Flashing lights

lisajane

Does flashing lights at someone mean anything? I don't know where i read it but it has no meaning at all. Why do people do it?
A few times i was trying to do a right turn and i give way to oncoming traffic since they do have right of way. But many times im being flashed at by these oncoming traffic as if to say turn now and do it quickly, even though they have right of way. Many of them speeding also. The reason why i don't turn is because i think im not going to make it in time. And yesterday this idiot even stopped (he had right of way) while flashing his lights at me, to let me turn - no doubt he was f*ing and blinding me. But he had right of way anyway. What difference does it make. Im not slowing anyone down.
So why do they flash their lights? They make me feel rushed and i go even slower. And im not even a learner driver.

jameshayes

How long have you been driving?

blackbox

People may flash their lights to indicate that they will let you through, but you are right not to be rushed. You must use your own judgement and take full responsibility for any manoeuvres that you make.

If they hit you, saying they flashed their lights would be no defense.

And remember, they could be flashing to warn you about some hazard.

Strictly speaking, the only reason anyone should flash their lights is to alert you to their presence (if they were concerned that you hadn't seen them).

At the entrance to my work, people often beckon me on to turn right into the entrance, but there is a bus lane inside them and often there is a bike or taxi coming through - just can't be too careful.

lisajane

Iv been driving for 2 and a half years. A year on my full licence. I agree with blackbox, i shouldn't take chances especially if they were to hit me. If they were to hit me they would probably end up blaming me anyway cause they do have right of way. I'l be the loser.

--amadeus--

Someone flashing you in those circumstances is basically saying that they see you and will allow you to cross in front of them. In other words they will slow enough for you to go in front, even though they have right of way.

Usually this will happen on busy roads or in stop start traffic. While you are still responsible and need to ensure that there are no other hazards (bikes / motorbikes / pedestrians) the other driver is doing you a favour.

I was taught to drive in London and the mantra my instructor used was "if we can help others without endangering ourselves then we should". So if a car wants to turn in front of me and I won't endanger myself or hinder following traffic unduly by slowing a little and flashing someone across I will, what goes around comes around.

Is it fair to assume that the bulk of your driving would be outside urban areas?

craichoe

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Someone flashing you in those circumstances is basically saying that they see you and will allow you to cross in front of them. In other words they will slow enough for you to go in front, even though they have right of way.

Usually this will happen on busy roads or in stop start traffic. While you are still responsible and need to ensure that there are no other hazards (bikes / motorbikes / pedestrians) the other driver is doing you a favour.

I was taught to drive in London and the mantra my instructor used was "if we can help others without endangering ourselves then we should". So if a car wants to turn in front of me and I won't endanger myself or hinder following traffic unduly by slowing a little and flashing someone across I will, what goes around comes around.

Is it fair to assume that the bulk of your driving would be outside urban areas?

In the country, flashing your lights means .. Slow down Ninja COPS AHEAD hiding in a bush

Rovi

Bear in mind though, on much the Continent, flashing lights mean "I have right of way and I'm coming through".
I'm convinced this utterly opposite meaning has been a factor in at least some of the road fatalities here which involved motorists from other European countries.

--amadeus--

craichoe wrote: »

In the country, flashing your lights means .. Slow down Ninja COPS AHEAD hiding in a bush

lol - true!

The OP specifically talked about right turns but yea, if someone flashed me on an open road then I would assume there is a hazzard ahead (cops or other) and I'll slow down. But if I'm overtaking and oncoming traffic flashes me then I know that it's a dangerous maneuver and they're indicating displeasure. Or if it's night and I get flashed then I need to check my lights as they're either off or on full beam, dazzling oncoming traffic. Or a flash could be someone I know saying hello. Or...

I'm gobsmacked that someone with a full license and 2.5 years driving behind them is asking this. I thought you picked this up from experience, obviously not.

workaccount

lisajane wrote: »

Does flashing lights at someone mean anything? I don't know where i read it but it has no meaning at all. Why do people do it?
A few times i was trying to do a right turn and i give way to oncoming traffic since they do have right of way. But many times im being flashed at by these oncoming traffic as if to say turn now and do it quickly, even though they have right of way. Many of them speeding also. The reason why i don't turn is because i think im not going to make it in time. And yesterday this idiot even stopped (he had right of way) while flashing his lights at me, to let me turn - no doubt he was f*ing and blinding me. But he had right of way anyway. What difference does it make. Im not slowing anyone down.
So why do they flash their lights? They make me feel rushed and i go even slower. And im not even a learner driver.

Did you get someone to write this up for you on the internet? Your IQ must be 0.

Don't get in my way when your driving or I will beep you off the road. :mad:

lightening

lisajane wrote: »

But many times im being flashed at by these oncoming traffic as if to say turn now and do it quickly, even though they have right of way

Was the traffic building up behind you? If so they are clearing up the jam behind you by letting you turn, doing you and all the drivers behind you a big favour.

I don't see how their intentions confused you though.

lisajane wrote: »

And im not even a learner driver.

That doesn't make you a good driver!

craichoe

workaccount wrote: »

Did you get someone to write this up for you on the internet? Your IQ must be 0.

Don't get in my way when your driving or I will beep you off the road. :mad:

I'd say you should take it easy

MarkR

workaccount wrote: »

Did you get someone to write this up for you on the internet? Your IQ must be 0.

Don't get in my way when your driving or I will beep you off the road. :mad:

That's not very nice. Btw, why do you call this one "workaccount"? Do you have another account here?

Mitch Connor

craichoe wrote: »

In the country, flashing your lights means .. Slow down Ninja COPS AHEAD hiding in a bush

I got flashed 3 times driving home the other night, but to my mind i wasn't doing anything wrong so (and they weren't giving right of way or anything) so i flashed the fcukers back. Then about 5 minutes down the road there was a garda checkpoint!

They were doing breath tests, but it was a weird ol' stop.

Me: Evening Gard.
Gardai: Evening sir, what is your name please?
Me: Tauren.
G: What is your first name?
Me: ....Tauren
G: this is a random breath check under (blah blah blah legal stuff) Have you been drinking tonight sir?
Me: Nope.
G: On you go so.

I think i may have discovered a sneaky way through these checkpoints....:D

antodeco

Tauren wrote: »

I got flashed 3 times driving home the other night, but to my mind i wasn't doing anything wrong so (and they weren't giving right of way or anything) so i flashed the fcukers back. Then about 5 minutes down the road there was a garda checkpoint!

They were doing breath tests, but it was a weird ol' stop.

Me: Evening Gard.
Gardai: Evening sir, what is your name please?
Me: Tauren.
G: What is your first name?
Me: ....Tauren
G: this is a random breath check under (blah blah blah legal stuff) Have you been drinking tonight sir?
Me: Nope.
G: On you go so.

I think i may have discovered a sneaky way through these checkpoints....:D

LOL! Shame he didnt ask, "Have you been drinking all morning and afternoon?" Haha, his foolery of short sighted questions!

craichoe

Tauren wrote: »

I got flashed 3 times driving home the other night, but to my mind i wasn't doing anything wrong so (and they weren't giving right of way or anything) so i flashed the fcukers back. Then about 5 minutes down the road there was a garda checkpoint!

They were doing breath tests, but it was a weird ol' stop.

Me: Evening Gard.
Gardai: Evening sir, what is your name please?
Me: Tauren.
G: What is your first name?
Me: ....Tauren
G: this is a random breath check under (blah blah blah legal stuff) Have you been drinking tonight sir?
Me: Nope.
G: On you go so.

I think i may have discovered a sneaky way through these checkpoints....:D

You should have said "Well i won't be now, i spilt my beer all over the place when i stopped for your stupid checkpoint"

Slidey

Templemore, a little oasis of inteligence in a desert of idiots.... ha ha ha
People like the OP drive me silly. They will be turning right but sitting in te middle of the road so no one else can get passed. You beckon them on out of sympathy for everyone who has been stuck behind them for the last 5 miles and they sit there with a gormless look on their face as if to say i'll only cross on written invitation...
My mate flashed an unmarkd yoke to warn of a checkpoint ahead... had some explaining to do when the turned around and stopped him. think a shovel was needed to remove the sh1te he spilled to convince them that he thought he knew them!!

