Abso-blooming-lutely. I once tried to tell a driver behind me he had no lights on (at night obviously) by flashing my rear fogs. When the traffic stopped, he jumped out and ran up to my car, in a furious mood.
Luckily the traffic in front cleared, and I was able to drive away. Unfortunately, the devil in me then caused me to continually taunt him by stopping until he caught up and then driving off a bit. He ended up some 400yds from his car, which was now blocking the road. Hilarious fun if somewhat dangerous, but then I always keep my doors locked and Kenneth Noye was already in prison
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well if they have no lights on and its getting dark, a good sharp flash of full beam is just deserts...
However, I can't say that I haven't tried to signal to other drivers in various sorts of ways and such signals invariably get misunderstood...(Luckily, I'm not thinking of putting in for an equity card)...road rage is the most likely outcome...
The moral to the tale is obviously to take Ripley's advice, ignore the problem, and concentrate on ones own safety at the wheel. Splodgeface
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I had a car follow me out of town the other night without any lights on, no ordinary car though but a police car! I thought I'd risk flashing my fogs at him once, but he didn't put his lights on until we hit an unlit stretch of road. And from where the police station is in that town he would have drove quite a distance without lights on. Shame I didn't get his number, might have been worth a bribe or two :-)
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I agree - it is usually pretty pointless trying to signal. I once tried to tell someone that his large semi-rigid inflatable speedboat was about to blow off his roofrack. Overtaking slowly, with my passenger pointing up at his roof, had no effect whatsoever. It was only held on by one remaining rope, and was banging up and down alarmingly.
Apart from flashing lights at people who don't have theirs on, the best thing just seems to be to get out of the way and leave them to discover for themselves the hard way.
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Rather than flashing my lights at people who've forgotten theirs, which can easily be misinterpreted, I tend to turn my own lights OFF for a second or so.
This usually has the desired effect, after the other driver has spent a few seconds wondering "why's that idiot just turned his lights off..."
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These days I just wouldn't do it at all. I used to, years ago, but things are different today. My well meaning gesticulations, or the flashing of headlights are just as likely to be interpreted as road rage, with possible dire consequences.
I'd rather stay safe and mind my own business, I think.
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Forgive me, but I think that is a rather selfish attitude.
Could you live with yourself, knowing that you could have prevented a fatal accident, which killed a child? I know that I couldn't. Whenever I have seen something potentially dangerous on a car, I have always tried to signal to the driver or passenger if it was safe to do so. This has included writing in marker pen on paper for example TYRE, if their tyre was flat. This is not dangerous, as long as you have paper and a marker pen to hand, you dont even have to take your eyes off the road.
It doesn't have to be descriptive or even accurate as long as they know you are trying to tell them something is wrong.
Everyone I have tried to tell as waved to say thankyou, no-one has got nasty.
Sounds like there aren't many samaritans left.
Jonathan
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I don't know about selfish, but I think its rather OTT.
If I see a driver with a problem, then I will signal. If I am in a traffic jam where there could be a problem, then there is also time for me to walk forward or back to the other car.
If I am on a motorway or other fast road, then if it is safe, I signal.
Never had a problem. Well, not quite true but that was about 20 years ago.
M.
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FAO Galaxy, no offence intended, it was merely a personal view.
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This has included writing in marker pen on paper for example TYRE, if their tyre was flat. This is not dangerous, as long as you have paper and a marker pen to hand, you dont even have to take your eyes off the road.
I presume you are the passenger whilst scribbling down a note about others drivers woes?
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Both a passenger and driver at sometime or other.
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Both a passenger and driver at sometime or other.
And you say in your previous post this isn't dangerous? The mind boggles!!
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"Forgive me, but I think that is a rather selfish attitude"
Hmmm.
"It doesn't have to be descriptive or even accurate as long as they know you are trying to tell them something is wrong."
Wonderful.
Would you please tell us (for THAT is is the whole point of the question) what your TOTALLY unambiguous signalling system (that NONE of us know of - remember) is?
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Sorry if this is a little bit Bogush style.
TrevorP
If you are going to quote me, then please do it in it's entirity, as only choosing little bits changes the context.
I also said (but you didn't quote) "Whenever I have seen something potentially dangerous on a car, I have always tried to signal to the driver or passenger if it was safe to do so".
Please note the word "tried". I didn't say that I was successful.
"Forgive me, but I think that is a rather selfish attitude" Hmmm.
That is is a personal viewpoint, to which I am entitled to have. The point I was trying to make was that not trying to help because you may be abused is (in my opinion). Where do you draw the line? A woman getting beaten up? A pensioner having their purse stolen? What about someone trying to abduct your child?
Now I'm sorry if these examples are a little excessive, but they represent the same issue, trying to stop someone else getting hurt.
"It doesn't have to be descriptive or even accurate as long as they know you are trying to tell them something is wrong." Wonderful.
I know.
Say you have a pen and paper to hand and can make a note safely. Would you write "your off side rear tyre is getting low and you might want to check it out". or simply write "tyre"? Similarly, if the load on their roof rack was about to blow off, would you say that in as many words, or simply communicate "roof"?
Would you please tell us (for THAT is is the whole point of the question) what your TOTALLY unambiguous signalling system (that NONE of us know of - remember) is?
Is that better?
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If someone in the car next to me started waving a note with "Tyre" written on it, I think I would realise what they were on about. Probably more so than if they started pointing.
However, I must point out that I hope never to need someone else to tell me that my tyre is flat! I think I'm a big enough boy to realise that for myself! :)
Blue
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Trevor,
Cut the agressive nonsense. You are quite capable of being polite and you don;t have to be confrontational.
That's twice. Best we don't have the need for a third time.
Mark (RLBS)
Moderator at Work
mailto:mark_moderator@honestjohn.co.uk
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