Usually, and I guess by today's standards I am an old timer, but when I drove, I would typically turn on hazzards when traffic was slowing ahead mainly to be courteous and signal others behind me. Once traffic slowed, the hazzards came off. Two advantages tractor trailers have over cars is the spray and mist from the rain that limits the vision in cars does not affect trucks because they are much higher, and puddling water does not affect trucks either.
Brake lights tapped a few times will do the same. If you feel the need to use the hazard lights, pull off to the side of the road
Brake lights tapped a few times will do the same. If you feel the need to use the hazard lights, pull off to the side of the road
Thanks for the advice. I gave up the big trucks after right at 3,000,000 accident free miles, but as I continue to drive my car like regular folks, I will make sure I remember the brake tap thing, and if I need to use my hazards, I will surely pull to the side of the road. Be safe.
Not sure if you are serious or not but you put yourself at much greater risk for rear-end collision with flashers. Drivers approaching from the rear have significantly decreased reaction time because they will delay braking due to not being able to recognize the difference between a "flash" from the flasher sequence and a flash from a brightened tail lamp from you actually hitting the brakes. You're talking about a second or two in delayed reaction time but at highway speeds that can make a difference.
what is there like 10 percent of cars and trucks that share a brake and flasher light these days? I travel from tampa to Bradenton daily on a motorcycle late night early morning. Heavy rain and fog my flashers go on.... much easier to see three sets of lights then one small one.
what is there like 10 percent of cars and trucks that share a brake and flasher light these days? I travel from tampa to Bradenton daily on a motorcycle late night early morning. Heavy rain and fog my flashers go on.... much easier to see three sets of lights then one small one.
When I see flashing lights in front of me during a rainstorm, I'm tempted to slam on the brakes thinking I've drifted into the emergency lane. While it's true no one can make someone follow the rules, it's also true that others will judge you for it. Driving with flashers on is illegal for a reason.
"Ninety percent I'll spend on good times, women and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent, I'll probably waste..."
-- Tug McGraw on getting a raise
If you drive on I-75 in South Florida during a heavy blinding rain you will see about half of the drivers slow down, close distances, turn on their emergency blinkers...and keep on moving forward caravan style, in all but the most severe storms. Why are there so many scofflaws?
The reason is that its safer for them that way. Many of the drivers here are experienced tropical rain drivers. During heavy rain, you can see emergency blinkers about twice as far away as a regular tail light. This allows drivers to follow at a distance that is still outside of their safe-stopping buffer zone.
There are a lot of people who will pull off to the right and stop, but sometimes a storm cell will not move that much and you might find yourself sitting on the side for a while. Florida's slow moving summer storm cells usually only have blinding rain about a mile or less across, so driving safely through them results in better weather after 2-3 minutes of driving.
Here's another thing. Having rain-x watershield on your windshield makes it a lot easier to see in heavy rain, since the water beads up and runs off instead of creating a layer of distortion. Why not let the rain itself be the limiting factor in your vision, rather than your windshield? Maintaining your wiper blades during summer goes without saying.
Note: following other cars at close distances at higher speeds can result in a multi-vehicle pile-up. Slower speed is essential. When you read about those big pile-ups on the interstate, often the reason is that people were thinking " I can see the guy in front of me, and I can stop as fast as he can", but that doesn't apply if the driver ahead is stopped instantly by a pile of cars. The safe following distance formula(one car length for each 10mph or whatever) is given for dry conditions to allow for driver braking reaction time, not for stopping distance.
If you drive on I-75 in South Florida during a heavy blinding rain you will see about half of the drivers slow down, close distances, turn on their emergency blinkers...and keep on moving forward caravan style, in all but the most severe storms........the reason is that its safer for them that way........this allows drivers to follow at a distance that is still outside of their safe-stopping buffer zone.
.......just wow.
You can include me in the other half of the drivers out there who wants nothing to do with the bumper to bumper flashing convoy of death.
While it's true no one can make someone follow the rules, it's also true that others will judge you for it. Driving with flashers on is illegal for a reason.
Especially your kids or other young drivers that may be around you.
.......just wow.bumper to bumper flashing convoy of death.
:rotflmao
I would love to see the statistics for all the "deaths" that occur from having your flashers on for a few minutes... I wonder if there as high as drunk driving,texting/talking on the phone,street racing etc...:rolleyes
Last weekend went out of town with the gf. On the way back it was flooding. I asked her why she was driving in the left lane and not getting over. She said because the interstate was sloped from left to right and the water was all pooled up in the right lane and could cause hydroplaning.
I started to pay attention to that and for a stretch of 40 miles, she was right. I would think that logically the DOT would have that reversed and slope to the inside for American cars with the wheel on the left. That's like going to Daytona Speedway with the slope backazzwards. :huh
Not entirely accurate. Any pooling in the right lane is typically the result of rutting since that lane absorbs most of the heavy traffic. Generally (not always) the roadway is sloped to the outside since that is usually where the drainage infrastructure is. Of course two lane roads will be crowned to allow for runoff.
Back to the OP - hazards in the rain are right up there with not moving over for faster traffic - great idiot indicator.
the other day, ran thru some very heavy rain. The tail lights ahead of me were barely visible. He hit his flashers and I wasn't sure if he was stopping or what. We ran at 40 mph which gave me plenty of time to slow/stop if needed. As long as I could see his lites, I was good. Still had about 200 foot between us.
yes it is illegal, but the kicker is a rain, not heavy, but running 70+ on 95 with the flashers.
