# When all four of your turn signals are blinking, what do you call that? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338 "2004-07-03T04:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/1 "2004-07-03T04:14:19Z")
Fourways? Hazard lights? Flashers? I ask because my default term is “fourways.” I used this term at work and was met with blank stares until I said “Y’know, when you pull that button on the steering column and all four of your blinkers come on. Hazard lights.” And then everybody’s eyes lit up and they said “Yeah, your flashers!” I am from New York, but learned my automotive lingo from my dad, who is a trucker (so I use some strange terms that aren’t in the general automotive lexicon, although of course I can’t think of any right now). They are all from Texas. So I was wondering whether the fourways/flashers/hazards thing was regional, trucker/everybody else, or just randomly dispersed. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/2 "2004-07-03T04:23:32Z")
Born and raised in the Detroit area, and we call them “flashers”. Then again, we call turn signals “blinkers”, so make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/3 "2004-07-03T04:26:14Z")
Four-way flashers, in PA, where I’m originally from, and in east Texas, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/4 "2004-07-03T04:28:44Z")
I call turn signals “blinkers,” too. And in East Texas, they are not “four-way flashers,” they are simply “flashers.” The term “four-way” flummoxed them completely. You’d have thought I’d said something about weasel-grommets. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/5 "2004-07-03T04:44:58Z")
I call them all “blinkers” and derive the specific meaning from context. Related anecdote: Once my friend thought his left blinker was broken, so he asked me to get out and check. “OK, turn it on,” says I. “It’s working! No, it’s broken. Oh, it’s working again! No, it broke again.” 😃 (It took him about a minute to get it.) ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/6 "2004-07-03T05:01:25Z")
I’m from the Houston area, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard the term “flashers” used that way. I call them “blinkers” or “hazards.” “Hazards” seems to be most common. It’s possible I’ve heard the term “flashers” and not noticed or forgotten, I guess. I’ve definitely never heard the term “fourways” though. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/7 "2004-07-03T05:25:19Z")
Also from NYC, we call 'em four-ways. I had occasion to put them on yesterday, as it happens, as part of a funeral procession on Long Island for one of my Mom’s oldest friends. ☹ I lived in Boston half my life and heard them called four-ways and/or blinkers, but the former was a little more common. And I think most NYers would understand what you meant by blinkers too. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/8 "2004-07-03T05:37:57Z")
I’m from Southern California (for most of my life, anyway) and I would call all four lights flashing at the same time to be “hazard lights.” As for the right or left turn signals, I usually call them, well, “turn signals.” I sometimes call them “blinkers,” but to be honest, mostly it’s “turn signal” or “signal.” ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/9 "2004-07-03T05:38:09Z")
Born and raised in Texas, I’ve always heard them called “hazard lights” when they are all on at once and “turn signals” or “blinkers” for turning or to signal a lane change. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/10 "2004-07-03T05:40:40Z")
I’m from Georgia, originally. I’ve never heard them called anything other than “hazards.” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/11 "2004-07-03T05:43:50Z")
Turn signals are “blinkers”. Hazard lights are “hazards”. ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/12 "2004-07-03T05:53:52Z")
I’ve always referred to them, and heard them referred to as “hazards” or “hazard lights”. Turn signals are more commonly called “blinkers”, but I’ve heard “turn signals” as well. Never heard the term “Four-ways”. I’m a Massachusetts girl, born and bred. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/13 "2004-07-03T06:00:09Z")
“Hazard lights” and “Turn signals.” California born and bred. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/14 "2004-07-03T06:18:55Z")
> [@racinchikki](#): > > weasel-grommets. I am paralised with laughter. better now… Like **yosemite** & **silenus** said. All 4 is Hazard lights, one side or t’other is turn signals. Could be a regional (Left Coast) thing. I learned to drive in Seattle (yeah yeah, back when the cars actually moved and the drivers actually used turn signals). I am quite frankly surprised that “Flasher” has currency on the East Coast to mean anything other than a guy in a trench coat. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/15 "2004-07-03T06:33:33Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Turn signals are “blinkers”. Hazard lights are “hazards”. I use the same terminology. I’m Long Island born and raised. Which makes me question **Mehitabel** ’s saying that people call them “four-ways.” 🙂 I’ve never heard that! ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/16 "2004-07-03T07:10:20Z")
I call them ‘hazards’ or ‘hazard lights’. Turn signals are blinkers or indicators. ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/17 "2004-07-03T07:14:37Z")
hazards, blinkers for all of them turn signal and indicators for selective specific use of one or the other ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/18 "2004-07-03T07:21:53Z")
NJ native here. When all four are on, they’re “hazard lights” or “hazards”. I’d understand what you meant if you said “flashers”. I’d gape at you in slack-jawed befuddlement if you used the term “four-ways”. When signaling a lane change, they’re “turn signals”. I’d understand what you meant if you used the term “blinker”, though it’d take me a moment to figure it out. I’d be confused at the term “indicator”, since to me that term is more general than a turn signal (e.g., one of the lights that turns on in your dashboard to show that something’s wrong could also be referred to as an “indicator light”). “Blinker” is only used when the light is used as a turn signal, not when all four are on. ---
**Author:** ![Kkrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Kkrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kkrose)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/19 "2004-07-03T07:24:00Z")
Northern California, born and raised. I have always called them turn signals or blinkers. All four, I call “Emergency Blinkers.” I am not sure if I came up with that on my own though, since no one else seems to use that phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2004, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338/20 "2004-07-03T07:51:38Z")
Northern Indiana checking in. They are “fourways”. _Technically_ they’re “hazard lights” but the most common term here is “fourways”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-all-four-of-your-turn-signals-are-blinking-what-do-you-call-that/253338.md?page=2)