Who Would Be To Blame ?

[culzean]

What is all this about flashing headlights 'to let people know you are there' - if you want to let people know you are there turn the headlights on and leave them on.  As far as I know ( and I have lived and driven in quite a few countries ) flashing headlights is the universal sign that you will give way to someone ( along with, slow down, speed trap ahead to oncoming traffic )

About time you read the Highway Code then.  And flashing your lights to warn of a speed trap can incur a £1000 fine.

Doohhhh, why didn't I know that ? 

If you followed the average law abiding person around for a day,  you can bet they would break the law a few times - UK is overflowing with laws,  but when it comes to justice - sadly lacking.

[ColinB]

What is all this about flashing headlights 'to let people know you are there' - if you want to let people know you are there turn the headlights on and leave them on.  As far as I know ( and I have lived and driven in quite a few countries ) flashing headlights is the universal sign that you will give way to someone

Clearly Rules 110 & 111 of the Highway Code are out of date:
https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/other-stopping-procedures.html

And advice from people who live in France (not to mention personal experience) is also wrong:
http://www.newlifeinfrance.co.uk/driving-in-france.html#:~:text=In%20France%2C%20flashing%20your%20lights,you%20first%20start%20driving%20there.
"In the UK, we are used to flashing our lights to other motorists to mean 'after you' - such as if you are at a junction or someone is pulling out of a car parking space. In France, flashing your lights means the exact opposite - 'I'm coming through' - which can cause all sorts of trouble when you first start driving there. "

[MartinJG]

I notice my lights come on and off with the auto lights feature on the Jazz.

If I'm driving along and go past a junction just as the auto lights come on who would be to blame if someone thought I was flashing them to pull out of the junction and it caused an accident ?

I would think it would be their fault as it's not an action that's recognised in the highway code.......... but we all do it if someone's waiting to come out we might give them a flash to go ahead.

Despite possible good intentions, I never act on any flashed or waved on 'signals' unless I am sure the way is clear and the flasher's 'body language' is consistent with their actions. After all, it only requires a mistake or misunderstanding. Lets' face it, we have all encountered the scenario of a flashing indicator when the driver is either unaware or asleep at the wheel. Be wary at all times I say . PS - The other thing that seems logical to me is that we can normally recognise a low beam from a high beam although I admit it is getting harder with LED lights these days.

[ColinS]

What is all this about flashing headlights 'to let people know you are there' - if you want to let people know you are there turn the headlights on and leave them on.  As far as I know ( and I have lived and driven in quite a few countries ) flashing headlights is the universal sign that you will give way to someone

Clearly Rules 110 & 111 of the Highway Code are out of date:
https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/other-stopping-procedures.html

And advice from people who live in France (not to mention personal experience) is also wrong:
http://www.newlifeinfrance.co.uk/driving-in-france.html#:~:text=In%20France%2C%20flashing%20your%20lights,you%20first%20start%20driving%20there.
"In the UK, we are used to flashing our lights to other motorists to mean 'after you' - such as if you are at a junction or someone is pulling out of a car parking space. In France, flashing your lights means the exact opposite - 'I'm coming through' - which can cause all sorts of trouble when you first start driving there. "

I think rule 111 is still spot on.

Years back, when I had just started driving, I remember reading the court report of a motorist "waving" a cyclist out of a junction.  Sadly the cyclist was knocked down by another vehicle and killed.  The driver who signaled for the cyclist to proceed was prosecuted as he had misinformed the cyclist that it was safe for him to proceed.

[Kremmen]

I remember my IAM instructor telling me just to stop, make no lights or waving movement and let the other motorist make their own decision.

Down to them if they don't assess the situation correctly.

Plus, don't forget the crash for cash mob who wave you out of a side junction then drive into you and claim you just pulled out.

[culzean]

Firstly if the highway code does not reflect common, accepted practice then it is out of step, and likely to be ignored.  I remember an architect saying, it is bad practice to set out the route of pathways on developments,  the best thing to do is see which places the residents use as paths and then build a path there, otherwise they will rightly ignore your paths and make their own, more suitable ones.  Secondly, if you get yourself into an accident by following another drivers signal it is still your fault, the first rule of driving is that you are in charge of the vehicle and it is firmly up to you to decide if something is safe to do, I doubt that if someone said 'of course you can jump off that cliff, it won't hurt you' that anyone in their right mind would take that advice.