MargeS

lisajane wrote: »

Does flashing lights at someone mean anything? I don't know where i read it but it has no meaning at all. Why do people do it?

Jebus! and you are driving on Irish roads for over 2 years!!!! :rolleyes:

rovi wrote:

I'm convinced this utterly opposite meaning has been a factor in at least some of the road fatalities here which involved motorists from other European countries.

that's why before I drive in a foreign country I make sure I look up the rules of the road for that country and any locally accepted driving habits....like flashing lights at other drivers!

joolsveer

When I took driving lessons many moons ago the instructor asked me what it meant when someone flashed their lights. I didn't know the answer so he told me. Their bulbs are working!

Thirty something years later I agree with him.

chris85

lisajane wrote: »

Does flashing lights at someone mean anything? I don't know where i read it but it has no meaning at all. Why do people do it?
A few times i was trying to do a right turn and i give way to oncoming traffic since they do have right of way. But many times im being flashed at by these oncoming traffic as if to say turn now and do it quickly, even though they have right of way. Many of them speeding also. The reason why i don't turn is because i think im not going to make it in time. And yesterday this idiot even stopped (he had right of way) while flashing his lights at me, to let me turn - no doubt he was f*ing and blinding me. But he had right of way anyway. What difference does it make. Im not slowing anyone down.
So why do they flash their lights? They make me feel rushed and i go even slower. And im not even a learner driver.

OP, this is called road courtesy. The drivers are just being nice to you.

Why you end up going slower when rushed, you have been driving long enough that you should be able to react well to situations.

And being a fully licenced driver does not been you are better than a learner driver. Driving is a continuous learning experience and you need to start remembering this

Wossack

Tauren wrote: »

I got flashed 3 times driving home the other night, but to my mind i wasn't doing anything wrong so (and they weren't giving right of way or anything) so i flashed the fcukers back. Then about 5 minutes down the road there was a garda checkpoint!

They were doing breath tests, but it was a weird ol' stop.

Me: Evening Gard.
Gardai: Evening sir, what is your name please?
Me: Tauren.
G: What is your first name?
Me: ....Tauren
G: this is a random breath check under (blah blah blah legal stuff) Have you been drinking tonight sir?
Me: Nope.
G: On you go so.

I think i may have discovered a sneaky way through these checkpoints....:D

G: this is a random breath check under (blah blah blah legal stuff) Have you been drinking tonight sir?
Me: Yes- I mean no! Dammit!

Alanstrainor

I have to say OP i find it very strange that you have 2 years driving experience and you still don't understand the "flashing" of lights as a sign that someone is letting you go. And the fact that you seem easily "panicked" by such situations despite being a fully licensed driver for a year. As Chris said, license or not driving should be a continuous learning experience.

D_murph

craichoe wrote: »

In the country, flashing your lights means .. Slow down Ninja COPS AHEAD hiding in a bush

yep, crouching garda, hidden camera

prodigal_son

Rovi wrote: »

Bear in mind though, on much the Continent, flashing lights mean "I have right of way and I'm coming through".
I'm convinced this utterly opposite meaning has been a factor in at least some of the road fatalities here which involved motorists from other European countries.

Thats not the opposite meaning for what it has here, Its the exact same meaning.

Just people in Ireland ignore the official meaning and use it to waive their right of way to people, but in court it means the opposite, thats why if it happens, and you pull out and they crash into you... Its your fault.

I think its used universally abroad and here to say cops ahead. They will always always do it in france if cops are ahead for example. You are supposed to flash your lights back to say thanks, if they do warn you of the cops aswel.

Motorcyclists abroad will stick their foot out in the air to say thanks to you, something to look for i spose, have never noticed them doing it here, they seem a lot more civil abroad.

denashpot

lisajane wrote: »

Iv been driving for 2 and a half years. A year on my full licence. I agree with blackbox, i shouldn't take chances especially if they were to hit me. If they were to hit me they would probably end up blaming me anyway cause they do have right of way. I'l be the loser.

how much did you pay for the full licence?? my friend wants 1.

lightening

prodigal_son wrote: »

have never noticed them doing it here, they seem a lot more civil abroad.

