Bus driver here, obviously can only speak for my company not all of them but: We are NOT taught to put our hazards on when waiting at a timing point or changing drivers. It's one of those things that people 'pick up' on other drivers doing, rightly or wrongly. We are taught to leave enough space behind the bus in front to allow us to get out and around if they are waiting. I personally don't use hazard lights unless I've broken down or am genuinely causing a hazard for some reason (like the bus has gone into limp mode). Other bus drivers using hazards is something I see often, and when there's a single bus there, I guess it doesn't cause much grief but is unnecessary. In the situation you pointed out, if annoys me just as much as everyone else because I'm thinking "Do I need to let this bus out" only to find they've just got their hazards on... As a side note, I am very concious of the fact that I hold up other road users all day. I try my best to be considerate of other drivers, even if sometimes I make a mistake, like we all make mistakes.
Thank you Thank for being a responsible and considerate professional driver Doffs cap Please, if you want to, further your career and become a PSV Driving Instructor - the UK will be a better/safer place if you maintain your attitude.
Josh R I equally love that too!! I thoroughly believe in letting buses out (as long as safe obvs. )and as a driver it’s lovely to have acknowledgement. Same with anything else. It’s just like courtesy and manners. The same as when you hold a door open for someone. I don’t do it for a thanks but I also don’t appreciate non-acknowledgement. At the same time, bus drivers, lorry drivers have got way more to worry about than little old me so when you don’t get one, there’s a reason and I accept that also. Keep doing what you’re doing!! X
Yeah my family has a heavy history with the bus and coaching industry and I can’t think of a company that teaches this. As far as I know it’s bad habit. Don’t apologise for holding people up, these days it’s often not the driver it’s the black box and car users don’t even know. Stagecoach and Trent Barton for example use a system with a green, amber, and red light in the cabin which often goes amber or red for no reason which in turn comes back on the driver. I’m assuming you have something similar or the exact same?
I use 'em when there's a hazard up ahead (sudden traffic on the motorway, breakdown int middle road, etc.), or contextually when someone lets me out/in as a "thank you". I know the latter isn't at all correct, but it seems well-understood, and is good manners. Hazards seem to have the same sort of contextual quality that flashing one's headlights does.
@@Inglott Cool to hear that it's common in Japan too, I do enjoy learning about the culture over there. Yes, flashing is one of the main ways of thanking others on the road here in England. I think the most common way is by showing the palm of your hand over the steering wheel, (though that's substituted for a flash in the dark), flashing your hazards once or twice (most often used to thank someone behind you), and flashing your indictors left right left, or right left right (mostly used by truckers).
@@Asdayasman It's been a while - I've spent more time driving in Japan than in the UK at this point. In Japan with a rear thank you it's hazards, in front it's a bow and/or a hand up.
Today on the M25 car in front of me put their hazards on to advise that the traffic was about to come to a fairly sudden halt due to traffic caused by a minor crash and a stationery car. Great use of hazzards
First of all, love this, wrong hazard light usage is really pissing me off. Secondly, I'm a bit skeptical of teaching to not signal "if there's no-one around". As a driver, you need to observe your environment, and keep tabs on everyone around you. In the day, you will probably be able to spot all of them, but you might mistake a car with someone in it as a parked car. Maybe they were pulling out of the parking spot, and you were turning right into a driveway before reaching them. Then your signal would be beneficial to them, letting them know that they can pull out when they observe you reducing your speed in their mirror. Without that signal, they would not be sure of your intentions, and would have to wait longer to safely pull out (speed reduction could just mean you're a teenager planning to do a drag race or something else stupid). At night, this becomes even more true. There will always be some pedestrians or bicyclists hiding behind some bushes, a fence or some parked cars. Your lack of signaling in a situation like that isn't dangerous, as you adjust your driving to the conditions, but it can impede some of these hidden humans. You're driving down a road and planning to turn right. Further up the road (not that far past where you're going to turn right), there's a hidden pedestrian wanting to cross the road. Your early signal lets them know that you're not going past them, and they can cross the road if there are no other cars coming up. If you didn't signal in that situation, they would have to wait until you turn to assess if they are comfortable crossing the road. There's seldom any real danger in not signaling in these situations, but your lack of signals make other road users unsure of your intentions, forcing them to wait, thus your lack of signaling will be "slowing down traffic". As a closing statement, I really like your channel, and agree with everything you say. In theory, I agree that you shouldn't have to signal if there's no-one to see them, but in practice I'm afraid it could lead to sloppy driving and bad habits, often you cannot be totally sure that there's no-one around that might take benefits from your signaling. Cheers, and have a great day!
There is an insanely short slip road where I live where I don't indicate for a few reasons. First. I don't have time to. Secondly there is never a safe way out of this slip road unless it's clear so at the end of the day no one will ever see it/it will never be needed. To agree with you checking before signals
I also have an issue with the ""if there's no-one around" thinking. Just because you have not seen anyone doesn't mean you haven't missed someone/something. Its lazy thinking and promotes lazy driving.
I agree, but the dvsa and many training bodies seem to think that effective observations with a signal, somehow lead to ineffective observations. If I've made concrete observations and see there is no one to benefit, then my signal covers my deficiencies as a human being. As a motorcyclist I have had many a car pull out from the side of the Rd, who may well of made what they consider effective observations, but missed me for whatever reason, in these situations a signal would have at least alerted me sooner. As an analogy, my son jumped out of aeroplanes with a parachute fir many years, but no matter how meticulous he packed his Shute, he still had the reserve as a safeguard.
@@Grahamvfr You see I signal in advance and check after signal for example when joining a motorway using a slip road especially at night the drivers see your indicator and change lanes for you because they see it flashing the sooner your intent is known the sooner other considerate drivers can respond.
An uninsured, unlicensed, untaxed, drunk, drugged up, speeding, red light jumping driver got away with all motoring offences because he had hazard lights on.
If you glue a tiny mirror over your photo on your driver's license, you can do whatever you want, because if they police try to arrest you they'll get confused and arrest themselves.
Pisses me off too I only use them to signal emergency stop on motorway, emergency stopping for wildlife that would cause significant damage to a car or to thank someone flashing me on the motoway to help me change lanes.
For busses, surely it should be just the same as for a car dropping off: Left indicator ON = dropping off / picking up. Right indicator ON = pulling out NO indicators = PARKED Doesn’t that convey all the information needed?
Stuart McConnachie I would say that hazards are to be used when a bus is temporarily parked. In my village if a bus is stopped you can’t drive past it if there’s cars in front. The only way knowing if the bus is moving forward is if it doesn’t show any indication. I’ve seen many times where people assume that the bus is stopped drive past only to find cars on the other side.
I've come across a bus indicating right but still picking up people. That gets my goat. I don't like it when a bus indicates left and then right and pulls straight out. I let buses out but don't think they should have the right to pull straight out
In response to why do lorry drivers put hazards on. I am working around my vehicle. Car drivers do not seem to react to that fact. They pass too close and too fast which puts my life at risk. That situation is a hazard, therefore I put hazard lights on to signal to the few drivers who actually pay attention that there is a hazard and to pass carefully. Just in the same way bin lorries or recovery lorries display hazard warning beacons because they are working in close proximity to the traffic. Hope that helps Ashley!
To be honest no its not okay. They are hazard lights. What if there was someone behind you and you flash your hazards? They might brake suddenly in response. You're far better off waving at them as a thanks.
Thanks I just wondered as I do use hazard lights to say thanks when someone let's me out or into right lane but after watching video and what you just said I start just putting hand up
I'm guilty of having used a flash or two to thank another driver for letting me in places, but it's honestly a better idea to roll down your window and give the driver behind you a friendly hand gesture like a wave or a thumbs up.
Oakboy 123 I use hazards to say thanks for letting me in or letting me do something. Or a flash if I want to thank on coming traffic. Don’t care if it’s ‘wrong’ it’s just being nice. Won’t confuse anyone.
I always thought you put your hazard lights on when your car becomes a hazard, i.e if you break down, your tire goes flat or you just encounter an issue with your car that requires you to stop
Jackal the Bat Pony right hazard light for a hazard a heightened awareness to be careful, some commercial cars trucks can use them to if using appropriately, right now in a Florida everybody in there brother uses them for whatever like it’s some cool habit, pissses me off the stupidity. Nothing like parking in a perfectly safe spot while having you hazards on to check email SMH
@@kimhoward7116 I use them 99% of the time on the motorway/highway either to signal an emergency stop to little or no speed or to thank a driver who flashed me to change lane. Only other cirumstance I would use them is anywhere I would happen to break down.
I work for a bus company in a supervisory role. We train our drivers to always leave themselves an out so drivers don’t get boxed in and have to reverse unsafely. Usually hazards are only used when the bus is broken down away from a bus stop. Of course not all drivers follow all the polices which is a whole other topic. Great videos. Keep it up. 👍
1) The number of drivers that use hazards just to pop into a shop to by cigarettes (for example) or just to pick up their takeaway is a way of saying I cannot be bothered to park round the corner in a safe place and walk back for a few minutes. 2) A lot of drivers also use the hazards by giving a couple of quick flickers as a way of saying thank you. 3) Buses with hazards can cause drivers to 'lock on' to the right side of the bus thinking it's going to move out soon only to cause problems for the traffic behind. 4) Hazards among experienced drivers has almost become a recognised unoffcial way of parking in a busy, narrow street with a tight space on either the left or the right. Instead of indicating for which way is applicable, people use their hazards because when they have used the applicable indicators and break lights, sometimes the car behind has not always realised that they wanted to park and gone straight up behind them and the car behind them going tight up behind as well, thus not allowing them to reverse into that tight space meaning they can only drive on and thus probably losing that space to someone else.
Another bus driver here with First. We are always taught to leave ourselves an out as per the smith keys. If we are waiting our time at a bus stop or changing drivers we are encouraged where possible to pull to the very front of the bus stop to leave room for other buses to serve the stop while we are there. The only times I would use the hazard lights is quickly to thank a driver for maybe letting me out or for their patience, when I'm about to perform a reversing maneuver also during the maneuver, while performing my SOP21 checks at the start of the day in the depot yard and finally if I'm broken down.
Hazards for me: •Motorway traffic stopping suddenly. If very very sudden I'll flash my rear fog light a bit as well, just to be more noticeable, especially when a number of drivers seem to pay less attention to the road. •When flashing oncoming drivers to warn of a hazard ahead on their side, e.g. flood, cyclist on blind bend. •When pulling over to hard shoulder/Breakdown •"Thanks" - for letting me in. (Or sorry, if I do something stupid)
On the rear of buses in Australia there is 2 alternating flashing lights in the middle towards the top of the bus which signal that traffic must slow to a maximum of 40 km/h when flashing. The front of the bus will usually have the alternating lights on the roof in both corners. As a truck driver it is taught that hazard lights are to be used with any reversing manoeuver.
The big 3 and 4 trailer road trains are impossible to reverse, b doubles can be reversed and some operators can reverse a 2 trailer road train. Bull bars offer protection against smaller animals but camels, bulls and larger animals can cause major damage to trucks. Many 4wd vehicles are fitted with bull bars of which many are just used in cities where the vehicle is primarily used to take kids to school and go to the shopping centre or a tradesman who is rushing to the next job site. If you get hit by a truck then a bullbar won’t make much difference but light passenger vehicles equipped with such devices make pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other motorists in small vehicles more vulnerable.
