Does Oppo Flash To Pass?

"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
09/19/2015 at 11:50 • Filed to: None

Simple enough question. If there’s a particularly slow/stubborn driver hogging the left lane, do you give them a couple flashes of the high beams as a helpful reminder? In Europe it’s the norm, in America some view it as a form of road rage. I do it, but only on the open highway (never in town) with hogs who aren’t passing or going quickly. And I always give them ample time to move. Basically, I make sure that the flashing is the only “dickish” thing I’m doing. How’s about you?

DISCUSSION (46)

jkm7680 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 11:55

I tailgate the fuck out of them, throw the high beams and fogs on and proceed to follow them even after they move out of the lane. Then I drop two gears and fly past them, only to cut them off.

disclaimer: I don’t actually do that.

Leon711 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 11:56

I’m in the UK, I never flash I just move to the right a little,close to the median and slowly decrease the gap to a point and people either speed up or move over.

Bairclaw > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 11:58

I live in NY and I don’t understand the “left lane for passing” thing. If you’re going to use the left lane to pass other people every time you get close to someone driving slow, Why don’t you just stay in the left lane? And personally I use the middle lane when it's three lanes. I'll give you the benefit of two lanes to pass me on if I'm not going fast enough for you.

Textured Soy Protein > jkm7680
09/19/2015 at 11:58

You drive like an asshole.

davedave1111 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 11:58

The UK’s Highway Code says:

“ 110 - Flashing headlights. 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.”

I don’t normally flash (my lights!) at people when I come up behind them, unless they’re doing something particularly idiotic or antisocial.

Not sure about the ‘don’t convey any other message’ bit, because I’m sure the most common reason I flash my lights at someone is because they’ve forgotten to turn theirs on as it’s got dark.

jkm7680 > Textured Soy Protein
09/19/2015 at 11:59

See the newly added disclaimer.

Textured Soy Protein > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 11:59

It seems like people get more offended when you flash your brights at them than if you tailgate them. I personally hate tailgating people, what with it not being safe. But it seems like most folks if you tailgate them just move over, whereas if you flash the brights they want to road rage at you. It should be commonly understood as “hi please move over I’m doing this rather than tailgate you” but instead people get really butthurt.

Textured Soy Protein > jkm7680
09/19/2015 at 12:00

Well that changes things now doesn’t it?

ranwhenparked > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:00

No, I just pass them - on the right, if necessary.

jkm7680 > Textured Soy Protein
09/19/2015 at 12:00

Yes.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:01

Never used to. Started recently. Makes no difference.

Florida is one of the few places where the right lane is moving faster. These old people don’t care if they do 30 in the fast lane. Once they pick a lane they don’t move no matter what you do

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Bairclaw
09/19/2015 at 12:02

The left lane is for faster traffic, they are usually the ones that are passing people. The problem is the people that sit in the left lane and hold up traffic and refuse to move over. On a three lane highway, the right lane is for local traffic (entering/exiting), the middle land is for thru traffic and the left land is for faster traffic/passing.

EDIT: Its more of an issue on highways with 2 lanes in each direction. People will sit in the left lane and travel the same speed as someone in the right lane and hold up traffic. And we’re not talking at the speed limit, its usually 5-10 below.

Urambo Tauro > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:08

Depends on their speed. In Michigan, speeding automatically forfeits right-of-way. So, if they are going the full speed limit, I don’t have the right to pressure them into getting out of my way. I will have to resume my speeding when I eventually get a chance.

If they really are driving too slow, however, I use a three-strike method. The first flash is to get their attention; strike one. If nothing happens, strike two; another flash (maybe they just didn’t notice the first). If the driver still fails to react, strike three: I will use the right lane to pass.

Tareim - V8 powered > davedave1111
09/19/2015 at 12:09

I must admit I have flashed my lights a couple times when people have been sat in the fast lane when the inside 2 are clear and I guess that follows the rule of making them aware that I’m there? not something I have done for a couple years now though

Tareim - V8 powered > Leon711
09/19/2015 at 12:10

exactly what I do, move to the right so I’m clearly in their door mirror and if necessary put on my dipped just so they have something shining to attract their attention

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:11

If on a two way road I put my left turn signal on, give them a flash and wait for them to move over to give me some more room. If not, I drop a gear after having my high beam projectors and HID foggies on just enough to let them know they’re being inconsiderate.. and slow.

jariten1781 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:12

Nope. It doesn’t actually cause people to want to move over and just escalates tensions. I just wait patiently for them to get over or for a large gap to open and pass then carefully in that lane

marshknute > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:16

I’ve found track day tactics to be more effective than flashing: I come up on them unnecessarily fast and get inches from their bumper. But then I back off to a generous following distance. Basically, I try to maximize the amount of movement they see in their mirrors.

If they still don’t move over after giving them adequate time/space to do so, then I flash my high beams twice (while still maintaining that generous following distance).

Then I just say fuck it and wait for an opening in the right lane to undertake them.

