Flash high beams for police warning!

[mberry]

My buddy and I were hunting on the Truckee River east of Reno/Sparks the other day...

WHAT THE !?? And you didn't call me? :-laf I just hope you were east of Mustang and Lockwood.



I didn't know flashing your lights was a warning from oncoming traffic. I thought I needed to adjust my headlights or something.

 

[midlife crisis]

Brian- Have no fear. . we flash down here... Why just last week I flashed to a DOC officer.

I had just passed some road workers and he was oncoming from the other direction. approaching a blind curve.

He was flying when I first saw him & I knew he would have never got his C-Vic slowed down. (Why the road dept didnt put the flagman at the turns entrance is beyond me.

We spoke in WaWa the other day... . We laughed when I suggested he pay it forward...

 

[David Pendleton]

My Dad taught me this when I was a kid. Apparently, the practice was so widespread back then, it was understood by everyone (This was the mid-seventies).



In the summer months, I drive all over the Great Lakes states and between MN and FL in the winter. I never see it anymore. I think the same is also true for flashing your headlights behind someone you want to pass...



Most tractor-trailers I share the road with understand and respond to a flash when they pass.

 

[Cummins Pilot]

You should never flash your high beams for a warning. You should cycle your low beams from on to off a couple of times.



I'll do it. Moose in AK are big and they really destroy a vehicle. I love it when people warn me about things like that. Problem now is that a lot of people think your blinking at them for highbeams so they hit you with theirs. Morons. I even had a trucker turn all his aux lights when I tried to warn him of a moose I just passed. I damn near went off the road I was so blind. I was hoping he'd stack his rig into the ditch after that.

 

[Pawpaw]

During the day, with no lights on, I'll just use the turn-signal stalk to flash my lights. Its easier to see than just turning on the low-beams.



At night, I reach down and switch from lights to park & back.



During the dark is when flashing high-beams is irritating, not to mention dangerous.



Of course I also think people who run their fog lights in clear weather are idiots.



Bob

 

[CochranD]

Flasher, and Proud of it !

I notice that when I use the flash to let Rigs back in the right lane, most of the time they dont (wont) respond back, like we as Ram driver aren't allowed to do that ... ?

Someone flashed me not long ago on RT1 south on the PA/MD line, and Sheriff LoBo was rite up the street. Those Maryland Cops Love Radar... ...

 

[CumminsBu]

I never knew that, where was that in the Drivers Manual? I guess I'll start helping people out. Watch out for my Brite Box II. (High, Low and Fog)

 

[TboneMan]

I guess my biggest question is why do people insist on speeding. Here's some basic math:



Let's say on your commute to work you have 20 mile of highway driving. The highway is posted with a 65mph speed limit. You drive 75mph.



Change Miles Per Hour to Miles Per Minute (you'll see way later)

75/60 = 1. 25mpm

65/60 = 1. 08mpm



Now apply this for your 20 mile commute

20/1. 25 = 16. 0 minutes

20/1. 08 = 18. 5 minutes



So, over 20 miles, you get to work just 2. 5 minutes faster.



But you've get probably get 2 less miles/gallon in fuel ecomony, you risk getting pulled over, and you get frustrated with the people doing the speed limit and tailgate and make unsafe lane changes.



It is just not worth it. Slow down, save fuel, save frustration.



Side note: If every driver could increase their fuel economy by just 2 mpg, how much gas/fuel do you think we'd save.

Answer:

A US Gov. study showed that US residence drove 1,793 billion miles in 1994 (that's 1. 793 Trillion miles).



Say the average fuel usage is 20mpg. That's 89. 7 billion gallons of fuel.

Now change the average fuel usage to 22mpg. That's 81. 5 billion gallons of fuel.

A savings of 8. 15 billion gallons or $19. 56 billion savings (at $2. 40/gal).

