mickeymouse

Was out the other week.. Just cruising as you do on some A/B roads.. I could see that on my side of the road.. Just before a corner.. (Blindish) was a car on my side of the road facing me with hazards on.. Just behind it was an ambulance with lights on.. Not sure what went on or was going on, so I went round it with due care...so having past the 2 vehicles I then (as I always do) gave a couple of flashes of lights and slowly moveing my arm up and down out the window.
A huge lorry coming towards slowed down and gave a big thumbs up fine I thought.. Job done.. But I always do it to a few cars just to make sure.. So along came the next car... And he gave a w@anker sign and 2 fingers...

Gave a mumble under me breath and carried on..

Obviously not just for

Also do you warn other roads users of police waiting.. Either with a camera or just sat waiting..??

As I understand it it's actually illegal to warn other roads users of police presence.

So do you warn other road users of dangers ahead??

JTaylor

Yes.

AndyBaker

If on a road where an accident has happened I would certainly give on coming traffic the signal to slow down, wether a copper was there or not wouldn't cross my mind.

Dirk Diggler 75

I try to warn other road users when there's police about trouble is most don't take any notice ......

Turbohot

We've been warning others of the speed camera vans presence here in North Wales for years! Such vans can prop up anywhere any time! At the most unfathomable corners; tucked away, waiting for you to bomb past them. I've been a victim of them. Honestly, they're terribly sneaky, so it's the least we can do for other fellow humans i.e. flash our headlights twice to tell them to watch out. It's a learnt behaviour for me, I didn't invent it.

Is it illegal to flash your lights to other cars? If it is, then imagine them having two vans. One for catching you speed, and the other one to catch you flash your lights to save others from the speeding catcher one. That will be terrible!

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

I flashed a police car out of a junction today and he gave me the thumbs up and carried on his duty, I did think to myself is it illegal to flash your lights at other road users as its not recognized in the highway code, but everyone does it.

Turbohot

So you actually flashed at the police car and the policeperson gave you a thumb up, and he carried on with his duty?? Why did you do that for?? I wouldn't dare! Anyway, until now I haven't been done for flashing my lights to warn others of them, so I take my act for granted. However, we never know for sure, and that's why I remain a bit doubtful about it. I shall continue to flash my lights to others to warn them of the upcoming trap until I get another set of three points on my licence and a fine for it.

mickeymouse

Must have just been that one driver then...!! And I only thought it was me who warned.. As I rarely get it back.

Just to clarify.. I think it's illegal to warn other drivers of a police car waiting.. Rather than illegal to flash.

warrenm2

Technically speaking the highway code says that flashing your lights is to " let other road users know that you are there." (Rule 110 https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all...res-107-to-112). However where there is clear intent of letting you through and you proceed cautiously, I don't see the problem (mainly because I've been dazzled!)

fpan

iTrader: (11)

That was one of the purposes (or the reason it was created IIRC) of the AA back in the late 19th century, cyclists were warning other road users of police presence.

Turbohot

Do you mean it may be illegal to warn other drivers of a police car waiting, but you can flash your lights otherwise for all random reasons? For example, what about when you let someone out of a junction by flashing your lights at them? What if the driver from the opposite direction misreads it and carries on bombing up/down the road? What it the one pulling out crashes into him/her??

Logically thinking, flashing your lights should be banned altogether tbf.

Turbohot

Does the 'other road users' include other vehicle drivers as well? I think it would, wouldn't it? Sorry, I've forgotten the highway code.

mickeymouse

Illegal to warn other road users of a police car/van waiting to catch you..

As for flashing at junctions etc.. Iirc it's frowned upon especially after 'flash for cash' but I don't think it's illegal.. Your very restricted in what you can flash your lights for.. Just can't remember exactly what they are...

mickeymouse

Yes that would be ALL legal road users.. Including push bikes and disability vehicles etc..

Turbohot

Ok, thanks. I'm sure it includes the pedestrians, too.

I still think that vehicle-to-vehicle flashing headlights should be economised/monitored/regulated massively, as almost everyone seems to flash their lights to thank others, to allow them to pull out etc. I've once even had some chavvy boy racers behind me, flashing their headlights repeatedly, to push me off the fast lane. I was already doing over the NSL i.e. 80 mph, but the idiots wanted to leave me behind eating the dust by doing about a tonne! Honestly, chav kids!

jonc

Police fined a driver for obstructing a Police officer from cashing in on....ahem...I mean obstructing the Police from performing his duty by flashing drivers warning them of an impending speed trap.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...eed-traps.html

jaygsi

iTrader: (46)

Motoring groups and legal experts described the move as “petty” and “unnecessary”, claiming it was a grey area of the law being exploited to “tax” drivers.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Yes, I warn of anything. Esp police scam traps.

I once witnessed an accident on the brow of a hill where a driver, blinded by the rising sun, hit the rear of a car at a roundabout.

Me and another guy ran back down the hill and tried to slow drivers and get them to move into the outer lane, as visibility was horrid.

Many did so, but one young women gave us the finger, accelerated and ran into the rear of both cars.

Karma.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

If there was space why hadn't you already moved over?

Matteeboy

I think some people just hate being "told what to do."
The van driver probably thought you were some busy body trying to slow him down; I'm surely he felt daft once he got to the hazard.

I always warn people when possible.

The Pink Ninja

iTrader: (23)

Yes I do and did on Friday...except for the ***** in the Brand Spanking black X5 who was bullying his way past people overtaking them on a 50mph road....karma lol.

^Qwerty^

When I did my HGV test I was waiting to turn right and a car flashed me. At this point I had to inform the examiner that the car had flashed me with a clear intent for me to turn - he agreed.

If you did the same on a car test I was told you would fail?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Probably not. But car examiners rarely speak, even to answer, unless you ask for an instruction repeated.

On my HGV test I was told to take the next AVAILABLE right turn. Sure enough, next one up was no entry.

Turbohot

Oh yeah! I didn't move over because I love hogging the fast lane like some dunderhead chav do, to feel great about themselves - Not! Obviously there wasn't.

Lillyart14

Yeah I always try to warn others. The usual flashing lights and waving hand to lorries around blind corners, sometimes we get a Motorway Traffic Womble on the M20 parked up between Ashford and Folkestone so I'll tap the brake lights on and off a few times to anyone behind. When I lived in Folkestone, we used to get a mobile speed camera parked up outside my house so I'd post it on facebook for anyone in my area.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Should have fired it.