The 40 km/h rule is a good idea yet most don’t know how to yield speed and speed past. Busses have right of way plus there is big issues with the possibility of pedestrians walking out in front of moving traffic.
Years ago I knew a parking warden and she said that she ALWAYS ticketed cars with hazards on first. They were like a beacon guaranteeing that they were parked illegally and headed straight for them. Right or wrong makes perfect sense.
Kris Nicholson 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 I remember the first time someone did that on a motorway in front of me - it properly saved my ass to be fair, and I’ve been practicing doing so myself the odd time it’s been necessary, since 👌🏼
for you to say that Id probably fall into the incorrect use category, just by reading my comment and without asking questions to maybe get more info as to what I meant, is honestly quite silly.there are just waaaayyyyyyy too many scenarios to go through. one will learn when and where to use hazards. it takes experience. if you have driven a long time you will most likely have gotten into situations were you said to yourself, " what the heck is this guy doing"?... "turn your hazards on/off". my first drivers license I made in Germany. I have to say, even the average german driver is a highly trained and capable driver. very aware, respectful, courteous, ...ect. Then I move to the USA, got my license here as well. getting your licenses in these two countries is like day and night, one could come from a university (Germany) the other could come from Walmart (USA). americans have absolutely no concept (in general) of how to drive properly. no driving etiquette, no safety, no rules (cops are the worst over here), no common sense. and its funny, we do have similar road rules/laws, difference is the ignorance in populations. germans see the dangers and the police enforce. here in US, Cops are some of the worst and most reckless and dangerous drivers out there and the typical American driver has no concept of safety, no communication skills.so just driving in these two different environments is a big task.Edit: Btw, these are generalizations. there are of course great American drivers and absolutely lousy German drivers. but for the most part what I said applies.
my point is I guess that it really depends on where you drive, to determine when and where to use hazards. in a lot of situations here in USA hazards are absolutely crucial and are greatly appreciated. whereas in Germany, for the same situation, hazards would be totally useless, if not even confusing as mentioned in the video. all because of the driving behavior and communications skills. in one country most people know what to do thanks to good communication and therefore no need for additional signals which could make normal situations for difficult. in the other, thanks to bad communication or just blatant disregard of others and safety, extreme selfishness,..... nobody knows whats going on. ...."why are we slowing down?......whats going on? ....... ect.. in the later situation, you could be from Britain and say "well that was totally useless,....why would you do that". but if you lived here, you would know why he/she did what they did.lol .... this comment is going way longer than I had thought. I hope now that my initial comment becomes a little more clear.
I mostly use the hazards to quickly thank a driver for letting me out at a junction (if its dark, they cant see you wave necessarily, so a couple blinks just to say cheers) and I use them a lot on motorways to warn traffic behind me of a significant slowdown ahead/stopped cars etc i.e. a hazard.
My feeling about indicating is simple. I always do it. I don't understand why you'd want to introduce another decision to make (i.e. "Is there anyone around to indicate to?") What if there is someone watching and wondering what you're going to do but they're completely obscured from your view so that you can't see them at all? That doesn't mean you're not being observant.
Only last week, I was driving out of town in a 30mph area and a vehicle in front of the one I was following indicated to turn right. There was quite a bit of traffic coming the other way, so I held my foot on the footbrake to warn the cars behind that I had stopped. I could see a car a distance behind me approaching quite quickly (probably speeding), and as he got closer, I thought he should be slowing down but didn't right until the last minute. I could see he was looking over to someone in the passenger seat and could see them mouth 'STOP', which cause him to perform an emergency stop (tyre squeal was evident). I had considered using my hazard lights as well, but I thought that on a 30mph road, the brake lights should be enough. The car is only 2 years old with LED Brake Lights, so are quite powerful. I was stationary for about 30 seconds or so, and the car had just come off a roundabout behind me as I stopped and reached me in about 15-20 seconds.
I'm a delivery driver, driving a 3.5 ton van. I use my hazard lights when I'm stopped blocking the lane to make a delivery, I do this because not only is the lane blocked but because I'm also walking around the van to get to the doors, so hopefully people will slow down as they pass and not run me down. Also because the van is a bit longer than a car, I use hazard lights when I'm reversing as the van doesn't have a reverse bleeper and I don't have the same visibility as car drivers when reversing.
@@collinslfc yeah I got fed up with doing those dodgy deals so I got a normal job. I left Rodney in charge of trotters independent traders, he now has Mikey Pearce to help him.
It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine too. I've even seen some who have their hazard lights on when they're properly parked, some where it's not even pay and display either. I can say though is that 'First Bus' buses in Portsmouth are quite good, they don't use hazards at all from what I've seen. They use their indicators properly.
I was following a taxi when it just put the hazards on and stopped to let a person out, and what annoyed me is that 50 meters down the road there was a bloody car park.
@@bentennyson2398 you can kinda forgive a taxi driver for stopping to let a passenger out, they want to be dropped as close as possible to their destination not down the road.
@@scottlaaa Not when it's blocking a road which isn't wide enough for two vehicles to pass, besides I would've had to mount the pavement in order to pass him and as we all know that is illegal.
Question, can you drive with hazard on to indicate that your car have problem? I saw a car doing this and I'm so anxious because I don't know what will the driver do, if he will turn, change lane or what.
1 flash of Hazards to say Thank You to the 40 ft HGV that has flashed you in when merging onto dual carriageway. Universally used for many years, particularly amongst professional drivers - vans, HGVs. This practise will Not gonna stop any time soon.
As an ex bus driver, my opinion of the two buses in your video is that they are actually doing a vehicle change over may be due to a defect as I see no other reason for them to be parked as close to each other as they were. As an HGV delivery driver the only non-emergency times I use hazard lights on the public highway are 1) if I cannot get into my delivery area due to parked cars and I'm double parked waiting for someone to move their car, and 2) If I am reversing into a delivery yard from the public highway and obviously using both sides of the road.
Just wanted to say that I love your content. I do not drive and have no intention of doing so, but find your videos entertaining and informative. This may be my ignorance of being a non-driver, but in my thought process I would have said that anytime you make a maneuver, which is not you following the road, you should signal, whether you can see anybody or not. The reason I say this is that just because you cannot see anybody, does not mean that nobody is there. Therefore, the little energy and effort it takes to flick the indicator is worth it every time for the person that you did not see coming towards you or up behind you. Your thoughts please.
Another common misuse of hazards is as a “thank you” to cars that have held back/given way and allowed the hazard light user to emerge from a side turning, or to merge into lane on a motorway, in the manner of the old school alternating left/right signal as an acknowledgement of a courtesy by lorry drivers.
I currently live in Japan, and found that people use hazard lights when parking. They are used when you park at the curb, or as an indication that you are about to park into a space. People also use hazards for a moment to thank a driver behind who has let them join traffic. It's a little odd, because generally all of the motoring rules are the same as the UK (even driving on the left). However, the main reason for this, I think, is that cars are only allowed to park at the curb temporarily. If someone is parking to go shopping, or go to work/home, they have to use a parking space, and there are very few parking spaces at the curb, apart from in the larger cities as far as I can tell (all of them are metered too I think). Everyone uses driveways, or carparks, so it means that most of the time you can see both indicators going to know they are parked. When you buy a car in Japan, you have to show the police that you have a parking space for it. I have been asked to show my licence to the police when I was parked to pick up my wife from work when I was at the curb. They said I could only be there for 15 minutes (thankfully I only needed 5)! The textbook UK example of a kid chasing a ball into the road from between two parked cars is not really a problem here, because you'll very rarely see a situation of two or more parked cars curbside. Though, residential areas often have their houses right up to the roadside, so you need to watch for people or kids coming out of their property and into the road. There are also a lot of blind corners, but they often have mirrors showing the road in either direction so you can be pretty sure when it's safe to go. Generally drivers are a lot more courtious than back home. You will often see a driver in the opposite lane stop for a moment to allow a car to turn right to keep traffic flowing. I once remember waiting for about 5 minutes for someone to let me turn right in the UK, until I had to just go left and make a U turn later on, because there were a few cars behind me waiting to turn left. I'm rambling now, but yeah - Japan.. driving.
One thing I've noticed a lot more recently is delivery drivers pulling out with their hazards on because they've turned them on while parked (rightly or wrongly) and then when pulling away they operate the indicator to signal a maneuver but don't realise they've still got their hazards on so no signal is indicated.
I’m a lorry driver and can speak from personal experience. Was parked in a parking spot alongside a main road, and without my hazard lights on, despite being parked properly, an elderly gentleman drove into the back corner of my lorry. He did not come out far enough. I was the only vehicle using that parking area at the time. Even when I’m parked alongside a road with other vehicles, I now always keep my hazard lights on. The lorry sticks out considerably further than the cars and drivers might only move out as far as to pass the first car and think that’s enough. Unfortunately flashing lights is the safest way to ensure you get the attention of those drivers.
There is one instance where I use hazards, and that is on a road that I drive occasionally. It is a main road in Dorset, but being narrow and twisty is limited to 40mph. I always find traffic queuing just around a blind bend where they are waiting to go onto a roundabout 100 metres further on. I slow or stop well short of the bend on seeing the traffic stationary (or barely moving) at which point I move out to the crown of the road, and well within sight of following vehicles, and then put my hazards on to warn the drivers of the obstruction ahead. Once traffic behind starts to slow behind me I turn the hazards off to creep forward, thus preventing me being seen at the last moment, and run into. It's called self preservation!!!
I found this one very interesting, particularly the point about lorries with hazards on. I failed my second driving test because a lorry (7,5t) with his hazard lights on, moved off as I was passing him. My examiner failed me for failing to observe another road user's signal. She obviously thought the driver was only indicating. One question I would ask about thatnis was she right, if the lorry driver was indicating? Do you have to let someone move out if they're indicating?
Some cars have a different flash pattern on the hazards (short on > long off) rather than steady on > steady off. If you're a car nerd, you could identify the difference when one side is obstructed. But it would help if this was mandated, so it's easier for people to tell the difference.
Excellent video as always Ashley. I have a suggestion regarding the "bus driver waiting a while and not just picking up / dropping off passengers" thingy. Continue the same practice of having the bus' four way hazards on (so that any other bus arriving behind knows ) BUT with the addition of turning the front wheels sharp left towards the curb. Have a publicity campaign to alert other drivers of this method. Clearly then if on the approach to a stationary bus wtih what appears may be it's right signal on but with its front wheels turned sharply left towards to curb....then clearly that bus is not about to move away from the curb into traffic. Again, a publicity campaign highlighting this would be even more effective. As an alternate or addition to the above suggestion, how about some sort of sign that clips on to the bus drivers side window to tell traffic in both directions that the bus is waiting a while. The sign could even have battery operated LED lights. Thoughts anyone? Intererestingly, in Canada and the USA, many buses have an extra row of tiny red lights going across the back of the bus mounted high up. In a situation such as described, the bus driver turns on these lights which flash almost like some sort of Christmas lights to tell everybody the intention of the bus to remain stationary for a while, with no four way flashers neccassry to inform any busses arriving behind that it is remaining stationary for a while, and hence no confusion to any passing traffic. Of course, here in the uk this would require a major retrofit to every bus and hence my suggestion of turning the wheels sharp left to the curb plus continuing to use the four way hazards to inform other busses arriving behind.
