Hazard lights in rain

4,745 Views | 45 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by The Dog Lord
GAC06
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AG
I know this has been discussed and won't be a productive thread but who the hell is teaching this? I-30 leaving Ft Worth today dozens of morons were driving with their hazards on in a moderate rain storm. Bonus points to the guy in the far left lane driving 40 mph flashing away.
Jack Cheese
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I guess an idiot going 40 in the left lane is by definition a hazard.
BenTheGoodAg
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I'm probably in the minority on this, but when I lived in Florida, some of the sudden squalls that would pop up made visibility of vehicles oddly difficult, and I appreciated people using their hazards. Haven't really been in a storm like that in Texas.

I'd agree it's not necessary but I've never understood why it makes people upset - and there are people who get worked about it.
Picard
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I don't do this, but I also fail to see what's wrong with it
bbr4132
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It's a good idea for those who prefer to drive slow and hang out in the right lane in heavy rain. If some ***** is doing the same in the left lane, they're getting the finger.
GAC06
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What's wrong with it is that if it's actually low vis I'd like to know who is a car driving in a lane and who is a disabled vehicle pulled to the side. Second, it eliminated turn signals but I guess most of the assclowns cruising around with hazards on weren't likely to use their turn signals anyway.

When it's raining, turn on your lights. That's all that's necessary.
MouthBQ98
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What he said.

1. Hazards are for disabled vehicles that are difficult to see or notice. They're not temporary emergency vehicle lights, or look, I'm towing something lights, or I'm a terrible driver lights. They're for a car that's barely moving or not moving in or encroaching on a lane of traffic. About the only exception to this is a severe blizzard where everyone is creeping along and visibility is extremely impaired.

2. Hazards eliminates the function of your blinkers. Nobody can tell if you plan to turn soon or change lanes, or they are next to you and it looks like you are trying to get over to them until they get far enough from you to see both lights. They make you less predictable to other drivers and therefore more dangerous.
RingOfive
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MouthBQ98 said:

What he said.

1. Hazards are for disabled vehicles that are difficult to see or notice. They're not temporary emergency vehicle lights, or look, I'm towing something lights, or I'm a terrible driver lights. They're for a car that's barely moving or not moving in or encroaching on a lane of traffic. About the only exception to this is a severe blizzard where everyone is creeping along and visibility is extremely impaired.

2. Hazards eliminates the function of your blinkers. Nobody can tell if you plan to turn soon or change lanes, or they are next to you and it looks like you are trying to get over to them until they get far enough from you to see both lights. They make you less predictable to other drivers and therefore more dangerous.

Exactly this. Especially point number 2.
aTm2004
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cavscout96
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It's distracting
cav14
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GAC06 said:

What's wrong with it is that if it's actually low vis I'd like to know who is a car driving in a lane and who is a disabled vehicle pulled to the side. Second, it eliminated turn signals but I guess most of the assclowns cruising around with hazards on weren't likely to use their turn signals anyway.

When it's raining, turn on your lights. That's all that's necessary.
What does it matter if its disabled or a slow moving vehicle? The point of hazards is to get your attention so you can be extra cautious which is ultimately what flashing lights do. The same applies to some convey (group car cruise or funeral procession) that happens in perfect weather going the speed limit.

There are plenty of other traffic quirks and actual hazards to get triggered about than this. I bet you also get triggered at bicyclist and pedestrians that use a flashing light than a static light at night right?
GAC06
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What does it matter? Hazards suggest a disabled vehicle, and in low visibility it adds confusion about whether it's in a lane or pulled to the side. Tail lights are more than sufficient to get attention without misusing signals. Plus turn signals still work that way.
LeftyAg89
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Actually, I think it Texas, hazards mean your car is disabled OR you feel you are in an "unsafe" situation while driving, i.e. bad visibility etc. But don't quote me on it, I think I read that a while back.
HollywoodBQ
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July 2020, I had to go to Grand Rapids, MI for work.
I flew into Chicago and drove to Grand Rapids that afternoon/evening.

I got into a late afternoon summer shower in Western Michigan and a lot of people on I-94 and I-196 had their hazard lights on. A lot of them also slowed down significantly. Way slower than what I thought was necessary.

