Flashing in overtaking lane

corriganalan · 05-02-2010 11:36AM #1

In the fast lane - car sitting in front of you doing 80k with nothing in the slow lane, We've all been behind it!

Up north or across the water its standard practice to flash the car to move over. I drove to Dublin this morning and I saw a car flashing another and the slow car just ignored him. It was dark so he definitely saw him.

My question - Is it ok to flash a car to move over or is it seen as road rage?

Zubeneschamali · 05-02-2010 11:37AM

corriganalan wrote: »

In the fast lane

There is no such thing as a fast lane.

Fink Goddie · 05-02-2010 11:38AM

corriganalan wrote: »

In the fast lane - car sitting in front of you doing 80k with nothing in the slow lane, We've all been behind it!

Up north or across the water its standard practice to flash the car to move over. I drove to Dublin this morning and I saw a car flashing another and the slow car just ignored him. It was dark so he definitely saw him.

My question - Is it ok to flash a car to move over or is it seen as road rage?

I think its a bit aggressive to be honest!

red menace · 05-02-2010 11:42AM

corriganalan wrote: »

In the fast lane - car sitting in front of you doing 80k with nothing in the slow lane, We've all been behind it!

Up north or across the water its standard practice to flash the car to move over. I drove to Dublin this morning and I saw a car flashing another and the slow car just ignored him. It was dark so he definitely saw him.

My question - Is it ok to flash a car to move over or is it seen as road rage?

I think you will find thats an overtaking lane.
So yes maybe a small friendly reminder that they are in the wrong lane is in order.

corriganalan · 05-02-2010 11:42AM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

There is no such thing as a fast lane.

Sorry should be overtaking! If theres a mod around could you please edit title before the focus goes away from the question! Thanks :-)

Berty · 05-02-2010 11:43AM

corriganalan wrote: »

It was dark so he definitely saw him.

I wouldn't count on that. Some people are oblivious to the world around them. Make that comment over in the ES Forum and they will laugh at you.

corriganalan · 05-02-2010 11:46AM

Berty wrote: »

I wouldn't count on that. Some people are oblivious to the world around them. Make that comment over in the ES Forum and they will laugh at you.

Well he dimmed the rearview when he flashed!

Alanstrainor · 05-02-2010 11:48AM

Thread title changed.

E39MSport · 05-02-2010 11:49AM

corriganalan wrote: »

In the fast lane - car sitting in front of you doing 80k with nothing in the slow lane, We've all been behind it!

Up north or across the water its standard practice to flash the car to move over. I drove to Dublin this morning and I saw a car flashing another and the slow car just ignored him. It was dark so he definitely saw him.

My question - Is it ok to flash a car to move over or is it seen as road rage?

Haven't seen it that much in the past 4 years in the UK. Generally there's not much cause to flash anybody.

Got off the ferry lsat night from the UK and it was like night and day in that regard.

Jip · 05-02-2010 11:51AM

I'd usually sit behind a while, no action then indicate, still no action a quick flash and more often than not the driver will wake up and move over. However you often get the ignorant pricks who think they don't need to move for anyone and will stubbornly remain there, or you get the other breed who will speed off for a small bit before slowing down meaning you catch them again.

One silly cow on the M4 one time wasn't moving so I flashed her, she moved over but as I went by she was holding her hand against her window giving me the finger, what kind of mentality do some people have ?

JHMEG · 05-02-2010 11:52AM

Flashing lights is a valid road signal. It's not aggressive.

E39MSport · 05-02-2010 11:52AM

An Irish one ! (btw fao mod, I'm Irish)

Berty · 05-02-2010 11:54AM

corriganalan wrote: »

Well he dimmed the rearview when he flashed!

My car, my road tax, my road! Believe it or not some people have this attitude.

Like people on a roundabout who slice through it saying "Im on the roundabout, I have right of way".

What you do with people like that in the overtaking lane is. Red cow for example.

Keep them blocked into the right lane so they are forced into the city when they wanted to take the North/South exit.

You like the lane so much you can fvcking keep it.

tommycahir · 05-02-2010 11:55AM

I think it sort of depends on the situation and flow of traffic, I have often had somebody come up behind me in the overtaking lane and flash even though I was moving @ ~120kmph and there was no space for me to pull in to the LH lane safely.

Some people just want to get past no matter what the scenario is and will flash to try achieve that.

