Why do people flash?

[laumk7]

Lorrys overtaking each other in can understand , same as lorrys in general really.

I've never understood this... But why after overtaking do some drivers flash you?  It's not like I'm overtaking too close as I tend to wait until I can see the car in my rear view before moving back. 

I had one this morning, a red mk6 fiesta , he was doing 30-40 in a 60 so I flew past him in the (at that stage) overtaking lane.  He then flashed me

[Joss max]

often a driver will flash you to let you know its safe to get back in lane after over taking. usually on motor ways.

Or they like your car or they don't like your car or maybe just flashed you because there a pervert of some description.

Flashing is a risky thing as it can be interpreted in so many ways.

[TomsFocus]

In your case it just sounds like how dare you want to drive faster than them doing half the speed limit, must be a dangerous boy racer!! 

I get flashed quite often for perfectly legal and safe overtakes tbh.

[V6 Lover]

I reckon there's some etiquette when using your headlight flash...a short one (a split second) say after being overtaken in a quick but safe style ie..no dawdling and no blind bends... tell the driver that was acceptable..maybe even ' that was a spot of good driving old chap'..... a long flash say 2secs should say" I'm not impressed with your style of driving/your a complete c#+t...

But Jesus...there's 20 million people on Britain's roads.,.so lots of different opinions and reasons for the Complementary/Angry headlight flash...but one thing I am sure of, anybody who flashes coming in the opposite direction is meant as a "eyes extra open" for ahead of you.... speed check/trap looming perhaps ...I've had people flash me to warn of a speed trap ahead [emoji2]

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[TomsFocus]

40 minutes ago, V6 Lover said:

...anybody who flashes coming in the opposite direction is meant as a "eyes extra open" for ahead of you.... speed check/trap looming perhaps ...I've had people flash me to warn of a speed trap ahead

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Pretty sure it's illegal to do it for speed traps?  But lots of people do do it lol.

I also do this if there's a pedestrian/bike/broken down car just round a tight corner or in a shady area that the oncoming car won't be able to see until it's too late.

[hywelkidd]

If it isn't illegal to do it for speed traps it should be. The only times I ever flash are if I'm signaling to another driver that I am giving way to them (e.g. letting them out of a junction) or on the odd occasion when a car in front has left their indicators on.

I tend not to get flashed for overtaking, although there was one occasion recently where some old bloke in a Mondeo didn't like me hooning past in the ST whilst he was doing about 15 below the speed limit. Turns out were were going to the same place (I was waiting in the car for the wife) and got the filthiest of looks from him.

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[Ken.K]

I only flash if the person overtaking me is too impatient and is too close to me and then when i do give them when in a safe area they go pass like a bat out of hell. then I flash. 

[Ian Lanc]

I hate it with a passion when a prat flashes a driver to either pull out of a junction or allow a car to turn into a junction!   Idiots. 

A few years ago I was behind a car who flashed at a car waiting at a junction wanting to turn to their right, also was a car waiting to pull out! It happened, one car turns right and the other pulls out both smashing into each other  The car which had flashed overtook the crash and carried on at a greater speed.

Only the other day an on coming car flashed a car out of a junction and then the car pulling out nearly smashes into me and I got serious abuse by the driver who was halfway out of the junction, further down the road at the next set of traffic lights I pulls up at the side of the idiot who nearly T boned me and yet again more abuse is spurted out saying she had the right of way as that car flashed her out!!!  I replied back telling her she had no right of way and needs to read the highway code, she was adamant that flashing lights means she can pull out and other traffic must stop, I told her to try that with an Arctic then as you'll be killed as he is unable to stop and drives over you

[TomsFocus]

24 minutes ago, Ian Lanc said:

 she was adamant that flashing lights means she can pull out and other traffic must stop

That's not the flashers fault though...she's just daft...

I don't have a problem with flashing someone out as a courtesy, sometimes it's the only way to get out on busy roads, but obviously it's the turners responsibility to make sure both ways are clear first!  

The one that often gets confusing is single track lane passing, you never know whether to stop in the passing place or if the other car is stopping....then you both stop...and both move...  I'd rather just pull over and flash the other car to come unless they're stopped well before me.  Did have an odd one a few months back though, we both pulled into a passing place, he'd stopped and I was still rolling so I just carried on out of it...but then he pulled forward into my path.  Not really sure why or what happened, but while I was trying to work it out he reversed back into his original position, I passed thinking nothing of it and he called me a 'trucking anchor' through the open window...  Still can't work out what actually happened there lol, I did wonder if the sun had glinted off my headlights looking like I'd flashed him though...no idea lol.  

[Stoney871]

Flashing is a courtesy only.

Anyone coming out of a junction or onto roundabouts etc must still ensure that any maneouvre they carry out is safe and legal.

