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Why do people see the need to flash their headlights?


Mook
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I've always taken the view that as you should only make a maneuvre if by doing so you won't force anyone else to take avoiding action, indicators are IN THEORY never necessary because no-one needs to know you're about to move over.

In practice, therefore, indicators are there to warn the guy you didn't notice and the guy who is doing something you didn't anticipate.

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That's spot on for an A road, but the correct approach on a Motorway is to signal every lane change, in or out.

It helps avoid those moments when someone pulls out from lane 1 to lane 2 just as someone drops from lane 3 to lane 2.

 

Yes, once again you are correct, I was assuming we were talking about non-motorway overtaking.

 

I was taught when learning that you should always indicate when there is someone there AND they will benefit from knowing your intentions.

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The drive training I've done for motorways says look to see 'if' anyone will benefit from you indicating or not. The reason is they want you to be aware of who and what is around first rather than blindly indicating without thinking. 

 

So for me if the motorway is quiet and nobody is around I look check, and then move but often don't indicate, the opposite is true if its busy though.

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Motorway courtesy has gone downhill rapidly recently IMHO.

If I am in the outside lane and see someone approaching the back of someone in the middle lane, I will flash them to move in front of me to get round them.

This gets either a wave of the left hand in the rear view mirror area and or a flash of the hazards and a wave when they pull back in to let you pass.

These days, a flash of the lights to encourage them over leads to them just sitting behind the slower car or lorry.

Tailgating in roadworks and slow traffic seems to have increased as well. People need to learn how to drive.

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One of the biggest flaws of our driving test, no mandatory motorway experience.

It should be compulsory, and anyone who is too scared to drive on motorways shouldn't be given a licence.

Also, people don't seem to understand how average speed limits work either.

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I wouldn't ever flash my lights at a car before over-taking.  As is said above, if someone did that to me I'd wonder why and I might view it as aggressive.

 

It could also be incredibly distracting and dangerous.  I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people immediately touched the brakes in reaction, without thinking about it a great deal.

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Motorway courtesy has gone downhill rapidly recently IMHO.

 

This. +++

 

I've been doing a huge amount of motorway driving recently and the standards of some drivers are nothing short of terrifying.  I swear there must be something lethal in the inside lane of the M1 - because nobody wants to go in it!  If you pass someone in the outside lane, then pull into the middle lane, then find there is nothing in the inside lane for the next 1000 yards or whatever (and you're not gaining on anything up ahead rapidly), why not pull into it?  But no, people want to stay in the middle lane.

 

Plus, I've seen at least 2 near-accidents where drivers have both merged into the middle lane without looking - one from the inside, one from the outside. 

 

The old fast-lane hoggers still exists too.  I was in a line of what must have been 20-25 cars being held up by an idiot in a Vauxhall Astra on Wednesday morning.  I sat and watched as maybe as many as half of those cars actually undertook him.  He was doing 65 mph in the outside lane and stayed there for what must have been 4 or 5 miles, maybe more.  I'm not condoning the undertaking because I was cringing whilst watching it, but it was infuriating to see him oblivious to the flashing in his rear view mirror (which I could see from the end of the line!).

 

By the time I got to within 10-12 cars of him he finally got the message.  It was even scarier though - because he pulled in like an F1 car going to overtake from a slipstreaming manoeuvre!  It was as if he'd suddenly woken up!  He then stayed in the middle lane when I passed him, despite an entirely clear inside lane.....

Edited by NewNiceMrMe
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I wouldn't ever flash my lights at a car before over-taking.  As is said above, if someone did that to me I'd wonder why and I might view it as aggressive.

 

It could also be incredibly distracting and dangerous.  I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people immediately touched the brakes in reaction, without thinking about it a great deal.

Perhaps my description wasn't clear. You wouldn't do it directly behind them. Once you're in the "pre-overtake position" then it seems effective i.e. they're seen in the drivers mirror. I've never seen brakes lights because of it .... and if there were then where's the danger?

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Perhaps my description wasn't clear. You wouldn't do it directly behind them. Once you're in the "pre-overtake position" then it seems effective i.e. they're seen in the drivers mirror. I've never seen brakes lights because of it .... and if there were then where's the danger?

Can't see the point of flashing someone you are overtaking, as with MrMe, I wouldn't do it, i'd just think 'why's that pillock flashing?'

Edited by Tipex
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I'd think the driver behind was one of:

 

a) a dickhead

b) being aggressive

c) trying to warn me of something

 

Or all three.  I think it is dangerous because most people will glance at the rear view if someone flashes them, and it might actually take their mind off the fact a car is over-taking or about to. 

Edited by NewNiceMrMe
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Perhaps I shouldn't have posted it. On it's own and deployed in some positions it certainly could be perceived as "get out of my way"

 

Used in conjunction with the rest of the skills taught on a Drivetrain course I'm sure it'd be clearer and it could be clearer why it's a useful signal.

 

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Roadcraft states that you should consider what information to give before the overtake. Be it horn, indicators or headlights. A quick flash is often seen as aggressive. A two second burst of light is less aggressive but should only be used in the right circumstances. A driver who obviously has not noticed your presence or a multiple overtake for example. DRLs now often reduce the need for the first example.

Edited by jimdiesel
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Can see why people do it - especially when overtaking more than one vehicle.

So my first trip to Germany I was told that a flash meant a much faster car was coming up behind you and to get into a slower lane ASAP. The fact the right lane rockets were all lit up (all lights) helped to see them if you were in the fast lane.

But the law being what it is here, and the Police driven here by draconian enforcement of its letter (not spirit), flashing your lights if seen by a plod will invariably see you pulled over and cited. All because oncoming traffic would (& still does) flash you if they have passed a vehicle or trap.

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One of the biggest flaws of our driving test, no mandatory motorway experience.

It should be compulsory, and anyone who is too scared to drive on motorways shouldn't be given a licence.

Also, people don't seem to understand how average speed limits work either.

 

I tend to agree, but this would require an hours drive simply to get to a 3 laned road where I live, which technically isn't a motorway but an 'A' road.

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I tend to agree, but this would require an hours drive simply to get to a 3 laned road where I live, which technically isn't a motorway but an 'A' road.

Same here, our nearest motorway is the M23, which is still the A23 until you are almost at Gatwick, which is about an hour away, it'd just help the coffers of local driving instructors!

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  • 2 weeks later...

When it's a HGV etc I can understand it, a little.  But a car?  I just find it quite bizarre that someone would feel the need to flash someone in to say they've cleared their car after overtaking!

 

If they're not sure if they have or not, they shouldn't be driving.

 

I think the majority of flashes after overtaking come from angry/annoyed drivers.  Whatever their reason, they feel the need to demonstrate their state of mind.

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