I-275 was lit up like a Christmas Tree last night (school, law)

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by Stewabby

If rain comes down so hard that I have trouble seeing the car in front of me I turn on my hazards because I assume the car behind me is having trouble seeing me as well. I think these people are just trying to get home safely.

Makes sense to me.

[Spring Hillian]

Gotta agree with ya BF. Those same folks who complain about such things are out there everyday performing the illegal acts you list.

I look at it this way. In a blinding rain I find those blinking tail lights to be a warning to me that:

1. The driver in front of me can't see very much in front of him.
2. The driver in front of me intends to go slow since his/her vision is quite limited.
3. The driver in front of me is being watchful and careful as they proceed along.
4. The driver in front of me most likely isn't going to be pulling over to another lane to avoid
the slower car in front of him/her.
5. The driver in front of me is uneasy with the conditions and is being extra cautious.

Then we have those who don't turn on flashers in a blinding rain and those are the drivers that I need to be most careful of because they most likely aren't thinking along the lines of 1-5 and that I can expect them to shift lanes, drive fast, not be careful, etc.

I prefer the warning knowing the car in front of me is aware of the situation and is taking other than normal cautions because of the situation.

Originally Posted by BucFan

A lot of things are ILLEGAL in Florida - but do you start of thread on them as well? Texting while driving, speeding, running through red lights, no stopping completely for stop signs.

Adapt. Of all the things done illegally, I think using hazard lights in a heavy rain storm is probably the least dangerous of any of the things I listed above.

[SULAW2015]

The reason I find flashers hazards in the rain:
1. They turn or switch lanes and you can't see their turn signal. But then again, no on uses turn signals anymore.
2. They have their hazards on in the far left lane traveling 50mph, when I come along at 70mph, please move over if you have hazards on.
3. They have right turn signal bulb burned out, just the left hazard is flashing, so it looks like they want to turn left in front of me.

[Spring Hillian]

It drivers like you who are doing 70 in a blinding rain that are the problem. You hydroplane and take out a few cars, injure or kill a few people and all is good because you had the right (or maybe were just speeding) to drive at 70 in less than optimal conditions. My bet is that most people who have 4-way lights blinking would not be interested in changing lanes in a blinding rain storm since they cant see to either side to safely make that move.

Originally Posted by SULAW2015

The reason I find flashers hazards in the rain:
1. They turn or switch lanes and you can't see their turn signal. But then again, no on uses turn signals anymore.
2. They have their hazards on in the far left lane traveling 50mph, when I come along at 70mph, please move over if you have hazards on.
3. They have right turn signal bulb burned out, just the left hazard is flashing, so it looks like they want to turn left in front of me.

[Cleverbeetle98]

Originally Posted by craigtnelson

They do this in every state

False. I have never seen until I moved here. And we drove in white out blizzards in the midwest.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by craigtnelson

They do this in every state

Originally Posted by swmrbird

False. I have never seen until I moved here. And we drove in white out blizzards in the midwest.

Seen it in every state I have lived. It's normal and smart.

[SULAW2015]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

It drivers like you who are doing 70 in a blinding rain that are the problem. You hydroplane and take out a few cars, injure or kill a few people and all is good because you had the right (or maybe were just speeding) to drive at 70 in less than optimal conditions. My bet is that most people who have 4-way lights blinking would not be interested in changing lanes in a blinding rain storm since they cant see to either side to safely make that move.

You are mistaken about speed, hydroplaning, and blinding rain. The actual speed of a vehicle has little to do with hydroplaning.

It has more to do with 1)Tire Tread wear, 2)Type of tires, 3) Acceleration, 4)Braking, 5) Steering, 6) Tire inflation, 7) Tire size, 8) Vehicle weight, 9) Vehicle weight distribution, 10) Vehicle type, 11) Vehicle Speed, 12) Quantity of standing water on the road, 13) Quality of the asphalt, 14) Alignment of the suspension, 15) Traction Control, 16) Ability of the driver, and 17) Suspension of the vehicle.

