[sgiitk]

Since we agree that the Hazard Lights are misused,and also indicators are often used wrongly let us take the initiative to follow the correct practices, and also try and educate our fellow motorists about proper etiquette and usage.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Since we agree that the Hazard Lights are misused,and also indicators are often used wrongly let us take the initiative to follow the correct practices, and also try and educate our fellow motorists about proper etiquette and usage.

Noble sentiment, but even in this forum, there are two camps.

All one can do is do the sensible thing oneself, recognising the fact the using the feature isn't going to provide the protection it does in more enlightened driving cultures.

Compounding this is the human tendency that means that if in a tunnel with cars not using these lights, one person putting them on leads to many imitators. But in a tunnel with many using these, one person not using them does not seem to encourage others to follow that lead.

[narendra.vw]

Two or three cars going side by side in heavy rain with Hazard light on,you following them behind what will be your imagination seeing those blinkers ,I wonder.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by narendra.vw

Two or three cars going side by side in heavy rain with Hazard light on,you following them behind what will be your imagination seeing those blinkers ,I wonder.

Report a UFO sighting.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Noble sentiment, but even in this forum, there are two camps.

And pity the ones who think it is right.

Been saying time & again, hazards don't illuminate as well as headlamp, tail lamp, fog-lamps, else I would be using hazards instead of using headlamps/fog-lamps at night, no?

And do they like like when someone switches hazards on their face?

And what about the klick-klock sound emanating from the hazard switch? It is an irritant as well. Don't know how other bear with constant klick-klock klick-klock...

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I have wondered about this every time I drive in heavy rain or low visibility scenarios.

The first thing that comes on once rains get heavy is the blinker (after the wiper of course). And in due course of time, if the visibility goes down due to the heavy rains or even in case of fog, as is the case up north, almost all the vehicles turn on the blinker - hazard signal.

Now, when you the blinkers on, how could/should one signal lane change. I faced a peculiar situation today - was driving down when it was raining terribly hard - hails and all that. Promptly put on the hazard warning - all the vehicles around me did. As I approached a junction, I saw a Sumo guy half way-thru the diagonal lane, wanting to cross. I was anyway doing ~20km/hr but honked and flashed nevertheless for right of way. The clown crosses anyway! And from his gesture while he was crossing, he tried something like the blinker is on and hence he crossed!

So, what is the best way you could go about lane changes, turns when you're in low visibility situations and have the hazard warning on?

The correct term for double blinkers is hazard lights.

Do not use hazard lights in rain. Turn on lowbeam headlights in rain as rest of the world does, do not use hazard lights!

Use hazard lights ONLY when your vehicle has broken down or if you're stopped in a lane or on the shoulder unexpectedly for reasons beyond your control.

See:

https://twitter.com/MotorOctane/stat...4p7wb7t8Q&s=08

If you follow this rule, then there is no problem using turn indicators during lane changes etc even in the rain (though you'd be well advised to limit lane change occurances and speed in poor visibility conditions).

[HowDifferent?]

Originally Posted by vharihar

The correct term for double blinkers is hazard lights.

If you follow this rule, then there is no problem using turn indicators during lane changes etc even in the rain (though you'd be well advised to limit lane change occurances and speed in poor visibility conditions).

The thing though is that turn indicator is the most underutilized feature in a car. I will not even get into discussing turn indicator use by two wheelers, being close to nil. Turn indicator is a safety feature, use of it is being courteous to other road users. It concerns and irritates me that drivers do not use indicators when they take a turn or change lanes. Not sure if turn indicator is a regulatory requirement? Else manufacturers would have deleted it being not a customer need!

[Ayson]

Look up the wattage of the bulbs on your turn/ hazard indicators, rear park lights, front park lights, DRLs, head lights, front & rear fog lights. Now you can easily decide which one of these will increase the visibility of your vehicle the most.

[shankar.balan]

It is incorrect practice actually to switch on the Hazard lights and allow them to keep blinking/ flashing during heavy rain and or poor visibility.