[pratyush6]

I have thought about using the hazard light in the rains. Especially these days when its raining cats and dogs in Bangalore but I have refrained so far. I simply switch on my fog lamps and tail lights (not sure if that is a good idea to be honest).

The hazard lights can be switched on if there is fog and it is difficult to see a vehicle or as developed originally when your vehicle is a 'hazard' to others.

Slightly OT: I have seen Tempo Travelers use them on perfectly bright days - supposedly to signify they are going straight. And don't get me started on those 'dancing disco' lights

[drsingh]

I use hazard lights in heavy rain!

Thats cause I drive at 50-60 kph maximum during heavy rain. Its supposed to signal that I am driving a mechanically non ideal vehicle for the weather.i.e. no abs, no rear visibility.

It signals other schumachers on the road to be careful around me and stop honking their pressure horns trying to make me go faster.

[Sawyer]

The misuse of hazard lights in India has added to the dangers on our roads.

The hazard light is meant to indicate that your car has stopped, and is a hazard to following traffic. Since this is no longer the case in India, if you break down in bad visibility, and put the hazard lights on, you are very likely to still get hit from the back by other traffic that does not think you have stopped, but are using them while continuing to move in the manner many people do while using these lights. In effect, hazard lights have become useless in India.

In view of this, staying inside a stopped car in a tunnel or in poor visibility has become very dangerous. Abandon the car instantly after moving it to the side of the road and move a safe distance away from it.

[drsingh]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

The misuse of hazard lights in India has added to the dangers on our roads.

The hazard light is meant to indicate that your car has stopped, and is a hazard to following traffic. Since this is no longer the case in India, if you break down in bad visibility, and put the hazard lights on, you are very likely to still get hit from the back by other traffic that does not think you have stopped, but are using them while continuing to move in the manner many people do while using these lights. In effect, hazard lights have become useless in India.

In view of this, staying inside a stopped car in a tunnel or in poor visibility has become very dangerous. Abandon the car instantly after moving it to the side of the road and move a safe distance away from it.

Thats what the red warning triangle is for.

But in India its probably better to break a few branches from a nearby tree! And some stones/bricks if available

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by drsingh

Thats what the red warning triangle is for.

But in India its probably better to break a few branches from a nearby tree! And some stones/bricks if available

And drive off after leaving them there too?

The triangle complements hazard lights, it doesn't replace them.

It isn't surprising that we top the list of countries for road accident fatalities, while still having a long way to go to top the list of vehicles in use on the roads. When we do, things will assume catastrophic scale. But who cares, lots of Indians to spare.

[drsingh]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

And drive off after leaving them there too?

The triangle complements hazard lights, it doesn't replace them.

It isn't surprising that we top the list of countries for road accident fatalities, while still having a long way to go to top the list of vehicles in use on the roads. When we do, things will assume catastrophic scale. But who cares, lots of Indians to spare.

I agree the triangle is complementary, but it is more effective in the daytime than the hazard lights. But its another matter I havent seen them being used..!

In the current driving scenario where our roads are full of animals, carts, cycles , tractors to cars of all kinds. And now increasing no. of high power buses, semis, tippers, it would be prudent to use everything available on hand to signal a broken down vehicle. AND TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE.

[sen2009]

I support and follow the "Turn on the Hazard light in Rain" policy.

In Mumbai, when it rains properly, especially on wide highways, everything around looks a wall of grey cloud. Now add the fascination with silver cars - you will be hard pressed to define the outlines of the cars ahead or around.

If the hazards are blinking, they I can know where that car is and how big it is.
If I need to turn, I switch off the hazard and turn on my indicator. But in most cases in such scenarios, not much of turning is involved.

Hazards in blinding rains help to see better and in my most honest opinion (on which I bet my life everyday) - Hazards in the Rain is better than irrelevant European traffic policy debate.

[bluevolt]

While there may be a logic which suggests not to use hazard lights during rains or fogs but it can be helpful also.

Yesterday when it was raining cats and dogs in Delhi I experienced that when I turned hazard lights during a strong spell; cars behind me maintained a longer distance and thus preventing a rear end scenario.

I know this can be misleading also in case of suddenly changing lanes.

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Slightly off topic - What about people turning in hazard lights when braking from high speed say at a speed breaker on a highway? I presume it's not legal but is it a good practice to do so?

Ford Figo has such a feature. hazards blink thrice when applied brakes at a set speed. As it is not On continuously, perhaps not a hazard but a warning.

[LP640]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Slightly off topic - What about people turning in hazard lights when braking from high speed say at a speed breaker on a highway? I presume it's not legal but is it a good practice to do so?

Hi Sunny.
I have seen all quite a few cars on German autobhan set hazard lamps when there is a sudden traffic and the highway comes to a standstill (an accident stopped the traffic for eg.)
When I was driving a BMW, I braked hard to bring it to less than 10kmph and the car set its hazard lamps itself. May be car evaluates this as emergency.
I had had to put them off myself.
I remember reading this feature now in Indian cars as well. I guess in Ecosport review here itself.

[Foxbat]

Maybe switching hazard lights in the rain is acceptable, but what I find really annoying is that cars switch on their hazard lights upon entering tunnels on the Mumbai - Pune Expressway. I really don't understand why, the tunnels are well lit, if they aren't you can switch on your headlights, whats the point of flashing hazard lights?