Very handy advice for me as a tradesman who works at 4-8 properties a day. Searching for house numbers (SERIOUSLY people why can't we 1. All promise to number our props and 2. Make it a legal standard to number every prop) and then searching for parking I'd sometimes use hazard lights. In that situation, while I'm moving slowly like a bin lorry and causing an obstruction, would I signal left instead of hazards?
I worked at DPD for a year. One of the main things that bothered me is the amount of drivers (other delivery companies too) who just put them on when making a delivery and parked normally at the side of the road. The only times I remember using them myself was when I was driving around building sites, etc, which was site policy.
I'm a white van man driving a 3.5 tonner. I live next to a road that can be busy at rush hour and my house is close to a set of traffic lights (my house is next to the crossroads warning sign). When I have to park my van on the drive and there are vehicles behind me, I first of all put my left indicator on, pull past the driveway and stop. I then put the hazards on to let the people behind me know that I'm not queueing to turn left at the junction. I do this because the van's bulky and it's difficult for the people behind me to see what's going on in front. When the traffic behind me has cleared, I turn off the hazards and reverse into the drive (my van has a reversing bleeper).
Another bus driver here, concur with Josh R. We were taught we should only have them on whilst reversing, for obvious reasons as we cant always see a great deal. Other than that, I'll use them to thank other cars letting me go, or if I need to make way for emergency services on narrower roads in town centre, usually means I've moved over in a junction and stopped. Once they've gone I'll signal right to carry on.
Another example of when the speed differential is great enough to warrant the use of the hazards is when your vehicle is still just about driveable but has gone into a form of "limp" mode. What some might not know about the dreaded limp mode is that there is several limp modes depending on how bad the ECU thinks the problem is and will choose the engine power and/or RPM limit associated with whichever limp mode the ECU selected.
I may only use hazard lights for thanking when a very slow vehicle like a tractor, scooter or an equivalent lets me pass them easier and safer. Two blinks is apparently the common way, since it would essentially indicate two words, with both of them being "thank you". Or just lift up my hand for a second. I've seen lorries and buses do that, and as soon as I get thanked by either, whom is emerging from a bus stop, or changing lane. I know it is going to be a good day. Speaking of lorries and buses, I've lately tried to keep an even bigger gap from them than usual (I should work on that with any other vehicles also), when I usually try to go with a gap of 3-5 seconds, especially even more when peeps are like 1-2 seconds behind me, as well as tailgating one another behind me. It feels very common in my region for whatever reason, and although I like to think they would be more experienced, and use that as a ticket to have a shorter gap, I try to do as I see fit. But I digress. Could you make a video about tailgating all around? Like this video here? I know you made the video on "how to deal with it", but there's a lot more I'm sure I don't know about any other side of the subject.
The point @3:23 is particularly annoying. That's why I reckon hazards should flash in a different way to normal indicators at least then you'd know whether they were wanting to pull out or not.
It's a gradual thing innit. Not every car was fitted with indicators at one time. And if there's at least some cars with the different sequence there will, overall, be less confusion re whether or not a vehicle is waiting to pull out.
Yeah, cos that's worked so far, just like people shouldn't tailgate or speed etc, but technical solutions have been devised for those which aren't on all cars on the road.....yet
A video where I actually agree with nearly everything you expressed, apart from bus drivers, the bus stationary in front of another, just use a hand signal when wanting to pull out so there will be no confusion with the intent. But a stationary bus or lorry should always put on hazards, the amount of vehicles I see pull up behind one of the above with no hazards and then a queue forms behind them, mind you some blinkered car drivers do the same with hazards showing. On the very rare occasion heavy braking was required I would hit the hazards, now thanks to new technology in some vehicles the hazards come on automatically. I sometimes flick a hazard signal at night if someone lets me out of a turning just to say thank you as they can’t always see a hand gesture.
Yes some hgv drivers use them in daft places . I ( as a hgv driver ) didnt use them unless there was a accident / hazard ahead and it helps drivers behind me no these a hazard . That said I now use them when reversing on roads . That's only because about 3 month ago I had a accident where I had to reverse a arctic lorry intoo a site on my right . So I had to swan neck to get the hangle to make the reverse using both sides of road . What I didnt expect is once I started reversing the driver in the incoming traffic moved forward ( behind me ) and for some reason stopped in my blind spot .... the rest of the story should be explained on what happend when I started moving back . So from that point on .. I cant help but get butterflys in my stomach. And always use my hazards before sticking it in the reverse. ... great videos as always . I love the video even though I've been driveing years . Your never too experienced to learn something new .
i am a delivery driver i some times use hazards to thank a driver for letting me out but mostly when on a very busy road (ie anywhere in Portsmouth) to let ppl know that i am about to become a hazard by stopping to make my delivery as most times we have to just stop outside a customer house as there is there is normally nowhere to stop any where near the customers house but will always indicate to the left first to try and let ppl know of my intentions
I'm a courier, I sometimes use hazards after indicating to the side of a main road. And clarify I'm not moving. Also I'm working around the van. Delivering or collecting parcel's. I'm a chunky guy though, I look bloody good as a giant orange in my orange jacket 😆
Hazard warning lights were added to cars to denote broken down / not moving. There are very few cases where it is legal to use hazard lights. The law is that when the hazard lights are on the indicators do not work for indicating direction which is illegal unless the vehicle is not able to move due to brake down. Other types of hazard warning lights as seen on commercial vehicles can be used because they do not affect the indicators. The topic is not well covered by the highway code but is covered by vehicle use and construction laws / rules.
I'm not sure about other company's but the company I work for doesn't get taught to use hazards while pulled up at a bus stop. Like you said left signal suffices. Confuses the hell out of me when i'm driving the bus in service and there's a certain company that has hazards on in the city back to back and i'm slowing down causing traffic behind me to slow down, then to only realise that its just a bus with hazards on. I theorize that newer bus drivers take up habits that older drivers have in the company they work that causes this. If i have time to wait, I just indicate in and turn everything off, If I'm visible and the situation needs extra care i.e I cant fit in the bus stop, I indicate and keep it on and only cancel it once I'm in a safe position. The bottom line is that I think some people tend to copy bad habits too much.
Completely agree with every word you said Ashley. On Dale Street, buses often wait their time with hazards on, sometimes 2 or 3 buses in a row, and it is so unclear whether there are hazards on or right signals
At one time the ONLY time it was legal to use Hazard lights on a moving vehicle was on a PSV to indicate to others that there was a problem on the 'bus, such as a violent passenger. More recently the rules have included the 'attention ahead' feature on the motorway . Regarding normal signals , the lane keeping feature on my LEAF will 'grab the wheel' and prevent me changing lanes unless I make a turn signal. I find it a nuisance as I pass slower vehicles, because I am almost forced to signal in a situation where it is obvious that I am going to change lanes.
@@wandpj What do you mean by 'people like you'? My point was that the design of the advanced driving features on some cars can have a perhaps unintended effect on other features of driving.
@@Room1sixtyfive There is a shop near me on the same side of the road where cars park making the road single file. Every time a delivery lorry turns up it parks in front of the shop with it's hazards on. From either direction it just looks like it is indicating to pull out. The hazards serve absolutely no purpose and just cause annoyance and confusion. If you've broken down and your car is in the road then put your hazards on, otherwise leave them off.
I'm a new driver so fortunately haven't had any reason to really use them yet, but I do use them (as do lots of other people I've noticed) to thank someone or if I make a mistake I apologise. Just press them 1-2 times. People know what it means. It's safer than flashing to let people out at any rate, that's dangerous and can be very confusing.
Found this from 3 years ago. Only time I’ve used hazard lights was on a dark road,just as I came off a roundabout and there was a large puddle. I had a car following close behind,I slowed,put the hazards on and went through the puddle,then turned them off.
I work for a supermarket as a delivery driver, we are told to use hazards while reversing the vans. Despite both the rear white lights and the reverse buzzer sound, apparently we are to use them for safety. 90% of the time I dont, the way the indicators are positioned on the wing mirrors, the flashing lights can sometimes obscure the vision in the mirrors particularly at night and in the rain.
I thought hazzards are used when your vehicle is being a danger or obstructive to other road users. So if you break down in the middle of a roundabout. Then that is correct. But if you break down and manage to park in such away that it's legal and safe. Then no need to use. If your on the hard shoulder of a motorway. Waiting for recovery. Can hazzerds be used then?
When I was a food delivery driver for a famous supermarket, we were trained to put hazard lights on when reversing. I did not think this was necessary as the white lights and reversing noise where there to warn pedestrians and traffic that you was reversing. This practice is still going on and is used by other delivery companies too.
You’re wrong. Hazards are better to use when youre stationary. If you put left signal the car behind will assume that you’re turning left just easier to put hazards so you know the person is stopped. Even the lorry there with hazards that you’re critiquing; he put them on cos he’s out in the road further and when the cars slow it’s safer.
Here in the Netherlands they are also a sort of signal on the motorway for slow traffic. Then people know on time that speeds will be a lot slower than normal and they can brake earlier. So often you see people at the back of slow moving traffic put on hazard lights until there is someone behind them.
I think the advice to not signal when no one is around is ill-advised. You are relying on your observations being acurate all of the time and that you haven't missed anything. This sounds like hubris. Signalling will also communicate to anyone whom you have failed to see.
Sorry if I sound like a dick, but if you can't observe around yourself then you shouldn't be driving. E.g. Putting your right indicator on to drive away from the kerb without checking your blindspot will still lead to an accident if a car is there. Indicators are to show your intentions and they don't give you right of way.
Indicators just signal your intentions. If there are no pedestrians, cyclists or other motorists, around or behind, why should you signal? It's unnecessary. Only signal when it is of benefit to other people, otherwise what's the point?
@@keveb4724 That assumes that you observe every possible danger at every time. That sounds like hubris. If no one is around, you have lost nothing; if you have missed something, it may avoid a collision.
I've seriously never seen them used for this. Surely waving through the rear window does the job? if someone lets me in, raise my left hand. Happy daize... ALSO! What if there actually is a real hazard? Around a 134-294% chance they are going to bump into you...
I use hazards all the time on my bin wagon. It has inductors at bottom and top. It can means I’m just parking to collect bins or about to swing out and reverse. So everyone keep well back. 95% of bin wagons reverse in entrances. Don’t worry cos I’m always in a rush so I don’t hold you up for longer than necessary.
Thank you for this information, I'm a new driver in Canada and part of the driving test is emergency parking where we need to use hazard signal which made me think I need to use it every time I stop on the street. But noticed when I'm driving, it confuses me everytime I saw a car parked with hazard on. I always thought they will be merging because I couldn't see the other signal right away. I hope everyone will be informed on this.
As much as I don't use hazard lights when I'm unloading my truck at work, I do notice more people slow down and give more room for you to work in safely around the vehicle if you leave the hazards running. I also use them for reverse maneuvers when in a truck around pedestrian areas, as pedestrians may not see the reverse lights or hear the audio warning and it gives them an extra chance to notice that I am in a dangerous spot. I didn't used to use the hazards during maneuvers like reversing into a bay, or delivery area, but I noticed when I started doing so people actually stayed clear from the vehicle.