So when I am driving 70mph in left lane, I am posing no danger to drivers around because my tires have 10/32" of tire depth, "an unsurpassed blend of dry and wet street traction and handling", maintain a constant speed, don't brake, steer straight, 48psi tire pressure, 50/50 weight distribution, quality interstate asphalt, 2 degrees of negative camber alignment, the best ABS and Traction control in the world, etc, etc, etc.

So keep right, except to pass, thanks.

[Spring Hillian]

I am glad that you are confident about it all. I think that's why we call them ACCIDENTS.

Originally Posted by SULAW2015

You are mistaken about speed, hydroplaning, and blinding rain. The actual speed of a vehicle has little to do with hydroplaning.

It has more to do with 1)Tire Tread wear, 2)Type of tires, 3) Acceleration, 4)Braking, 5) Steering, 6) Tire inflation, 7) Tire size, 8) Vehicle weight, 9) Vehicle weight distribution, 10) Vehicle type, 11) Vehicle Speed, 12) Quantity of standing water on the road, 13) Quality of the asphalt, 14) Alignment of the suspension, 15) Traction Control, 16) Ability of the driver, and 17) Suspension of the vehicle.

So when I am driving 70mph in left lane, I am posing no danger to drivers around because my tires have 10/32" of tire depth, "an unsurpassed blend of dry and wet street traction and handling", maintain a constant speed, don't brake, steer straight, 48psi tire pressure, 50/50 weight distribution, quality interstate asphalt, 2 degrees of negative camber alignment, the best ABS and Traction control in the world, etc, etc, etc.

So keep right, except to pass, thanks.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by SULAW2015

You are mistaken about speed, hydroplaning, and blinding rain. The actual speed of a vehicle has little to do with hydroplaning.

It has more to do with 1)Tire Tread wear, 2)Type of tires, 3) Acceleration, 4)Braking, 5) Steering, 6) Tire inflation, 7) Tire size, 8) Vehicle weight, 9) Vehicle weight distribution, 10) Vehicle type, 11) Vehicle Speed, 12) Quantity of standing water on the road, 13) Quality of the asphalt, 14) Alignment of the suspension, 15) Traction Control, 16) Ability of the driver, and 17) Suspension of the vehicle.

So when I am driving 70mph in left lane, I am posing no danger to drivers around because my tires have 10/32" of tire depth, "an unsurpassed blend of dry and wet street traction and handling", maintain a constant speed, don't brake, steer straight, 48psi tire pressure, 50/50 weight distribution, quality interstate asphalt, 2 degrees of negative camber alignment, the best ABS and Traction control in the world, etc, etc, etc.

So keep right, except to pass, thanks.

What a load of baloney, while al those factors can combine to give better stability and traction given enough speed and water depth on the road you are going to hydroplane, as for all your other critera i doubt you know half what you think you know, do you bring your little lab test kit to test the quality of the road surface?or every day you do a tread depth measurement,, and how would you know what blend of dry and wet street traction a tire is comprised of, and whats with the 48psi? etc etc etc
And doing 70mph in substantial rain fall without being able to steer or brake sounds like its just a matter of time before you and all your supposed automotive knowledge will be sitting right beside each other in the ditch.
Any one ever comment on how close your posting style resembles a one Limehousemiller?

[Sunnydee]

Originally Posted by swmrbird

False. I have never seen until I moved here. And we drove in white out blizzards in the midwest.

I have to agree with you, I never saw the flasher thing done until I moved to Florida. I don't mind it because it signals to me that the person in that car is worried about their safety. I have to remind myself that this state is filled with people who may or may not know where they are going. I try to keep in mind that I'm driving with tourists, people who don't speak our language and can't read our road signs, elderly people, and people who seem to think they're the only people on the road. It's an interesting driving dynamic.