Is it legal to drive with out windshield wipers being on?

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
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Is it? Do you have to turn on your lights when driving in the rain? Why would I turn on my lights if I can see perfectly fine? I'm also questioning the use of windshield wipers in light rain while driving on city streets/non highway speeds.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
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no...it is not legal, lights and wipers are required.

If it's heavy rain then turn on your hazard lights.
 

PAB

Banned
Dec 4, 2002
1,719
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Originally posted by: goku
Is it? Do you have to turn on your lights when driving in the rain? Why would I turn on my lights if I can see perfectly fine? I'm also questioning the use of windshield wipers in light rain while driving on city streets/non highway speeds.

I drive all the time in the rain without wipers.

Rain-x FTW!
 

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
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Don't forget to use your high beams so you can see see better in the rain and fog.
 

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
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Originally posted by: spidey07
If it's heavy rain then turn on your hazard lights.

Thats horrible advice.

If your hazards are on and you go to change lanes your blinkers will not indicate so and more likely cause an accident.

I've seen this over and over again were the driver puts on their hazards and then suddenly changes lanes thinking their blinker is indicating their intent.
 

smack Down

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
4,507
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Originally posted by: lokiju
Originally posted by: spidey07
If it's heavy rain then turn on your hazard lights.

Thats horrible advice.

If your hazards are on and you go to change lanes your blinkers will not indicate so and more likely cause an accident.

I've seen this over and over again were the driver puts on their hazards and then suddenly changes lanes thinking their blinker is indicating their intent.

Besides you just look like a fool. We know it is raining you don't need your lights flashing to tell us. Just get off the road and let people who do know how to drive pass.
 

MedicBob

Diamond Member
Nov 29, 2001
4,151
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Originally posted by: cyclistca
You turn on your lights so other people can see you.


QFT. You might see fine, but what about the rest of the fools?
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: lokiju
Thats horrible advice.

If your hazards are on and you go to change lanes your blinkers will not indicate so and more likely cause an accident.

I've seen this over and over again were the driver puts on their hazards and then suddenly changes lanes thinking their blinker is indicating their intent.

It is recommended to turn on your hazard lights in heavy rain. This increases your visibility by a factor of two.

There are tons of studys out there and the NTSD recommends drivers turn on their hazards. Some states even make it a law.
 

Viperoni

Lifer
Jan 4, 2000
11,084
1
71
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: lokiju
Thats horrible advice.

If your hazards are on and you go to change lanes your blinkers will not indicate so and more likely cause an accident.

I've seen this over and over again were the driver puts on their hazards and then suddenly changes lanes thinking their blinker is indicating their intent.

It is recommended to turn on your hazard lights in heavy rain. This increases your visibility by a factor of two.

There are tons of studys out there and the NTSD recommends drivers turn on their hazards. Some states even make it a law.

I believe it.
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
In most states, legally if wipers are required for visibility, you must also have your headlights on. The issue isn't whether you can see or not, but whether others can see you. If you're in an accident in the rain and your insurance company finds out that you didn't have your lights on, they'll tear you a new one on the rate increase, even if you aren't ruled to be at fault from a police standpoint.

And the "flashers in heavy rain" bit is a little misleading. For rain to be heavy enough to warrant flashers, traffic would already be slowed to 5-10 mph. If you can still go 35+ mph, you don't need your flashers on.

ZV
 

Eos

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2000
3,463
17
81
In Oregon, it is required that you have winshield wipers, but not a winshield. I rolled my car onto its side (lightly, if you can imagine) and had to kick out the windshield to continue driving. I finally replaced it about 3 months later. Yes, I took a few bugs to the chest, never in the mouth.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,572
971
126
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Don't forget to use your high beams so you can see see better in the rain and fog.

QFT, all that light from the high beams really illuminates the fog, creating a nice effect. It's really quite pretty!
 

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
11,883
63
91
Originally posted by: deadlyapp
Originally posted by: foghorn67
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Don't forget to use your high beams so you can see see better in the rain and fog.

gosh, I hope you are joking.

Obviously your sarcasm meter is broken.

It's in tune, but the funny meter wasn't picking up anything.
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
this thread is a joke, right?



...RIGHT?!!


you have to turn on your lights so OTHERS can see YOU.
and even with Rain-X, you still need your wipers, bud.
 
Dec 10, 2005
28,332
13,172
136
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
this thread is a joke, right?



...RIGHT?!!


you have to turn on your lights so OTHERS can see YOU.
and even with Rain-X, you still need your wipers, bud.

It's Goku. Enough said.
 

Whisper

Diamond Member
Feb 25, 2000
5,394
2
81
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
In most states, legally if wipers are required for visibility, you must also have your headlights on. The issue isn't whether you can see or not, but whether others can see you. If you're in an accident in the rain and your insurance company finds out that you didn't have your lights on, they'll tear you a new one on the rate increase, even if you aren't ruled to be at fault from a police standpoint.

And the "flashers in heavy rain" bit is a little misleading. For rain to be heavy enough to warrant flashers, traffic would already be slowed to 5-10 mph. If you can still go 35+ mph, you don't need your flashers on.

ZV

Sounds about right to me in relation to the hazards bit.

Although I've never really had THAT much of a problem with people using their hazards in torrential downpour. What I do have a problem with is people randomly using their hazards for who knows what...especially when they're also speeding along at a nice 90mph.

As for wipers in the rain, I don't really care one way or another if you use them, so long as you can see. I do care if you don't put your lights on, though.
 

mwtgg

Lifer
Dec 6, 2001
10,491
0
0
Originally posted by: goku
Is it? Do you have to turn on your lights when driving in the rain? Why would I turn on my lights if I can see perfectly fine? I'm also questioning the use of windshield wipers in light rain while driving on city streets/non highway speeds.

Don't worry about it, you're obviously not old enough to drive.
 

OrganizedChaos

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2002
4,524
0
0
people who drive on the highway with there hazards on piss me off. from wither side of them it looks like there going to try and merge into you.