[Ice]

I don't use hazard lights while driving in extreme conditions, and this is for only one reason : you can't use the indicators to signal lane changes!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Ice

I don't use hazard lights while driving in extreme conditions, and this is for only one reason : you can't use the indicators to signal lane changes!

I don't use hazard lights while driving, in the continuous sense. Only when alerting others to something. It is important to turn them off once that purpose is served.

[haria]

Originally Posted by Rahul_

Not sure about the blinkers under hard braking in Ford Figo because I haven't ever seen them in action. .

Yep this happens (the hazard light blinking, I mean) especially if ABS kicks in. I have recently experienced it in a Figo titanium.

I had to do a sudden breaking at about 50kmph ( a goat suddenly ran in front of my car). I could feel the break pedal pulsate (ABS kicking in ) and the hazard lights blinked a few times.

[Ice]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I don't use hazard lights while driving, in the continuous sense. Only when alerting others to something. It is important to turn them off once that purpose is served.

Exactly! That goes without saying.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Ice

Exactly! That goes without saying.

I thought so too, then it occurred to me that some people might get the idea that I'm saying that hazard lights is ok just because it is raining.

That is very much not OK!


~

[VW2010]

I thought so too, then it occurred to me that some people might get the idea that I'm saying that hazard lights is ok just because it is raining.

That is very much not OK!

Another school of thought is just do whatever it takes to make yourself visible. Be it stationary or moving. I hate to see people driving with hazard on but have also witness spotting the cars because they were driving with the Hazard on.

I meant in really heavy rain like caught is sudden downpour with no clean plan or place to actually stop the car.

[knganapathy]

Rather using hazard lights to make the vehicle more visible, I would say put on your headlights or parking lights. Hazard lights are for a different purpose as others have said in previous posts.

[rohanak1]

I was in the habit of using the wiper not continuously but in "interval" mode in case of a light drizzle. Once while driving in the night on the NICE road in Bangalore during a drizzle (after an extremely heavy rainfall), I was as usual driving with wipers in interval mode. A car overtook me from the left at quite some speed and went through a large puddle of water. Lots of water splashes on my windscreen which blinded me completely. I was frozen for a couple of seconds before I could react by changing the wiper mode to fast. These days I keep the wipers at medium atleast and never at intervals.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by rohanak1

... Lots of water splashes on my windscreen which blinded me completely. I was frozen for a couple of seconds before I could react by changing the wiper mode to fast. These days I keep the wipers at medium atleast and never at intervals.

Even the skies can do that to you. One needs to be ready.

Makes me think emergency windscreen wipe, like emergency braking!

[naikameya]

Regarding hazard lights, Well I do agree that do whatever it takes to make yourself visible, but at the same time keep in mind you don't act in conflicting manner. The moment you turn your hazard lights on, your turn signals do not work. This means you can't really change lanes easily as you would need to watch out for drivers behind while changing lane and the onus is on you, even if there is a lane changing maniac behind. I have seen so many people who turn on the hazard lights and keep changing lanes, now that doesn't work very well if you can't use the turn signals

[rohanak1]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Even the skies can do that to you. One needs to be ready.

Rain-sensing wipers would have helped me. But Duster does not provide them

[hangover]

We can argue about the proper usage of hazard lights till kingdom come. It's the manufacturers who need to do some thinking.

Instead of wasting time on driverless cars give us the following common sense tools:

1. Brake light intensity must be proportional to the force applied; plus, it must be a dotted LED lights line; more pressure means more lights switch on;
2. In India we need a U turn indicator as its a common practice
3. A 70's style windshield shade will be most useful in rains and sun
4. Air jets must be fixed on car windows and side mirrors to blast away water droplets; I had read of an Indian engineer in the 80's who had patented an air jet windshield wiper; I wonder where he is now;
5. Horn intensity must be based on location; narrow crowded roads need a pleasant beep; or say you returning to the apartment at 3 am; highways need a louder output;
6. Google map directions may be optionally programmed to automatically switch on turn indicators
7. Google map directions must be part of an automobile Eco system; if you slow down, the car following must tell the driver to slow down too;
8. Why are they using an Indian voice for directions now? Such condescending behavior by Google really. I had fallen in love with the earlier American voice.

On thinking a little we also need this next feature.

Once you brake and halt then the brake lights must stay on as long as the vehicle is stationary and engine is on. It must go off when you press the accelerator.

Window fogging: all cars must have cheap temperature gauges showing outside and inside glass temperature. It will make it so much simpler to adjust controls.

Once car makers put the above features, I also want micro missiles behind my number plate.

[mangespat]

Good points Hangover . Think most of these are easily implementable by car manufacturers

Originally Posted by hangover

[*]Google map directions may be optionally programmed to automatically switch on turn indicators

This will be a problem incase of a town eg. chandigarh where you can take multiple roads to reach a certain place.

Originally Posted by hangover

[*] Google map directions must be part of an automobile Eco system; if you slow down, the car following must tell the driver to slow down too;

This will just be annoying in constant traffic. eg. Bangalore

Originally Posted by hangover

[*] Why are they using an Indian voice for directions now? Such condescending behavior by Google really. I had fallen in love with the earlier American voice.

I don't know how this will help with rains..

Originally Posted by hangover

Once car makers put the above features, I also want micro missiles behind my number plate.

Don't we all????

[knganapathy]

Car manufacturers bring in technology from Formula 1 into road cars.

It is time they brought in the simple red flashing light at the back that makes cars more visible in poor conditions. Then hazards can be used only as intended.

[Sip]

Thank you GTO for taking such a crucial topic and putting it up so effectively. Who knows this topic might have helped saved a few limbs and lives till date and/or may do so in future!

One of the most important topic and most often not being given due concern even by more experienced drivers. Habit is the devil here in appreciation of safe speed, safe distance, proper braking and turning etc during rain/ wet surface driving. One should be very careful as driving conditions changes dramatically during rain/wet surface driving.