If there is sufficient space and time for the car in front to move safely to the LH lane and then a gentle reminder of a flash is no harm. It is surely a hell of a lot safer than the car behind hugging the bumpers of the car! :eek:

STForSale · 05-02-2010 12:07PM

Jip wrote: »

I'd usually sit behind a while, no action then indicate, still no action a quick flash and more often than not the driver will wake up and move over. However you often get the ignorant pricks who think they don't need to move for anyone and will stubbornly remain there, or you get the other breed who will speed off for a small bit before slowing down meaning you catch them again.

One silly cow on the M4 one time wasn't moving so I flashed her, she moved over but as I went by she was holding her hand against her window giving me the finger, what kind of mentality do some people have ?

Had this on the N4 last night.
Avensis sitting in the overtaking lane, no other cars to be seen.
Sat behind and waited but the guy obviously likes it out here.
Flashed and he moved but when I passed he pulled straight back into the overtaking lane and flashed several times.
The guy was also driving with his fogs on so that was all the conformation I needed that he was a D1ck and probably got his license in the amnesty.

colm_mcm · 05-02-2010 12:07PM

You'll usually get a better response if you keep a good distance and flash. It also covers you for muppets who slam on their brakes to teach you a losson and they're more likely to see your lights if you're not welded to their back bumper.

Zubeneschamali · 05-02-2010 12:07PM

corriganalan wrote: »

My question - Is it ok to flash a car to move over or is it seen as road rage?

Pesonally, I never flash in this situation. If the driver in front is dozy enough to drive 12 Km in the outside lane regardless of what's in the inside one (like that silver Mondeo yesterday evening on the M6), I'd prefer not to startle him by flashing at him. He might do something even more idiotic, or he might take offense and do something aggressive.

If you come up behind me in the overtaking lane, flash all you like: I'll pull in exactly when I intended to no matter what you do back there.

BlackWizard · 05-02-2010 12:09PM

tommycahir wrote: »

I think it sort of depends on the situation and flow of traffic, I have often had somebody come up behind me in the overtaking lane and flash even though I was moving @ ~120kmph and there was no space for me to pull in to the LH lane safely.

Some people just want to get past no matter what the scenario is and will flash to try achieve that.

If there is sufficient space and time for the car in front to move safely to the LH lane and then a gentle reminder of a flash is no harm. It is surely a hell of a lot safer than the car behind hugging the bumpers of the car! :eek:

Yeah that annoys me a lot. I'd be sitting behind a car in the overtaking lane patiently waiting for him to overtake a huge stream of cars in the left lane. Of course if he wasn't there I'd be going a lot faster. But he is progressively overtaking the cars so I leave him be. But some a$$ always ends up on my rear bumper expecting me to bunny hop the chap on front!

Yesterday the overtaking lane was full and so was the left lane. But some guy was on front of me flashing the car on front of him to move out of the overtaking lane. If that worked he'd be left with having to flash another 50 cars

So I flashed him a few times but I'm not sure if he noticed

BlackWizard · 05-02-2010 12:11PM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

If you come up behind me in the overtaking lane, flash all you like: I'll pull in exactly when I intended to no matter what you do back there.

Lies!! We've all delayed pulling into the left lane in spite :P

colm_mcm · 05-02-2010 12:11PM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Pesonally, I never flash in this situation. If the driver in front is dozy enough to drive 12 Km in the outside lane regardless of what's in the inside one (like that silver Mondeo yesterday evening on the M6), I'd prefer not to startle him by flashing at him. He might do something even more idiotic, or he might take offense and do something aggressive.

If you come up behind me in the overtaking lane, flash all you like: I'll pull in exactly when I intended to no matter what you do back there.

so will you:
A) just sit behind the offending driver all day,

pull in but not overtake the driver
C) pull in and overtake on the inside

red menace · 05-02-2010 12:15PM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Pesonally, I never flash in this situation. If the driver in front is dozy enough to drive 12 Km in the outside lane regardless of what's in the inside one (like that silver Mondeo yesterday evening on the M6), I'd prefer not to startle him by flashing at him. He might do something even more idiotic, or he might take offense and do something aggressive.

If you come up behind me in the overtaking lane, flash all you like: I'll pull in exactly when I intended to no matter what you do back there.

So do you sit in the overtaking lane behind them?

langdang · 05-02-2010 12:17PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

C) pull in and overtake on the inside

If they show no signs of moving as I approach. I'll always give em a wide berth tho.
Fine on 2 lane motorway/dualcarriageway, except for the small matter of the the ROTR
Really really dislike doing this on the middle of 3 lanes tho...

sesna · 05-02-2010 12:17PM

I have noticed that the experts on use of the overtake lane strangely seem to have no regard for the law when it comes to the speed-limit.

