AMERICA ONLY: Is it okay to flash Hi-beams to signal a pass?

  • Thread starter Jim Prower
  • 44 comments
  • 1,862 views

Flash Hi-beams on U.S. roads?

  • Should make things safer, polite, even.

    Votes: 8 26.7%

  • Won't harm anything, but won't change anything, either.

    Votes: 7 23.3%

  • Probably really irritates people, avoid it.

    Votes: 13 43.3%

  • Don't know/Don't live in the U.S.

    Votes: 2 6.7%
  • Total voters
    30
Jim Prower

Jim Prower

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I know that in many countries a faster driver will flash his high-beams to overtake a slower driver. I wonder: is this considered rude in the U.S.? or is it not really a problem? Is it safer, even?
 
I tend to do it a lot of the time, mainly because my car is small and most of the people around here have big ass SUV's and trucks. I only do it on two laned roads though. When I'm on the freeway I use the high beams to signal for people to get over or let people in my lane if they have their indicator on.

I've been flashed before on the freeway and I know it means to move right, and if someone is coming up on me fast it's obvious that I was in the wrong lane to begin with so I do need to move over. I don't find it rude, I find it actually safer because you aren't impeding the flow of traffic.
 
I don't use the flash to indicate a pass on a 2-lane road because most Americans would have no clue what I was signaling.

On freeways, I use a flash to signal someone clogging the passing lane that they should yield, but only if I've been back there for 30 seconds or so and have seen no indication that they are preparing to move over.

I also use it to let trucks know I'm leaving room for them to move over, and I really try to help those guys out. Most of them really appreciate it.
 
I only use it myself on the interstate, when a big 18 wheeler is trying to pass me at night but doesn't seem to know where I am. The flash lets him know it's safe to move over, and they tend to signal me back when they're done.

I remember my driver's ed. book in high school recommended honking the horn when you pass someone, but I haven't seen ANYONE who's done that.


Also, when people in cars give signals to other people also in cars in this part of the country it's usually meant to be seen in a rude manner. The vibe is generally "GTFO of the way!"

Unless it's a friendly wave.
 
here, it means one of two things

Truckers: well, get moving! (going round a turn)
regular: Cops/Accident ahead.

if somebody beams you, here, most people put their high's on in response. happens to most of us in trucks or SUV's...and half the time, they end up flicking hi beams once translation "they ARE off, stupid!"
 
i live in Denver, Colorado and around here people going the other way flash their lights when there's a speed trap (which they just passed) up ahead, not so much for signaling a pass
 
Yea as mentioned more often than anything, if the car is oncoming it means cops/accident ahead.

I've rarely seen it on the highway from behind traffic signaling to move over, usually that signal is tailgating.
 
Funky P
I've rarely seen it on the highway from behind traffic signaling to move over, usually that signal is tailgating.
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Wouldn't flashing your high beams be much safer than riding someone's ass?
 
Considering there are so many idiots that run around with their high beams because they can't [censored] operate a damn car I don't think it would matter here. Although you'd probably just piss people off and if you did it in SoCal they'd blow your head off. :rolleyes:
 
Duke
I don't use the flash to indicate a pass on a 2-lane road because most Americans would have no clue what I was signaling.
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Ditto. If someone flashed me while passing, I would think “Uh, did I do something wrong?” I’ll repost what I posted here:

My rule of thumb is:
  • Flashing lights at cars, or a quick-succession multi-flash at tractor trailers, means: Get out of my way!
  • A slow-succession flash at a tractor trailer means: Go ahead and pull out in front of me.

There’s really no other use for flashing your high beams here, unless your aim is to confuse other drivers.
 
America Only thread.... its like persecution! :nervous:




;)


Flashing people in the UK if your behind them would be considered anger.. as if you want them to speed up or get out of the way... it would probably cause the driver in front to react badly not to mention blind them and would cause lots of accidents...

The best way is to just signal to let them know your going to make a pass.
 
Robin.
America Only thread.... its like persecution! :nervous:




;)


Flashing people in the UK if your behind them would be considered anger.. as if you want them to speed up or get out of the way... it would probably cause the driver in front to react badly not to mention blind them and would cause lots of accidents...

The best way is to just signal to let them know your going to make a pass.
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Yeah, it would be the same here. They would get annoyed with you, probably try to make it harder for you to overtake!

Dont say American only thread, it only makes me want to go somewhere if it says I cant :lol:.
 