I've never really seen people driving with their hazards on in the rain like that. So I don't know if it is a Michigan thing or if it's more widespread.
JAW3336
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It's all the damn out of staters moving in that can't drive for ***** Plus all the snowflakes and other people who should just exit and sit at a gas station if that rain scares you that much.
Attack life, It's going to kill you anyway!
JSKolache
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Texas handbook 2017:
"Hazard flasher a device that flashes front turn signal lights and taillights to warn others the vehicle is a hazard"

My read: hazards = vehicle is immobile/don't hit me. If you're moving, then turn them off.
aTm2004
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Half the people driving on a typical sunny afternoon are a hazard. Unless you're stopped on side of the road or are rushing someone to the ER, turn them off.
EMY92
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I frequently see semis going up long hills turn on their hazards since they can't maintain the speed limit. They are a road hazard at that point.

I don't have a problem if people turn them on in bad weather if they can't do close to the speed limit in the weather. A slow vehicle is a hazard to one going faster. That said, get out of the left lane.
aggiepaintrain
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Dear Diary
An Ag in CO
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Drove through Cheyenne in very poor visibility due to snow and Ft. Collins in a torrential downpour yesterday and not one vehicle had activated the hazard lights. Is this a TX thing?
tlepoC
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It also makes overall visibility of cars and surroundings worse when your on own windshield wipers can't keep up. Stop with the hazards.
aTm2004
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The difference is going up the hill, the semi is the only one not able to maintain speed. During a downpour, everyone is slowed down.
91AggieLawyer
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JSKolache said:

Texas handbook 2017:
"Hazard flasher a device that flashes front turn signal lights and taillights to warn others the vehicle is a hazard"

My read: hazards = vehicle is immobile/don't hit me. If you're moving, then turn them off.


Hazard would not require a vehicle to be immobile. If he were to pass an exit, for example, then yeah, he's misusing them but just because a car is driving with hazards in the right lane at a slower speed does not mean he is doing anything wrong or illegal. He may very well be looking for the best way off the road.
austinrb10
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Legal in Texas to use your hazards while mobile for fog or rain visibility

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/02/28/ask-2-is-it-okay-to-turn-on-your-hazard-lights-while-driving-in-inclement-weather/
Rice and Fries
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austinrb10 said:

Legal in Texas to use your hazards while mobile for fog or rain visibility

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/02/28/ask-2-is-it-okay-to-turn-on-your-hazard-lights-while-driving-in-inclement-weather/


austinrb10
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Lol yeah I'm against it, but lost a big argument by stating it was illegal in TX. Unfortunately.
Ragoo
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Lights are a communication tool. And hazards communicate one thing. Don't use them to communicate something entirely different.
Texker
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I liked the rear fog light on our '02 S60. That's what I used if visibility was an issue for whatever reason.
jwright4288
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It's all these east/west coast losers moving here. No native Texans do that. Had drive with my brother from NYC to Houston and saw that every time it rained and it was obnoxious.

The bright lights mixed with heavy rain is very irritating and distracting and makes it more difficult to tell the distance of the vehicle in front. These are the same morons that drive the speed limit in the left lane and get annoyed when you ride their ass and flash your brights.
tlepoC
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It's the Floridians! **** Lisa


lb3
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I hate the rain hazard drivers at night. Don't care about the daytime but having your tail lights off 50% of the time in low visibility conditions at night is it's own hazard.
The Kraken
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I've noticed people doing this quite a bit when traveling in Latin America...seems to have made its way here, too.
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
phatbc
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I don't do it but agree with those who said they appreciate it when you can't see more than a couple car lengths in front of you.
tlepoC
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phatbc said:

I don't do it but agree with those who said they appreciate it when you can't see more than a couple car lengths in front of you.


Why do you appreciate something that makes it harder to see surroundings or know whether you need to slam on your brakes immediately?
The Fife
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BenTheGoodAg said:

I'm probably in the minority on this, but when I lived in Florida, some of the sudden squalls that would pop up made visibility of vehicles oddly difficult, and I appreciated people using their hazards. Haven't really been in a storm like that in Texas.

I'd agree it's not necessary but I've never understood why it makes people upset - and there are people who get worked about it.
With the ridiculously stupid sudden downpours we get in coastal SC in summer I'm ok with it, but the one time I've thrown on the hazards it was too heavy to drive in so I pulled completely off to the right and stopped for a couple of minutes.
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