Was I Wrong? Driving with hazard lights on

[alkemyst]

Those posted speeds are for good conditions. If it's bad weather, the maximum safe speed could be lower than the posted minimum speed.

The only time I could see putting hazards on while driving is if you're going slower than the speed of traffic or your vehicle becomes disabled - such as the person who used the spare tire example - you're going to drive slower [than traffic flow] in the right lane with hazards. Weather, everyone can see the conditions and knows to slow down.

We have a posted minimum in all conditions basically.

If you are on a spare, stay off the highway. They are good to 45mph so any other road is fine without hazards.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Man some minivan was carrying flattened boxes tied to it's roof last night with it's hazards on and then they go flying off into the truck behind it on some off ramp. I don't even know what I could even do in that situation when I'm on my bike. It's like I can carry this crap in an unsafe manner because I have my hazards on.

Yeah, I hate that. There's no good excuse for driving without your load adequately secured.

As for driving with hazards in bad conditions. The only people confused (imo) are the people who are likely driving too fast for conditions...or are just shitty drivers.

 

[alkemyst]

Damn, I need to take a snapshot of the roadsign that says to use flashers below a certain speed on the highway.

I *absolutely* use my hazard lights when I come to slow moving traffic on the expressway due to an accident or whatnot. I care not for legality, I will continue to do what I can to keep from getting rear-ended by getting the driver's attention.

you are going to have their attention just moving slow in front, now with your lights flashing they have no idea when you have just applied your brakes.

This is the reason you are not supposed to drive with hazards on. In some areas, local idiots have over rode common sense. Most places it's a ticketable offense if your vehicle is in motion with hazards on.

 

[DougK62]

I haven't seen a good reason against it yet except from folks who apparently don't know how to handle HAZARDous driving conditions. In HAZARDous driving conditions there will be cars with HAZARD lights on to increase their visibility and try to prevent accidents. These people know how to deal with hazardous conditions and are to be commended for their driving knowledge and situational awareness.

1. With some cars it can look as if you're tapping your brakes. Isn't tapping the brakes a big cause of highway congestion and accidents? It is.
2. Hazard lights are traditionally used for stopped vehicles, giving the impression - in already poor weather - that you are not on the road but instead pulled to the side. Do you really want people to believe you are stopped on the side in poor visibility when you're really traveling in a lane of traffic?
3. Having the hazard lights on prevents you from being able to signal your intentions. Aren't all cars mandated to have operating signals when driving?

These seem like big issues to me, and are probably why this practice is illegal in many states.

Driving with hazard lights on makes you a danger on the road.

 

[Possessed Freak]

you are going to have their attention just moving slow in front, now with your lights flashing they have no idea when you have just applied your brakes.

This is the reason you are not supposed to drive with hazards on. In some areas, local idiots have over rode common sense. Most places it's a ticketable offense if your vehicle is in motion with hazards on.

Explain: How does one know if you are tapping on the brakes or slamming on the brakes?

I try to clue them in (as does oh... say every trucker I have seen in this scenario) by using hazards on top of my brake lights.

 

[MJinZ]

Explain: How does one know if you are tapping on the brakes or slamming on the brakes?

I try to clue them in (as does oh... say every trucker I have seen in this scenario) by using hazards on top of my brake lights.

If you don't fucking know the difference, get the fuck off the road. Spatial awareness is a fundamental requisite for driving. This is the reason why I say that we need stringent licensure requirements and many people should never be ABLE to get their fucking license because their brains just fail at most fucking things in life ... like driving.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I haven't seen a good reason against it yet except from folks who apparently don't know how to handle HAZARDous driving conditions. In HAZARDous driving conditions there will be cars with HAZARD lights on to increase their visibility and try to prevent accidents. These people know how to deal with hazardous conditions and are to be commended for their driving knowledge and situational awareness.

You keep capitalizing HAZARDS as if it's proving your point..

Hazards on = car is a hazard.


Do you turn on your hazards every time you see a hazardous condition? If you see someone try to run a yellow across the way do you flip on your hazards so everyone knows? How about if you see an illegal lane change?

