Please stop flashing your lights when I let you past

Random

You're driving down a road at night. There's cars parked either side. There's a car coming toward you. There's only room for one car to get through at a time.

You stop and let the other guy go first.

What does he do in return? He whacks on his full headlights right in front of you for 3 or 4 seconds to say thank you.

Seriously, just move on and get out of my way. Don't bother blinding me. It's hard enough to see in the dark sometimes as it is without having my eyes screwed up.

Or is it just me?

r3nu4l

3 or 4 seconds?? Who does that? I only ever give a quick flash of the lights. If I flash them for longer it's because the idiot facing me has his beams on full and I'm trying to let him know! Checked your beams lately?

Berty

Exagerattion. A quick flash is what the majority of people do or they just wave their hand but in the dark you cannot see their hand because of the headlights so they will normally just flash the lights.
3-4 seconds is an eternity.

Random

It's not my lights. I've noticed it whatever car I'm driving. It's just an abnormal amount of time.

Granted sometimes people will give a quick flicker (where you barely notice the lights flashing) which is fine .. but most people are just sloppy and it's a couple of seconds. It's very distracting.

L-M

Lol, i don't think i've ever come across anyone who's flashed there lights for 3-4 seconds. If you actually want to see people do this, ram them, and don't leave them past haha.

But really, unless your lights are blinding, or there's something wrong with your car, or else you keep coming across a dodgey light flasher, i think your over exagerating.

bazz26

Damn those other pesky road users for showing some gratidute.

What were they thinking, bloody do gooders!

Anan1

Limerick-man wrote: »

Lol, i don't think i've ever come across anyone who's flashed there lights for 3-4 seconds.

+1

Random

bazz26 wrote: »

Damn those other pesky road users for showing some gratidute.

What were they thinking, bloody do gooders!

A quick flight where you litterally click the fulls back for a split second is fine. Holding your finger on the fulls for any time really isn't.

Anan1 wrote: »

+1

Fair enough. It's just me then I guess. I'm gonna start taking down regs and comparing them .. if it's one bloke following me around winding me up there's gonna be trouble!

phog

It's nice to acknowledge some kindness, a quick flash shouldn't be a problem, if you find it bothersome, when you pull in to leave the car pass, turn your head slightly to the left as the oncoming car approches and then their lights shouldn't be a hassle.

samhail

Good topic !...

Am i the only one who dips/turns off the lights to incoming cars to thank them ? usually
My sister doesnt like it atall.

Random

Yah, turn off your lights .. must try that one

Flash your hazards, wave your hand .. I don't care .. I'd just rather not be blinded. Seems I'm alone though.

Anan1

Random wrote: »

I'm gonna start taking down regs and comparing them .. if it's one bloke following me around winding me up there's gonna be trouble!

L-M

I remember actually, flashing someone (with my lights), thanking them, and getting the middle finger off them.

Still doesn't stop me though, with Irish drivers, if someone flashes me and leaves me out i'd nearly get out and shake there hand. There are alot of ignorant people on the road.

Random

Still doesn't stop me though, with Irish drivers, if someone flashes me and leaves me out i'd nearly get out and shake there hand. There are alot of ignorant people on the road.

That's fine and another story completely. But them flashing back and blinding you is what I'm complaining about.

L-M

Random wrote: »

That's fine and another story completely. But them flashing back and blinding you is what I'm complaining about.

I've been driving and passengering for years and i've never seen someone blind someone by a quick flash. I'd say someone has something out against you:D

Stark

Limerick-man wrote: »

I remember actually, flashing someone (with my lights), thanking them, and getting the middle finger off them.

Well flashing lights is an ambiguous signal; sometimes it means gratitude; sometimes it means aggression. They obviously got confused and thought you were indicating the latter.

L-M

Stark wrote: »

Well flashing lights is an ambiguous signal; sometimes it means gratitude; sometimes it means aggression. They obviously got confused and thought you were indicating the latter.

I understand that. That's why i didn't get worked up about it. It was just funny.

