. IMO the flash just means 'I'm letting you out', not 'Its safe to pull out' and I've never seen anyone interpret it as such. Hopefully people wouldn't be going along flashing at a mate if there are junctions etc, but then most people would just wave at the friend not start flashing lights when there are other motorists around. Only time I see this happening a lot is with truckers flashing each other.What happens when you're approaching a car waiting to join the road you're on from the left whilst you're busy flashing at your mate coming in the opposite direction? Is it ok for the car waiting to join from the left to just pull out?
As for the others persons comment of to not do anything but wait until it becomes apparent you are letting them out, that is by far the more dangerous thing to do (not to mention confusing and time wasting).
No idea why some people flash you when you overtake them on say a NSL road, admittedly if they do I'll put the hazards on to say I don't appreciate their reaction (especially at night).
Edited by geeteeaye on Wednesday 26th January 00:29
It's not a flawless method of communication, and generally needs a degree of common sense applied to make things work. I know common sense is something lacking in society, but there's always going to be room for misunderstanding when the only methods of communication are flashed lights, hand signals and other people trying to interpret your actions (such as slowing to leave a gap, road positioning etc.). Whatever you do, there is always going to be the chance someone might misread your intentions, or just not read them at all...driving a car is, by its nature, a risky business.
Personally, if I flash someone going across my lane of traffic and into the next, I only flash them if the other way is clear. I know many don't even consider that when letting someone out, but I try to do my bit! I also feel the need to flash them and not just leave them a gap, as they may never understand what you're doing, or worse, not work it out until you've reached the point of 'screw this, I'm gonna go if you aren't' and then they crash into you. At least a flash of lights is an obvious, instant thing.
In terms of flashing your lights when angry, it's just another method of trying to tell you something, and the message is generally defined by the context - sitting in traffic with a gap in front of you generally means 'i'm letting you go' whereas a flash of lights when you overtake someone will probably mean 'i think you're an idiot'.
However, as I say, always room for misunderstanding.
Personally, if I flash someone going across my lane of traffic and into the next, I only flash them if the other way is clear. I know many don't even consider that when letting someone out, but I try to do my bit! I also feel the need to flash them and not just leave them a gap, as they may never understand what you're doing, or worse, not work it out until you've reached the point of 'screw this, I'm gonna go if you aren't' and then they crash into you. At least a flash of lights is an obvious, instant thing.
In terms of flashing your lights when angry, it's just another method of trying to tell you something, and the message is generally defined by the context - sitting in traffic with a gap in front of you generally means 'i'm letting you go' whereas a flash of lights when you overtake someone will probably mean 'i think you're an idiot'.
However, as I say, always room for misunderstanding.
Edited by Burny16v on Wednesday 26th January 00:34
geeteeaye said:
As for the comment of to not do anything but wait until it becomes apparent you are letting them out, that is by far the more dangerous thing to do (not to mention confusing and time wasting).
If you do it properly, it's not a problem at all. Slow sufficiently to make a gap - either making it obvious to anyone behind you or so that no-one behind is affected - and it'll be obvious (unless they are really stupid, in which case you just carry on). Far better than playing the flashing game.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff