[srishiva]

The problem is we dont have a book that everyone could read and get a uniform knowledge about etiquette to follow, rules etc.

Every time there is heavy rain and visibility drops, I remember what I had read "Switch on Headlights when you switch on wipers". Nobody does and they do all the un-necessary things.

[sgiitk]

It is interesting see all sorts of novel uses. We forget there are certain universal practices, and we should follow them. Let me add another, using the right indicator to ask the chap following to overtake. The basic rule is the you show what you intend to do, so indicate left if you want the chap to feel free to overtake. Globally a flash is use as a come on signal, ie i am giving way, while we use it to indicate I am coming (like a bull or mule!)

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Every time there is heavy rain and visibility drops, I remember what I had read "Switch on Headlights when you switch on wipers". Nobody does and they do all the un-necessary things.

Can't agree with you more

Originally Posted by sgiitk

It is interesting see all sorts of novel uses

Professor, we are country of self-professed geniuses and jugaads.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

It is interesting see all sorts of novel uses. We forget there are certain universal practices, and we should follow them. Let me add another, using the right indicator to ask the chap following to overtake. The basic rule is the you show what you intend to do, so indicate left if you want the chap to feel free to overtake. Globally a flash is use as a come on signal, ie i am giving way, while we use it to indicate I am coming (like a bull or mule!)

True for both.

I've had multiple people point it out to me that I'm indicating the wrong way while leaving room to overtake (I'm in the left lane with the left blinker on, indicating I intend to stay in that lane and the right lane is free to overtake, but my genius co-passenger wants me to put on the right blinker).

I was genuinely confused when I noticed drivers in other countries flashing as a courtesy to let me go first, while Indians flash away to glory trying to beat others and risk head-on collisions squeezing into non-existent spaces.

[Servegaar]

Hazard lights situation gets worse when a car is actually parked with hazard lights on and other moving vehicles are passing by with their hazards on too. I escaped rear ending such a vehicle once. I hope this practice comes to an end with increase in awareness.

[kaushik51094]

OK, So, let me tell where i use hazard lights -

1. When i need to ask for directions (my phone GPS is kinda fidgety), i signal left, get to the left most lane and switch on the hazards once speed reaches 10-15kmph. Once i get the directions and decide to join the road back, look at traffic behind and once it's getting kinda free, turn off the hazard lights, switch on the right signal and if required show hand signals too and then join the road.

2. on a good and free highway, if there's a speed-breaker, i first turn on the hazards and then step lightly on the brakes so that the brake lights glow and then start the actual hard braking. if there's a huge pothole or an animal on the road where hard breaking is mandatory, i see if i can swerve and if i can, i signal that side and switch on my hazards after moving to that lane. i switch off the hazards after moving 10-20 feet away from it. but then, even i'm not sure this is the best way to signal during such times. else, switch on the hazards and brake hard and pray that no-one rear ends me!

3. breakdowns

Someone please tell me if the above ways of using hazard lights are correct or not!

- someone tell me the correct way of using headlamp flashes. I've seen vehicles in the opposite lane flash to make me slow down so that they can overtake easily. I use it in similar situations too. If i'm overtaking someone and if i feel i'll need more space than what i've planned, i flash to let the oncommers know about it so that they slow down and give me more room. Also, to denote that i need more space or to tell the opposite traffic "let me pass first", i flash the headlamps. Are these right ways of signalling?

[rajeev k]

Hazard lights can be used if your vehicle pose a hazard to following and oncoming traffic, so that they can be forewarned.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

It is interesting see all sorts of novel uses. We forget there are certain universal practices, and we should follow them. Let me add another, using the right indicator to ask the chap following to overtake. The basic rule is the you show what you intend to do, so indicate left if you want the chap to feel free to overtake. Globally a flash is use as a come on signal, ie i am giving way, while we use it to indicate I am coming (like a bull or mule!)

This practice of using the Right indicator to ask someone to overtake gets me every time. It is so counterintuitive to every bit of logic. I agree that using the Left indicator to do this is more logical, or doing nothing at all (which is the convention followed in the more developed countries).

To date I still am never sure as to whether I am supposed to overtake or if the vehicle ahead wants me to slow down because he/she wants to move Right either to turn or to overtake someone ahead of him whom I cannot see! I usually chicken out and stay behind until I can see for sure that the track ahead is clear, and then I power my way through in the shortest time possible.

Re. the headlamp flash, again, India goes against global convention. I have to consciously remember that a flash here means "wait" and not "go ahead"! It'll take a while for that to become second nature to me.

Cheers

[KING DYSP]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

On the Mumbai-Pune expressway they switch on hazards every-time they enter a tunnel. Very odd!!

Originally Posted by yaniv14

This is something even I have noticed.

The first car to enter the tunnel switched on the hazard light and then the vehicles following too switched on their hazard lights, but surprisingly they still maintained their driving speed. I too unknowingly put them on guessing it might be some new rule

Hello Sir & Vinay,

Human eyes require sometime to adapt to the dark after exposure to bright light which is medically termed as 'Dark Adaptation' (same you feel when entering a cinema hall).

So switching on the hazard lights soon after entering a dark tunnel during day will definitely increase the visibility of your car to the oncoming traffic and thereby is very helpful. Hope this helps!

Regards.

[kingofmyworld]

Here in hyderabad hazard lights are "COOL" and I see many people turn them on and zoom past other road user and make sure they cut their lane in a rather rash manner. Even some teen bikers do some desi jugaad to make their bikes indicators work like hazard lights. Some with fancy horns too!. This is a common sight at nights.

I work in night shifts so I get to see quite a lot of these on a daily basis. I was surprised to see premium cars being driven like maniacs with hazard lights on and people sticking their empty heads out from the roof and the windows and shouting like theres a tornado chasing them!.

[sandeep108]

Originally Posted by KING DYSP

Hello Sir & Vinay,

Human eyes require sometime to adapt to the dark after exposure to bright light which is medically termed as 'Dark Adaptation' (same you feel when entering a cinema hall).

So switching on the hazard lights soon after entering a dark tunnel during day will definitely increase the visibility of your car to the oncoming traffic and thereby is very helpful. Hope this helps!

Regards.

This actually the worse you can do. The signal bulbs are as bright as the brake lights. The intermittent high power flashing actually REDUCES general visibility due to alternate bright/dark and cause eye strain as well as irritation and distraction to other drivers. It also drastically alters the speed judgement for other drivers. So this should NEVER be done. Switching on the normal night/parking lights/head lights is adequate when entering a tunnel at any day time or in the case of heavy rain.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by KING DYSP

So switching on the hazard lights soon after entering a dark tunnel during day will definitely increase the visibility of your car to the oncoming traffic and thereby is very helpful. Hope this helps!

What stops you from switching on your headlamps?

[KING DYSP]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

What stops you from switching on your headlamps?

Yeah actually switching on the Headlamps is a much better option. I was just explaining the reason behind switching on the lights after entering a tunnel.

Regards.

[wanderernomad]

Here the hazard lights are switched on to indicate that I would continue going straight on a crossing. Initially, my unknowledgeable style of driving caused a few problems as while I used to wait behind cars, stopped on a red light on a crossing, he suddenly switched on his hazards. I thought he is stranded and while I was still trying to fathom how to go around him, he simply drove straight on. It took me some time to realise that its the general phenomenon here.
Here, in India, flash means stop while the switching on the right side indicator for the oncoming vehicle means giving right of way. Even, I practise it when suppose on a narrow bridge, I pull onto the left shoulder and switch on the right indicator to let the oncoming vehicle know that I am giving way.

[sgiitk]

@wanderernomad; I hope you know the proper way now and will follow it. It is us who have to start and others will follow in due course.