If I am driving at 120kmp/h on a motorway slowly over-taking cars at 105kmph, I inevitably always get drivers flashing at me or tail-gating me to speed up further and break the speed-limit. I always pull in to the left once I have completed my over-taking and use the over-take lane properly.

Flashing at the driver in front for no good reason is not a good idea, as it can dazzle the driver. When I am dazzled and can not see where I am going I have no option but to slam on my brakes, as a safety precaution.

bigjohnny80 · 05-02-2010 12:18PM

Its justified if they are hogging the lane but it should be used as a signal rather than an aggressive act. Have no problem flashing people who shouldn't be in it.

colm_mcm · 05-02-2010 12:18PM

this has been done to death, but overtaking on the inside encourages idiots to lane hog.

sesna wrote:

Flashing at the driver in front for no good reason is not a good idea, as it can dazzle the driver. When I am dazzled and can not see where I am going I have no option but to slam on my brakes, as a safety precaution.

What a load of rubbish. firstly how do you get dazzled from a car behind you and secondly how is slamming on the brakes a safety precaution

Gary ITR · 05-02-2010 12:21PM

If it's dark I'll throw my indicator on, when I first started doing this I was shocked to see that it worked.

stealthyspeeder · 05-02-2010 12:25PM

I flash the foglights,
Then the highbeams
Then the indicator
Then undertake

Unless I have a preconcieved, jugemental and predujudiced view that the driver is a prick in which case I jump straight to stage 4.

Zubeneschamali · 05-02-2010 12:26PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

so will you:
A) just sit behind the offending driver all day,
pull in but not overtake the driver
C) pull in and overtake on the inside

We're talking about idiots who are driving in the overtaking lane even though there's no traffic in the driving lane. If you come up behind such a driver, you're an idiot too.

evolutionqy7 · 05-02-2010 12:28PM

well by the rules once u take over the car u move and gtfo out of the way...i hate when people stay in the overtaking lane forever. Times happen when i had to overtake in the normal driving lane the car that was in the overtaking cause it was doing around 80 and didnt move...now thats retarded drivers...

colm_mcm · 05-02-2010 12:28PM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

We're talking about idiots who are driving in the overtaking lane even though there's no traffic in the driving lane. If you come up behind such a driver, you're an idiot too.

So you're talking about a completely empty road. in most cases there will be gaps in the traffic.

If there is traffic behind me, I'll never hold them up, if I'm travelling faster than a car in front of me, I'll assume position on the outside lane.

red menace · 05-02-2010 12:29PM

car sitting in front of you doing 80k with nothing in the slow lane

The OP was talking about slow drivers in the overtaking lane

langdang · 05-02-2010 12:30PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

this has been done to death, but overtaking on the inside encourages idiots to lane hog.

And allowing them to live and roam free encourages them to procreate...

As you can tell I really have no time for time. None. God knows how many years of life and school have failed to educate them on how not to be a waste of space, I'm not wasting my time trying to educate them, sitting behind them when I've better places to be..

JHMEG · 05-02-2010 12:31PM

sesna wrote: »

Flashing at the driver in front for no good reason is not a good idea, as it can dazzle the driver. When I am dazzled and can not see where I am going I have no option but to slam on my brakes, as a safety precaution.

How do you manage at night?

evolutionqy7 · 05-02-2010 12:31PM

sesna wrote: »

I have noticed that the experts on use of the overtake lane strangely seem to have no regard for the law when it comes to the speed-limit.

If I am driving at 120kmp/h on a motorway slowly over-taking cars at 105kmph, I inevitably always get drivers flashing at me or tail-gating me to speed up further and break the speed-limit. I always pull in to the left once I have completed my over-taking and use the over-take lane properly.

Flashing at the driver in front for no good reason is not a good idea, as it can dazzle the driver. When I am dazzled and can not see where I am going I have no option but to slam on my brakes, as a safety precaution.

thats why its usualy the motorway...if u want to driver slow go around the motorways!!! slow drivers should be banned...their the No.1 cause of accidents!!!

colm_mcm · 05-02-2010 12:32PM

langdang wrote: »

And allowing them to live and roam free encourages them to procreate...
As you can tell I really have no time for time. None. God knows how many years of life and school have failed to educate them on how not to be a waste of space, I'm not wasting my time trying to educate them, sitting behind them when I've better places to be..

