Warning Lights 2

[Mad Jock]

To follow on from the thread of a similar title, one thing that has started to become much more common, and that I find particularly irritating, is drivers who sit in stationary traffic or at traffic lights with their foot on the footbrake instead of using their handbrake. On wet nights especially, it just dazzles the poor sod who is immediately behind, and it is made worse when every d*ckhead in the queue is doing it, what with high level brake lights these days. Some of these d*ckheads will also be p*ssed off at the drivers with their rear fogs left on, which is a little bit holier than thou.
As far as I can remember, this practice would fail you in a driving test, so what is the position as far as our trafpol friends are concerned. Tonyrec? Gone? Madcop?

[cptsideways]

Think Tony mentioned its an offence of some sort a while back, but with so many cars being auto's these days & high rear brake lights I can see where the problem lies.

I personally would prefer trafol to catch those without lights or missing lights, instead of those whose obviously but annoyingly do work.

[tonyrec]

cptsideways said:

Think Tony mentioned its an offence of some sort a while back, but with so many cars being auto's these days & high rear brake lights I can see where the problem lies. I personally would prefer trafol to catch those without lights or missing lights, instead of those whose obviously but annoyingly do work.

Yes that is correct about the brake lights, its an Offence.

Cant see anyone getting a ticket for it unless 'they ask for it'.

Sometimes i do it (for short periods), as the car is a Geartronic and its a real pain to apply the handbrake...or should i say footbrake!

[Mad Jock]

Whenever I had an automatic, I always used to put it in park (P). It's no effort, just a flick of the wrist, so as far as I'm concerned, auto box drivers have even less of an excuse. I can't say about Geartronic, though. WTF is that, Tony?

[rospa]

tonyrec said:

cptsideways said: Think Tony mentioned its an offence of some sort a while back, but with so many cars being auto's these days & high rear brake lights I can see where the problem lies. I personally would prefer trafol to catch those without lights or missing lights, instead of those whose obviously but annoyingly do work. Yes that is correct about the brake lights, its an Offence. Cant see anyone getting a ticket for it unless 'they ask for it'. Sometimes i do it (for short periods), as the car is a Geartronic and its a real pain to apply the handbrake...or should i say footbrake!

Tony

So if someone stops at a traffic light for 10 second and shows a red light to the rear, that is an offence? When I did my RoSPA test, I was specifically told to leave the car in D (I drive an auto) and just hold it on the footbrake. I was told that I should do this even for things like level crossings where I could be waiting for a few minutes.

I'm not being awkward, I just like to know chapter and verse (ideally Hughes guide reference)

Thanks

[gone]

The offence would be causing undue dazzle.
I cannot think of anyone being penalised for using their brake whilst stationary.

Having headlamps lit whilst stationary is also an offence.

Should we not turn our headlamps to side lamps when stopped momentarily as we apply the handbrake to extinguish the brake lights?

[xxplod]

Our area cars are BMW 330d autos. Most drivers tend to hold it on the footbrake when stationary for short periods. As Tonyrec says, I can't see anyone ever being prosecuted, and I've certainly never heard of anyone being "done" for it.

[rospa]

xxplod said:

Our area cars are BMW 330d autos. Most drivers tend to hold it on the footbrake when stationary for short periods. As Tonyrec says, I can't see anyone ever being prosecuted, and I've certainly never heard of anyone being "done" for it.

OK. However, I cannot imagine RoSPA condone's any illegal action whatsoever. I'm just curious if there is some sort of dividing line in terms of offences that can be overlooked and some offences that can't.

[cptsideways]

Surely there are some rules/laws that are just not worth bothering about, this I think is one.

Yet no doubt this type of rule/law will be a major topic of debate at any IAM type gathering. Sorry to be give that impression but I've found it to be a case of "who knows the most daftest useless bit of motoring laws/rules conference".

Have a go at people with only one headlight or no brake light please instead.

>> Edited by cptsideways on Tuesday 20th April 11:14