Flashing to overtake; acceptable?

a_ominous

cormie wrote:

So anyway, flashing, I flashed 2 guys to let them out and I was told that you cannot do that. You're supposed to stop, handbreak, keep hands on the wheels, if THEY choose to come out its up to them. Which is fair enough, but dang, everyone flashes to let people out. It's what's done in this country, or at least where I have been driving. Well, I understand why so I wont be doing it again... or try not to.

I believe the reason for not flashing someone is that the other driver might interpret that as a signal that the way is clear and _you_ have accepted some responsibility for their actions. This is what is taught on advanced driving courses.

Bear in mind that flashing to let someone out is not a universal thing. In many European countries, flashing means 'get the heck out of my way'.

Which brings us right back to square one.

cormie

hehe yeah :rolleyes:

I don't know why were not thought this kind of thing in our initial lessons, how hard would it have been to say "pull the handbreak up whilst pushing the button" or give a run down through various things like that. Here's to safer driving!

sceptre

cormie wrote:

So anyway, flashing, I flashed 2 guys to let them out and I was told that you cannot do that. You're supposed to stop, handbreak, keep hands on the wheels, if THEY choose to come out its up to them. Which is fair enough, but dang, everyone flashes to let people out. It's what's done in this country, or at least where I have been driving. Well, I understand why so I wont be doing it again... or try not to.

Yeah, it's one of those things that people do (I sometimes flash and more times I just make it bloody obvious that I'm slowing down so they can get out of the junction (it's usually painfully slow city traffic anyway) or use my head in an interesting way) but it's also one of those things you don't do when you're taking a test of any sort. Ah well, you know now:)

(of course this is completely different to the flashing we've hitherto been talking about in the thread)

Seth Brundle

The way things have gone in Ireland anyway, it is necessary to flash someone to wake them up!

mackerski

cormie wrote:

So anyway, flashing, I flashed 2 guys to let them out and I was told that you cannot do that. You're supposed to stop, handbreak, keep hands on the wheels, if THEY choose to come out its up to them.

cormie wrote:

Also, I didn't know this but when you pull the handbreak, you are supposed to push in the button. I have always just reefed it up. Woops.

Not what you want to hear right now, but every self-teach driving book I've ever read is quite specific on both of these points. Except for the ROTR, of course, but then that book sucks.

How many learners hear read such books as a big part of their path-to-test? I was very glad I did.

Dermot

galactus

If someone is toddling along in the overtaking lane at less than the speed limit, WTF are they doing there? Its the overtaking lane, goddamit. Flashing is entirely appropriate: pull over and read the rules of the road granny.

BUT if someone is pretty much speeding (umm...say 101km/hr) in the overtaking lane AND then gets flashed by behind then said flashing is surely inappropriate. Due retaliation is the rear fog lamps (breaking is dangerous and stupid it goes without saying*).

* But fire away if you want to, gene pool and all that.

cormie

Well I have only read the ROTR. It does say to not beckon other drivers. Ah well. I was just being courteous When I did the first one she wrote something down, I thought it was a good mark but alas!

I need to pass this before my insurance is up to get cheaper insurance with Hibernian, I think I'll give it another shot in a week, insurance is due for renewal Feb 24!!

I don't know what happened me. Definitely not my usual self behind the wheel.

mackerski

galactus wrote:

Its the overtaking lane, goddamit. Flashing is entirely appropriate: pull over and read the rules of the road granny.

galactus wrote:

BUT if someone is pretty much speeding (umm...say 101km/hr) in the overtaking lane AND then gets flashed by behind then said flashing is surely inappropriate. Due retaliation is the rear fog lamps (breaking is dangerous and stupid it goes without saying*).

It doesn't cease to be an overtaking lane just because you've reached the speed limit. If you're not overtaking, get out of the lane. Let the other guy worry about his speed. Anyone sufficiently unaware of his surroundings to be unwittingly failing to keep left should look to their own driving first.

Dermot

AMurphy

kbannon wrote:

The way things have gone in Ireland anyway, it is necessary to flash someone to wake them up!

Is a bit. Many times I have flashed to someone coming the opposite direction and wanting to turn across in front of me from a stationary position, in order they can get across without me having to stop and hopefully before I reach them... to no avail. bythe time they have woken up, got back in gear, etc..... it's too late, the window has closed again....
At this stage I also give them a big wave to get moving before I have to change my mind.
I don't like having to stop is there is a stream of traveling traffic behind me, but in crawling traffic it's no big deal.

re CORMIE; You're supposed to stop, handbreak, keep hands on the wheels, if THEY choose to come out its up to them.
Do you have to take it out of gear also?.

Kinda gave using the H'Brake at stops, unless on a hill, necessry for starts, very long light, etc. and just hold it with my foot, jic someone jumps in and says, it's bad for the brakes, your Master Cyl could fail or cause it to fail .... After several 100K miles on several cars, I think brakes are quiet reliable these days... AND if it does fail, well I'd much rather it gave me a warning when stopped that find out at 80mph on the highway.

Wheelnut

Howya AM, foundya at last, they don't seem to have a PM button here but I know where the rest of the lads are. Clue: the quality of petrol is expressed by octane number.

AMurphy

Wheelnut wrote:

Howya AM, foundya at last, they don't seem to have a PM button here but I know where the rest of the lads are. Clue: the quality of petrol is expressed by octane number.

Aha, Another surivor bobs to the surface amongst the flotsam and jetsam.
It's been lonely here all washed up on The West Coast.

galactus

mackerski wrote:

It doesn't cease to be an overtaking lane just because you've reached the speed limit.

I am well aware of that. I'll assume your pointing this fact out for the benefit of all posters...

mackerski wrote:

If you're not overtaking, get out of the lane. Let the other guy worry about his speed.

There's no hard and fast rule here. Here's an example:

Scenario: its wet and windy. A driver is doing on or about the speed limit and is overtaking a series of articulated trucks that are spaced out some distance between one another (ie not all bunched up).

A car comes out of nowhere up said driver's arse, doing 150km/hr and starts flashing said driver. Now technically, driver is not overtaking...BUT is just about to...

In fact, driver knows the dual carriage-way is just about to end 1km or so up the road. Are you seriously suggesting the driver pulls in and then ends up stuck behind the artic after dual carriage-way ends.

Given wet and windy conditions speeding up to overtake is not an option.

(I've had this happen to me many times on the Cork-Dublin road. Why should I be bullied off the road to suit someone driving recklessly? Better is to safely overtake, perhaps inconveniencing our speeding pal behind us but, no doubt, safer for all concerned.)

mackerski wrote:

Anyone sufficiently unaware of his surroundings to be unwittingly failing to keep left should look to their own driving first.

A point I hope I made in my previous post!

Wheelnut

AMurphy wrote:

Aha, Another surivor bobs to the surface amongst the flotsam and jetsam.
It's been lonely here all washed up on The West Coast.

Yes it's sad to find you in a discussion about headlight flashing, bet you'd love to get stuck into a wheelbearing or even that timing belt! I think I'll just pop over to that other place and see if you have taken up my clue that starts with "o"