I'm A Hazard

[numbnuts]

Today a car was behind me waiting to over take and he had his hazards lights on as soon as he passed he switched them off, anybody else had that.

 

[TreeHuggery]

no, but my mother in law, used to have a terrible habit of hooting at cyclists as she drove past them - just to let them know she was there.....

 

[sight-pin]

Today a car was behind me waiting to over take and he had his hazards lights on as soon as he passed he switched them off, anybody else had that.

I use the hazard lights sometimes for that, also have them on and slow right down when passing an ice cream van in a back turning where i can see kids being served, it's just to warn any motorist behind of a possible child running out.
Should i not do that then do you think?

 

[Profpointy]

I use the hazard lights sometimes for that, also have them on and slow right down when passing an ice cream van in a back turning where i can see kids being served, it's just to warn any motorist behind of a possible child running out.
Should i not do that then do you think?

one snag is people use them as "park anywhere" lights so peeps behind might think you've stopped / are stopping and hence zoom past. If you're passing the ice cream van I'd indicate normally and just drive v alow

 

[Glow worm]

I've not had the hazard light thing- yet anyway! I do get a lot of "lurkers" - the drivers that sit on your back wheel for ages even when the road ahead is straight and clear for a safe overtake. Most odd. Although annoying, I guess I prefer lurkers to the psychopaths.

 

[Mugshot]

one snag is people use them as "park anywhere" lights so peeps behind might think you've stopped / are stopping and hence zoom past. If you're passing the ice cream van I'd indicate normally and just drive v alow

Ah yes, the old "I am parked illegally and am causing an obstruction, but I have my hazard lights on so it's all good."

 

[byegad]

Not only do I get Lurkers but also oncoming gleggers*. They slow right down as they get near, thus forcing the lurker to wait even longer for a clear road to overtake.

*To gleg (verb) To look in bemused confusion at something while causing extreme inconvenience to all.

 

[sight-pin]

one snag is people use them as "park anywhere" lights so peeps behind might think you've stopped / are stopping and hence zoom past. If you're passing the ice cream van I'd indicate normally and just drive v alow

That's possibility yes, but it's only on narrow or restricted roads i'd put them on for a cyclist.
As for the ice cream van, i always pass slowly, a long time back i did have a child run right out in front,Stopped in plenty of time so no problem, but some motorist are eager to pass a slow driving vehicle as well.
Out of interest...I've also noticed when sometimes abroad, motorist put hazards on when approaching a slow moving or stopped queue of traffic, then switch them off when another vehicle comes behind them with there hazards on. seems a good idea to me.

 

[Spinney]

Out of interest...I've also noticed when sometimes abroad, motorist put hazards on when approaching a slow moving or stopped queue of traffic, then switch them off when another vehicle comes behind them with there hazards on. seems a good idea to me.

I do this if approaching a queue on the motorway - indicates to those behind that you are seriously slowing down, not just losing a little speed. I've seen lots of others do this as well in the UK.

 

[MikeW-71]

I've not had the hazard light thing- yet anyway! I do get a lot of "lurkers" - the drivers that sit on your back wheel for ages even when the road ahead is straight and clear for a safe overtake. Most odd. Although annoying, I guess I prefer lurkers to the psychopaths.

I had a lurker yesterday. Going to my parents, there's a short hill that's just steep enough to get me slowed down to single-digit speeds. The road's pretty wide and usually traffic will pass after the narrow bit near the bottom. This time a massive artic sat behind me for the minute it takes me to frantically winch myself to the top

 

[MontyVeda]

Today a car was behind me waiting to over take and he had his hazards lights on as soon as he passed he switched them off, anybody else had that.

I think that's a sign of a conscientious driver. In my experience as a passenger, many people never seem use their hazard lights, and a few do... seemingly to warn any vehicles behind that they're slowing sharper than expected (brake lights are either on or off), or maybe just because they've spotted something on the road ahead that the car behind maybe hasn't. I reckon it's a way of communicating with the car behind, although i suspect many drivers don't think of them like that... or even know what the button's for.

 

[Falco Frank]

I'm still coming to terms with control on my 'bent & tend to wander a little at times.

If a driver wants to give me a wide berth (for whatever reason really) and whatever they might think of me, as long as it keeps us both safe then its fine by me.

 

[Dogtrousers]

According to the Highway code, the only time you are permitted to use hazards while moving is on a M-way or dual carriageway to warn drivers behind of an obstruction ahead. Apart from that you "must not" (note the must) use them while moving. Come to think of it, that's probably the only time I've ever used mine. Except ...

Apart from an incident recently where a cyclist fell off on a roundabout in front of me (clipless embarrassment fall, not serious). I waited while he got up out of the road and put my hazards on as I was stationary on the roundabout.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I use the hazard lights sometimes for that, also have them on and slow right down when passing an ice cream van in a back turning where i can see kids being served, it's just to warn any motorist behind of a possible child running out.
Should i not do that then do you think?

In many countries it is illegal to have your hazards on whilst the vehicle is moving. It prevents you from indicating your intention to turn.

I once sat on my bicycle, on the heels of a TLB with its hazards on, going slowly up a hill. I waited until it was safe to overtake (in my bike) and went for it. He suddenly swerved and turned. We had some words after that but I soon realized that he had indicated, it was just that his hazards were on and the indicator is lost in that case.

 

[arallsopp]

I'm a lurker. So is my other half. We looked for a long time for something we could put on the front of the car that would let the bike in front know that we weren't frustrated, weren't about to slam around them, weren't hunting for the right gear, didn't need them to speed up, were quite happy to wait for a safe pass.

People tend to see the British Cycling sticker in the back window when we do come by and give a friendly wave in recognition of our courtesy... but it doesn't stop them getting red in the face trying not to be 'in our way'.

Maybe I'll permanently mount a bike carrier to the roof bars. There's plenty of roads round ours where safe passes have to wait, and its a little damning to think that the general assumption is we won't be courteous.