I always put the hazards on when reversing, as they flash they are more noticeable than a steady on , like the reversing lights . Despite the hazards, reversing lights and alarm people still walk out behind you . 😠
@@dennisphoenix1 yeah, but still at least nobody can claim you didnt give them warning. The worst I get is parking outside Victoria station on Buckingham Palace Road, where I have to reverse the trailer back to get the truck close to the kerbside and whole crowds of people walk right behind me.
I use them if I need to slow down and stop on the road if there is an obstruction, or crash, or animals, or old lady at 12 o clock. I also use them if I need to stop on a dangerous road where visibility is reduced and a car may hit into you on a country road. It increases visibility epically as a motorcyclist a country road is dangerous if you need to pull in for a prolonged period of time, but yeah if its only for a few seconds I don't see the point,
The use of hazard lights on the motorway is really dangerous imo when you have trafic. I wrecked my car (had my license for a few months back then) when I looked down (I know I know) to search for the hazard lights while slowing down and I didn't notice the car in front came to a stop (60 km/h to a complete stop in a very short distance, I looked down for around a second) and crashed right into it. Luckily no one was hurt but my car was totaled (engine was smashed) and the car I hit got around 5000 USD in repair. Better looking at the road than trying to use them. Keep up these videos they're really instructional and interesting, cheers
Sorry to hear. One main thing I always do in a new vehicle I get into is knowing were everything is. Including hazard button without looking. (Just incase of soke thing like this). Even the indicators and wiper control can be swoped around in some models
CorvoRa0 .. so the accident you had was caused by the traffic stopping or you not knowing where your important controls are ? i bet you know where the coke holder is ... here in France using hasards lights when last in a stopped queue of traffic is obligatory and in motorway situations where there is a sudden slowing ( often approaching an accident or busy junction bottlenecking ) hasard lights mixed with brake lights mean just one thing .. prepare to stop . Brake lights alone are annoying as they don’t show whether the driver is just slowing , or one of those on off type of drivers who can’t anticipate anything . i have used hasards whilst driving at an exceptionally slow speed due to a very low direct facing sunset causing very poor vision to the point where i was unable to see more a few metres ... i think cars coming opposite understood ..
@@lordlucan7655 pretty much both. Well I really never had any use for the hazard light until then. If you want more details the car in front was one of those big 4x4 Mercedes car - trucks and I was in a small coupe (same height as a Miata practically). My driving skills where pretty borked back then (experience 'n stuff missing) and didn't see ahead of the car in front. We where both on the overtaking lane. And no, I don't know where my coke holder is. In Switzerland I don't think they're obligatory, it's just common sense. And yes I didn't have the slightest idea where my hazard lights are and I thought looking down was a better idea than fumbling around (bad idea in retrospect). No one else in front of me or on the other lane did the same. No I don't text and drive. Never. I have to say that the system France has of having the minimum 3000km or whatever to be able to take the driving test or the next step to it is a great idea because it forces you to get experience. Which is what failed me. Here you basically can get your learners driving license (literally the day you turn 18) and take the exam the next day or even the same day. So it's biased
Actually the danger was you LOOKING for the button. You should be able to reach for it without looking for it. If you cannot find it safely, then don't use it until it IS safe.
@@jimbo11235813 you right. Totally. I had to figure this out for myself after the accident so that was to late. In the heat of the moment I just went "potential danger, turn on the hazards". And that's what got me
My car has hazards that automatically go on if braking quickly, such as when I saw a queue of traffic at 70 and had to slow down quickly, the only time I've used my hazards was when I parked at the side of the road because I heard a loud pop from the car and needed to check it out.
Nearly had a situation a few weeks ago with a mid sized truck (about the size as the one at 3:30) in a small parking area in front of a small strip of food shops. It was lunch time, so I did a couple laps, could not find a spare park. There was a truck with hazard lights on, parallel parked on the side blocking a number perpendicular parked cars. He was there for at least a few minutes, while i did a couple laps looking for a spare park. I assumed he was making a delivery, and there just isn't much room for a truck. Of course, as I pulled over to the right a little to get past him....THAT'S when he decides to pull out and nearly drive over my little car. One would think the guy parallel parked on the side of the road should look for traffic before pulling out.
The worst use of hazard lights I came across was years ago when I was driving an HGV at about 3 in the morning on a dual carriageway in the middle of nowhere. No street lights. Pitch black. Up in the distance I saw hazards lights flashing. I slowed down, moved out into the right hand lane. Only when I got closer could I see what it was … a car stopped in a lay-by! Not just a cutting by the side of the road, like a bus stop - a proper lay-by, separate from the road. Absolutely *no* need for hazard lights.
The irony is that most people who use their hazard lights use them as an excuse to pay less attention to what they are doing, (relying on others to react to your situation) where the reality is that if you need your hazard lights, then your state of awareness needs to be higher, and your actions should be to try to become less of a hazard.
I've been driving 20 years, and I've only used the hazards when I've had a bump or broken down...started seeing people use them to signal thanks, but only a few years ago...never saw it before then. And hate those that use them as 'park anywhere' lights
Personally I use them if I see a hazard on the road ahead and need to warn people behind, I use them to warn following traffic that I’m about to manoeuvre to reverse (I drive a truck) and I use them when parked kerbside delivering to warn drivers that there may be a hazard there as I’m unloading cages and dollies out of the trailer.
Realise that probably did the Wrong thing but........Was following a driver towing a small trailer along a duel carriageway (up hill). he lost control of the trailer and started to swerve into both lanes. I dropped behind and straddled both lanes with hazards on. When both car and trailer were back in control, I was thanked by 2 drivers. 1 was the driver
So glad you're covering this! The hazards looking like right signals thing always gets me. It's always a scary moment as you go past, wondering if they're going to pull out on you or not.
I think I saw two cars that were parked parallel there. I'm not sure if they exist in the UK, but in other European countries like Estonia, Finland, and Sweden, there are road signs telling drivers to park their vehicles in that fashion. Still, you should attempt to park your vehicle so as to not cause an inconvenience for other drivers.
Hi Ashley, as you know I’m a PCV Instructor and to back up what Josh R says, in my company, we teach exactly what he says. Pull up but leave enough space in front to pull the vehicle out. The clue is in the name, “Hazard” lights!!
Would you use hazards to warn another user of a potential road condition, example debris, flood or poor road condition? Was proceeding along two lane road, car behind too close , nothing in outside lane ( why didn't they just overtake), had to change lane for water, wasn't sure they'd see it in time.
I try to follow these rules... The only other time is when Im in a tight alleyway or parking ramp and need to flag that I am reversing because the road is blocked and I cannot uturn
As an ambulance driver when on blue lights often people put hazards on. It's nice to know they have seen you. But often very hard to know what they are going to do. Which way they are going to pull over...
@@ashley_neal Totally. Or a right signal if going through parting traffic on duel carriageway/one way street. Least with a signal I'd know 1.they have seen me and are responding accordingly 2. Far less confusing
On the rare occasions if I do a roadside delivery, I would have my hazards on with my ignition key out for the rapid flash. The reason I would have them on is because am working around the truck which is a HAZARD. So the idea is to slow down traffic. Bin lorries on the other hand have hazard beacons which I would use instead if my lorry was equipped with them.
Ashley, totally agree with you on that people think if they put their hazards on they can do what they want when they want to. That aside, can you do something on motorway driving, specifically on lane use/changing. Apologies if you have already. Love the channel
Some great advice as always.I don't agree (if I understood you correctly)that you should only indicate if you see someone around.I prefer to signal every time as if I have not seen someone they still have a better idea of what I am doing.I don't care what the person in the passenger seat knows they can ask me if they need to,a pedestrian in dressed in black at night(not ideal but it happens) only has my signals to go on.
I'm pretty sure here in Australia buses rarely use hazards. They always indicate left when they are standing or stopping. As for individual drivers... it really varies
I am a delivery driver and I regularly have to perform out of the ordinary maneuvers to make deliveries such as reversing into a tight street or reversing onto a busy junction if there is no way to turn the van around. I use my hazards to try and give an indication of what I'm doing, one example I can think of is when i needed to do a drop down a tight road with nowhere to turn around I had to reverse into the road making sure it was clear and look out for drivers coming from either side, however there was a taxi driver who did not seem to understand what I was trying to do and made my life very difficult by driving really close to my van and almost stopping me from reversing. in situations like this what would you propose the best thing to do is?
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Bus driver here, obviously can only speak for my company not all of them but:
We are NOT taught to put our hazards on when waiting at a timing point or changing drivers. It's one of those things that people 'pick up' on other drivers doing, rightly or wrongly.
We are taught to leave enough space behind the bus in front to allow us to get out and around if they are waiting.
I personally don't use hazard lights unless I've broken down or am genuinely causing a hazard for some reason (like the bus has gone into limp mode).
Other bus drivers using hazards is something I see often, and when there's a single bus there, I guess it doesn't cause much grief but is unnecessary. In the situation you pointed out, if annoys me just as much as everyone else because I'm thinking "Do I need to let this bus out" only to find they've just got their hazards on...
As a side note, I am very concious of the fact that I hold up other road users all day. I try my best to be considerate of other drivers, even if sometimes I make a mistake, like we all make mistakes.
I always appreciate the hazards of buses thanking me when I let them out... it's about the only hazards I can bear!!
Thank you
Thank for being a responsible and considerate professional driver
Doffs cap
Please, if you want to, further your career and become a PSV Driving Instructor - the UK will be a better/safer place if you maintain your attitude.
@@suzannebradbury when thanking someone I usually do the classic thumbs up out the window! :D
Josh R I equally love that too!! I thoroughly believe in letting buses out (as long as safe obvs. )and as a driver it’s lovely to have acknowledgement. Same with anything else. It’s just like courtesy and manners. The same as when you hold a door open for someone. I don’t do it for a thanks but I also don’t appreciate non-acknowledgement. At the same time, bus drivers, lorry drivers have got way more to worry about than little old me so when you don’t get one, there’s a reason and I accept that also. Keep doing what you’re doing!! X
Yeah my family has a heavy history with the bus and coaching industry and I can’t think of a company that teaches this. As far as I know it’s bad habit.
Don’t apologise for holding people up, these days it’s often not the driver it’s the black box and car users don’t even know. Stagecoach and Trent Barton for example use a system with a green, amber, and red light in the cabin which often goes amber or red for no reason which in turn comes back on the driver. I’m assuming you have something similar or the exact same?
I use 'em when there's a hazard up ahead (sudden traffic on the motorway, breakdown int middle road, etc.), or contextually when someone lets me out/in as a "thank you". I know the latter isn't at all correct, but it seems well-understood, and is good manners. Hazards seem to have the same sort of contextual quality that flashing one's headlights does.
Are/were you in Japan? I can't recall if people used them as thanks back in the UK, but here in Japan it's commonplace.
@@Inglott Cool to hear that it's common in Japan too, I do enjoy learning about the culture over there.
Yes, flashing is one of the main ways of thanking others on the road here in England. I think the most common way is by showing the palm of your hand over the steering wheel, (though that's substituted for a flash in the dark), flashing your hazards once or twice (most often used to thank someone behind you), and flashing your indictors left right left, or right left right (mostly used by truckers).
