Driving Lesson - Flashing Headlights

DCFC79

To be honest i find that some drivers or most drivers i come across they do the opposite as to what is written in the highway code eg tail gating, driving safely, taking a flash of headlights as a sign to proceed, negotiate roundabouts correctly. Maybe its because i live in the same county as the OP and its something in the water

Takoda

What's really funny is when drivers flash you and you don't do what they are suggesting. I've had people try to flash me out of junctions or around parked cars but if I don't think it is safe I don't do it. They get cross sometimes but it is my vehicle and I'll do what I want with it.

DCFC79

Takoda wrote: »

What's really funny is when drivers flash you and you don't do what they are suggesting. I've had people try to flash me out of junctions or around parked cars but if I don't think it is safe I don't do it. They get cross sometimes but it is my vehicle and I'll do what I want with it.

lol, :rotfl::T

Poppy9

I like it when they flash me and there is a speed camera around the bend:D

Burlesque_Babe

I was flashed once by a police car to let me turn right across him into a side road.

I was so worried he didn't really mean it I waited until the police car had literally stopped - but he did - he meant I've slowed down to let you across me.

It wasn't even a particularly busy road we were on either. I checked in my mirror all the way up the side road to see if they followed me to give me a bollocking :rotfl:

sarahg1969

Round here, if someone flashes you to pull across them, or to pull out of a side road - you definitely don't do it.

Anyhow - why did the OP flash the other driver?

Takoda

He doesn't say why. He quotes the HC telling us that flashing headlights is to warn other road users of our presence but doesn't exactly explain why he felt it was necessary to do so on that occasion.

Having a full motorbike licence as well as a car one ( and having had bikes for the last 25 years) I tend to drive quite defensively. If I think someone is going to pull out/turn across my path/or even if I think they haven't seen me then I slow down and start planning where I will go if they do something stupid. I would probably use my horn too tbh. Someone might not be looking your way and might miss the headlight flash but 99% of people won't miss the beep!

If you've read some of his other posts then you'll know that making sense isn't always his first priority!

Freddie_Snowbits

sarahg1969 wrote: »

Round here, if someone flashes you to pull across them, or to pull out of a side road - you definitely don't do it.

Anyhow - why did the OP flash the other driver?

Because she was going to turn into moving traffic

Dave101t

yes, you have to know the area your in. if im waiting to move out a side road, i know how many cars i need to wait for, if i cant judge the speed i wait. if i see one flash and their speed slows, check again and quickly move. its all judgement in real life, but to pass the test, just follow the rules. the real learning begins after you pass.

smcaul

CHR15 wrote: »

Irrespective of what the highway code says, the flashing of headlights is a commonly accepted signal of courtesy allowing the other car to proceed.

You stand alone as the only person I have encountered who flashes their headlights as a warning in over 20yrs of driving.

I'm with the other driver ya nutter!! :)

Well it's people like you who are making a hash of our driving laws, if you ignore this one which other ones have you decided to ignore or are out of date?

What about waiting at a red traffic light when turning right? Have you decided that is also an outdated practise?

If there had been an accident then the women would not have had a defence in court!

And in my 20 years of driving, much of which has involved doing 100k miles a year in cars, artics and on motorbikes I can assure you that I and plenty of others use flashing of headlights as the same as sounding a horn!