Do you turn on your emergency lights when it rains hard?

[imported_Trippin315]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: Trippin315

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
The point of flashers in that kind of rain is to get a brighter light for people to see without riding your brakes to the point of cooking them.

Or you can just drive slower so you do not have to ride brake or do brake checks. Or get a car with manual.

Huh? What does driving slower have to do with more visibility? The point is for people to see you at farther distances. There are only two ways to get a brighter light on cars without rear fog lamps, either ride your brakes or put on your flashers.

I am saying that if you drive slower, then there is not the need for the flashers because you will have the increased reaction time due to a slower speed and not needing the extra visibility.

 

[DainBramaged]

No, I don't.

 

[Rubycon]

The emergency lights should come on automatically when the power fails - this can happen when it rains hard but usually wind or lightning causes that.

 

[nakedfrog]

I don't think I've ever even seen this before, and I've driven through some hellacious downpours.

 

[xospec1alk]

Originally posted by: DougK62

It's annoying and dangerous because the VAAAAAAST majority of the time flashers are used is on a STOPPED vehicle. Flashers = stopped car. People in general are bad enough drivers without being given misleading visual cues.

if you're not smart enough to realize that its raining cats and dogs and people are using the flashers to increase visibility, you probably shouldn't be driving.

The first time i saw this, i realized right away what the guy in front of me was trying to do (warn me off his tail, increase visibility) and i thought it was a good idea...so nowadays when its raining like nuts i do the same.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Nah messes with my x-ray vision. I don't mind if other "normal" people use 'em though

 

[lagvoid]

I turn my lights when it rains and drive slower.

For those that use their emergency lights, what do you do when you need to merge/exit? I'm not sure if it was specific to the cars I witnessed or the driver, but it looked like they didn't use their turn signals at all. With the emergency lights on, it seemed to override turn signals. I'll have to check this later.

 

[mtnd3vil]

Originally posted by: Asharus
BTW Most Euro Cars have Rear Fog lights. Ever see Mercs that have their rear fog light on by accident? I see people do that all the time.

It's fairly easy to do that on slightly older Mercedes. For the most part, people don't even know how to turn the fog lights on, they don't know to pull the headlight switch out one position to turn the fog lights on, or two positions to turn on the rear fog light.


Driving with the hazard lights on is one of my pet-peeves and it infuriates me. I blow the horn at people when I pass them doing that, every time.


Not only do I see them doing in the rain, but when they are towing a trailer....or even have things in the bed of a pick-up truck.

If you drive with the hazards on, I'm going to hold the horn down as I pass you. Learn to drive.

 

[lagvoid]

Originally posted by: mtnd3vil

Originally posted by: Asharus
BTW Most Euro Cars have Rear Fog lights. Ever see Mercs that have their rear fog light on by accident? I see people do that all the time.

It's fairly easy to do that on slightly older Mercedes. For the most part, people don't even know how to turn the fog lights on, they don't know to pull the headlight switch out one position to turn the fog lights on, or two positions to turn on the rear fog light.

HAHA Yea, a long time ago I just thought it was some electrical bug.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: lagvoid
I can't stand when people turn on their emergency lights because its raining hard. I wouldn't might if they turned them on and pulled off to the side of the road but they continue driving at a slow speed with them on! It just causes more confusion when a bunch of people have their emergency lights on. It makes it more difficult to tell when someone is turning/merging using their turn signals when cars around you are just blinking.

I noticed this happened more often when I was visiting Florida but I see it sometimes here in Virginia.

edit: Poll

If it is an Emergency for them because it is raining they should no longer be driving and pull off to the side.

Should make a permanent thread for all moronic drivers to brag about how idiot they drive.

 

[B00ne]

What about the rear fog light? Off course most morons dont realize that you are only supposed to turn them on if visibility is below 50m AND that you are not supposed to go faster than 50km/h then. Many idiots turn them on at the slightest bit of fog - blinding/irritating everyone behind them (at night especially)

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: mtnd3vil

Originally posted by: Asharus
BTW Most Euro Cars have Rear Fog lights. Ever see Mercs that have their rear fog light on by accident? I see people do that all the time.

It's fairly easy to do that on slightly older Mercedes. For the most part, people don't even know how to turn the fog lights on, they don't know to pull the headlight switch out one position to turn the fog lights on, or two positions to turn on the rear fog light.


Driving with the hazard lights on is one of my pet-peeves and it infuriates me. I blow the horn at people when I pass them doing that, every time.


Not only do I see them doing in the rain, but when they are towing a trailer....or even have things in the bed of a pick-up truck.

If you drive with the hazards on, I'm going to hold the horn down as I pass you. Learn to drive.

you should not be passing in very low visibility conditions, in fact it could be illegal (driving too fast for conditions). That's why the hazard lights are on.

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: mtnd3vil

Originally posted by: Asharus
BTW Most Euro Cars have Rear Fog lights. Ever see Mercs that have their rear fog light on by accident? I see people do that all the time.

