It's dark out. Put your F#%@&! lights on!

[VINMAN]

What is with people that refuse to drive with lights on when it is dark out or in bad weather?? Had another close call this morning with some moron without his lights on. When I leave for work in the morning its still dark out. Sun is just starting to come up. I was in the center lane getting ready to move into the right lane. I signaled, and started moving over, some guy lays on his horn as he is passing me on the right. I did not see the guy in my mirror, he had no lights on.
When i pulled next to him at the next light. I rolled my window down and yelled that he didnt have lights. His response was, "Well, it's gonna be light out soon". WTF!!?? I was like, are you kidding me?? Its fuchin dark out right now you moron!
Not the first time something like that has happened. My big pet peve is not having lights on in the rain. Are people that oblivious or just stupid?
Around here, it is the "cool" thing to drive with just parking lights on also.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

My big pet peve is not having lights on in the rain. Are people that oblivious or just stupid?

Yes, emphatically yes!!

Around here, it is the "cool" thing to drive with just parking lights on also.

Yeah, here too. They are "parking" lights. If you aren't parking, don't turn them on. Headlights, or no lights.

[Paul K]

I hear ya. Seems like folks either have no lights on, or too many (lots of people drive about all day with their fog lights on here). The drivers manual is pretty clear about this stuff- and what ever happened to common sense?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Paul K

and what ever happened to common sense?

Hahahahah Hahahahahah

hahahahahahahaha

you're kidding right?

"common sense" should be renamed to "rare sense"

Yeah, these days seems that 50% of vehicles come with fogs, and plenty of other folks add fogs, and all of those folks drive around with them on all of the time.

[KFC911]

I had a boy scout leader say something along the lines of: "Lights are for being seen, not for seeing", and he was right most of the time...I've never forgotten it.

[Porsche_monkey]

We have mandatory daytime running lights in Canada. We are stupid too, but we know it.

So now you see people driving at night with no tail lights, just headlights. And I suspect they have no dash lights either.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Porsche_monkey

We have mandatory daytime running lights in Canada. We are stupid too, but we know it.

So now you see people driving at night with no tail lights, just headlights. And I suspect they have no dash lights either.

I see the same thing here occasionally. Headlights, but no tail-lights, and as you say, usually the tail lights are tied to the dash lights.

[livi]

Most cars manufactured for the European market (certainly Scandinavia at least) will automatically turn on the driving and tail lights when starting the car. I keep forgetting to manually turn it on in my American Jeep..

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by masraum

Hahahahah Hahahahahah

hahahahahahahaha

you're kidding right?

"common sense" should be renamed to "rare sense"

+1. Oh well.

[old man neri]

It's bad here as well, people think they never need to turn on their lights in bad weather because their cars have 'daytime running headligths'. I still can't see the rear of their grey car in the rain with out their tail lights.

[Dave L]

only thing worse is rear fog lights, when its not foggy.

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Are people that oblivious or just stupid?

Yes.

How about people who activate their emergency flashers when driving in heavy rain. WTF? What third-world country did they learn that from?

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by DasBoot

How about people who activate their emergency flashers when driving in heavy rain. WTF? What third-world country did they learn that from?

Flashers (yellow/amber) can be seen sooner and from a greater distance than a constantly on tail light (red) in very heavy rain or fog.

Next time you're in heavy rain or fog and someone in front of you has their flashers on, back off a bit and notice how much further away you can see them.

It's a combination of the on-off thing and the fact that yellow/amber cuts through rain/fog better.

[Porsche_monkey]

Originally Posted by DasBoot

Yes.

How about people who activate their emergency flashers when driving in heavy rain. WTF? What third-world country did they learn that from?

I think that is reasonable in heavy rain where traffic has stopped suddenly, and you are sitting at the back of the line. Other than that it is nuts.

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Flashers (yellow/amber) can be seen sooner and from a greater distance than a constantly on tail light (red) in very heavy rain or fog.

Next time you're in heavy rain or fog and someone in front of you has their flashers on, back off a bit and notice how much further away you can see them.

It's a combination of the on-off thing and the fact that yellow/amber cuts through rain/fog better.

NO! WRONG!

Flashers indicate a stopped vehicle. If someone moving faster than the "flashing" vehicle happens upon it, there is a chance that they'll react in anticipation of the flashing vehicle being stopped, causing more problems.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WITH YOUR FLASHERS ON! DON'T DO IT.

[Z-man]

Originally Posted by DasBoot

NO! WRONG!

Flashers indicate a stopped vehicle. If someone moving faster than the "flashing" vehicle happens upon it, there is a chance that they'll react in anticipation of the flashing vehicle being stopped, causing more problems.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WITH YOUR FLASHERS ON! DON'T DO IT.