[silversteed]

Not sure who came up with this "innovative" idea to turn on Hazard lights when it starts raining, or get foggy. Must say that it's irritating to the eyes, and also misleading. Over and above, it causes a lot of confusion on multi-laned roads, when the "intelligent" driver wants to shift lanes. Having driven in various conditions in our country and abroad, I do not understand why would one want to drive (keep moving) with the Hazards on!

Hazard warning lamps are meant to indicate that the vehicle could be a hazard for others, and it's stopped. Even during heavy snow-fall in some of the North American highways, I haven't ever seen a vehicle moving with its hazards on. However, I did see quite a few cars and SUVs that had pulled over to the shoulder, with the hazards on - this is the correct way.

Another stupid way of using the hazards is to turn them on to indicate going straight at a junction - is it so difficult to understand that if I don't have any of my indicators on, I'm going straight???

These so-called "ingenious" signals cause more confusion rather than helping fellow motorists. In heavy rains, where visibility is drastically reduced, either turn on the park lights (and rear fogs, if equipped) and drive slower than usual with a bigger gap between the vehicle in front and our vehicle, OR, park the car safely on the roadside (with the parklights and/or hazards on) and wait for the condition to improve.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Slightly off topic - What about people turning in hazard lights when braking from high speed say at a speed breaker on a highway? I presume it's not legal but is it a good practice to do so?

This is a very dangerous practice actually. These drivers, instead of putting their energy and concentration into controlling or stopping the vehicle, use the same energy, time and concentration to find the Hazard lamp switch and turn it on. That split second used in searching the hazard lamp switch could be the difference between life and death in many cases.

If you brake, the tail lights come on. High speed or low speed, the brake lights are there for a purpose. If the vehicle behind is too close, he will crash into you anyway, even if you switch on hazard lamps. This is why the driver has to ensure that the tail lights are functioning.

Originally Posted by silversteed

Another stupid way of using the hazards is to turn them on to indicate going straight at a junction - is it so difficult to understand that if I don't have any of my indicators on, I'm going straight???

These so-called "ingenious" signals cause more confusion rather than helping fellow motorists. In heavy rains, where visibility is drastically reduced, either turn on the park lights (and rear fogs, if equipped) and drive slower than usual with a bigger gap between the vehicle in front and our vehicle, OR, park the car safely on the roadside (with the parklights and/or hazards on) and wait for the condition to improve.

Spot on Silversteed . You have hit the nail right on the head. If conditions are that bad, driving during that time is itself very dangerous. So, it makes no sense to use hazard lamps and drive. This has nothing to do with European traffic laws or any laws, it is just common sense.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

This is a very dangerous practice actually. These drivers, instead of putting their energy and concentration into controlling or stopping the vehicle, use the same energy, time and concentration to find the Hazard lamp switch and turn it on. That split second used in searching the hazard lamp switch could be the difference between life and death in many cases.

If you brake, the tail lights come on. High speed or low speed, the brake lights are there for a purpose. If the vehicle behind is too close, he will crash into you anyway, even if you switch on hazard lamps. This is why the driver has to ensure that the tail lights are functioning.

Perfectly said Addy. Take a case where you have all the vehicles (most of them) driving with their Hazard lights on and lets just assume that its the famous Mumbai-Pune expressway where this is so prevalent.

Let us also introduce a poor sensible fellow who has a flat tire/Brake down and parked his vehicle on the shoulder with his Hazards on in a tunnel.

You enter a tunnel and and it actually resembles a discotheque with all the flashing orange lights complemented by the lights on top inside the tunnel.

It is definitely not easy to identify if that parked vehicle is moving or stationary until you really come closer to it due to rains, constant water splashed from other vehicles ahead and beside you and the wipers in action.

Now, The same situation on a single carriageway road with a non existent shoulder and the same poor fellow barely managing to park his car with a pair of wheels on the road and the other pair off the road.

How will the driver under heavy rains and low visibility conditions be able to distinguish?

If you regularly keep pulling over, spend less than 500 ml water and wash those tail lamps covered with slush, it makes a lot of difference.

[EagleEye]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Not sure who came up with this "innovative" idea to turn on Hazard lights when it starts raining, or get foggy. Must say that it's irritating to the eyes, and also misleading. Over and above, it causes a lot of confusion on multi-laned roads, when the "intelligent" driver wants to shift lanes. Having driven in various conditions in our country and abroad, I do not understand why would one want to drive (keep moving) with the Hazards on!

Hazard warning lamps are meant to indicate that the vehicle could be a hazard for others, and it's stopped. Even during heavy snow-fall in some of the North American highways, I haven't ever seen a vehicle moving with its hazards on. However, I did see quite a few cars and SUVs that had pulled over to the shoulder, with the hazards on - this is the correct way.
Another stupid way of using the hazards is to turn them on to indicate going straight at a junction - is it so difficult to understand that if I don't have any of my indicators on, I'm going straight???

Completely agree with you.
I have read some other posts in this thread itself about people proudly saying that they use hazard lights in the rain. Please, if you as bhpians do this, what hope have we got for the rest of the population?
The hazard lights are meant to be used in certain circumstances only, it defeats the purpose entirely to make up your own rules and exhibit random behavior on the road.
In heavy rains please switch on your low beams, your tail lamps will light up and they will be very very visible, don't worry. If the visibility is so low that you cannot see the tail lamps of the car in front of you, IT'S TIME TO STOP DRIVING!