Harcrid

Maybe it was someone in a new car not used to the light stalk? I know when I borrowed my father’s Peugeot 407 for a few day’s it took me a few miles to get used to the light stalk on it because it is different to my own car. In mine, when you dim, you pull the stalk towards you and it stays in the same position until you want to go back on full beams, where you just flick it forward. So if you were on dim’s and wanted to quickly flash someone you just pulled it towards you for a second and let go and it would automatically go back to dim.

In the 407, the action of flicking between dim’s and full beam is the same action. That is, when you want to dim, you pull it towards you and it will dim, but the stalk goes back to the same position. So when you want to go back to full beam, you do the very same action. I found that the first few times I flashed thanks to someone, I ended up blinding them for a few seconds because I didn’t realise that I had actually gone onto full beam. To actually flash someone properly in this car you just lightly pull the stalk towards you.

A bit of a long winded explanation, but Peugeot drivers will know what I mean!

Damomayo

I normally flash less than .2 seconds or hazzards to thank someone for pulling in to let me overtake. If someone thanks me I'd usually reply with flash as well ......... Don't like when u make an effort to allow someone to overtake and they don't thank you (08 Bemeer's lol)

mcwhirter

Limerick-man wrote: »

I remember actually, flashing someone (with my lights), thanking them, and getting the middle finger off them.

Still doesn't stop me though, with Irish drivers, if someone flashes me and leaves me out i'd nearly get out and shake there hand. There are alot of ignorant people on the road.

Not just ignorant on the road, in shops too. The north is a much friendlier place to shop and drive.

gino85

i some times hit my window wipers by mistake when thanking people, always mix up the levers in my car

20goto10

Stark wrote: »

Well flashing lights is an ambiguous signal; sometimes it means gratitude; sometimes it means aggression. They obviously got confused and thought you were indicating the latter.

Thats your problem right there. There's nothing ambiguous about it at all. Flashing means aggression/warning in all cases. Idiots use it to say thank you. The same idiots that use their hazzards as a thank you gesture.

Anan1

20goto10 wrote: »

Thats your problem right there. There's nothing ambiguous about it at all. Flashing means aggression/warning in all cases. Idiots use it to say thank you. The same idiots that use their hazzards as a thank you gesture.

You haven't been driving in Ireland for long, have you?

mumblin deaf ro

I drive a Focus and it's actually tricky enough to do a quick flash as the stalk switches to full beam if you tug it firmly - you need a really deft little squeeze of it to get it right.

Stark

Same here.

20goto10

Anan1 wrote: »

You haven't been driving in Ireland for long, have you?

em I'm Irish and yeah I have actually. What are you suggesting, that because everyone does it it means its right? There are no car signals for gesturing thanks. None at all. I have occassionally put my hand up as a thank you, but even that is stupid especially the ones that look in the mirror when doing so until they get a response from the driver behind.

Stark

There are no car signals for gesturing aggression either :rolleyes: And you're meant to use the horn to warn people of your prescence, not your lights.

20goto10

Stark wrote: »

There are no car signals for gesturing aggression either :rolleyes: And you're meant to use the horn to warn people of your prescence, not your lights.

Are warnings not of an aggressive nature? I'm not being aggressive, but it is of an aggressive nature. Maybe aggression is too strong a word. LOL how many times have I flashed some dope to tell them their lights are out only for them to wave at me. Ohhh there's Mary quick wave....hang on that wasn't Mary

20goto10

Stark wrote: »

There are no car signals for gesturing aggression either :rolleyes: And you're meant to use the horn to warn people of your prescence, not your lights.

Not before 11am.

Stark

For goodness sake. Please just read the rules of the road before you continue to incorrectly admonish everyone else.

Cionád

20goto10 wrote: »

em I'm Irish and yeah I have actually. What are you suggesting, that because everyone does it it means its right?

Stark said it was ambiguous, because people use it for different reasons. Never said it was "right".

It is in my opinion courteous to thank someone with a quick flash of the lights in the circumstances.