Another driving question:
I’ve heard that, if you’re signaling that you wish to make a lane change (a rarity in itself here in California) on the freeway, when someone behind you in the adjacent lane flashes their headlights, it means “I see you, it’s clear…go ahead and change lanes.” I’ve also heard that it means “hey, look out! I’m here!”
So, which is it? Change lanes or Stop!
Also, after changing lanes, somebody swoopes in and flashes his headlights behind you. Does this mean “get outta my way” or “didn’t you see me you idiot” or what? Is this supposed to help?
Or you don’t have your headlights on.
Or You have your brights on GD*IT
[sub] or it’s a gang initiation and you’re about to be murdered[/sub] What?? It was a joke. really. awwww come on, you knew some one was going to do it.
The headlight flashing gesture is not often seen in Canada. But a newspaper article today says it should be.
Claims it is an inoffensive way to pass slower cars without anyone taking offence. That this is common in Europe. That Canadians should do it.
Not sure. My experience is that if you are travelling at decent speed in the fast lane, the dudes who flash are the same dudes who try to tailgate you while going fifty clicks above the limit.
But I have no objection to this becoming more common. Unless people think it means “dangerous road conditions” or “speed trap”, which it might if done by someone going the opposite direction.
I’ll just add a quick comment to celebrate one of the oldest zombie resurrections I’ve ever seen!
On multi-lane expressways, flashing your headlights to mean “all clear” to someone trying to change into your lane has traditionally been used as a signal to drivers of semi-trailers who are signaling that they wish to turn into your lane, because it’s hard for them to judge how much clearance they have behind them. The full protocol is: you flash your lights, they change into your lane, and then quickly flash their brake lights to say “thank you”.
I’ve seen the trailing vehicle flash headlights thing in both Canada and the USA. Usually it’s a signal to truckers, and usually by other truckers, “you are far enough ahead that your long-ass trailer(s) can fit in this lane”. I try to do it as a courtesy to truckers especially on highways.
We rented a SUV-minivan kind of thing (Citroen?) in Italy, and driving the autostrada, people actually respected the passing lane concept and kept to the right (until you get into a big city like Milan, where it breaks down in 3 lanes full of traffic). We would easily pass those little Fiat putt-putts, they were doing about 90-100kph, we were doing about 110. Then some big fast Mercedes would zoom up behind us doing 150 and flash their lights. It basically meant “excusa-me, I’m behind you and want to pass in case-a you didn’t see me.” When the coast was clear, we’d merge back into the right lane, and the Mercedes would be on its way.
The thing about that was that European drivers did not seem to feel they owned the road and you should get outta the way NOW! Very different from North America. OTOH, everyone knew and respected the passing lane concept, so 90kph miniature Fiats coexisted with big Mercedes and BMWs, and everything inbetween. I don’t think I’ve seen the “let me pass” flashing in North America, the signal they want to pass is to tailgate at 10 feet, or pass on the right and then cut you off because you were already going faster than the car in the right lane you were about to pass.
Flashing your lights at someone could mean they forgot to turn on their lights. In daytime, from oncoming traffic it generally means - at least in North America - “police ahead”. I do what I can to minimize the revenue from speed traps, as there are probably better things for police to do on patrol … like drive around watching for those idiots who tailgate and weave while speeding. I recall multiple news items where police have tried to charge motorists with obstruction of justice for warning about speed traps, but generally these get thrown out as freedom of speech. (Plus, if someone slows down because you warned them, essentially isn’t that the long term goal of the police too?)
Same direction - Big, long truck, you’re clear of me & can merge into my lane
Same direction - Coming up behind you - move, get outdaway
Oncoming - Speed trap ahead
Oncoming - (I think) you’re brights are on / no headlights on
Crossing - At a low speed/stopped (4-way intersection, pedestrian walking on the sidewalk as you’re pulling out of a driveway/parking lot, etc.) - you can go first.
I wouldn’t recognize it used at speed for anyone going in a different direction that it’s safe for them to go.
According to the Uk highway code it means nothing except “I am here” but it can mean a whole host of things according to context as others have said, some are valid others are not.
Same direction - Big, long truck, you’re clear of me & can merge into my lane, I’m OK with this but it is generally done too early, forget the 2 second rule thisis often done when the overtaking vehicle is less than 0.2 seconds clear
Same direction - Coming up behind you - move, get outdaway You should never try to drive the car in front of you, it is generally done by people who want to drive well over the speed limit and the car being flasshed is in the overtaking lane, if you do not comply they will usually come right up to your tailgate. Can be used against drivers who hog the overtaking lane when there is nothing in the inside lane(s) though most impatioent drivers will just undertake in this case dispite it being illegal here
Oncoming - Speed trap ahead Speed traps in this country are so common tends not to happen though can be used as a warning of something up ahead such as an accident
Oncoming - (I think) you’re brights are on / no headlights on you have to work out whether it is this or an accident ahead
Crossing - At a low speed/stopped (4-way intersection, pedestrian walking on the sidewalk as you’re pulling out of a driveway/parking lot, etc.) - you can go first. also happens on narrow roads where there is not space for two vehicles for example due ot a parked car, can also mean “thank you for letting me go first” after you have started moving
The last time I flashed another car ahead of me, its left turn blinker had been on for four miles and twenty intersections. Of course they didn’t get the message.
My wife and I recently saw a driver flash their hazards at a third car for letting them pass. It brought both of us way back (circa the original start of this thread) to when we lived at the top of a winding, hilly seven mile highway with limited turnouts on the way up. We did a LOT of “flash to pass” and “blink to thank” on that road.
For someone at night oncoming who has forgotten their high beams - or forgotten to turn on their lights - usually one slightly longer flash of high beams is sufficient. Multiple flashes means something else, usually “police ahead”.
Yep, back when I was learning to drive you had the funny situation where the highway code said that flashing lights means “Watch out!” and yet almost every actual driver used it in the opposite sense; to signal to people that you’re happy to give them way.
However, I think there is a way to reconcile these different senses, and the apparently complex rules; flashing lights means “I’m (specially) acknowledging you”. And in most contexts, whether that means giving way, or a jerkish driver trying to get someone to move over, is obvious.