It's fairly easy to do that on slightly older Mercedes. For the most part, people don't even know how to turn the fog lights on, they don't know to pull the headlight switch out one position to turn the fog lights on, or two positions to turn on the rear fog light.


Driving with the hazard lights on is one of my pet-peeves and it infuriates me. I blow the horn at people when I pass them doing that, every time.


Not only do I see them doing in the rain, but when they are towing a trailer....or even have things in the bed of a pick-up truck.

If you drive with the hazards on, I'm going to hold the horn down as I pass you. Learn to drive.

Well I guess nobody wins when you drive by them, do they?

Also, the fact that they're WARNING PEOPLE that that a potentially dangerous scenerio could occur. I mean, when I have a load in my truck, I'm sure as hell not going to friggin' drive 55 or faster and become a health risk/liability to others.

IMO you're pissed over nothing.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Absolutely. But only if it is raining so hard that you have to slow down to 35 because visibility is so poor.

It's a way of telling those behind you - "hey man, it's really bad up here. slow down and be careful"

Same thing if traffic on the interstate slows down or is coming to a stop - flashers on.

Pull over and stop driving if it is that "bad" for you.

Thank you

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: spidey07
Absolutely. But only if it is raining so hard that you have to slow down to 35 because visibility is so poor.

It's a way of telling those behind you - "hey man, it's really bad up here. slow down and be careful"

Same thing if traffic on the interstate slows down or is coming to a stop - flashers on.

Pull over and stop driving if it is that "bad" for you.

Thank you

though, I agree with this. If you can't see the person ahead of you, time to put on the flashers and pull over.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: GeekDrew

Originally posted by: DougK62
You should only have the flashers on if the vehicle is stopped. Driving with them on is annoying and dangerous.

... how is it annoying or dangerous? It shouldn't affect you in *any* way, other than to warn you that there's a situation you must pay close attention to.

It's annoying and dangerous because the VAAAAAAST majority of the time flashers are used is on a STOPPED vehicle. Flashers = stopped car. People in general are bad enough drivers without being given misleading visual cues.

on top of that, to anybody to the left or the right of your vehicle its going to look like your trying to merge into there lane

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: spidey07
Absolutely. But only if it is raining so hard that you have to slow down to 35 because visibility is so poor.

It's a way of telling those behind you - "hey man, it's really bad up here. slow down and be careful"

Same thing if traffic on the interstate slows down or is coming to a stop - flashers on.

Pull over and stop driving if it is that "bad" for you.

Thank you

That would be even more dangerous and increase the chance of getting rear ended.

Plus there could be standing water (very dangerous over 50 mph) or debris. Harzard lights are there to tell others of a potentially (gasp) hazardous situation.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: MS Dawn
The emergency lights should come on automatically when the power fails - this can happen when it rains hard but usually wind or lightning causes that.

Umm, yeah. We're talking about cars BTW.

 

[oogabooga]

I don't turn my flashers on in severe rain. In NorCal during some particularly bad rain storms i just drove really slow and avoided the highway if i could.

But I live in socal now, so it will never be an issue again.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: spidey07
Absolutely. But only if it is raining so hard that you have to slow down to 35 because visibility is so poor.

It's a way of telling those behind you - "hey man, it's really bad up here. slow down and be careful"

Same thing if traffic on the interstate slows down or is coming to a stop - flashers on.

Pull over and stop driving if it is that "bad" for you.

Thank you

That would be even more dangerous and increase the chance of getting rear ended.

Plus there could be standing water (very dangerous over 50 mph) or debris. Harzard lights are there to tell others of a potentially (gasp) hazardous situation.

There is no point in reasoning with an unreasonable person.

 

[necine]

It was raining so hard I couldn't see 5 feet in front of my face. If it wasnt for the fact that I was in a place that tends to flood I would have just pulled over and took a nap. But I continued on without flashers going 35 in a 55.

 

[RCN]

I do it. People that say no/ its stupid have never driven in really heavy rain.........

I fail to see how using the flashers would be confusing to people......

 

[FoBoT]

no
i don't believe that is in the driving handbook

tail lights are there for people to see you

emergency flasher is for an emergency, not for rain

 

[Baked]

When you can't fvcking see, you slow down or stop your car to complete halt. You don't turn on your flashers and continue at 80mph or whatever the hell speed you people drive at in zero visibility pouring rain condition. :roll:

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Baked
When you can't fvcking see, you slow down or stop your car to complete halt. You don't turn on your flashers and continue at 80mph or whatever the hell speed you people drive at in zero visibility pouring rain condition. :roll:

The only time I have seen a need for flashers was on I-95 (IIRC) in VA coming down from the mountains with fog thicker than anything I have ever seen, in a steep grade zone with a non-existant shoulder except for the occassional sand ramps to stop trucks from careening out of control.