Or the ones that ran thru some drizzle and the wipers are at warp speed
Depends on just how hard it's raining. If it's raining that hard though, pull over and turn them on. I see idiots all the time turn them on in a drizzle.
exactly...
if it's raining so hard that i don't have a safe visibility at say 50mph...I pull over as far of the shoulder as I can get, then turn on flashers to alert other drivers I'm stationary and off the road way...
Last weekend went out of town with the gf. On the way back it was flooding. I asked her why she was driving in the left lane and not getting over. She said because the interstate was sloped from left to right and the water was all pooled up in the right lane and could cause hydroplaning.
I started to pay attention to that and for a stretch of 40 miles, she was right. I would think that logically the DOT would have that reversed and slope to the inside for American cars with the wheel on the left. That's like going to Daytona Speedway with the slope backazzwards. :huh
I spent too many years of my life building interstate roads and bridges in ms, la, and al...
the main road way may be crowned to drain off to the median and off the outside shoulder....
if the road has a jersey wall separating opposing lanes the road will slope to the outside shoulder unless it's built with some super elevation
in which case it will drain to the inside...however, there will be adequate drain inlets to collect the run-off with out flooding the lane....
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
The Real White Dog
if you can't catch a fish...catch a buzz....
#12976, joined 8-17-2002
Replies
Brake lights tapped a few times will do the same. If you feel the need to use the hazard lights, pull off to the side of the road
what is there like 10 percent of cars and trucks that share a brake and flasher light these days? I travel from tampa to Bradenton daily on a motorcycle late night early morning. Heavy rain and fog my flashers go on.... much easier to see three sets of lights then one small one.
Is motocycle your only mode?
Please tell us that you wear a helmet that has hazard lights.
Negative. Helps to ride motorcycle with eyes open. :wink
-- Tug McGraw on getting a raise
Get Down Fishing Charters - Port Canaveral, Florida
You should obey traffic laws....but I couldn't give two fawks less about what anyone "thinks"....
Many things to do.
Knots to be unraveled
'fore the darkness falls on you
The reason is that its safer for them that way. Many of the drivers here are experienced tropical rain drivers. During heavy rain, you can see emergency blinkers about twice as far away as a regular tail light. This allows drivers to follow at a distance that is still outside of their safe-stopping buffer zone.
There are a lot of people who will pull off to the right and stop, but sometimes a storm cell will not move that much and you might find yourself sitting on the side for a while. Florida's slow moving summer storm cells usually only have blinding rain about a mile or less across, so driving safely through them results in better weather after 2-3 minutes of driving.
Here's another thing. Having rain-x watershield on your windshield makes it a lot easier to see in heavy rain, since the water beads up and runs off instead of creating a layer of distortion. Why not let the rain itself be the limiting factor in your vision, rather than your windshield? Maintaining your wiper blades during summer goes without saying.
Note: following other cars at close distances at higher speeds can result in a multi-vehicle pile-up. Slower speed is essential. When you read about those big pile-ups on the interstate, often the reason is that people were thinking " I can see the guy in front of me, and I can stop as fast as he can", but that doesn't apply if the driver ahead is stopped instantly by a pile of cars. The safe following distance formula(one car length for each 10mph or whatever) is given for dry conditions to allow for driver braking reaction time, not for stopping distance.
.......just wow.
You can include me in the other half of the drivers out there who wants nothing to do with the bumper to bumper flashing convoy of death.
Especially your kids or other young drivers that may be around you.
Many things to do.
Knots to be unraveled
'fore the darkness falls on you
People are always in a hurry to get to the Pearly Gates....
Many things to do.
Knots to be unraveled
'fore the darkness falls on you
:rotflmao
I would love to see the statistics for all the "deaths" that occur from having your flashers on for a few minutes... I wonder if there as high as drunk driving,texting/talking on the phone,street racing etc...:rolleyes
Not entirely accurate. Any pooling in the right lane is typically the result of rutting since that lane absorbs most of the heavy traffic. Generally (not always) the roadway is sloped to the outside since that is usually where the drainage infrastructure is. Of course two lane roads will be crowned to allow for runoff.
Back to the OP - hazards in the rain are right up there with not moving over for faster traffic - great idiot indicator.
yes it is illegal, but the kicker is a rain, not heavy, but running 70+ on 95 with the flashers.
Or the ones that ran thru some drizzle and the wipers are at warp speed
-- Tug McGraw on getting a raise
Get Down Fishing Charters - Port Canaveral, Florida
exactly...
if it's raining so hard that i don't have a safe visibility at say 50mph...I pull over as far of the shoulder as I can get, then turn on flashers to alert other drivers I'm stationary and off the road way...
I spent too many years of my life building interstate roads and bridges in ms, la, and al...
the main road way may be crowned to drain off to the median and off the outside shoulder....
if the road has a jersey wall separating opposing lanes the road will slope to the outside shoulder unless it's built with some super elevation
in which case it will drain to the inside...however, there will be adequate drain inlets to collect the run-off with out flooding the lane....
The Real White Dog
if you can't catch a fish...catch a buzz....
#12976, joined 8-17-2002
again and again and.... ...... ................... ... .. . .. .