[sparky Paul]

I always work on the theory that a flash of the lights is merely an invitation, I then use my own judgement.

I think everyone must have had instances where they have been flashed out and would have hit someone had they proceeded.

[culzean]

"In the UK, we are used to flashing our lights to other motorists to mean 'after you' - such as if you are at a junction or someone is pulling out of a car parking space. In France, flashing your lights means the exact opposite - 'I'm coming through' - which can cause all sorts of trouble when you first start driving there. "

My point exactly, that article admits that in UK people commonly flash headlights to signal they are giving way, which is not the same as saying what they are inviting you to do is safe, it is still up to you to decide and check if it is safe.  Since when have the French ever agreed with anything the British do ?  An American I met in Manila on business told me his company had strongly advised him not to drive, not because he could not drive, simply because he did not understand any of the local driving customs, other employees had had accidents within hours of trying to drive in Manila.

[ColinS]

I doubt that if someone said 'of course you can jump off that cliff, it won't hurt you' that anyone in their right mind would take that advice.

Quite right, it would be your fault for jumping to your death. But the person who encouraged you to jump is also at fault.

The simple thing to do is not jump.

[ColinB]

Firstly if the highway code does not reflect common, accepted practice then it is out of step, and likely to be ignored.

OK, I get it now. If the rules, as stated in the HC, say something someone doesn't like, it's OK for them to ignore it and do what they think is best (the Cummings prerogative??). I'd like to watch someone try that in court!

[richardfrost]

OK, I get it now. If the rules, as stated in the HC, say something someone doesn't like, it's OK for them to ignore it and do what they think is best (the Cummings prerogative??). I'd like to watch someone try that in court!

Someone should produce the Highway Cummings. That would make a great spoof of a book.

Maybe it could be used as a guidebook by the Institute of Can't be Arsed Motorists.

[123Drive!]

That's why I suggest people should have dashcam just in case.

Adding to that, if I see someone signaling left, it doesn't I will come out from a giveaway/minor road. So if someone flash their headlights, always make sure it's intended for you.

Also you would hope the third party would know the difference between dipped headlights and Flashing main beam!

[Westy36]

Never hurts to have a read of the highway code. On the same page as flashing headlights. Rule 112 The Horn. "Never sound your horn aggressively."  In a Honda Jazz ? Good luck conveying aggression with the Jazz horn !! Far too friendly for that.

[culzean]

I had blokes in long raincoats flash me more than once when I was a kid, even then I knew you don't have to accept every invitation, use a bit of discretion..... I am just careful not to flash when more than one vehicle can interpret my flashing as an invitation,  as with everything judgement and paying attention is the key.  One thing about riding motorbikes is you develop a much more finely tuned survival instinct than when driving a cage.

On modern cars you can always blame to faulty headlight automation,  'who me ossifer,  I never flashed anyone, its those pesky auto headlights, they are always doing it'....

Never hurts to have a read of the highway code. On the same page as flashing headlights. Rule 112 The Horn. "Never sound your horn aggressively."  In a Honda Jazz ? Good luck conveying aggression with the Jazz horn !! Far too friendly for that.

The horn on wifes Jazz is embarrassing - I am always more likely to use the brakes than the horn, never seen a horn make another vehicle disappear.....

You’re not supposed to sound your horn on any ‘restricted road’ between the hours of 11.30pm and 7am. Within these hours, use of a horn is considered antisocial: it’s likely to disturb people trying to sleep. You can generally tell if a certain road counts as ‘restricted’ because it will be in a built up area—usually with street lights and a speed limit of 30mph.

[ColinS]

If you like the sound of horns then you should go to New Dehli.  I went here of several occasions through business and have never experienced driving like it.

As a cost comparison, I asked an Indian colleague how much a driving licence would cost. It came to the equivalent of about £15.00 which I thought was quite expensive until he told me that it was a lot cheaper if you took a driving test