@@Asdayasman It's been a while - I've spent more time driving in Japan than in the UK at this point. In Japan with a rear thank you it's hazards, in front it's a bow and/or a hand up.
@@Inglott Damn I can't imagine bowing while driving, my seat is FAAAAAR back. I'm chillin'.
@@Asdayasman Haha, not everyone does. A hand up is just as acceptable.
Today on the M25 car in front of me put their hazards on to advise that the traffic was about to come to a fairly sudden halt due to traffic caused by a minor crash and a stationery car. Great use of hazzards
So it's that bad you have to rely on the clown in front when you can just look further up the road yourself?
Great use of them. I’ve noticed people do it in the south of France on the motorway when traffic suddenly slows down fast.
@@markcaldwell2831 wasn't relying on it, but the hazards confirmed what I thought was happening
@@version736ha2 yup
And let's be honest who doesn't drift a bit concentration wise on the motorway?
First of all, love this, wrong hazard light usage is really pissing me off. Secondly, I'm a bit skeptical of teaching to not signal "if there's no-one around". As a driver, you need to observe your environment, and keep tabs on everyone around you. In the day, you will probably be able to spot all of them, but you might mistake a car with someone in it as a parked car. Maybe they were pulling out of the parking spot, and you were turning right into a driveway before reaching them. Then your signal would be beneficial to them, letting them know that they can pull out when they observe you reducing your speed in their mirror. Without that signal, they would not be sure of your intentions, and would have to wait longer to safely pull out (speed reduction could just mean you're a teenager planning to do a drag race or something else stupid).
At night, this becomes even more true. There will always be some pedestrians or bicyclists hiding behind some bushes, a fence or some parked cars. Your lack of signaling in a situation like that isn't dangerous, as you adjust your driving to the conditions, but it can impede some of these hidden humans. You're driving down a road and planning to turn right. Further up the road (not that far past where you're going to turn right), there's a hidden pedestrian wanting to cross the road. Your early signal lets them know that you're not going past them, and they can cross the road if there are no other cars coming up. If you didn't signal in that situation, they would have to wait until you turn to assess if they are comfortable crossing the road. There's seldom any real danger in not signaling in these situations, but your lack of signals make other road users unsure of your intentions, forcing them to wait, thus your lack of signaling will be "slowing down traffic".
As a closing statement, I really like your channel, and agree with everything you say. In theory, I agree that you shouldn't have to signal if there's no-one to see them, but in practice I'm afraid it could lead to sloppy driving and bad habits, often you cannot be totally sure that there's no-one around that might take benefits from your signaling. Cheers, and have a great day!
There is an insanely short slip road where I live where I don't indicate for a few reasons. First. I don't have time to. Secondly there is never a safe way out of this slip road unless it's clear so at the end of the day no one will ever see it/it will never be needed.
To agree with you checking before signals
I also have an issue with the ""if there's no-one around" thinking. Just because you have not seen anyone doesn't mean you haven't missed someone/something. Its lazy thinking and promotes lazy driving.
I agree, but the dvsa and many training bodies seem to think that effective observations with a signal, somehow lead to ineffective observations.
If I've made concrete observations and see there is no one to benefit, then my signal covers my deficiencies as a human being. As a motorcyclist I have had many a car pull out from the side of the Rd, who may well of made what they consider effective observations, but missed me for whatever reason, in these situations a signal would have at least alerted me sooner.
As an analogy, my son jumped out of aeroplanes with a parachute fir many years, but no matter how meticulous he packed his Shute, he still had the reserve as a safeguard.
@@Grahamvfr You see I signal in advance and check after signal for example when joining a motorway using a slip road especially at night the drivers see your indicator and change lanes for you because they see it flashing the sooner your intent is known the sooner other considerate drivers can respond.
@@gravemind6536 Yes, that makes a lot of sense.
An uninsured, unlicensed, untaxed, drunk, drugged up, speeding, red light jumping driver got away with all motoring offences because he had hazard lights on.
If you glue a tiny mirror over your photo on your driver's license, you can do whatever you want, because if they police try to arrest you they'll get confused and arrest themselves.
Also when they put their hand up seems to excuse a lot of situations
Hazard lights AKA Park anywhere lights, pisses me off when they do this
Usually a posh car too. As everyone knows, posh cars are not subject to the same rules as pleb cars.
That's here in Chicago lol
Especially when it causes people to slow down and only have space for one lane to pass through
Pisses me off too I only use them to signal emergency stop on motorway, emergency stopping for wildlife that would cause significant damage to a car or to thank someone flashing me on the motoway to help me change lanes.
For busses, surely it should be just the same as for a car dropping off:
Left indicator ON = dropping off / picking up.
Right indicator ON = pulling out
NO indicators = PARKED
Doesn’t that convey all the information needed?
I like that
Buses only park in bus depots and terminuses.
Stuart McConnachie I would say that hazards are to be used when a bus is temporarily parked. In my village if a bus is stopped you can’t drive past it if there’s cars in front. The only way knowing if the bus is moving forward is if it doesn’t show any indication. I’ve seen many times where people assume that the bus is stopped drive past only to find cars on the other side.
I've come across a bus indicating right but still picking up people. That gets my goat. I don't like it when a bus indicates left and then right and pulls straight out. I let buses out but don't think they should have the right to pull straight out
@@GooseMcSwan Never come across a "Bus Stand" then?
In response to why do lorry drivers put hazards on.
I am working around my vehicle. Car drivers do not seem to react to that fact. They pass too close and too fast which puts my life at risk. That situation is a hazard, therefore I put hazard lights on to signal to the few drivers who actually pay attention that there is a hazard and to pass carefully. Just in the same way bin lorries or recovery lorries display hazard warning beacons because they are working in close proximity to the traffic. Hope that helps Ashley!
Why not fit warning beacons to your lorry? Hazard warning lights most only be used in the correct situations described in this video.
Now you understand why cyclists get upset at close passes!
Some people use their hazard lights to say thanks to other drive is this ok or should they just put their hand up to say thanks
To be honest no its not okay. They are hazard lights. What if there was someone behind you and you flash your hazards? They might brake suddenly in response.
You're far better off waving at them as a thanks.
Thanks I just wondered as I do use hazard lights to say thanks when someone let's me out or into right lane but after watching video and what you just said I start just putting hand up
@MO RTM same I thought it be alright cos you only putting them on for a sec to say thanks
I'm guilty of having used a flash or two to thank another driver for letting me in places, but it's honestly a better idea to roll down your window and give the driver behind you a friendly hand gesture like a wave or a thumbs up.
Oakboy 123 I use hazards to say thanks for letting me in or letting me do something. Or a flash if I want to thank on coming traffic. Don’t care if it’s ‘wrong’ it’s just being nice. Won’t confuse anyone.
I always thought you put your hazard lights on when your car becomes a hazard, i.e if you break down, your tire goes flat or you just encounter an issue with your car that requires you to stop
Jackal the Bat Pony right hazard light for a hazard a heightened awareness to be careful, some commercial cars trucks can use them to if using appropriately, right now in a Florida everybody in there brother uses them for whatever like it’s some cool habit, pissses me off the stupidity. Nothing like parking in a perfectly safe spot while having you hazards on to check email SMH
As long as you're on double yellows
@@kimhoward7116 I use them 99% of the time on the motorway/highway either to signal an emergency stop to little or no speed or to thank a driver who flashed me to change lane. Only other cirumstance I would use them is anywhere I would happen to break down.
I work for a bus company in a supervisory role. We train our drivers to always leave themselves an out so drivers don’t get boxed in and have to reverse unsafely. Usually hazards are only used when the bus is broken down away from a bus stop. Of course not all drivers follow all the polices which is a whole other topic. Great videos. Keep it up. 👍
1) The number of drivers that use hazards just to pop into a shop to by cigarettes (for example) or just to pick up their takeaway is a way of saying I cannot be bothered to park round the corner in a safe place and walk back for a few minutes.
2) A lot of drivers also use the hazards by giving a couple of quick flickers as a way of saying thank you.
3) Buses with hazards can cause drivers to 'lock on' to the right side of the bus thinking it's going to move out soon only to cause problems for the traffic behind.
4) Hazards among experienced drivers has almost become a recognised unoffcial way of parking in a busy, narrow street with a tight space on either the left or the right. Instead of indicating for which way is applicable, people use their hazards because when they have used the applicable indicators and break lights, sometimes the car behind has not always realised that they wanted to park and gone straight up behind them and the car behind them going tight up behind as well, thus not allowing them to reverse into that tight space meaning they can only drive on and thus probably losing that space to someone else.
Another bus driver here with First. We are always taught to leave ourselves an out as per the smith keys. If we are waiting our time at a bus stop or changing drivers we are encouraged where possible to pull to the very front of the bus stop to leave room for other buses to serve the stop while we are there. The only times I would use the hazard lights is quickly to thank a driver for maybe letting me out or for their patience, when I'm about to perform a reversing maneuver also during the maneuver, while performing my SOP21 checks at the start of the day in the depot yard and finally if I'm broken down.
Hazards for me:
•Motorway traffic stopping suddenly. If very very sudden I'll flash my rear fog light a bit as well, just to be more noticeable, especially when a number of drivers seem to pay less attention to the road.
•When flashing oncoming drivers to warn of a hazard ahead on their side, e.g. flood, cyclist on blind bend.
•When pulling over to hard shoulder/Breakdown
•"Thanks" - for letting me in. (Or sorry, if I do something stupid)
I do it on the latter but only on the motorway in other circumstances I just hold my hand up to thank them.
On the rear of buses in Australia there is 2 alternating flashing lights in the middle towards the top of the bus which signal that traffic must slow to a maximum of 40 km/h when flashing. The front of the bus will usually have the alternating lights on the roof in both corners. As a truck driver it is taught that hazard lights are to be used with any reversing manoeuver.
The big 3 and 4 trailer road trains are impossible to reverse, b doubles can be reversed and some operators can reverse a 2 trailer road train. Bull bars offer protection against smaller animals but camels, bulls and larger animals can cause major damage to trucks. Many 4wd vehicles are fitted with bull bars of which many are just used in cities where the vehicle is primarily used to take kids to school and go to the shopping centre or a tradesman who is rushing to the next job site. If you get hit by a truck then a bullbar won’t make much difference but light passenger vehicles equipped with such devices make pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other motorists in small vehicles more vulnerable.
The 40 km/h rule is a good idea yet most don’t know how to yield speed and speed past. Busses have right of way plus there is big issues with the possibility of pedestrians walking out in front of moving traffic.
Years ago I knew a parking warden and she said that she ALWAYS ticketed cars with hazards on first. They were like a beacon guaranteeing that they were parked illegally and headed straight for them.
Right or wrong makes perfect sense.
Rule of thumb for me is: if there is a hazard, or if I am creating a hazard, I use my hazard lights. if not, then I don't.