 

[2broke2smoke]

blah ... blah ... blah ... if we all drove bikes we'd save even more



yeah in WV just about everyone flashes

 

[rubberneck]

Of course I also think people who run their fog lights in clear weather are idiots.



Bob

I hear you there, drives me nuts. Around here it is always the powerchoke drivers and D-max trucks. I dont know what the heck thats all about, but it is annoying.

 

[KBennett]

Say the average fuel usage is 20mpg. That's 89. 7 billion gallons of fuel.

Now change the average fuel usage to 22mpg. That's 81. 5 billion gallons of fuel.

A savings of 8. 15 billion gallons or $19. 56 billion savings (at $2. 40/gal).

Good point!

 

[tgordon]

I am woundering how many of you have passedin a tractor an dhad some idiot flash his brights at you? After one you will see why they will flash their lights on and off not bright and dim. As for obstruction of justice a 14 yr old got arrested because he made a sign saying speed trap ahead and sat along side the road with it. Personally I stick to the speed limit and figure if you want to take the chance to speed you can support our state an dgive them the money also. While I'm at it how bought those dang obnoxious orange blinkers.

 

[Greenleaf]

I think you deserve to be pulled over. I rarely speed and most folks try to pass me even when I'm going 4/5mph over the limit. Usually on a hill or a double yellow. I even have folks try to pass me when I slow down for a RR Crossing and an Amish buggy for crying out loud. I will often see cars left of center to pass an Amish buggy when I'm RIGHT THERE!!! ... ... ... ... DUH!!



I will only flash for a road hazzard.

 

[phloop]

I also notice that more and more truckers seem to be brain dead too. When they pass me, I always flash my lights after they're clear to move back over. Many never notice and pull back in another 1/2 mile down the road.



Bob

Instead of flashing your lights, try turning them off and then back on. I think they will understand that a little bit more than flashing your brights at them.

 

[phloop]

Of course I also think people who run their fog lights in clear weather are idiots.



Bob

It seems like anyone that gets a car/truck now-a-days that has factory fog lights has too have the dang things on all the time.



And then they wonder why they get blinded when I flash them. I guess they do not realise that those lights only help directly in front of them and cause on coming traffic to be blinded.



And don't get me started on this subject. It causes me heartburn and my beer supply gets a dent put in it. :-laf

 

[HOBrian]

Instead of flashing your lights, try turning them off and then back on. I think they will understand that a little bit more than flashing your brights at them.

I turn mine off and on and they will pull right in and thank me with an on/off

 

[bmoeller]

As for obstruction of justice a 14 yr old got arrested because he made a sign saying speed trap ahead and sat along side the road with it.

:-laf :-laf :-laf



Can't remember what state I saw it in, but there is an old dry van semi trailer with "Speed Trap Ahead" painted on the side of it, sitting right along the highway.

 

[Greenleaf]

So, over 20 miles, you get to work just 2. 5 minutes faster.



But you've get probably get 2 less miles/gallon in fuel ecomony, you risk getting pulled over, and you get frustrated with the people doing the speed limit and tailgate and make unsafe lane changes.



It is just not worth it. Slow down, save fuel, save frustration.

That's my situation. Folks are aggrivated by those who drive the speed limit. It's not my problem. It's the folks who are in a hurry.



I recieve phone calls from citizens who call the bus garage to complain about being held up by our school buses. :-laf You really have a problem if you can't make note of the time a bus is enrout on your road. Leave a few minutes early or later. Duh! The bus is on the same road at the same time every day.



Some people deserve to be afoot.

 

[jnelson]

I run the speed limit or just a little over 99% of the time, except on some of these 100 mile long Texas back roads out in the middle of BFE.



I will flash my lights at CMV's but not regular 4 wheelers. I just pull the blinker back.

 

[Pawpaw]

:-laf :-laf :-laf



Can't remember what state I saw it in, but there is an old dry van semi trailer with "Speed Trap Ahead" painted on the side of it, sitting right along the highway.

On US 69 through Oklahoma, there are several.



Bob