# Driving: Flash to Pass -- A Polite Request in the USA, or Not? **URL:** \ **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:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/81 "2017-03-29T13:23:30Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > This is the universal signal all over Mexico. I’ve driven to Cabo from San Francisco twice, mostly on Mexico’s Highway 1 ([Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Federal_Highway_1)). The first time was 20 years ago, and the second was 10 years ago. It was mostly a 2-lane road the entire way. Anyway a couple of times when I came up behind a slower vehicle and was waiting to pass (uphill, couldn’t see beyond the hilltop), the vehicle put on its LEFT turn signal, and kept it on. OK, I thought, they’re going to turn left up ahead, and I slowed a little. No, it turns out. They were able to see that it was clear up ahead, and instead they were telling me that it’s OK for me to pass them. Interesting. And polite. ---
**Author:** ![Emergency911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/43a26b/32.png) [@Emergency911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emergency911)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/82 "2017-03-29T18:28:38Z")
Working in a 911 center in the St Louis, MO area for the past twenty years, I will go out on a limb and say there are a lot of people that don’t have a clue what the flashing lights mean. These same people will call 911 and tell me about it. On the kinder side of things, most callers call them “rude”, but I have also heard stronger language and my all time favorite is when people tell me that the driver behind them is “flashing their lights in an aggressive manner”. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/83 "2017-03-29T18:40:10Z")
People in STL MO are especially kind. I used to travel there often for work. Its the only place where I’ve walked into a gas station & convenience store and had a young lady greet me with, “Good morning, honey.” ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/84 "2017-03-30T05:17:15Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > No, it turns out. They were able to see that it was clear up ahead, and instead they were telling me that it’s OK for me to pass them. Interesting. And polite. I forgot about that and yeah, it’s weird as fuck the first time you see it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677/85 "2017-03-30T05:19:05Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > I forgot about that and yeah, it’s weird as fuck the first time you see it. Agree! I said “interesting,” but **weird as fuck** captures it perfectly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-flash-to-pass-a-polite-request-in-the-usa-or-not/782677.md?page=4)