Kris Nicholson 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 I remember the first time someone did that on a motorway in front of me - it properly saved my ass to be fair, and I’ve been practicing doing so myself the odd time it’s been necessary, since 👌🏼
for you to say that Id probably fall into the incorrect use category, just by reading my comment and without asking questions to maybe get more info as to what I meant, is honestly quite silly.there are just waaaayyyyyyy too many scenarios to go through. one will learn when and where to use hazards. it takes experience. if you have driven a long time you will most likely have gotten into situations were you said to yourself, " what the heck is this guy doing"?... "turn your hazards on/off". my first drivers license I made in Germany. I have to say, even the average german driver is a highly trained and capable driver. very aware, respectful, courteous, ...ect. Then I move to the USA, got my license here as well. getting your licenses in these two countries is like day and night, one could come from a university (Germany) the other could come from Walmart (USA). americans have absolutely no concept (in general) of how to drive properly. no driving etiquette, no safety, no rules (cops are the worst over here), no common sense. and its funny, we do have similar road rules/laws, difference is the ignorance in populations. germans see the dangers and the police enforce. here in US, Cops are some of the worst and most reckless and dangerous drivers out there and the typical American driver has no concept of safety, no communication skills.so just driving in these two different environments is a big task.Edit: Btw, these are generalizations. there are of course great American drivers and absolutely lousy German drivers. but for the most part what I said applies.
my point is I guess that it really depends on where you drive, to determine when and where to use hazards. in a lot of situations here in USA hazards are absolutely crucial and are greatly appreciated. whereas in Germany, for the same situation, hazards would be totally useless, if not even confusing as mentioned in the video. all because of the driving behavior and communications skills. in one country most people know what to do thanks to good communication and therefore no need for additional signals which could make normal situations for difficult. in the other, thanks to bad communication or just blatant disregard of others and safety, extreme selfishness,..... nobody knows whats going on. ...."why are we slowing down?......whats going on? ....... ect.. in the later situation, you could be from Britain and say "well that was totally useless,....why would you do that". but if you lived here, you would know why he/she did what they did.lol .... this comment is going way longer than I had thought. I hope now that my initial comment becomes a little more clear.
I mostly use the hazards to quickly thank a driver for letting me out at a junction (if its dark, they cant see you wave necessarily, so a couple blinks just to say cheers) and I use them a lot on motorways to warn traffic behind me of a significant slowdown ahead/stopped cars etc i.e. a hazard.
Drivers don’t understand hazard lights when used in the context of thanking people for letting you out.
@@unconventionalideas5683 Depends where you are from I guess but in London its the done thing
Thanks for posting this video. Wrong use of hazzard warning lights is a massive bugbear of mine. Really well explained. 👍
My feeling about indicating is simple. I always do it. I don't understand why you'd want to introduce another decision to make (i.e. "Is there anyone around to indicate to?") What if there is someone watching and wondering what you're going to do but they're completely obscured from your view so that you can't see them at all? That doesn't mean you're not being observant.
Only last week, I was driving out of town in a 30mph area and a vehicle in front of the one I was following indicated to turn right. There was quite a bit of traffic coming the other way, so I held my foot on the footbrake to warn the cars behind that I had stopped. I could see a car a distance behind me approaching quite quickly (probably speeding), and as he got closer, I thought he should be slowing down but didn't right until the last minute. I could see he was looking over to someone in the passenger seat and could see them mouth 'STOP', which cause him to perform an emergency stop (tyre squeal was evident). I had considered using my hazard lights as well, but I thought that on a 30mph road, the brake lights should be enough. The car is only 2 years old with LED Brake Lights, so are quite powerful. I was stationary for about 30 seconds or so, and the car had just come off a roundabout behind me as I stopped and reached me in about 15-20 seconds.
I'm a delivery driver, driving a 3.5 ton van. I use my hazard lights when I'm stopped blocking the lane to make a delivery, I do this because not only is the lane blocked but because I'm also walking around the van to get to the doors, so hopefully people will slow down as they pass and not run me down. Also because the van is a bit longer than a car, I use hazard lights when I'm reversing as the van doesn't have a reverse bleeper and I don't have the same visibility as car drivers when reversing.
Should get a Reliant, much easier to park.
You're a delivery driver? Weren't you aware it's only fools and horses work? Sorry...I'll get my coat.
@@Hiddenuser-bv5mo lol I don't think the load would fit in the back of a reliant
@@collinslfc yeah I got fed up with doing those dodgy deals so I got a normal job. I left Rodney in charge of trotters independent traders, he now has Mikey Pearce to help him.
@@derekdelboytrotter8881 will be no nice little earners then . Pfft
The bus service where I live has a "Not In Service" option for their display that tells you what route they are currently running
It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine too. I've even seen some who have their hazard lights on when they're properly parked, some where it's not even pay and display either.
I can say though is that 'First Bus' buses in Portsmouth are quite good, they don't use hazards at all from what I've seen. They use their indicators properly.
Taxi drivers use the hazard lights to do stupid stuff like parking where they like or to do a u turn directly into your path!
I was following a taxi when it just put the hazards on and stopped to let a person out, and what annoyed me is that 50 meters down the road there was a bloody car park.
@@bentennyson2398 you can kinda forgive a taxi driver for stopping to let a passenger out, they want to be dropped as close as possible to their destination not down the road.
@@scottlaaa Not when it's blocking a road which isn't wide enough for two vehicles to pass, besides I would've had to mount the pavement in order to pass him and as we all know that is illegal.
@@bentennyson2398 sometimes you just have to wait a few seconds not really an issue.
@@scottlaaa Still not good though is it.
Question, can you drive with hazard on to indicate that your car have problem? I saw a car doing this and I'm so anxious because I don't know what will the driver do, if he will turn, change lane or what.
WHAT? You can’t use them to park on a zebra crossing while collecting your dry cleaning? 😳
1 flash of Hazards to say Thank You to the 40 ft HGV that has flashed you in when merging onto dual carriageway. Universally used for many years, particularly amongst professional drivers - vans, HGVs. This practise will Not gonna stop any time soon.
As an ex bus driver, my opinion of the two buses in your video is that they are actually doing a vehicle change over may be due to a defect as I see no other reason for them to be parked as close to each other as they were. As an HGV delivery driver the only non-emergency times I use hazard lights on the public highway are 1) if I cannot get into my delivery area due to parked cars and I'm double parked waiting for someone to move their car, and 2) If I am reversing into a delivery yard from the public highway and obviously using both sides of the road.
Is putting on your hazard when going out backwards a good thing or bad thing because my grandad does it
Well you have reversing lights for that, so it's unnecessary
Just wanted to say that I love your content. I do not drive and have no intention of doing so, but find your videos entertaining and informative. This may be my ignorance of being a non-driver, but in my thought process I would have said that anytime you make a maneuver, which is not you following the road, you should signal, whether you can see anybody or not. The reason I say this is that just because you cannot see anybody, does not mean that nobody is there. Therefore, the little energy and effort it takes to flick the indicator is worth it every time for the person that you did not see coming towards you or up behind you. Your thoughts please.
Another common misuse of hazards is as a “thank you” to cars that have held back/given way and allowed the hazard light user to emerge from a side turning, or to merge into lane on a motorway, in the manner of the old school alternating left/right signal as an acknowledgement of a courtesy by lorry drivers.
That must be a boomer thing I have never seen that in my life so please try sticking with the times.
I currently live in Japan, and found that people use hazard lights when parking. They are used when you park at the curb, or as an indication that you are about to park into a space. People also use hazards for a moment to thank a driver behind who has let them join traffic. It's a little odd, because generally all of the motoring rules are the same as the UK (even driving on the left). However, the main reason for this, I think, is that cars are only allowed to park at the curb temporarily. If someone is parking to go shopping, or go to work/home, they have to use a parking space, and there are very few parking spaces at the curb, apart from in the larger cities as far as I can tell (all of them are metered too I think). Everyone uses driveways, or carparks, so it means that most of the time you can see both indicators going to know they are parked. When you buy a car in Japan, you have to show the police that you have a parking space for it. I have been asked to show my licence to the police when I was parked to pick up my wife from work when I was at the curb. They said I could only be there for 15 minutes (thankfully I only needed 5)!
The textbook UK example of a kid chasing a ball into the road from between two parked cars is not really a problem here, because you'll very rarely see a situation of two or more parked cars curbside. Though, residential areas often have their houses right up to the roadside, so you need to watch for people or kids coming out of their property and into the road. There are also a lot of blind corners, but they often have mirrors showing the road in either direction so you can be pretty sure when it's safe to go.
Generally drivers are a lot more courtious than back home. You will often see a driver in the opposite lane stop for a moment to allow a car to turn right to keep traffic flowing. I once remember waiting for about 5 minutes for someone to let me turn right in the UK, until I had to just go left and make a U turn later on, because there were a few cars behind me waiting to turn left.
I'm rambling now, but yeah - Japan.. driving.
One thing I've noticed a lot more recently is delivery drivers pulling out with their hazards on because they've turned them on while parked (rightly or wrongly) and then when pulling away they operate the indicator to signal a maneuver but don't realise they've still got their hazards on so no signal is indicated.
I’m a lorry driver and can speak from personal experience. Was parked in a parking spot alongside a main road, and without my hazard lights on, despite being parked properly, an elderly gentleman drove into the back corner of my lorry. He did not come out far enough. I was the only vehicle using that parking area at the time. Even when I’m parked alongside a road with other vehicles, I now always keep my hazard lights on. The lorry sticks out considerably further than the cars and drivers might only move out as far as to pass the first car and think that’s enough. Unfortunately flashing lights is the safest way to ensure you get the attention of those drivers.
There is one instance where I use hazards, and that is on a road that I drive occasionally. It is a main road in Dorset, but being narrow and twisty is limited to 40mph. I always find traffic queuing just around a blind bend where they are waiting to go onto a roundabout 100 metres further on. I slow or stop well short of the bend on seeing the traffic stationary (or barely moving) at which point I move out to the crown of the road, and well within sight of following vehicles, and then put my hazards on to warn the drivers of the obstruction ahead. Once traffic behind starts to slow behind me I turn the hazards off to creep forward, thus preventing me being seen at the last moment, and run into.
It's called self preservation!!!
I found this one very interesting, particularly the point about lorries with hazards on. I failed my second driving test because a lorry (7,5t) with his hazard lights on, moved off as I was passing him. My examiner failed me for failing to observe another road user's signal. She obviously thought the driver was only indicating.
One question I would ask about thatnis was she right, if the lorry driver was indicating? Do you have to let someone move out if they're indicating?
Some cars have a different flash pattern on the hazards (short on > long off) rather than steady on > steady off. If you're a car nerd, you could identify the difference when one side is obstructed. But it would help if this was mandated, so it's easier for people to tell the difference.
Excellent video as always Ashley. I have a suggestion regarding the "bus driver waiting a while and not just picking up / dropping off passengers" thingy. Continue the same practice of having the bus' four way hazards on (so that any other bus arriving behind knows ) BUT with the addition of turning the front wheels sharp left towards the curb. Have a publicity campaign to alert other drivers of this method. Clearly then if on the approach to a stationary bus wtih what appears may be it's right signal on but with its front wheels turned sharply left towards to curb....then clearly that bus is not about to move away from the curb into traffic. Again, a publicity campaign highlighting this would be even more effective.
As an alternate or addition to the above suggestion, how about some sort of sign that clips on to the bus drivers side window to tell traffic in both directions that the bus is waiting a while. The sign could even have battery operated LED lights.
