Courtesy signals...

kdouglas

Just a thought i had earlier, those various courtesy signals people use on the road, you know like flash your lights to someone if your letting them go and turning on your hazards for a flash or two when someone lets you pull-in in front of them etc...

what others, if any are there? and what's your opinion of them?

DrChoda

-I know this one is illegal where I am from, but flashing your fog lights to oncoming traffic if you just passed a speed trap in operation.
-Not really a signal with lights, but waving to the driver just slightly behind you in the other lane you want into. Usually confuses them and they let you in.
-hazards on for drivers behind when you pass an live animal on the side of the motorway that could cause some damage if it jumps onto the road.

hmm, think you have the others covered.

Wishbone Ash

Back in the 1980s, when rear wipers became popular on hatchbacks, some motorists used to give one sweep of the wiper if you moved in to let them pass. I always thought it was a bit tacky. Never see it nowadays though.

PS - utilising hazard lights to say 'thanks' is technically illegal.

kdouglas

DrChoda wrote:

-I know this one is illegal where I am from, but flashing your fog lights to oncoming traffic if you just passed a speed trap in operation.

never saw this one in use, but ive heard of it

DrChoda wrote:

-Not really a signal with lights, but waving to the driver just slightly behind you in the other lane you want into. Usually confuses them and they let you in.

this could appear as being slightly ignorant/assuming, ive seen some drivers do this and to me it comes across as saying "thanks for letting me in" before you've even left a gap for them

DrChoda wrote:

-hazards on for drivers behind when you pass an live animal on the side of the motorway that could cause some damage if it jumps onto the road.

saw this in the phoenix park once, was like wtf? for a second, and then noticed the sh!tloads of deer up ahead

kdouglas

Wishbone Ash wrote:

PS - utilising hazard lights to say 'thanks' is technically illegal.

so is flashing your lights afaik???

kdouglas

kdouglas wrote:

so is flashing your lights afaik???

Yep, but practically speaking there is very little chance you will get done for it.

Its a part of modern driving that our antiquated road traffic laws have not been updated to reflect.

Supercell

Going home on the M50 I've often noticed people flash their hazards if they see the traffic ahead at a standstill and they will have to brake sharply soon - often coming up to the Bray exits heading south in the evening the traffic goes from 120Kph to 5kph in a very short distance.

It's not a bad idea imho if the driver does it right (ie before the sudden slowdown).

Anan1

Longfield wrote:

Going home on the M50 I've often noticed people flash their hazards if they see the traffic ahead at a standstill and they will have to brake sharply soon - often coming up to the Bray exits heading south in the evening the traffic goes from 120Kph to 5kph in a very short distance.

It's not a bad idea imho if the driver does it right (ie before the sudden slowdown).

The Germans have been doing that for years. I think some French cars activate the hazards automatically under heavy braking.

spuddy

Anan1 wrote:

The Germans have been doing that for years. I think some French cars activate the hazards automatically under heavy braking.

Yes the Citroen C3 does this, however it's also something that's taught in France's mandatory driving lessons, so everyone does it there.

Wishbone Ash

Longfield wrote:

I've often noticed people flash their hazards if they see the traffic ahead at a standstill and they will have to brake sharply soon

From: The Journal of Advanced Motoring

"Hazard Warning Lights should be used....... ........and you should consider using them when you stop at the tail of an unexpected queue."

Anan1 wrote:

I think some French cars activate the hazards automatically under heavy braking.

I think the Peugeots do it.

It's also quite a common practise among truck drivers.

Seth Brundle

Truckers also falsh overtaking trucks to let them know that its safe to pull back in.

My wife's pug 106 doesn't flash the hazards when braking hard.

Wishbone Ash

kbannon wrote:

My wife's pug 106 doesn't flash the hazards when braking hard.

I think the 607 does it!

unkel

Anan1 wrote:

The Germans have been doing that for years

It's common practice all over the continent and has been as long as I've been driving (20+ years)

Anan1 wrote:

I think some French cars activate the hazards automatically under heavy braking.

