silverlady54 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Flashing your lights is illegal anyway, I believe. The correct interpretation is that lights should only be flashed to tell another road user you are there. You are there You are where ?? Are you supposed to flash every other user to let them know you are there? Hmmmm! The Highway code states: "Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users." Never assume that flashing headlights is a signal inviting you to proceed. Use your own judgement and proceed carefully. As I said before, the custom is now to flash when allowing other cars to go first or for lots of other reasons, but they are all incorrect and cause confusion when different people use them for different reasons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Well that's cleared that up silverlady .................. I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverlady54 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 It is confusing and one of those rules that needs changing because people have altered the usage over the years (if it was ever used for the correct purpose in the first place). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 May not be in the Highway Code, BUT flashing one's lights to indicate to another driver that they can proceed first or to thank them for letting you go; assists the decision making process for some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverlady54 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 It may do Observer, and that use is common, but you may find that in a court of law the original Highway Code use might prevail in the case of a collision, if flashing of headlights was the cause and 2 drivers thought it meant opposite things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Let's face it, the Highway Code isn't exactly up to date or in step with modern motoring. It still quotes exactly the same total stopping distances from 30, 50 and 70mph as it did 30 years ago - despite the advent of ABS, ventilated brake discs, servo assisted braking, far better tyres, high grip road surfaces, better suspension systems, and any number of other advances which have reduced the real world stopping distances of the average car to well below the quoted values. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Quite right Inky, but don't forget that included in the 'total' stopping distance there is an element of 'thinking' and as thinking can be affected by tiredness alcohol, drugs and distractions then proportionaly as the braking distance may have gone down, the thinking may well have gone up.......................... I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 The thinking distance elements quoted are based on an average driver unimpaired by tiredness or alcohol. There may be a slight increase in the level of distraction experienced by a modern driver, but there is also a great increase in the standard of driver training and skill since the days when a driving licence was simply purchased from the Post Office! I reckon the thinking distance element of the total isn't going to be much different from the original quoted figures, but this is only a very small element. The Institute of Advanced Motorists state that actual braking distance from a given speed of a modern car is approximately half that of a car from 30 years ago. And then there is also the fact that ABS now allows the driver to steer while braking hard without skidding - significantly further reducing the likelihood of a collision. It all goes to make something of a mockery of the Highway Code, and the speed limits we still have left over from the days when it was written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Isn't it better for young new drivers to be 'taught' and to 'think' that the stopping distance is a lot greater than it actually is though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 My Corsairs are 42 & 43 years old and so have no chance of stopping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Time they were scrapped then Baz before you get banned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 They don't go fast enough Dizzy and they are very intimidating to drive on motorways so I don't bother..... It is hard to believe that my dad used to take us away in his Corsair (that was only a 1700 engine too!)with a caravan strapped to the back and we would happily trek down to Bournemouth and Paignton and the like...... I don't feel good taking mine as far as Tatton Park for the classic car show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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