Thoughts anyone?
Intererestingly, in Canada and the USA, many buses have an extra row of tiny red lights going across the back of the bus mounted high up. In a situation such as described, the bus driver turns on these lights which flash almost like some sort of Christmas lights to tell everybody the intention of the bus to remain stationary for a while, with no four way flashers neccassry to inform any busses arriving behind that it is remaining stationary for a while, and hence no confusion to any passing traffic. Of course, here in the uk this would require a major retrofit to every bus and hence my suggestion of turning the wheels sharp left to the curb plus continuing to use the four way hazards to inform other busses arriving behind.
Very handy advice for me as a tradesman who works at 4-8 properties a day. Searching for house numbers (SERIOUSLY people why can't we 1. All promise to number our props and 2. Make it a legal standard to number every prop) and then searching for parking I'd sometimes use hazard lights. In that situation, while I'm moving slowly like a bin lorry and causing an obstruction, would I signal left instead of hazards?
I worked at DPD for a year. One of the main things that bothered me is the amount of drivers (other delivery companies too) who just put them on when making a delivery and parked normally at the side of the road. The only times I remember using them myself was when I was driving around building sites, etc, which was site policy.
I'm a white van man driving a 3.5 tonner. I live next to a road that can be busy at rush hour and my house is close to a set of traffic lights (my house is next to the crossroads warning sign).
When I have to park my van on the drive and there are vehicles behind me, I first of all put my left indicator on, pull past the driveway and stop. I then put the hazards on to let the people behind me know that I'm not queueing to turn left at the junction. I do this because the van's bulky and it's difficult for the people behind me to see what's going on in front.
When the traffic behind me has cleared, I turn off the hazards and reverse into the drive (my van has a reversing bleeper).
Another bus driver here, concur with Josh R. We were taught we should only have them on whilst reversing, for obvious reasons as we cant always see a great deal. Other than that, I'll use them to thank other cars letting me go, or if I need to make way for emergency services on narrower roads in town centre, usually means I've moved over in a junction and stopped. Once they've gone I'll signal right to carry on.
Just to add to this... a popular one I see is people using hazards when parked legally, and not using them when they're not!
Another example of when the speed differential is great enough to warrant the use of the hazards is when your vehicle is still just about driveable but has gone into a form of "limp" mode. What some might not know about the dreaded limp mode is that there is several limp modes depending on how bad the ECU thinks the problem is and will choose the engine power and/or RPM limit associated with whichever limp mode the ECU selected.
I may only use hazard lights for thanking when a very slow vehicle like a tractor, scooter or an equivalent lets me pass them easier and safer. Two blinks is apparently the common way, since it would essentially indicate two words, with both of them being "thank you". Or just lift up my hand for a second.
I've seen lorries and buses do that, and as soon as I get thanked by either, whom is emerging from a bus stop, or changing lane. I know it is going to be a good day. Speaking of lorries and buses, I've lately tried to keep an even bigger gap from them than usual (I should work on that with any other vehicles also), when I usually try to go with a gap of 3-5 seconds, especially even more when peeps are like 1-2 seconds behind me, as well as tailgating one another behind me. It feels very common in my region for whatever reason, and although I like to think they would be more experienced, and use that as a ticket to have a shorter gap, I try to do as I see fit.
But I digress. Could you make a video about tailgating all around? Like this video here? I know you made the video on "how to deal with it", but there's a lot more I'm sure I don't know about any other side of the subject.
The point @3:23 is particularly annoying. That's why I reckon hazards should flash in a different way to normal indicators at least then you'd know whether they were wanting to pull out or not.
That would only work if every car on the road was retrofitted with it. Otherwise it would only cause more confusion.
It's a gradual thing innit. Not every car was fitted with indicators at one time. And if there's at least some cars with the different sequence there will, overall, be less confusion re whether or not a vehicle is waiting to pull out.
@@stezario Totally impractical. An easier solution is to use hazard lights correctly.
Yeah, cos that's worked so far, just like people shouldn't tailgate or speed etc, but technical solutions have been devised for those which aren't on all cars on the road.....yet
Or...people should just stop doing it.
A video where I actually agree with nearly everything you expressed, apart from bus drivers, the bus stationary in front of another, just use a hand signal when wanting to pull out so there will be no confusion with the intent.
But a stationary bus or lorry should always put on hazards, the amount of vehicles I see pull up behind one of the above with no hazards and then a queue forms behind them, mind you some blinkered car drivers do the same with hazards showing.
On the very rare occasion heavy braking was required I would hit the hazards, now thanks to new technology in some vehicles the hazards come on automatically.
I sometimes flick a hazard signal at night if someone lets me out of a turning just to say thank you as they can’t always see a hand gesture.
Yes some hgv drivers use them in daft places . I ( as a hgv driver ) didnt use them unless there was a accident / hazard ahead and it helps drivers behind me no these a hazard . That said I now use them when reversing on roads .
That's only because about 3 month ago I had a accident where I had to reverse a arctic lorry intoo a site on my right . So I had to swan neck to get the hangle to make the reverse using both sides of road . What I didnt expect is once I started reversing the driver in the incoming traffic moved forward ( behind me ) and for some reason stopped in my blind spot .... the rest of the story should be explained on what happend when I started moving back . So from that point on .. I cant help but get butterflys in my stomach. And always use my hazards before sticking it in the reverse. ... great videos as always . I love the video even though I've been driveing years . Your never too experienced to learn something new .
Delivery drivers need them to park in silly places especially when deliveries are really tricky and no where safe to park the van or car
i am a delivery driver i some times use hazards to thank a driver for letting me out but mostly when on a very busy road (ie anywhere in Portsmouth) to let ppl know that i am about to become a hazard by stopping to make my delivery as most times we have to just stop outside a customer house as there is there is normally nowhere to stop any where near the customers house but will always indicate to the left first to try and let ppl know of my intentions
I'm a courier, I sometimes use hazards after indicating to the side of a main road. And clarify I'm not moving. Also I'm working around the van. Delivering or collecting parcel's.
I'm a chunky guy though, I look bloody good as a giant orange in my orange jacket 😆
Hazard warning lights were added to cars to denote broken down / not moving. There are very few cases where it is legal to use hazard lights. The law is that when the hazard lights are on the indicators do not work for indicating direction which is illegal unless the vehicle is not able to move due to brake down. Other types of hazard warning lights as seen on commercial vehicles can be used because they do not affect the indicators. The topic is not well covered by the highway code but is covered by vehicle use and construction laws / rules.
I'm not sure about other company's but the company I work for doesn't get taught to use hazards while pulled up at a bus stop. Like you said left signal suffices. Confuses the hell out of me when i'm driving the bus in service and there's a certain company that has hazards on in the city back to back and i'm slowing down causing traffic behind me to slow down, then to only realise that its just a bus with hazards on. I theorize that newer bus drivers take up habits that older drivers have in the company they work that causes this. If i have time to wait, I just indicate in and turn everything off, If I'm visible and the situation needs extra care i.e I cant fit in the bus stop, I indicate and keep it on and only cancel it once I'm in a safe position. The bottom line is that I think some people tend to copy bad habits too much.
Completely agree with every word you said Ashley. On Dale Street, buses often wait their time with hazards on, sometimes 2 or 3 buses in a row, and it is so unclear whether there are hazards on or right signals
What about if you're going to parallel park on the left? I find people often drive right up behind you and block your park unless you have hazards on.
I would use my left indicator and then once they see the reversing light, they will back off. But don't let other drivers bully you.
They'll back up once they see what you are doing.
At one time the ONLY time it was legal to use Hazard lights on a moving vehicle was on a PSV to indicate to others that there was a problem on the 'bus, such as a violent passenger. More recently the rules have included the 'attention ahead' feature on the motorway .
Regarding normal signals , the lane keeping feature on my LEAF will 'grab the wheel' and prevent me changing lanes unless I make a turn signal. I find it a nuisance as I pass slower vehicles, because I am almost forced to signal in a situation where it is obvious that I am going to change lanes.
I think that Leaf feature is intended for people like you.
@@wandpj What do you mean by 'people like you'? My point was that the design of the advanced driving features on some cars can have a perhaps unintended effect on other features of driving.
@@solentbum Please explain when it is appropriate to change lanes without indicating.
Hazards should have a rapid flash setting, then they could not be confused with indicators. Thank for bringing this subject up.
Good idea, you can’t always see both sides of a vehicle as covered in the video
@@Room1sixtyfive There is a shop near me on the same side of the road where cars park making the road single file. Every time a delivery lorry turns up it parks in front of the shop with it's hazards on. From either direction it just looks like it is indicating to pull out. The hazards serve absolutely no purpose and just cause annoyance and confusion. If you've broken down and your car is in the road then put your hazards on, otherwise leave them off.
I'm a new driver so fortunately haven't had any reason to really use them yet, but I do use them (as do lots of other people I've noticed) to thank someone or if I make a mistake I apologise. Just press them 1-2 times. People know what it means. It's safer than flashing to let people out at any rate, that's dangerous and can be very confusing.
Park anywhere lights
Hibb83 😂😂😂🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼😂😂😂
Found this from 3 years ago. Only time I’ve used hazard lights was on a dark road,just as I came off a roundabout and there was a large puddle. I had a car following close behind,I slowed,put the hazards on and went through the puddle,then turned them off.
I work for a supermarket as a delivery driver, we are told to use hazards while reversing the vans. Despite both the rear white lights and the reverse buzzer sound, apparently we are to use them for safety. 90% of the time I dont, the way the indicators are positioned on the wing mirrors, the flashing lights can sometimes obscure the vision in the mirrors particularly at night and in the rain.
Hazard lights are mainly use when there's a temporary road obstruction like a car accident or if it have a road blockage ect
I thought hazzards are used when your vehicle is being a danger or obstructive to other road users. So if you break down in the middle of a roundabout. Then that is correct. But if you break down and manage to park in such away that it's legal and safe. Then no need to use. If your on the hard shoulder of a motorway. Waiting for recovery. Can hazzerds be used then?
When I was a food delivery driver for a famous supermarket, we were trained to put hazard lights on when reversing. I did not think this was necessary as the white lights and reversing noise where there to warn pedestrians and traffic that you was reversing. This practice is still going on and is used by other delivery companies too.
You’re wrong. Hazards are better to use when youre stationary. If you put left signal the car behind will assume that you’re turning left just easier to put hazards so you know the person is stopped. Even the lorry there with hazards that you’re critiquing; he put them on cos he’s out in the road further and when the cars slow it’s safer.
Here in the Netherlands they are also a sort of signal on the motorway for slow traffic. Then people know on time that speeds will be a lot slower than normal and they can brake earlier. So often you see people at the back of slow moving traffic put on hazard lights until there is someone behind them.
I just read online that it is illegal to use them during heavy traffic . I saw someone doing that today so they can slow down and impede traffic .
22 year of driving I learned something from this, driving you never stop learning.
I think the advice to not signal when no one is around is ill-advised. You are relying on your observations being acurate all of the time and that you haven't missed anything. This sounds like hubris. Signalling will also communicate to anyone whom you have failed to see.
Sorry if I sound like a dick, but if you can't observe around yourself then you shouldn't be driving. E.g. Putting your right indicator on to drive away from the kerb without checking your blindspot will still lead to an accident if a car is there. Indicators are to show your intentions and they don't give you right of way.