They always always wave when I make room for them.

Pherekydes

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I have to say OP i find it very strange that you have 2 years driving experience and you still don't understand the "flashing" of lights as a sign that someone is letting you go. And the fact that you seem easily "panicked" by such situations despite being a fully licensed driver for a year. As Chris said, license or not driving should be a continuous learning experience.

Based on the answers to the OP's question, it appears most drivers have no clue what it means.

"Letting you go"

What about you're driving on a national route and a car going in the opposite direction gives you a long flash?

You're driving behind a lorry on a main road and you come to a straight stretch, suitable for overtaking, but you can't see ahead, so you manouvre out a bit and a car coming from the opposite direction gives you a flash?

Mean the same thing?

In an estate, you come to a spot where two cars are parked opposite each other, leaving only room for one car at a time to pass. A car coming the other way flashes.

You drive out of a well lit car park onto a well lit road and every Tom, Dick and Harry (both directions) flashes you repeatedly.

These all mean the same thing?

Legally, a flash only means one thing: I am here.

How long are you people driving?

Alanstrainor

Slow coach wrote: »

Based on the answers to the OP's question, it appears most drivers have no clue what it means.

"Letting you go"

What about you're driving on a national route and a car going in the opposite direction gives you a long flash?

You're driving behind a lorry on a main road and you come to a straight stretch, suitable for overtaking, but you can't see ahead, so you manouvre out a bit and a car coming from the opposite direction gives you a flash?

Mean the same thing?

In an estate, you come to a spot where two cars are parked opposite each other, leaving only room for one car at a time to pass. A car coming the other way flashes.

You drive out of a well lit car park onto a well lit road and every Tom, Dick and Harry (both directions) flashes you repeatedly.

These all mean the same thing?

Legally, a flash only means one thing: I am here.

How long are you people driving?

In the OP's original post there was mention of a situation where one is turning right and another driver slows down and flashes you on, it was this that i was referring to. There are loads of situations where the flashing of the lights indicates that the one flashing the lights is letting you go, as you mentioned the situation where, on a tight road, two cars are parked opposite each other and another driver "flashes" you to let you come through first if there is a doubt. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what it means given the situation.

DonJose

lisajane wrote: »

And yesterday this idiot even stopped (he had right of way) while flashing his lights at me, to let me turn

Thats a nice way to talk about a driver who is considerate enough to let you turn when he has right of way. Women drivers have to be the most inconsiderate drivers on the road, I've never been let out by a woman driver and if you let a woman driver out most times she won't even have the courtesy to acknowledge you.

pow wow

As most people have said in the specific instance the OP referred to a 'flash' would usually indicate they are slowing to let you make your manoeuvre. If you feel you won't make it, you don't have to do it. I doubt they'll care either way, it's seen as being a polite thing to do. You're right, they could still hit you but if you feel uncomfortable pulling in front of them then you don't have to.

Although you might not be delaying anyone while waiting to make your manoeuvre, if it's a busy road and there's no gap in traffic you could easily end up doing so, and so oncoming traffic might feel it appropriate to slow down, flash you, and let you make your turn, rather than have you sitting there forever waiting to do it.

lisajane

To all those ass-holes that wrote that that the driver was trying to be courteous cause i must be stupid enough to have a 5 mile tail back behind me and was trying to be nice to clear the back log of traffic. I was turning right on a main road and i had the right road position (just left of the centre line) so following traffic could overtake me on the left. I wasn't in anyone's way.

Flashing lights are just one of those things i hate.

D_murph

DonJose wrote: »

Thats a nice way to talk about a driver who is considerate enough to let you turn when he has right of way. Women drivers have to be the most inconsiderate drivers on the road, I've never been let out by a woman driver and if you let a woman driver out most times she won't even have the courtesy to acknowledge you.

well in fairness how can you expect her to while driving, fixing her make up and talking on the phone at the same time?