# Driving: Flash to Pass -- A Polite Request in the USA, or Not?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [March 21, 2017, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677 "2017-03-21T06:16:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/1 "2017-03-21T06:16:51Z")
Flash to pass is more common in Europe: if a car comes up behind you and wishes to pass you, and if you’re in the fast lane, then that driver flashes the brights once or twice. Hopefully you’re minding your rear view mirror, notice the flash, and you move over and let them by you. No problem, and order is restored in the world.
It’s considered a polite request, like, “Hi there, you’re in my way and I’d like to pass. Would you mind moving over and letting me by?”
Here in the US I’ve been flashed from time to time, and I always move over to let them by. It’s no skin off of my ashtabula, hey, just let 'em go. But as it is, I like to stay out of the fast lanes and use them to pass slower traffic. As I can.
So what is YHO, you honest opinion, is it a polite request from the car behind you or do you think a brief flash or two is impolite or rude or aggressive? Or other? And if so, why? Why not let the person wanting to go faster by you?
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/2 "2017-03-21T06:55:56Z")
I wouldn’t take it as rude, but I’ve driven in Germany so I know how strong the lane discipline is on the Autobahns. In the U.S., the rule seems to be “get in whatever lane you want, go whatever speed you want”. I knew someone from England who’d been in the U.S. for years and still was uncomfortable passing people on the right, even if he was just a passenger. I gather that sort of thing is a major no-no in Europe. So if someone is ahead of you in the fast lane, you’re stuck behind them until they move over.
So I don’t consider it rude, but I never flash my lights at other drivers to ask them to change lanes. I think the number of American drivers who’d know what it means would be low.
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/3 "2017-03-21T07:12:51Z")
Although it varies regionally, a large percentage of American drivers just don’t get the concept of “keep right except to pass.” Many like to stay in the left lane, driving at or near the speed limit, regardless of traffic conditions. (These people are officially known as “jerks.”)
This leads people who have to travel much faster than the average flow of traffic (the technical term for them is “assholes”) to weave from lane to lane to get around all the jerks.
Sometimes the assholes flash their brights at the jerks to try to get them out of the way. Approximately 99.997% of the time the jerks don’t notice the flashes (too busy texting) or ignore them. Some apparently take it as a sign to slow down.
As a result, decent drivers, like you and me, who just want to politely suggest a lane change to the driver ahead, are unjustly perceived as assholes if we flash our brights.
So you can go ahead and try flashing, but the odds are you’ll still have to pass on the right. And if by some miracle the driver does move over and let you pass, there’s at least a 50/50 chance he’ll flip you the bird as you go by.
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### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/4 "2017-03-21T08:32:43Z")
Depends. In some states the law explicitly designates the left lane as for passing only. In others it is de facto the fast lane. But in either case, I’d think most drivers would be puzzled by the intent. The only assumption i would make about flashing brights would be to warn others of a speed trap.
The real assholes tailgate you to let you know they want to pass.
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### Author:  [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/5 "2017-03-21T11:55:57Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#):
>
> The real assholes tailgate you to let you know they want to pass.
No, the real assholes don’t get out of the way.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/6 "2017-03-21T12:09:15Z")
If someone is driving “too slow” in the left lane, I pass them using the right lane. I know about the concept of flashing my lights, but wouldn’t think of doing it.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/7 "2017-03-21T12:29:13Z")
In CA (or at least here in NorCal) most people seem to think they have a God-given right to drive whatever speed they like in the left lane. That includes driving exactly parallel with someone in the right lane so that it is impossible to pass on the right. If you flash your lights, my experience is that there is, at best, a 50/50 chance the person will attempt to pull over into the right line. Sometime the person will simply ignore you; sometimes they will wave as if to say “hey, I ain’t budging so get used to it!!”
I can’t tell you how many times, on a steep grade going uphill, when there are 3 lanes, I will end up in the right lane in order to keep going the speed limit. The middle and left lane are “reserved” for people driving under the speed limit.
Also, very few people seem willing to flash their lights when someone in front of them is driving too slowly. If I’m two cars back from the slow-poke, it’s so frustrating to see the guy in front of me tailgating the slow-poke, but too timid (or whatever) to flash his headlights to tell the guy get the fuck over.
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### Author:  [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/8 "2017-03-21T12:30:05Z")
My better half does this, and it terrifies me. Partially because the people in our area drive like entitled assholes who are seconds away from a road rage incident already, and partially because I spent a lot of time driving in the rural south where behavior like that indicates either you’re about to be run off the road (if you’re on the receiving end) or shot (if you’re on the giving end). I also hate it because he’s in an SUV and I drive a compact car, so I have a lot of sympathy for the other low-riding drivers that he’s blinding. He doesn’t think twice about it, and maybe about half the time it works. Nearly always gets flipped off, though.
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### Author:  [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/9 "2017-03-21T12:56:20Z")
NJ driver…
It’s not that common here. I might flash my lights once every three or four years, and it’s only when someone is probably unaware that they are clogging things up.
I get flashed from behind once every few years as well, and I move over if I can.
I think it’s kind of rude, but not enough to make a stink about.
ETA: There’s a distinction between one quick flicker and a rapidly repeated “flash flash flash flash flash”…the former seems to be like saying “excuse me” while the latter is “get outta my way”
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/10 "2017-03-21T13:06:32Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#):
>
> No, the real assholes don’t get out of the way.
The cardinal rule of driving is that you adapt to the flow of traffic. If your lane discipline or speed (either fast or slow) is out of sync with the majority of the traffic then you are the arsehole and anyone who gets too close to car in front is automatically an arsehole.