Indicators just signal your intentions. If there are no pedestrians, cyclists or other motorists, around or behind, why should you signal? It's unnecessary. Only signal when it is of benefit to other people, otherwise what's the point?
@@keveb4724 That assumes that you observe every possible danger at every time. That sounds like hubris. If no one is around, you have lost nothing; if you have missed something, it may avoid a collision.
@@Dominate955 My comment doesn't apply just to pulling away from the kerb.
@@wandpj My comment doesn't apply to just pulling away from the kerb either. I was just giving an example.
Very informative. Next subject should be, why do a lot of drivers insist on indicating to go round a bend/corner? 🤔
It's on it's way already!
Hazards are universal way for saying thank you to other drivers.
Matt Spieth 😂😂😂🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼😂😂😂 (and sorry!)
I've seriously never seen them used for this.
Surely waving through the rear window does the job? if someone lets me in, raise my left hand. Happy daize...
ALSO! What if there actually is a real hazard? Around a 134-294% chance they are going to bump into you...
I use hazards all the time on my bin wagon. It has inductors at bottom and top. It can means I’m just parking to collect bins or about to swing out and reverse. So everyone keep well back. 95% of bin wagons reverse in entrances. Don’t worry cos I’m always in a rush so I don’t hold you up for longer than necessary.
Thank you for this information, I'm a new driver in Canada and part of the driving test is emergency parking where we need to use hazard signal which made me think I need to use it every time I stop on the street. But noticed when I'm driving, it confuses me everytime I saw a car parked with hazard on. I always thought they will be merging because I couldn't see the other signal right away. I hope everyone will be informed on this.
As much as I don't use hazard lights when I'm unloading my truck at work, I do notice more people slow down and give more room for you to work in safely around the vehicle if you leave the hazards running. I also use them for reverse maneuvers when in a truck around pedestrian areas, as pedestrians may not see the reverse lights or hear the audio warning and it gives them an extra chance to notice that I am in a dangerous spot. I didn't used to use the hazards during maneuvers like reversing into a bay, or delivery area, but I noticed when I started doing so people actually stayed clear from the vehicle.
I always put the hazards on when reversing, as they flash they are more noticeable than a steady on , like the reversing lights . Despite the hazards, reversing lights and alarm people still walk out behind you . 😠
@@dennisphoenix1 yeah, but still at least nobody can claim you didnt give them warning. The worst I get is parking outside Victoria station on Buckingham Palace Road, where I have to reverse the trailer back to get the truck close to the kerbside and whole crowds of people walk right behind me.
Any chance of a video on how to drive around trams and the general rules of right of way for trams and cars etc?
I use them if I need to slow down and stop on the road if there is an obstruction, or crash, or animals, or old lady at 12 o clock. I also use them if I need to stop on a dangerous road where visibility is reduced and a car may hit into you on a country road. It increases visibility epically as a motorcyclist a country road is dangerous if you need to pull in for a prolonged period of time, but yeah if its only for a few seconds I don't see the point,
USE THEM TO COLLECT MY CHIPPY TEA ON YELLOW LINES LOL
The use of hazard lights on the motorway is really dangerous imo when you have trafic.
I wrecked my car (had my license for a few months back then) when I looked down (I know I know) to search for the hazard lights while slowing down and I didn't notice the car in front came to a stop (60 km/h to a complete stop in a very short distance, I looked down for around a second) and crashed right into it.
Luckily no one was hurt but my car was totaled (engine was smashed) and the car I hit got around 5000 USD in repair. Better looking at the road than trying to use them.
Keep up these videos they're really instructional and interesting, cheers
Sorry to hear. One main thing I always do in a new vehicle I get into is knowing were everything is. Including hazard button without looking. (Just incase of soke thing like this).
Even the indicators and wiper control can be swoped around in some models
CorvoRa0 .. so the accident you had was caused by the traffic stopping or you not knowing where your important controls are ? i bet you know where the coke holder is ...
here in France using hasards lights when last in a stopped queue of traffic is obligatory and in motorway situations where there is a sudden slowing ( often approaching an accident or busy junction bottlenecking ) hasard lights mixed with brake lights mean just one thing .. prepare to stop . Brake lights alone are annoying as they don’t show whether the driver is just slowing , or one of those on off type of drivers who can’t anticipate anything .
i have used hasards whilst driving at an exceptionally slow speed due to a very low direct facing sunset causing very poor vision to the point where i was unable to see more a few metres ...
i think cars coming opposite understood ..
@@lordlucan7655 pretty much both. Well I really never had any use for the hazard light until then. If you want more details the car in front was one of those big 4x4 Mercedes car - trucks and I was in a small coupe (same height as a Miata practically). My driving skills where pretty borked back then (experience 'n stuff missing) and didn't see ahead of the car in front. We where both on the overtaking lane. And no, I don't know where my coke holder is. In Switzerland I don't think they're obligatory, it's just common sense. And yes I didn't have the slightest idea where my hazard lights are and I thought looking down was a better idea than fumbling around (bad idea in retrospect). No one else in front of me or on the other lane did the same. No I don't text and drive. Never.
I have to say that the system France has of having the minimum 3000km or whatever to be able to take the driving test or the next step to it is a great idea because it forces you to get experience. Which is what failed me. Here you basically can get your learners driving license (literally the day you turn 18) and take the exam the next day or even the same day. So it's biased
Actually the danger was you LOOKING for the button. You should be able to reach for it without looking for it.
If you cannot find it safely, then don't use it until it IS safe.
@@jimbo11235813 you right. Totally. I had to figure this out for myself after the accident so that was to late. In the heat of the moment I just went "potential danger, turn on the hazards". And that's what got me
My car has hazards that automatically go on if braking quickly, such as when I saw a queue of traffic at 70 and had to slow down quickly, the only time I've used my hazards was when I parked at the side of the road because I heard a loud pop from the car and needed to check it out.
Nearly had a situation a few weeks ago with a mid sized truck (about the size as the one at 3:30) in a small parking area in front of a small strip of food shops.
It was lunch time, so I did a couple laps, could not find a spare park. There was a truck with hazard lights on, parallel parked on the side blocking a number perpendicular parked cars. He was there for at least a few minutes, while i did a couple laps looking for a spare park. I assumed he was making a delivery, and there just isn't much room for a truck.
Of course, as I pulled over to the right a little to get past him....THAT'S when he decides to pull out and nearly drive over my little car. One would think the guy parallel parked on the side of the road should look for traffic before pulling out.
thank you for sharing. im currently on my driving lessons, test coming up soon. this was informative.
The worst use of hazard lights I came across was years ago
when I was driving an HGV at about 3 in the morning on a dual carriageway in
the middle of nowhere. No street lights. Pitch black.
Up in the distance I saw hazards lights flashing. I slowed
down, moved out into the right hand lane. Only when I got closer could I see
what it was … a car stopped in a lay-by! Not just a cutting by the side of the
road, like a bus stop - a proper lay-by, separate from the road. Absolutely
*no* need for hazard lights.
The irony is that most people who use their hazard lights use them as an excuse to pay less attention to what they are doing, (relying on others to react to your situation) where the reality is that if you need your hazard lights, then your state of awareness needs to be higher, and your actions should be to try to become less of a hazard.
I've been driving 20 years, and I've only used the hazards when I've had a bump or broken down...started seeing people use them to signal thanks, but only a few years ago...never saw it before then. And hate those that use them as 'park anywhere' lights
Personally I use them if I see a hazard on the road ahead and need to warn people behind, I use them to warn following traffic that I’m about to manoeuvre to reverse (I drive a truck) and I use them when parked kerbside delivering to warn drivers that there may be a hazard there as I’m unloading cages and dollies out of the trailer.
Realise that probably did the Wrong thing but........Was following a driver towing a small trailer along a duel carriageway (up hill). he lost control of the trailer and started to swerve into both lanes. I dropped behind and straddled both lanes with hazards on.
When both car and trailer were back in control, I was thanked by 2 drivers. 1 was the driver
So glad you're covering this! The hazards looking like right signals thing always gets me. It's always a scary moment as you go past, wondering if they're going to pull out on you or not.
Need your eyes testing then.
2:37 most of these cars are parked wrong, should be parallel parked not sticking out in the road.
I think I saw two cars that were parked parallel there. I'm not sure if they exist in the UK, but in other European countries like Estonia, Finland, and Sweden, there are road signs telling drivers to park their vehicles in that fashion. Still, you should attempt to park your vehicle so as to not cause an inconvenience for other drivers.
Hi Ashley, as you know I’m a PCV Instructor and to back up what Josh R says, in my company, we teach exactly what he says. Pull up but leave enough space in front to pull the vehicle out. The clue is in the name, “Hazard” lights!!
"I'll park here: half on the pavement, and half on double yellow lines...wait; maybe I'd better put my hazard lights on too"
Would you use hazards to warn another user of a potential road condition, example debris, flood or poor road condition? Was proceeding along two lane road, car behind too close , nothing in outside lane ( why didn't they just overtake), had to change lane for water, wasn't sure they'd see it in time.
I try to follow these rules... The only other time is when Im in a tight alleyway or parking ramp and need to flag that I am reversing because the road is blocked and I cannot uturn
As an ambulance driver when on blue lights often people put hazards on. It's nice to know they have seen you. But often very hard to know what they are going to do. Which way they are going to pull over...
Would a left signal be more helpful?
@@ashley_neal
Totally. Or a right signal if going through parting traffic on duel carriageway/one way street.
Least with a signal I'd know 1.they have seen me and are responding accordingly
2. Far less confusing
Nice one Ben. Keep safe out there!
On the rare occasions if I do a roadside delivery, I would have my hazards on with my ignition key out for the rapid flash. The reason I would have them on is because am working around the truck which is a HAZARD. So the idea is to slow down traffic. Bin lorries on the other hand have hazard beacons which I would use instead if my lorry was equipped with them.
Ashley, totally agree with you on that people think if they put their hazards on they can do what they want when they want to. That aside, can you do something on motorway driving, specifically on lane use/changing. Apologies if you have already. Love the channel
There has been a lot of standing water of late, which is the reason why I chose to use my hazards in order to warn others.
Some great advice as always.I don't agree (if I understood you correctly)that you should only indicate if you see someone around.I prefer to signal every time as if I have not seen someone they still have a better idea of what I am doing.I don't care what the person in the passenger seat knows they can ask me if they need to,a pedestrian in dressed in black at night(not ideal but it happens) only has my signals to go on.
I'm pretty sure here in Australia buses rarely use hazards. They always indicate left when they are standing or stopping. As for individual drivers... it really varies
I am a delivery driver and I regularly have to perform out of the ordinary maneuvers to make deliveries such as reversing into a tight street or reversing onto a busy junction if there is no way to turn the van around. I use my hazards to try and give an indication of what I'm doing, one example I can think of is when i needed to do a drop down a tight road with nowhere to turn around I had to reverse into the road making sure it was clear and look out for drivers coming from either side, however there was a taxi driver who did not seem to understand what I was trying to do and made my life very difficult by driving really close to my van and almost stopping me from reversing.
in situations like this what would you propose the best thing to do is?
Some people use them to say thank you more than anything