No. You turn on your hazards when your vehicle is a hazard - i.e. if your brakes aren't working correctly, or if your toyota is at WOT, or if you have a spare on, or if you're limping your way to an exit. To me, hazards means you are having some sort of major malfunction and to stay away.

People like you are going to quickly make hazards meaningless.

 

[DougK62]

If you don't fucking know the difference, get the fuck off the road. Spatial awareness is a fundamental requisite for driving. This is the reason why I say that we need stringent licensure requirements and many people should never be ABLE to get their fucking license because their brains just fail at most fucking things in life ... like driving.

No need to go so extreme - he makes a valid point about a big complaint with brake lights on cars. It can be very difficult to tell the difference between someone "tapping" or "slamming" on the brakes. Do either and the brake lights still look the same. Some cars, especially more modern ones, have very little nose dive under hard braking.

I've seen some progressive brake light technology that is pretty cool.

 

[Strk]

All I can say is I'm glad I was behind someone during the rainstorm who had his hazard lights on. I was driving at 5am and the section of road didn't have any lights, but was flooded (at least a foot of water). It was on a stretch of road that has a 55mph speed limit. If it wasn't for that person, I probably wouldn't have seen the water in time.

 

[nageov3t]

We have a posted minimum in all conditions basically.

If you are on a spare, stay off the highway. They are good to 45mph so any other road is fine without hazards.

staying off the highway would have been a great suggestion a few months ago when I had a tire blowout... on a highway... and had to drive home on a spare... on a highway because it was the only way to get my car back home.

 

[rockyct]

staying off the highway would have been a great suggestion a few months ago when I had a tire blowout... on a highway... and had to drive home on a spare... on a highway because it was the only way to get my car back home.

I had to drive through LA on a spare tire before and I had my hazards on. Driving ~50 mph through LA sure as hell creates a hazardous condition when traffic moves as a mass traveling around 75. It was daylight and I was in the right lane.

I think he was justified in his use of the hazards, but the other driver was just pissed off he was driving so slow. I just had a thread here where I mentioned how two drivers have sped past me while in heavy rain. Both of them ended up in major accidents. The idiot in this story is not the OP, but the SUV driver for risking his life and others by driving too fast in bad conditions.

 

[DrPizza]

Let's see.... illegal in California & Florida. Now what states is it that we read about 40 car pileups in? Oh yeah, California & Florida. When traffic suddenly slows to 20 mph, you can bet your ass I'm going to turn on my hazard lights. People going 75 don't expect to have to suddenly slow down to 20. I'd rather be wrong than be right & rear ended.

Signaling a hazard on the road: traffic moving 20mph below the speed limit IS a hazard.

 

[chusteczka]

It amazes me that something as unimportant as the use of hazard lights can create such a heated argument with name calling. In my experience, those who resort to name calling, scorn, derision, or yelling are often wrong. They just do not realize it yet.

It really does not matter how an individual uses their hazard lights. If it means that much to you then it may be time for a childish timeout.

 

[rockyct]

It amazes me that something as unimportant as the use of hazard lights can create such a heated argument with name calling. In my experience, those who resort to name calling, scorn, derision, or yelling are often wrong. They just do not realize it yet.

It really does not matter how an individual uses their hazard lights. If it means that much to you then it may be time for a childish timeout.

I'm more amazed that I essentially agree with Spidey this time. I can't remember that ever happening before.

 

[chusteczka]

I'm more amazed that I essentially agree with Spidey this time. I can't remember that ever happening before.

I often agree with Spidey and agree with him in this case also. But then there is always somebody that disagrees with me, that is just the way it is when there are many people involved with varying backgrounds, experience, and educational levels.

Spidey has been taking the brunt of opposition in this thread for a little too long but I do not wish to get into a point by point argument over such a benign topic.