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### Author:  [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/11 "2017-03-21T13:14:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> I can’t tell you how many times, on a steep grade going uphill, when there are 3 lanes, I will end up in the right lane in order to keep going the speed limit. .
I guess I’m an asshole by Commasense’s definition. I’ve noticed that a large percentage of the time after I pass a jerk driving slow in the middle lane, and then look in my mirror I see that his response was to… move over into the left lane! I don’t understand those idiots who do that. They clearly have never heard of the Keep Right rule.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/12 "2017-03-21T13:14:46Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> I knew someone from England who’d been in the U.S. for years and still was uncomfortable passing people on the right, even if he was just a passenger. I gather that sort of thing is a major no-no in Europe. So if someone is ahead of you in the fast lane, you’re stuck behind them until they move over.
Not sure about the rest of Europe, but in the UK, the only reason to be in the ‘fast’ lane is that you’re passing someone in the middle lane (who in turn is passing someone in the ‘slow’ lane. You’re meant to pass in the overtaking lanes, then move back into the driving lane (exceptions for slow moving traffic and odd merge junctions of course)
So there should be never any reason to flash anyone out of your way, if everyone is following the proper protocols. In my experience, most of the time when someone flashes me in the fast lane (usually they are driving well in excess of the limit), I’ve nowhere to go until I finish overtaking something in the middle lane, after which, I was going to move aside anyway.
(appreciate this is all a bit off topic for the thread)
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### Author:  [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/13 "2017-03-21T13:16:46Z")
We need more drivers like the ones who’ve already posted in here.
I see it as a polite way to ask for a pass. I think the local drivers see it as me screaming at the top of my lungs, “get the fuck out of the way, asshole” (that’s partly what’s going through my mind :)) and get resentful.
I rarely get flashed because I’ve seen you coming and probably already gotten out of your way. But if you do flash me, know that I’ll get over there just as soon as I can.
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### Author:  [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/14 "2017-03-21T14:18:54Z")
When I was learning to drive, the driver’s manual mandated that if you intend to pass a car, you should sound the horn. . Sounding your horn to indicate intent to pass is nowadays likely to inspire road rage and fisticuffs on the shoulder. Flashing lights somewhat milder, but still . . . .
In the current paradigm of driving, anything you do that attracts the attention of another driver will at the very least get you called an asshole.
“What do you mean, flashing your lights at me – you distracted the train of thought I was texting.”
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/15 "2017-03-21T14:23:33Z")
> [@JcWoman](#):
>
> I guess I’m an asshole by Commasense’s definition. I’ve noticed that a large percentage of the time after I pass a jerk driving slow in the middle lane, and then look in my mirror I see that his response was to… move over into the left lane! I don’t understand those idiots who do that. They clearly have never heard of the Keep Right rule.
Usually around here, it’s when someone in the middle lane notices you approaching on the left that they feel an overwhelming compulsion to get into the left lane in front of you, while slowing down.
I’ve never been quite sure if these are just really bad drivers, or wannabee traffic monitors, but either way, they are not just annoying, but quite dangerous as well.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/16 "2017-03-21T14:52:16Z")
> [@jtur88](#):
>
> When I was learning to drive, the driver’s manual mandated that if you intend to pass a car, you should sound the horn. .
I suspect you are misremembering that. The horn is suppose to be reserved to alert people of danger.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/17 "2017-03-21T15:29:36Z")
Related to this, is why do highway departments have the right lane end? That’s the through lane.
An example - In the mountains of Colorado there are a lot of 2 lane rural highways. Often, when you come to a hill/grade they will widen it a bit for a passing lane.
BUT when they end the passing lane, they have the right land end instead. This causes two problems.
1. Chuckleheads that know the right lane is going to end will not move to the right lane.
2. If you do it proper, and keep right, you often get someone to start to pass you (they take the initiative) and then slow down and end up driving right next to you. Now YOU have to decide what to do since your lane is going to end, even though they took the initiative to ‘pass’ you.
Drives me nuts.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/18 "2017-03-21T15:32:19Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> I wouldn’t take it as rude, but I’ve driven in Germany so I know how strong the lane discipline is on the Autobahns. In the U.S., the rule seems to be “get in whatever lane you want, go whatever speed you want”. I knew someone from England who’d been in the U.S. for years and still was uncomfortable passing people on the right, even if he was just a passenger. I gather that sort of thing is a major no-no in Europe. So if someone is ahead of you in the fast lane, you’re stuck behind them until they move over.
>
> So I don’t consider it rude, but I never flash my lights at other drivers to ask them to change lanes. I think the number of American drivers who’d know what it means would be low.
Passing on the right in most of Europe can earn you a traffic ticket, or a major fender-bender, as people don’t expect anyone to be overtaking them on the right. Also, flipping someone off or tapping your head (as in “you’re an idiot”) can also earn you a ticket if the person you’re aiming it at gets your license plate number.
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### Author:  [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/19 "2017-03-21T15:48:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> > [@jtur88](#):
> >
> > When I was learning to drive, the driver’s manual mandated that if you intend to pass a car, you should sound the horn. .
>
> I suspect you are misremembering that. The horn is suppose to be reserved to alert people of danger.
FWIW I was taught the same thing, except in cities, where I nearly always was.
I’ve never done it, mostly for the same reason I don’t flash my lights - most people don’t recognize the signal and interpret it as aggressive.
FTR I don’t understand the “don’t use the left lane except to pass”. I _am_ passing - I’m passing all the cars in the other two lanes.
Regards,
Shodan
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/20 "2017-03-21T16:00:44Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#):
>
> The real assholes tailgate you to let you know they want to pass.
To be specific, the real assholes tailgate you AND hit their brights. Which is why flashing your lights is seen by some as aggressive.
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