Nah, I reckon if they're in their own little world, if I flash them and they pull over, they'll probably potter along in that lane for a good while and not inconvenience other drivers (i.e you)

corriganalan · 05-02-2010 12:33PM

Onkle wrote: »

If it's dark I'll throw my indicator on, when I first started doing this I was shocked to see that it worked.

Must try that next time i encounter it!

Martron · 05-02-2010 12:38PM

sesna wrote: »

I have noticed that the experts on use of the overtake lane strangely seem to have no regard for the law when it comes to the speed-limit.

If I am driving at 120kmp/h on a motorway slowly over-taking cars at 105kmph, I inevitably always get drivers flashing at me or tail-gating me to speed up further and break the speed-limit. I always pull in to the left once I have completed my over-taking and use the over-take lane properly.

Flashing at the driver in front for no good reason is not a good idea, as it can dazzle the driver. When I am dazzled and can not see where I am going I have no option but to slam on my brakes, as a safety precaution.

are you crazy? when have you been blinded by a car coming from behind unless you were staring at your rearview mirror for longer than a second? if that is the case you were not looking at the road in the first place. and slamming on your brakes on a motorway is mental.

saftey precaution!!!!!!! i think its this attitude that cause accidents.

Riskymove · 05-02-2010 12:39PM

JHMEG wrote: »

Flashing lights is a valid road signal. It's not aggressive.

that's true but rarely is it the full story

I have often seen something more like flying up until a few feet behind the car, flashing a lot and gesticulating frantically!!:pac:

Nah, I reckon if they're in their own little world, if I flash them and they pull over, they'll probably potter along in that lane for a good while and not inconvenience other drivers (i.e you)

thats the important thing, it might wake them up to what they are doing....might!

Occam · 05-02-2010 12:41PM

sesna wrote: »

If I am driving at 120kmp/h on a motorway slowly over-taking cars at 105kmph,

Not sure how you can slowly overtake traffic that is moving so much more slowly than you. Perhaps you are overtaking a string of cars in one maneuver, which is usually a bad idea.

sesna wrote: »

Flashing at the driver in front for no good reason is not a good idea, as it can dazzle the driver. When I am dazzled and can not see where I am going I have no option but to slam on my brakes, as a safety precaution.

If you are dazzled so easily perhaps you should not be driving at all, or at the very least consult an optician to determine why you are suffering from this.

If you slam on the brakes when you are dazzled you really should get some training to improve your standard of driving. Sudden braking is extremely dangerous to both yourself and other road users, especially if it is not an evasive maneuver in an emergency situation.

red menace · 05-02-2010 12:43PM

Occam wrote: »

Not sure how you can slowly overtake traffic that is moving so much more slowly than you. Perhaps you are overtaking a string of cars in one maneuver, which is usually a bad idea.

If you are dazzled so easily perhaps you should not be driving at all, or at the very least consult an optician to determine why you are suffering from this.

If you slam on the brakes when you are dazzled you really should get some training to improve your standard of driving. Sudden braking is extremely dangerous to both yourself and other road users, especially if it is not an evasive maneuver in an emergency situation.

Is it better than the guys who feels the need to pull in after overtaking every single car even if there is no-one trying to overtake them?

sesna · 05-02-2010 12:44PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

this has been done to death, but overtaking on the inside encourages idiots to lane hog.

What a load of rubbish. firstly how do you get dazzled from a car behind you and secondly how is slamming on the brakes a safety precaution

Firstly, have you heard of a device called a rear view mirror which has the capacity to reflect light?

Secondly, dont be such a predictable puppet

.Longshanks. · 05-02-2010 12:45PM

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

I flash the foglights,
Then the highbeams
Then the indicator
Then undertake

Unless I have a preconcieved, jugemental and predujudiced view that the driver is a prick in which case I jump straight to stage 4.

Yep, same here. I've been driving long enough & covered enough KM's to come to the opinion that 90% of people who drive on the motorways simply do not have a clue how to use the proper lanes.
On the road this morning I twice came up behing a car hogging the overtaking lane on a empty section of motorway (I was in the normal driving lane). When I was about 50-100m behind him I pulled out to overtaking lane and kept my indicator on. He pulled in & I passed. I then returned to normal driving lane and the muppet pulled back out to overtaking lane

This happened again about 5km's further up the road

....on a bloody emepty motorway

no1beemerfan · 05-02-2010 12:46PM

I HATE it when people hog the wrong lane.

