On car theme….

Why do people continue to do this? It’s dangerous, which I’m sure most people know, there is no need for it in the context of suggesting someone should move in, or out of a lane, or suggest they should cross the road into oncoming traffic..etc, etc…

I’ve witnessed a pretty shocking result of this many years ago and since then, I’ve noticed how dangerous it can be – for what purpose? I can only surmise it’s people genuinely trying to be ‘nice’, but most people (me included) can never have a full appreciation of all the factors that could impact that person’s manoeuvrings that you are suggesting they do.

Often it creates a bit of panic in the intended recipient, causing flustered and ill-thought moves, because the ‘flasher’ somehow indicates that it’s safe to do so…

All that is needed IMO is to allow space where required for people to SEE you (esp lorry drivers), be it adjusting your speed or position on the road.

Is there a need which I’m missing, without any potentially dangerous connotations of over-interpretation of the flashers road assessment? I can only think when a lorry driver is being overtaken by another lorry and is helping them get back into lane 1, in order to help the get out of lane 2 asap…but even then, it could be witnessed by someone further up the road in a slip road/layby etc, who thinks it’s for them and pulls out (because they wrongly infer the meaning)..

Just ban it, surely?

Makes me mad as well, people just seem to stop using their own eyes having been flashed, worse situation for me is when over taking stationary traffic (on bike) and a car flashes something oncoming that it is ok to turn across them into a side road.

If there is any possibility that the intention can be misconstrued, don’t do it.
Unfortunately, too many people are not in a position to make that decision.

Highway code is quite clear

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.

111
Never assume that flashing headlights is a signal inviting you to proceed. Use your own judgement and proceed carefully.

I moved house a couple of years back to the outskirts of a quaint rural market town..
It would seem that it is customary amongst the friendly, helpful folk around and about to completely ignore any highway code, and drive by a code of almost unfathomably stupid overly courteous gestures.. flashing anyone and everyone at every opportunity to let them proceed first, no matter what the situation..

except for in the high street where murderous intent and bloodlust rule the highway..

lunatics every last one of them..

A car overtook a group of us a few days ago (reasonably safe overtake considering there were 6 cyclists) then 50m further on he stopped and flashed a car coming the other way to turn right – straight across our path. 😯

He was only going a few mph faster than us so we were on him in seconds once he stopped. Fortunately, the oncoming car had seen us and waited, we overtook the car (there wasn’t time or space for 6 of us to stop safely behind him) but then moments later he screamed past us hooting and shouting. Just didn’t get that he’d almost caused 6 cyclists to either slam into the back of him/into each other or to get hit by the car he was allowing to turn… 🙄

On the other hand, I’ll always flash lorries on motorways when they want to pull out provided that I know the signal can’t be misconstrued by any other road user.

Its handy to be flashed into and out of bus stops etc especially when driving a slow van .I also flash lorries to let them know I am allowing them out of junctions etc when others may not appreciate how long they take to move.I know you need to use your own eyes as well but its very helpful if people help each other out and it can actually help traffic flow

worse situation for me is when over taking stationary traffic (on bike) and a car flashes something oncoming that it is ok to turn across them into a side road

that happened to me once. riding along overtaking slow moving traffic on the outside. Car travelling the other way decides to stop and flash it’s lights. Lady in the side road to my left sees it, looks left at the driver who just flashed then pulled out without looking right and drove straight into me!

If you panic because someone flashes their lights at you, then you are not fit to drive. Your rather stupid rant is just passing blame onto other road users for your own inability to deal with basic traffic. I think we would all be safer if you stayed of the roads.

this thread has not turned out the way i expected from the title. 🙂

there wasn’t time or space for 6 of us to stop safely behind him

Doesn’t sound like safe cycling to me…

there wasn’t time or space for 6 of us to stop safely behind him

Doesn’t sound like safe cycling to me…

Depends if the car overtook and stopped almost immediately (50m isn’t that far if you’re going fast).

Seems quite handy on the local country lanes to indicate to oncoming traffic that you’ve got a passing place to move into.

He was only going a few mph faster than us

Being overtaken. If a driver is trying to overtake you, maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to let the vehicle pass

I appreciate that slowing down is not a technique of every (many?) road cyclist’s safe cycling arsenal.

Near here there’s a T junction, it’s in the country, traffic moves pretty fast. I and others, when turning left off the ‘main’ road, flash, notwithstanding we are indicating left, to show that we ARE actually turning left and haven’t just left the indicator on. Today I saw a woman who was indicating right which I thought is a brilliant and better idea.

I flash lorries to let them know when they are past, and they flash me when I pass them. I love the different indicator flash patterns we all use to say thanks.

I flash oncoming traffic in the lanes round here to warn them there are horses/a group of cyclists/some other unexpected hazard round the next corner.

FWIW, I prefer mooning in cars. . .

lorries … others may not appreciate how long they take to move

they’re fast enough pulling out without any indication into a full stream of cars on the dual carriageways round here 😯

but how else do you warn others about twatty speed traps??

+1 for tazzy.(or a thumbs down works)

What cheez0 said.

Am disappoint.

I thought flashing was best done in raincoats…? Surely easier to expose yourself by opening a mac rather than manoeuvring your old man out of a car door or window?

Jamj- true, but we all love a challenge….