I've had a couple of rental cars on the continent that did that. One was a Citroen Xsara in '02. The other one was French too, can't remember what it was

Clever feature, should be compulsory on all new EU cars imho

dudara

You should put on the hazards when you're at the end of an unexpected queue of traffic, especially at night (ie at roadworks etc). It makes sense when you think about it.

kdouglas

indeed, it's a hazard, and they are hazard lights afterall, but that would be an intelligent thing to do, and lets face it, most drivers arent.

Car Mad

dudara wrote:

You should put on the hazards when you're at the end of an unexpected queue of traffic, especially at night (ie at roadworks etc). It makes sense when you think about it.

i always do that and everyone around here (waterford)does it dont know about anywhere else

rebel.ranter

The old fella tod that back in the 80's truckers used to have a special hazzard light "thank you" to each other, e.g. for overtaking etc. They indicate left, one blink, then right, one blink, followed by a single flash of the hazzards.
Haven't really seen it happen myself to be honest.

rebel.ranter

Longfield wrote:

Going home on the M50 I've often noticed people flash their hazards if they see the traffic ahead at a standstill and they will have to brake sharply soon - often coming up to the Bray exits heading south in the evening the traffic goes from 120Kph to 5kph in a very short distance.

It's not a bad idea imho if the driver does it right (ie before the sudden slowdown).

This is what hazzards are for!!! It's amazing most people think hazzards in this country are for pulling up on double yellow lines outside SPAR, to "pop in for a second", double park (this is OK as long as your hazzards are on!), stop in the middle of the street etc.
They are to warn other motorists of hazzards!

Mitch Connor

i think there can be problems when people mix signals though.

There was a thread on here a while back about a fella that crashed while lane changing on a roundabout. He indicated to move into the next lane, and the truck driver (polish) flashed him. He assumed this ment "go ahead", proceeded to move in and got rear-ended. In ireland, flashing the lights would generally mean "go ahead", but maybe it doesn't in Poland, so it caused problems here.

A few days ago i was merging on to a road, the guy in a van flashed me as i was looking for a gap to merge in to, so i moved in ahead of him, and flicked the hazzard lights - he then flashed me again, i'm not sure what he ment with that one!

Baraboo

If you get a second flash/high beam after saying thank you with your hazards I have always considered this to be "your welcome"

prospect

Anan1 wrote:

The Germans have been doing that for years. I think some French cars activate the hazards automatically under heavy braking.

Em, so have the irish. I have been driving for over 10 years and I remember from the very outset, other drivers using their hazards to warn the vehicles behind them.
And i don't think this phenomenon started the day I got into a car.

prospect

kbannon wrote:

My wife's pug 106 doesn't flash the hazards when braking hard.

It is a fairly recent introduction. My 04 megane does it, i think. Luckily I haven't had to try it yet!

Rabies

Wishbone Ash wrote:

PS - utilising hazard lights to say 'thanks' is technically illegal.

I have had cops flash their hazard lights at me when I pull in to a hard shoulder to allow them pass. Not really a major thing to get worried about.

Green_Martian

Baraboo wrote:

If you get a second flash/high beam after saying thank you with your hazards I have always considered this to be "your welcome"

Thats what i usually think.......hope im right lol:D

zuutroy

prospect wrote:

Em, so have the irish. I have been driving for over 10 years and I remember from the very outset, other drivers using their hazards to warn the vehicles behind them.
And i don't think this phenomenon started the day I got into a car.

Really, I've rarely if ever seen that in Ireland. Though M50 traffic is always at a virtual standstill so maybe that explains it.
I'll always give another Irish car or truck a flash of the hazards if I see one here.

_Kaiser_

I do the hazards at the end of an unexpected queue/sharp deceleration ahead too. Seems fairly common as well in my experience.

Also the hazards to say "thanks" and the flash of the lights for "you're welcome".

Common courtesy really. Shame there's not more of it on the roads...