Yeah, I drive a truck and it's always kind of hard to merge into heavy traffic... so many people won't let you over and try to pass by you and cut you off. There's no love for us most of the time. It's also hard to judge just how much room people give us, if they are letting us over... so I wait until I can make an accurate judgement or until they flash the beams.

I never used it... but I would, and only for fellow truckers because otherwise it would probably more so piss people off than anything else. That's just how it is.
 
People don't have to let you merge into traffic, you don't have the right a way.
 
Robin.
Flashing people in the UK if your behind them would be considered anger.. as if you want them to speed up or get out of the way... it would probably cause the driver in front to react badly not to mention blind them and would cause lots of accidents...

The best way is to just signal to let them know your going to make a pass.
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Flashing your beams is commonly used here at night with people in the opposite direction to either thank or let someone know you've pulled in for them to come through on a particularly narrow bit of road (of which there are many near me). Though I've now changed to flicking my head lights off rather than flashing my full-beams .
 
I only get the light off to mean "hey dummy...your lights are off"

it must be a regional thing as to translation.
 
Duke
I don't use the flash to indicate a pass on a 2-lane road because most Americans would have no clue what I was signaling.
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+1 Found it in the road manual months ago - had no idea it was something suggested.

Here's an odd one... does anyone ever put their left turn signal on and keep it on when going very fast in the left lane as a signal to other drivers to move? I've heard they do that in Germany. In fact I did it today in a certain very fast German sedan whilst at triple digits :)
 
M5Power
Here's an odd one... does anyone ever put their left turn signal on and keep it on when going very fast in the left lane as a signal to other drivers to move?
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Frankly, I would assume the driver was just a tool who was going too fast and forgot his blinker was on.

I once saw an Aston Martin DB9 volante in the slow lane with its left blinker going and the old white-haired man completely oblivious. I was so sad.
 
Ugh. The other day i drove a 612 Scaglietti like nine miles with the signal on. How ****ing embarrassed was I.
 
It doesn't bong to remind you that your blinker is on? Hell, my '92 Caravan did that.

And no, I've never heard of the "left blinker on" signal for high speed.
 
I remember being with my grandpa behind a car at a stop light, and some idiot coming from the other direction didn't even have his lights on. It was almost midnight. So, my grandpa starts flashing his lights at this other driver and honks his horn once or twice, and then the person in front of us got all spooked and stuff and turned right at the red light. It was pretty funny, but only because we weren't expecting that to happen.

I don't think flashing your lights at all is a good idea down here. People freak out when they get flashed or honked.
 
Duke
I don't use the flash to indicate a pass on a 2-lane road because most Americans would have no clue what I was signaling.

On freeways, I use a flash to signal someone clogging the passing lane that they should yield, but only if I've been back there for 30 seconds or so and have seen no indication that they are preparing to move over.

I also use it to let trucks know I'm leaving room for them to move over, and I really try to help those guys out. Most of them really appreciate it.
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That describes me right there. If I remember correctly we were told in driver's school that you should flash your high beams to signal a pass so as not to prepare the passee. But as you said nobody seems to remember that part. It makes me nervous every time I pass somebody on a two-lane because I don't know what they're going to do, and they won't understand me when I tell them what I'm going to do.

Here's a quiestion: Is it proper to politely beep your horn to pass an Amish wagon? Or would that scare the horses?
 
Keef
Here's a quiestion: Is it proper to politely beep your horn to pass an Amish wagon? Or would that scare the horses?
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Most of the time they know you are there and will wave you past. When I was driving around the thumb I came up on an Amish wagon and they waved me by. I drove past slowly as not to spook the horses. They wished us a "good day" as we went past. I would just slowly come up behind them and wait a second, they will realise you are there and let you by. I don't think I've ever come across a rude Amish person before so I try to be as nice as I can be to them.
 
as a person who drives the Amish to work for a living (it's the only way to make money out here, now, short of a McJob), I'd be able to tell you right off. around here, we simply drive out around them...as soon as they get clear of the curve you inevitably come up on them rounding. I wouldn't honk at them either. fortunately, you'll be able to tell a spooky horse, which is what you have to REALLY worry about.

we still have the occasional "i didn't see em" death, but the guys are usually good about making sure their reflector strips are on, and their batteries are still charged (the amish have a reg here that they have to have lights on their buggies).
 
Ah, I see. I've been through many Amish areas up north of Dayton on the way to Indian Lake when I was younger. I've only driven the route once myself and I never did see wagons. Thanks for the input because I haven't yet had the chance to learn how to deal with them.
 

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