 

[PsiStar]

the undertow in this thread is the shear aggressiveness of some. Shame on you, join NASA for aggressiveness. Driving on public roads is primarily defensive AND CONSIDERATION. Mostly I do not care about the hazard lights on or not although I think the right most lane would be the appropriate lane for any multi-lane hwy. And definitely when the right most lane is *empty*.

There are always exceptions. I am thinking of the 405 in SoCal. I think it is a mere 12+ lanes across ... nearly a football field it seems. And a locale I considered "flat" with traffic driving as fast as they can (80+) & me too, until you go over one of those none existent rises in the hwy just to see a wall of stopped traffic == great time for flashers or my personal favorite & (in my perhaps idiotic opinion) much more accessible, is to just tap the brake peddle rapidly. I if I have to actually rapidly slow down, I am hammering the the brakes in between while glancing in the mirror & looking ahead. Where ever that damn little hazard light button is in a rental is never in the same location ... the f'n brake pedal is. If there is a passenger with me ... hahaha ... it is bucking bronco time. My worst fear is that they don't puke.:\

I was also on the NJTP on Saturday and it was shear craziness out there. I will admit to driving too fast even well over the speed limit. (Be dammned the 60+ wind gusts & torrential rain!!!) And to pure NJ/NYC driving character, one idiot thought that i was in his way ... passed me, cut me off while driving ~70 ... in that weather. Again, this is the locale. I have long ago became accustom to the NYC area driving. Aren't red trffic lights just an indicator of Pause?

 

[destrekor]

Ohio Laws:
Actual laws
Attorney description

Both agree, the use of hazard lights in unfavorable road conditions is not prohibited. It's also encouraged.
If you cannot maintain proper traffic speed or are in some kind of situation where your car may be a hazard, the hazard lights are to be used as well.

I actually had to do that recently, seeing as my truck was suffering an issue where it would just cut out and lose all power, but I had to drive to where I could park it. Lights on until, after a few shut offs at turns, I could successfully navigate into a parking spot. Perfectly legal in my case from what I can reckon.

Those concepts were thoroughly covered in driving school (age 15ish) here in Ohio. Where, you know, we learned all of the laws.


---
There is a National guideline as Spidey noted, but States are free to shape laws within their own borders if there is no Federal Law it would go against.

 

[destrekor]

You keep capitalizing HAZARDS as if it's proving your point..

Hazards on = car is a hazard.


Do you turn on your hazards every time you see a hazardous condition? If you see someone try to run a yellow across the way do you flip on your hazards so everyone knows? How about if you see an illegal lane change?

No. You turn on your hazards when your vehicle is a hazard - i.e. if your brakes aren't working correctly, or if your toyota is at WOT, or if you have a spare on, or if you're limping your way to an exit. To me, hazards means you are having some sort of major malfunction and to stay away.

People like you are going to quickly make hazards meaningless.

Your car IS a hazard when atmospheric/roadway conditions are hazardous.

Just because most of the hazards are external to the car, doesn't mean the car itself is not a hazard. Going to speed limit likely isn't a good idea, but if visibility is severely down, others who are too stupid to realize they should be going slower might not see you. They might be going the speed limit, while you feel the speed limit in those conditions is not optimal or safe. Thus, you are now a hazard because you aren't going the speed limit.

Sometimes you have to be on a certain roadway even if you can't go the posted speed limit. Just because you cannot go the speed limit does not mean you don't belong on the road. The right and legal access is all right there, just... in states where it's permitted, you certainly should have hazard lights on.

 

[MJinZ]

the undertow in this thread is the shear aggressiveness of some. Shame on you, join NASA for aggressiveness. Driving on public roads is primarily defensive AND CONSIDERATION. Mostly I do not care about the hazard lights on or not although I think the right most lane would be the appropriate lane for any multi-lane hwy. And definitely when the right most lane is *empty*.