Flashing to warn of speed traps can be prosecuted for obstructing a Police Officer in the course of their duty but would rarely happen and in all probability would just result in 'suitable words of advice' (unless it's a Traffic Officer as they would nick their own mothers for a result).

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[stef123]

41 minutes ago, Stoney871 said:

Flashing is a courtesy only.

Anyone coming out of a junction or onto roundabouts etc must still ensure that any maneouvre they carry out is safe and legal.

Flashing to warn of speed traps can be prosecuted for obstructing a Police Officer in the course of their duty but would rarely happen and in all probability would just result in 'suitable words of advice' (unless it's a Traffic Officer as they would nick their own mothers for a result).

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that's the most accurate thing I've heard all week lol 

[jmurray01]

I always take flashing when overtaking as a "you're being a c..." exclaimation, and certainly do it myself (along with the horn) when idiot Vauxhall drivers jeopardise their and my life by dangerously overtaking me or an oncoming vehicle.  Thing is, people also flash me when I overtake on a long stretch of empty straight road, and they are doing 30MPH in a 60!  How dare I safely overtake in order to get to my destination before 2020!!

[BluesMobile]

3 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

Flashing to warn of speed traps can be prosecuted for obstructing a Police Officer in the course of their duty but would rarely happen and in all probability would just result in 'suitable words of advice' (unless it's a Traffic Officer as they would nick their own mothers for a result).

"Honest guv, I was making sure another road user coming the other way had seen me", which is apparently the only legal reason to flash your lights and iirc was successfully used as a defence of such a case a few years ago.

[Arwen]

Some folk are just idiots when it comes to people overtaking them. And they show their displeasure by flashing lights. 

Unless you are being dangerous I doubt the police will do anything about it. On my driving test a police car actually flashed at me to continue down the road towards them!(It is wide at the top, narrow at the bottom with cars parked on both sides mostly) The examiner was not impressed!

[GMX]

Joining ambiguous headlamp flashing, is the relatively new practice of blipping the hazards for a couple of flashes. 

It was being used by overtaking truck to thank the truck they overtook who'd flashed them, now it seems everyone else is using it for all manner of things like the headlamps flashing

 

 

[jmurray01]

1 hour ago, GMX said:

Joining ambiguous headlamp flashing, is the relatively new practice of blipping the hazards for a couple of flashes. 

It was being used by overtaking truck to thank the truck they overtook who'd flashed them, now it seems everyone else is using it for all manner of things like the headlamps flashing

 

 

Yes I've noticed that too.  Even police officers and driving instructors seem to be doing it!!  Very strange...

I would never do it, because to me seeing hazards flashing on a moving vehicle is warning you of a hazard on the road, and my immediate reaction to it is to brake!

[Blatto]

There's only 1 reason you should be flashing your headlights. It's covered in the Highway code for UK driving.

The Highway Code states: ‘Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.’ The Highway Code is basically suggesting that a driver may flash their headlights to warn other drivers of their presence if in a hazardous position, or to warn another person that may not have noticed you.

[Joss max]

Guy behind me was flashing in Morse code im sure

-.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. -.- . .-.

[Stoney871]

How rude.

BTW, I read morse quite well.

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[iantt]

morse code was clives only form of comunication in his youth. lol

now thats rude!

[jeebowhite]

I tend to flash the following...

Short flash whilst stationary, Come on through

Short flash on motorways, (if I wish to move Lane, someone let's me out and then wishes to pull in front) , moreso a courtesy as that far away they won't see a raised hand.

Long flash on motorway, when driving in the slow lane and a lorry overtakes, to show his back end had passed my front end and I'm prepared for him to move (feel free to move over now, basically).

Long flash on motorway at night... You drive like a freakin tool. This is reserved for dangerous maneuvers, cut ups etc. And isn't necessarily solely for motorway use.

Some of these I exprct could be frowned upon, however I expect any time I am in the presence of an officer and need to use the last one, I expect they would be more interested in a driving without due care charge, than an inappropriate signal warning.

Likewise if someone had this on camera it would be a great argument sending it off to the police, complaining about my Headlight use when you can see blatantly a dangerous maneuver

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[jeebowhite]

Guy behind me was flashing in Morse code im sure

-.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. -.- . .-.

Pahaha Haha

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[GMX]

On 18/09/2016 at 9:45 AM, Joss max said:

Guy behind me was flashing in Morse code im sure

-.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. -.- . .-.

Unlike Clive I couldn't remember enough Morse to translate that

However there is this:

http://morsecode.scphillips.com/translator.html

and it all became clear

[Turvey]

12 hours ago, GMX said:

Unlike Clive I couldn't remember enough Morse to translate that

However there is this:

http://morsecode.scphillips.com/translator.html

and it all became clear

Ha ha! That's the one I used to translate it! :)

[Turvey]

Back to flashing!

 

About the only motorists I flash are other trucks as they 'generally' know the rules