A year or so ago I was behind an Xsara in the overtaking lane passing out a truck on the M7. Xsara was doing about 60 mph.

Anyways....passes truck and stays in overtaking lane even though both lanes totally free....a mile down the road I get annoyed and flash the light....see the fe€ker look in the rear view mirror....does nothing....flash again a few mins later....still nothing....my blood is boiling at this stage so undertake him.....look in his passenger window....and wtf does he do.....gives me the middle finger....well by jaysus I could've drove him off the road.....to this day I wish I had! :mad:

langdang · 05-02-2010 12:46PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Nah, I reckon if they're in their own little world, if I flash them and they pull over, they'll probably potter along in that lane for a good while and not inconvenience other drivers (i.e you)

Fair play, but too many times I've seen the gimps pull straight back into the wrong lane, with full beams on throughout in many cases.
Gave up on them after a few of those episodes!

I reckon a baboon or a labrador in a suitably modified car would make a better job of it...

colm_mcm · 05-02-2010 12:46PM

sesna wrote: »

Firstly, have you heard of a device called a rear view mirror which has the capacity to reflect light?

Secondly, dont be such a predictable puppet

I'm familiar enough with mirrors yeah. I've never been dazzled by them though.

Dunno about the "predictable puppet" bit. I'm not claiming to be a christian motorist or anything, I drive both slow and fast cars fast but never inconvenience anyone on the road as I actively drive - as in I'm watching everything as I drive. I can't remember the last time I've had to slam on the brakes or had someone flash their lights at me or blow their horn.

neilthefunkeone · 05-02-2010 12:49PM

corriganalan wrote: »

In the fast lane - car sitting in front of you doing 80k with nothing in the slow lane

Undertake them.. and give a hard stare followed by a disappointed shake of the head as you pass..

Martron · 05-02-2010 12:50PM

sesna wrote: »

Firstly, have you heard of a device called a rear view mirror which has the capacity to reflect light?

Secondly, dont be such a predictable puppet

that mirror also has the capability to reflect light away from your eyes to! ever think of flicking it up if you are getting "dazzled"

secondly its better than being a predictable puppet than an unpredictable muppet ..... slamming on your brakes ..... crazy

Occam · 05-02-2010 12:51PM

red menace wrote: »

Is it better than the guys who feels the need to pull in after overtaking every single car even if there is no-one trying to overtake them?

Doesn't matter if someone is trying to overtake you or not.

Keep left on all roads including motorways.

peasant · 05-02-2010 12:53PM

just as a point of interest:

In Autobahn country (Germany), both actions (driving in the overtaking lane without moving over as well as flashing your lights and driving too close behind) can be seen as "Nötigung" (= coercion)

Depending on the severity of the actions the punishment can reach from a fine to loss of licence and up to 5 years imprisonement.

"Nötigung" is a criminal offence and not just a minor misdemeanor.

Additionally, "undertaking" could also buy you a spell in prison and a criminal record.

Malari · 05-02-2010 12:56PM

I don't understand why people drive in the overtaking lane all the time - every time we get in the car we bitch about the woeful standard of driving on dual carriageways and motorways.

WHY do they stay in the lane when they don't need to be there? I've decided it's:
A. They think you can drive in whatever lane you like
B. They are so scared of each lane manoeuvre that they just stay where they are and just make one lane-change when it's absolutely needed
C. They are lazy, ignorant gits and couldn't be bothered using the lanes correctly

I just realised a friend of mine falls into the last category when she told me she drove the whole way from Dublin to Cork in the overtaking lane because "I tried going in and out of the lanes all the time before but it didn't save me any time" :eek:

When you are up against this kind of logic what do you say? Think how much time you'd save if you just drove through red lights and stop signs too? :mad:

sesna · 05-02-2010 12:56PM

peasant wrote: »

just as a point of interest:

In Autobahn country (Germany), both actions (driving in the overtaking lane without moving over as well as flashing your lights and driving too close behind) can be seen as "Nötigung" (= coercion)

Depending on the severity of the actions the punishment can reach from a fine to loss of licence and up to 5 years imprisonement.

"Nötigung" is a criminal offence and not just a minor misdemeanor.

Additionally, "undertaking" could also buy you a spell in prison and a criminal record.

5 years imprisonment for flashing your lights? I see the good ole Germans are guilty of over-compensating now.

Flashing in overtaking lane

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