There are always exceptions. I am thinking of the 405 in SoCal. I think it is a mere 12+ lanes across ... nearly a football field it seems. And a locale I considered "flat" with traffic driving as fast as they can (80+) & me too, until you go over one of those none existent rises in the hwy just to see a wall of stopped traffic == great time for flashers or my personal favorite & (in my perhaps idiotic opinion) much more accessible, is to just tap the brake peddle rapidly. I if I have to actually rapidly slow down, I am hammering the the brakes in between while glancing in the mirror & looking ahead. Where ever that damn little hazard light button is in a rental is never in the same location ... the f'n brake pedal is. If there is a passenger with me ... hahaha ... it is bucking bronco time. My worst fear is that they don't puke.:\

I was also on the NJTP on Saturday and it was shear craziness out there. I will admit to driving too fast even well over the speed limit. (Be dammned the 60+ wind gusts & torrential rain!!!) And to pure NJ/NYC driving character, one idiot thought that i was in his way ... passed me, cut me off while driving ~70 ... in that weather. Again, this is the locale. I have long ago became accustom to the NYC area driving. Aren't red trffic lights just an indicator of Pause?

Were you on the left lane? If so, GTFO. If you're in lane, you ARE in Someone's way. Always.

 

[joeboggs]

Was I wrong for driving with my hazard lights on? Was I wrong to think that he should had been the one in the accident?

Yes. New York Law Section 375.40(2) makes it illegal to display an amber light on a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.

No.

 

[Brainonska511]

Yes. New York Law Section 375.40(2) makes it illegal to display an amber light on a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.

No.

I don't see that: http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi?COMMONQUERY=LAWS
(Vat--> Article 9)

I see this in 375.3(A):

The provisions of this subdivision shall not prohibit the temporary affixing and display of an amber light to be used as a warning on a disabled motor vehicle or on a motor vehicle while it is stopped on a highway while engaged in an operation which would restrict, impede or interfere with the normal flow of traffic.

Which would imply that you can only activate hazard lights if your vehicle is disabled or stopped in a place it shouldn't necessarily be.

If the weather is so bad, your lights should be on and everyone should be slowing down to a speed in which they will be able to react and stop in the distance in which they can see.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Your car IS a hazard when atmospheric/roadway conditions are hazardous.

Just because most of the hazards are external to the car, doesn't mean the car itself is not a hazard. Going to speed limit likely isn't a good idea, but if visibility is severely down, others who are too stupid to realize they should be going slower might not see you. They might be going the speed limit, while you feel the speed limit in those conditions is not optimal or safe. Thus, you are now a hazard because you aren't going the speed limit.

Sometimes you have to be on a certain roadway even if you can't go the posted speed limit. Just because you cannot go the speed limit does not mean you don't belong on the road. The right and legal access is all right there, just... in states where it's permitted, you certainly should have hazard lights on.

The only time I would agree with this is when you are stopped (or nearly so, <45mph) with traffic coming up behind you at >65mph. That's it.

For all of the people that do it when it starts raining (even though everyone around you has no problem SAFELY doing the speed limit) should be in the far right lane, at best. Unfortunately, people like good 'ole spidey tend to sit in the PASSING (NOT fast) lane going 30-40mph less than all other traffic - all doing it "safely" since they have their "Hazards" on...



You know what... I think I've just changed my opinion. Spidey, destruktor, others: please do keep turning on your flashers when you feel slightly uncomfortable, that way the other more alert drivers instantly can pick out the idiot drones to avoid.

 

[Crono]

If you are driving in the same conditions as everyone else on the road is, there's no reason for hazard lights.

 

[amicold]

Cal166 in NY you are required by law to use your hazards under 40mph on the thruway

 

[Brainonska511]

Cal166 in NY you are required by law to use your hazards under 40mph on the thruway

But if the flow of traffic is under 40 mph, you are not required to use them; so if there is a big snow storm and everyone is going < 40 mph, then you are not required to use them.

§ 103.14 Vehicles under 40 miles per hour.
Vehicles equipped with simultaneous flashers shall be required to use them when traveling on the Thruway at a speed of less than 40 miles per hour, except when posted for less or when the flow of traffic dictates otherwise.

http://www.nysthruway.gov/about/rulesandregs/p103.html#103.14