And if it’s a particularly egregious example of lane hogging (under the speed limit) I’ll undertake them, cut them off, and slowly decelerate to about 15 mph before racing off into the distance. (Yes, that's a dick move, but they deserve to be inconvenienced).

desertdog5051 > jkm7680
09/19/2015 at 12:17

Hmmm. I got it OK, even before the disclaimer. What’s wrong With AtlasM? Why is this guy so hung up up on taking everything literally?

Don’t take him to a comedy movie.

Oh, you forgot to include the most important part. After you cut them off, you brake check them.

AtlasM, you hear that?

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:27

I use my lights to either let people know that their lights are out (one click on hand brake and cycling lights on and off, or to let them know they’re in the wrong lane (double flash on high beams).

LongbowMkII > davedave1111
09/19/2015 at 12:30

hey turn off your highbeams asshole

you can have this lane if you need it semi truck, plz dont squish me

danger ahead, be cautious (opposing traffic)

yamahog > Bairclaw
09/19/2015 at 12:31

I live in NY

Found the problem. Not even being snarky. I’m from NY as well and all my friends who took driver’s ed literally never learned that the left lane is for passing and everyone who drives on LI and the southern half of the state drives in the left lane all the time anyway. Connecticut had to put up signs explaining the concept.

Driving with the speed of traffic in the middle lane is correct. This is because it is safer to pass on the left than the right in LH drive cars, so the left lane should be used for passing..

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:31

Never. If they never move over, I just pass them cautiously when I can.

The only time I high beam people is when they’re driving at night without lights on or warning them about a speedtrap.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 12:43

Only if they’re going unbearably slowly, or if they’re gradually slowing down for no apparent reason. Or if they don’t have their headlights on. IMO it’s not a dickish move, it’s just to try and remind them that they’re beginning/are already posing a danger to themselves and others.

Sneaky Pete > jkm7680
09/19/2015 at 12:44

You forgot to say you also flip them the bird.

Vicente Esteve > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 13:06

Tried once here in Mexico. The only effect it created was the guy in front of me braked because he got confused.

I just change lanes and cane it.

Takuro Spirit > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 13:08

I do, but never in the city where crazy people will shoot you for it.

Out in the ‘burbs I do, especially if the right lane is clear.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > marshknute
09/19/2015 at 13:25

I’m liking your methodology.

RWS Motorsport > Tareim - V8 powered
09/19/2015 at 13:48

Flashing is my last resort after moving over to the right slightly and maybe backing off then speeding up to suggest I may want to go quicker.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 14:07

(this is in freeway/highway situations)

Due to the fact that I’m usually found in the left lane going faster than most, I tend to have people move out of my way even without flashing. If they are stubborn, I will give a couple of flashes. If they do not respond (but have space to move over) I will begin to apply pressure by shortening the gab between us, while flashing my lights again.

At this point one of three things happens:

1. The person moves, and I go by normally

2. The person doesn’t respond, so I pass them on the right when I have the space/ when safe.

3. The person brake-checks me, so I hit the horn, drop down a few gears, turn the brights on, punch it to get next to them, get besides them, flip them off, and proceed to pass them, get in front of them, and keep my foot in it until they are well behind me,

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
09/19/2015 at 14:11

Option 3 is rather excessive.

Tohru > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 14:11

Nascar-style. Get up under them, get ‘em loose, put ‘em into the wall.

Kinja'd!!!

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 14:12

so is brake checking someone when you're doing 55 in the left lane of a 65 mph interstate.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > desertdog5051
09/19/2015 at 14:14

In fairness, if jkm actually did this things, it would in fact mean he drove like an asshole. Before I saw the disclaimer I was getting ready to tell him off myself.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
09/19/2015 at 14:15

Fair enough.

Scott > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 14:23

Actually it’s not very common, not to say people do not but it is not common. In fact in Germany, and likely much of the rest of Europe, it is illegal. It does occasionally happen, but also most people in Europe tend to move over for faster traffic. I used to flash my light but these days no I do not, Germany taught me a lot of patients, and I just wait to get trough traffic.

davedave1111 > Tareim - V8 powered
09/19/2015 at 15:12

I don’t know, I‘m fairly sure that bit has been changed fairly recently.

Oh, and I’d forgotten all about this conversation when I was driving home a few minutes ago and saw someone without their lights on, and flashed them...

jvirgs drives a Subaru > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 16:28

I’d say 85% of people will move over to the right if I come up behind them and i’m clearly faster. I’ll normally give them a chance to move over if they are going slower than traffic to the right, then I may close the gap a bit to be like hey get out of the way, then I’ll flash the brights. If they still don’t get the hint, I will pass to the right but with enough speed to make it known they were going too slow.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
09/19/2015 at 18:18

Because they’re all from NY.

desertdog5051 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/19/2015 at 19:27

But you kinda get to know people here. He never displays any asshole stuff. And 99% of the commenters here are good and courteous drivers despite what the rest of the motoring public does.

I have learned to take the internet with a grain of salt. But here, we have a chance to get to know the personalities of many of the commenters.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > desertdog5051
09/19/2015 at 21:25

Fair enough.