Driving Lesson - Flashing Headlights

frivolous_fay

marleyboy wrote: »

This may be true to your interpritation of it, however LEGALLY it is NOT! One could easily (and do) fail their driving test for accepting it as courtesy, suggest you check this up.

That's what I was told last time I took some driving lessons.

Pound

marleyboy wrote: »

This may be true to your interpritation of it, however LEGALLY it is NOT! One could easily (and do) fail their driving test for accepting it as courtesy, suggest you check this up.

When I was doing my driving test the driver of a police car flashed me (we were both behind parked cars). It wasn't really a situation I wanted to be in on my test because it's often said you can fail for it.

After a brief pause I decided just to go. The examiner obviously had no problem with it as I passed my test.

Smits

Yeh, it is commong for people to flash their lights to let people through, but you should be using your judgement and not just going because you see someone flash their lights.

Also, i have seen on numerous occasions people flash from behind indicating that the brake lights or something are faulty!

loracan1

So someone flashing their lights at me doesn't mean there's a speed trap up ahead?

sagalout1954

Perhaps the moral of the story is "don't flash unnecessarily" given that all sorts of different interpretations can be put on it.

Let's face it, as has already been said, why would any experienced, safe driver feel the need to 'flash' other vehicles at 4pm in the middle of August. Was it dark, thick fog, pouring with rain all of which might hamper visibility!!!??

Seems like a pointless need to draw attention to yourself on the road to me.

hartcjhart

sagalout1954 wrote: »

Perhaps the moral of the story is "don't flash unnecessarily" given that all sorts of different interpretations can be put on it.

Let's face it, as has already been said, why would any experienced, safe driver feel the need to 'flash' other vehicles at 4pm in the middle of August. Was it dark, thick fog, pouring with rain all of which might hamper visibility!!!??

Seems like a pointless need to draw attention to yourself on the road to me.

if it was dark or any other form of poor visibility then the op should of had his headlights on(not sidelights)so no need to flash,surely if y he was warning of his presence he should have turned the lights on and not just flashed

fatpiggy

Unfortunately, the Highway Code has become akin to an urban myth. The OP is absolutely correct, but as almost everyone else has pointed out, in reality it doesn't work like that. I nearly had a collision just recently as I attempted to turn right by passing the oncoming car (also turning right) right hand to right hand. He clearly didn't know where I was going and stopped dead. But that was the way I was taught to drive, and although my instructor acknowledged that the "continental" method of left hand to left hand was now not considered illegal and dangerous, ihe stressed that it was p*ss poor driving and lazy and quite unnecessary. The latest trick on motorways I see is to do a left and right indicator flash after you pull in. Why??????????? I just raise my hand in front of the drivers mirror where they person behind can clearly see it. The first time I saw this totally incorrect and ludicrous use of the indicators I thought the guy was pulling back out again and nearly stood on the brakes.

I have a rule of thumb - I never wave anyone out of anywhere. I am happy to slow down and leave a very clear and huge gap for them to drive into but that is all. A few months ago I was hit by a car turning right out onto the road I was on. When I asked him how come he couldn't see me despite perfect visibility and the fact I had my lights on, he said the driver coming the other way had flashed him to go - so he did - into my front wing. That is the danger - he completely went by the other driver's judgement and failed to look anywhere except at that car.

sagalout1954

fatpiggy wrote: »

A few months ago I was hit by a car turning right out onto the road I was on. When I asked him how come he couldn't see me despite perfect visibility and the fact I had my lights on.

It's no good, I've got to ask..........why were your lights ON if visibility was perfect. What is it about all this lighting up of vehicles when there seems to be no good reason for it???? Perhaps it's some sort of 'man thing'.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

liam8282

110 Flashing headlights. 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.

You said in your first post that you were 20 yards away from this other vehicle, why did you feel the need to flash your lights in the first place?

The above rule specifically states that headlights should only be flashed to let other road users know you are there, if you were 20 yards away surely the other driver knew you were there so you had no reason to flash your headlights in the first place.

The reason you were flashing your headlights seems to be for some other reason, which is not allowed in the hw code.

Post #65

The car's body language

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Ste_C

The moral of the story is to mind your own business and not try and help people.