I flash oncoming traffic in the lanes round here to warn them there are horses/a group of cyclists/some other unexpected hazard round the next corner.

Not wanting to start an argument but i dont think thats a great idea, to likely to cause the other diver to get distracted, checking they havnt left lights on, ranting at ‘that **** thinks he owns the road” etc.

I hate it. I’m never 100% sure what a flash is for or if it’s intended for me so I ignore it, and I never flash others. If I’m happy for someone to pull out in front of me I simply slow down/stop and leave them room to do it. Sadly that means that the people who don’t want to manoeuvre without a flash get equally confused by what I’m doing.

My first ever crash was caused when, on a 2-lane road, the car on the outside lane flashed someone in a junction to invite them to come out, even though I was on the inside. So I hit the car that pulled out right in front of me- luckily not very hard. The driver of the car I hit said “But it’s not my fault! He flashed me out!” and was perfectly happy to use that defence to the police too.

A spanish guy i used to work with had a crash in the uk because of this. Apparently in spain, a flash of your lights means ‘i am going’ rather than ‘you go’.

its dangerous. i ignore it, i’m capable of looking for myself, judging whether its safe to come out, change lanes, and i drive within the speed limit so don’t need to be warned of speed traps. didn’t someone get points on their license for flashing about a speed trap? if you need someone else to decide for you when its safe to do something, you shouldn’t be driving.

Don’t understand what’s wrong with flashing yr lights.
It clearly means ‘there you go’ when there’s limited room on the road for whatever reason (eg single track road, tight gap in traffic or due to parked cars) or watch out (something coming or rozzers on a revenue/target hitting mission)
And before the Mail reading Highway Code afficionados bust a lung, what is the difference between me warning people to slow down and the old bill doing it for Brownie points, licence points and an increase in the insurance industry’s profits?

THread is a bit of a non event.

Flashing is fine, if people are stupid enough to think that gives them a right of way – they are the problem.

Some temporary traffic lights are activated by light/movement, so unless you flash them you can have a long wait

MSP – appreciate your reply; you clearly read what I said and have provided an intellectual and considered response. Bravo.

Everyone else: I get the practical application of flashing, and the well.meaning uses.

My issue is that it’s ultimately a dangerous act. I’ve seen one poor motorcyclist wiped out and a van sideswiped as a result of such actions.

It’s dangerous and in each justification for it provided, there would have been a more appropriate action.

Anyhow, it was just seeking views. Safe journeys to all.

but if you don’t flash them (traffic lights) how many days can you expect to wait?

IanMunro – Member
Seems quite handy on the local country lanes to indicate to oncoming traffic that you’ve got a passing place to move into.

This ^

tazzymtb – Member
but how else do you warn others about twatty speed traps??

You don’t. I got a ticket because of this; driving towards a 30 limit, someone flashed me several times, and while I was checking to see why, if I had my headlights on or something, I forgot about how close I was to the 30 limit and got a ticket!
It’s actually illegal to flash a warning about a speed trap.

Having driven a slow van it’s good to know that someone is “letting you out” on the motorway rather than just hovering round your blind spot.

Again never assume that it’s safe just an indication that someone is aware of you.

The main problem is not the well meaning person it’s the idiots who cant/shouldn’t drive.

And before the Mail reading Highway Code afficionados bust a lung, what is the difference between me warning people to slow down and the old bill doing it for Brownie points, licence points and an increase in the insurance industry’s profits?

The difference is that you run the risk of being put in prison for wilfully obstructing an officer in the execution of their duty, as you asked. 😆

Seems quite handy on the local country lanes to indicate to oncoming traffic that you’ve got a passing place to move into.

Playing devils advocate, in this situation, why not consider a left indicator? considering the OP’s point of flashing lights being used incorrectly, would this be clearer to oncoming traffic?

Rob

Flashing isn’t the problem, poor drivers are. Some even need me to toot my horn at them to tell them it’s ok to pull out! 😉

Think it is helpful tbh
Because someone has flashed you it allows you to know what they will do and nothing else

Better than either just both trying to get a gap or both sitting still being over polite.

Just like indicating left when a motorbike is behind you [ this lets the know you are letting them through/it is safe toovertake ] it allows another road user to know what you intend to do
it is then up to the to work out whether it is safe to do this

on the M4 coach and lorry drivers seem to have some secret language of flashing and indicator blinking to mean all sorts of things!

flash hazards – “you let me out, cheers, you’re my friend”
flash lights – “there you go old chap, feel free to pull back in”
waggle indicator stalk wildly – “thanks but I’m going stay in this lane and slow everyone else down”

to the rest of us, any of those could mean “large vehicle about to perform some random manoeuver”

also I think the lorry drivers from Eastern Yurp use some other language?!

also I think the lorry drivers from Eastern Yurp use some other language?!

Yup. Probably one of these.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Europe

on the M4 coach and lorry drivers seem to have some secret language of flashing and indicator blinking to mean all sorts of things!

There’s the other one where you see a long flash of headlights in your rear view from a coach or lorry and think “Shit, are the bikes falling off the roof?!” then realise it’s Mr Coach Driver flashing his mate on the OTHER BLOODY SIDE OF THE MOTORWAY! Happens a lot with lorries/coaches of the same company.