Did I do the correct thing?

PunkRoquefort

Driving on a local bypass, of which I have heard of a few accidents, I was getting ready to exit and indicated, slowed down and stopped, waiting for the oncoming traffic to pass by before I exited right.


The man driving the front car of the oncoming traffic, slowed and flashed his lights to me, several times, to let me exit, but I decided to wait for the trail of cars to go past before I exited to my right.

He was fairly close and still moving.

The driver looked at me, raised his shoulders and hands, as if to say he cannot understand why I did not take advantage of his offer.

I understand you should only flash lights at another driver to make them aware of your presence and no other reason.

Was I in the right?

Brie

Yes you are right but flashing lights is an accepted thing that a lot of people do.  It does actually fit the remit of making you aware of their presence in a "look! I've stopped and I'm letting you go ahead!!"  But the problem, as many of us know, is that he might not have been alerting you but perhaps someone else.  And that's when accidents can happen.  I wouldn't flash my lights to let someone turn unless I knew that there's no car in another lane that might not stop or a cyclist/motorcycle whizzing along quicker than the rest of the traffic.  

I guess it's a bit like the line about indicators - if someone has their right indicator on what does it mean?  That their right indicator works.  

Mildly_Miffed

PunkRoquefort said:

Was I in the right?

Yes.

You should never be rushed by another driver to do something you think might not be safe.

Am I guessing you've only recently passed your test? Because while the HC says "only flash to make aware", the real world uses it for many other reasons, including very commonly for "after you, mate".

PunkRoquefort

I passed my test years ago. I asked you because I later questioned myself.

PunkRoquefort

I have recently been on a Driver Awareness Course too, where the flashing of lights was discussed, as was our interation with other road users.

Arunmor

Not taking the offer on a junction round us could leave you sitting for 5+ minutes, with ensuing chaos of backed up traffic.

MyRealNameToo

One of the frequently quoted pieces of case law in motor accidents was in part caused by a lorry flashing a car out from a side road that was wanting to turn right not seeing the motorbike that was overtaking the slow moving traffic. 

Excluding banksman, which your average driver won't have with them, you should rely only on your own vision and decision making as if to proceed or not. I'm sure the other driver thought they were doing you a favour so maybe a little irritated when you turned it down were it to go wrong it wouldnt be them in the court dock being sued. 

Baldytyke88

PunkRoquefort said:

I passed my test years ago. I asked you because I later questioned myself.

Since the new rules came in about giving way to vulnerable road users, there are more vehicles giving way to let pedestrians cross. This causes more confusion, as does fewer people flashing their headlights.

rollingmoon

'Knights of the road' are something I can really do without. Nowadays when I encounter one I use hand gestures to indicate clearly that they should use their right of way and proceed. 

More than once I have been flashed by one of these highway heroes to proceed when it was absolutely unsafe to do so; on one occasion in recent living memory, waiting to turn left onto a major road, I witnessed one particular genius anchoring up in front of a line of cars, narrowly avoiding an accident*, while flashing his lights furiously at me to pull out. Had I done so I estimate the time saved on my part would have amounted to a whole 20 seconds...

*obviously this means the cars behind were too close, but the point is that by his ridiculous behaviour he dramatically increased the risk of a completely unnecessary RTA.

Car_54

rollingmoon said:

'Knights of the road' are something I can really do without. Nowadays when I encounter one I use hand gestures to indicate clearly that they should use their right of way and proceed. 

If you were to read the Highway Code, you'd find that no-one has "right of way".Ever.

Bigphil1474

Been driving 37 years and pretty much never flashed my lights to make someone 'aware of my presence'. It is universally accepted as the letting some pull out/pull in/overtake signal, but you still get to choose whether you take the opportunity or not, as you can sometimes see things the flasher can't.