Hazard Warning Lights, are they some sort of Klingon Cloaking Device?

[Bay Runner]

I have been enjoying this forum for a while now and I am surprised that there has been no discussion on something which annoys me, vehicles using hazard warning lights inappropriately.

Are they some sort of Klingon Cloaking Device?

I watch motorist parking illegally to pop to the shop or cash point. I can only assume that they think by putting their hazard warning lights on that it makes their parking somehow legal, or they think that the car then becomes invisible to traffic wardens and police officers.


I find it frustrating when I cycle past parked vehicles, I see a vehicle that appears to be indicating to pull out, only to find when I’ve past that they are in fact hazard warning lights and the vehicle is going nowhere.

I have not got the Highway Code to hand, so correct me if I am wrong, hazard warning lights should be used to indicate a hazardous situation or incident to other road users.


Is it right to create a hazardous situation for your own benefit and then use hazard warning lights to justify that situation?

End of Rant!

 

[hackbike 666]

Yeah I see buses do this.Perhaps they become invisible when the pull in.Also it's a pain when you get near a vehicle and find the right hand lamp flashing as well as the left hand lamp.

If BM says it is wrong then it must be.

 

[eddiemee]

Yes, this is very annoying. I think the worst I've seen was someone who stopped in the middle of one lane of a busy roundabout at ~8am so he could take a phone call. Presumably he thought he was being safe and considerate by stopping to talk, but failed to realise that he rapidly created a tailback.

But he had his hazard lights on, so it's OK.

 

[John the Monkey]

The emergency shopping lights, you mean?

 

[Bman]

The HC is available online :
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070190

And no, I dont think its ok to use Hazard Lights inappropriately.

 

[BentMikey]

It does bug me when buses park up and put on their hazard lights. I then can't tell if they have hazards on, or are indicating right to pull out

 

[gouldina]

Yeah I see buses do this.Perhaps they become invisible when the pull in.Also it's a pain when you get near a vehicle and find the right hand lamp flashing as well as the left hand lamp.

If BM says it is wrong then it must be.

What I really hate is when they're parked with them on but you can only see the one on the right so you're constantly alert for them pulling out on you but in fact, there's no-one in the frickin vehicle and they've gone for a pasty or something.


Edit: Sorry BentMikey missed your post somehow.

 

[automatic_jon]

A quick guide to what drivers think indicators are for.

Flashing orange lights on the left of the car: "I have turned left"
Flashing orange lights on the right of the car: "I have turned right"
Flashing orange lights at all corners of the car "I am parked illegally"

 

[BenM]

They are known as "park anywhere lights" around here... apparently you can park anywhere you like if you use them and the various bits of traffic legislation do not apply when they are used. I am thinking of getting a set for the 'bent

B.

 

[gouldina]

A quick guide to what drivers think indicators are for.

Flashing orange lights on the left of the car: "I have turned left"
Flashing orange lights on the right of the car: "I have turned right"
Flashing orange lights at all corners of the car "I am parked illegally"

 

[StuartG]

The decision to use the indicators as confirmation of the car being locked/unlocked was another thoughtless decision which our regulatory authorities see fit to ignore.

Or am I the only one to have put themselves in many a perilous situation because I thought a parked car was about to pull out?

Has their ever been a campaign to ban them? Perhaps Peter Bone MP with his well known desire for cyclist safety might like to pick up the challenge?

 

[Davidc]

As a general rule the only things the orange lights in the corners are used for are:

1. Locking system confirmation.
2. I'm parked illegaly lights.

Any other illumination is entirely random and any correlation to any intention to turn, change lane, pull out or change direction is entirely coincidental.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

In a lorry, they mean "I am about to reverse this vehicle into a space roughly the size of a rabbit hutch. Please feel free to attempt to get your car through any gap I leave, however small, blowing your horn while I do so."

 

[ttcycle]

I remember coming across a driver whilst on a driving lesson that pulled out from a junction last minute even though I had right of way and was driving at the right speed and not hesitating-had to brake quite a lot to compensate. The driver then puts his hazard lights on for a brief second. my instructor and I laughed, if he knew what he was doing was causing a hazard why do it?

 

[tyred]

I remember coming across a driver whilst on a driving lesson that pulled out from a junction last minute even though I had right of way and was driving at the right speed and not hesitating-had to brake quite a lot to compensate. The driver then puts his hazard lights on for a brief second. my instructor and I laughed, if he knew what he was doing was causing a hazard why do it?

He was acknowledging that he had made a mistake and thanking you for not driving into him.