I disagree. Flashers are used for a stopped and a slowed vehcile, as well as to alarm the drives behind you of an unexpected event, like heavy traffic that is stopped, or an unexpected downpour. If I got a flat, and am driving home on my donut spare, I'll be driving significantly slower than the flow of traffic. And you bet my flashers will be on!

Using flashers have saved me from a wreck. We were caravanning to Mid Ohio from NJ for a DE event. We were all pulling trailers behind our trucks. Driving along at 65-70mph, we hit a major wall of rain and hail. As soon as I entered the deluge, I immediately hit my flashers.

After we went through the down-pour, Brian, the guy following me said that by putting on my flashers, I prevented him from either smacking into my trailer, or him going off the road. Brian had lagged behind a little, and was trying to catch up to the caravan, so he we travelling a bit faster than we were. The flashers gave Brian sufficient warning to start slowing down.

Now if people would just use their lousy turn signals -- THAT would be a blessing!!! But that's altogether another rant thread...

-Z-man.

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by Z-man

I disagree. Flashers are used for a stopped and a slowed vehcile, as well as to alarm the drives behind you of an unexpected event, like heavy traffic that is stopped, or an unexpected downpour. If I got a flat, and am driving home on my donut spare, I'll be driving significantly slower than the flow of traffic. And you bet my flashers will be on!

Then you'll probably be breaking the law in 49/50 states.

Florida Statute 316.2397

(7) Flashing lights are prohibited on vehicles except as a means of indicating a right or left turn, to change lanes, or to indicate that the vehicle is lawfully stopped or disabled upon the highway or except that the lamps authorized in subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), and (9) and s. 316.235(5) are permitted to flash.

Stop! Flashing Lights While Driving is Illegal

THE ROAD PATROL - Publication of the Florida Highway Patrol

So, you're driving down the road and a quick-moving thunderstorm suddenly starts dropping buckets of rain from the gloomy sky. Within seconds, the red taillights on the vehicle ahead of you are nearly impossible to see.

The wipers are flying across your windshield, but still you squint to see what's ahead. Instinctively, you lean over, pop on your hazard lights and rest assured that, at least others behind you now can see your car through the heavy rain. Like many motorists, you secretly wish the driver ahead would do the same.

But, unbeknownst to you . . . you've just broken the law. You're not alone: The Patrol also can be accused of hitting the hazard button on the little blue Patrolmobile during the Sunshine State's usual summer afternoon downpours.

It always seemed to help, The Patrol thought.

"It's illegal," said Trooper Kim Miller, public information officer for the Florida Highway Patrol. Drivers "think with the blinking light that you can be seen more easily."

Truth is, it causes more accidents than it prevents, she said.

"The reason it's illegal is that somebody behind you sees your hazard lights flashing, thinks you're stopped in the roadway, and in a panic, they swerve to switch lanes so they avoid hitting you," Kim said. "The law states that the only time you use them is when you're stationary. They're designed for emergencies."

Kim said some people also pop on their hazard lights if they have a flat tire or if someone is following them. Driving with flashing lights along the shoulder of the road also is a no-no, she said.

"The shoulder is for cars that are disabled," Kim said. "But the car must be stopped before you turn on the hazard lights."

OK, Kim, what should you do if you're in a deluge of rain and feel you can't see?

She said anytime you don't feel comfortable driving in a heavy downpour, you should pull completely off the road and then turn on your hazard lights.

If you drive with your flashers on, you risk getting a ticket for a nonmoving violation [Kim didn't know why it's a nonmoving violation, since you're moving] that will cost you $71.50 in Volusia County and even more in others.

But, The Patrol doesn't expect to see many troopers, deputies or city cops getting drenched just because they want to write you up for illegal "flashing."

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by Z-man

Using flashers have saved me from a wreck. We were caravanning to Mid Ohio from NJ for a DE event. We were all pulling trailers behind our trucks. Driving along at 65-70mph, we hit a major wall of rain and hail. As soon as I entered the deluge, I immediately hit my flashers.

After we went through the down-pour, Brian, the guy following me said that by putting on my flashers, I prevented him from either smacking into my trailer, or him going off the road. Brian had lagged behind a little, and was trying to catch up to the caravan, so he we travelling a bit faster than we were. The flashers gave Brian sufficient warning to start slowing down.

If Brian couldn't see due to the heavy rain, he shouldn't have been driving (or driving at such a speed where he couldn't see ahead). THIS behavior causes the messy, deadly accidents you see every night on the news.

[DasBoot]

Another problem with driving with emergency flashers on is if you attempt to change lanes, people behind you won't know you're signalling as the flashers supercede the directional lights.

[Jim Richards]

The use of flashers during low visibility conditions does improve one's ability to see the cars (using flashers) ahead. This was very common practice in FL when a sudden downpour occured. It's fine if you don't like it Boot, but many others do.