Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with the OP. I don't think I've seen this happen too often in my 10 years of driving, so I think most drivers know it's a bad idea to do. Hopefully the ones who don't know that, read this thread and see the many reasons as to why it's not a good idea unless in an emergency situation.
Hazard lights disable your turn signals, adding another hazard.
This, and the fact that flashing hazards make it even harder to see out of the windshield when the wipers are already having trouble keeping up in a very hard rain is what prompted me to start this thread.
Trying to drive on I-95 south bound before the Ft McHenry tunnel last week, I had the hazard patrol switching lanes without signals, and generally making it even harder to see with all the flashing lights going on.
The harm is that hazard lights are to indicate that you are a hazard, not that you are driving in hazardous conditions. Driving slower in the rain is a given, and there is no need for the hazards. If you are driving considerably slower than the traffic around you in the rain (or otherwise), you should exit the highway completely and reenter when conditions enable you to maintain a safe speed in relation to others around you.
Hazard lights disable your turn signals, so when you decide to switch lanes or exit the highway, you cannot signal properly.
Experienced drivers will not expect a car with hazard lights on to be moving. Hazard lights in heavy rain obscure visibility for the other drivers around you.
Duly noted in terms of the hazard lights not being appropriate for cars that are in motion. I'm in the Philly area and we got the same insane monsoon like rain that you folks in Maryland got.
Although I can't speak for MD, I can definitely tell you I can understand WHY some people do this here in the Philly / S. Jersey area.
On Rte 95 and Rte 295 on any given inclement weather conditions (massive rainstorms with crosswinds, snow, icy roads, etc.) there are always several people who STILL drive like a mentally deranged bat out of hell.
Long haul Truckers have one track minds ("I gotta get this load from Point A to B in "X" amount of time / days"). These dudes haul @ss and don't let the hell up..no matter WHAT!
Then, you've got the assorted nuts in 4WD SUV's and even FWD cars who are just oblivious to the dangers / likelihood of hydroplaning in heavy rain, losing control on snowy/icy roads.
THESE are the TRUE road hazards, IMHO.
Therefore, I DO feel sorry for the older drivers, younger new drivers, or just plain timid drivers who practically get anxiety attacks in weather conditions like this.
I just play it safe and assume that they have car problems and get from behind them ASAP. It's basically their way of telling everyone to slow the hell down.
I don't condone what they're doing, but I can somewhat relate to their motivations. Doing 80+ MPH in the left lane is beyond stupid in the heavy rain with poor visibility situation that we were faced with last week.
On my van, the hazards not only disable the turn signals, but 2 of the three brake lights also are disabled. I had no idea until I was following one in a funeral line that had the bulb burned out in the center brake light. I nearly hit him several times before figuring it out.
We had some heavy rain in my region this past week, and again - people insisted on putting on their hazard lights while DRIVING.
The reason you don't do this is because your hazard lights are to indicate that YOU are a hazard, NOT that you are driving in hazardous conditions. They are not for use while driving in the rain.
Again - THEY ARE NOT FOR USE WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. Headlights are. Headlights on when wipers are on. That's the rule.
Using them in the rain while driving confuses experienced drivers, and creates a dangerous situation.
Thank you.
PS: And don't right with your brights on either. Cripes.
there are times when running with you hazard lights on is a good idea, and other times when it is required. for instance when the weather is inclement, such as in fog, or in heavy rain where visibility is restricted, those flashing lights give warning to those coming from behind you, or even those approaching from the front, that there is a car there and to be careful. often times it can mean the difference between people driving safely around you, and them hitting you because they couldnt see your tail lights.
and then there is the time when you are driving down the freeway at below the minimum speed limit, in PA its 40mph, in some states you are required to have your hazard flashers on when below the minimum limit.
If the speed limit is 55 and you are doing 25 - and everyone else is doing 25 due to the rain, you don't need the hazards. If you are doing 25 and everyone else is doing 55 - you need to exit the highway or stop on the shoulder (and then put the hazards on).
Unless you live where I live and the rain causes white out conditions. Then even slowly moving cars are hard to see. I think it's due to the type of concrete they use here, because I've never had the kind of trouble seeing other cars in the rain like i do here. And people have the tendency to drive with hazards on, which I had never seen before moving here.
I don't know where you live, but in my area driving in heavy snow storms absolutely can be an emergency.
Driving in poor conditions is not an emergency! If the conditions are so poor that driving in them constitutes an "emergency" then you shouldn't be on the road in the first place unless you're going to the hospital or something like that.
Driving in poor conditions is not an emergency! If the conditions are so poor that driving in them constitutes an "emergency" then you shouldn't be on the road in the first place unless you're going to the hospital or something like that.
it may not be an emergency, but it does prevent emergencies if visibility is very low, such as fog or heavy rain, and you use you flashers to prevent collisions. and as i indicated, there are some states that require that you use your emergency flashers if you are driving below the minimum speed limit on the interstate, again to prevent collisions.
I get the point that the OP is trying to convey, but I don't really care for the obstinate manner it's being done. The fact of the matter is that there are mainly 3 different ways that state's view the use of hazard lights. 1) The use of hazard lights is permitted 2) The use of hazard lights is not permitted. 3) The use of hazard lights are not permitted except to indicate a traffic hazard. The last statement varies according to state but they're basically the same. Hazard Light Use | AAA/CAA Digest of Motor Laws So there ARE states where it's considered OK, regardless of whether it's right or not in your opinion.
A convoy or funeral procession usually gets an exemption as well.
Although the overuse of hazard lights doesn't bother me personally, I think that a quick 3 - 6 second use of them when coming up on a problem in low visibility can be warranted. I have more of a problem with the insecure folks who freeze or panic in bad driving conditions and won't pull off the road for the few minutes it takes to clear.....but that's most Americans for ya.....always in a hurry to get nowhere.
Last edited by Catdancer; 05-03-2014 at 04:10 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
