ADUK Archive

Picture this...

Travelling in a westerly direction (actually I've got no clue as to where I was heading but I believe it's traditional to start like this) on a normal NSL rural road...
...I was approaching an opposite direction vehicle with their headlights left on main beam and dazzling me, I politely flashed mine as a reminder and I then realised they were slowing to turn right in front of me.

They could so easily have interpreted my headlight flash as an invitation to pull across in front... .

When I realised my error, I slowed just in case they did pull across (which probably made it worse ) .

Altogether, I made a right 'Horlicks' of an small, innocent mistake by another road user.

What should I have done?

PS. Aas it turned out they slowed and came to a stop adjacent to the junction to let me pass - phew.

Well, the minimum you could have done for safety, would have been to slow down because you were dazzled (I take that as it impeded your ability to see the road ahead properly), which they may equally have taken as an invitation to cross in front of you! Not a solution then, but simply slowing and being aware that tey may misinterpret this (as you did) seems right to me ... keep the brake covered obviously .

I wonder if the "inverted" flash would have worked, i.e. quickly switching your headlights off and back on again. This may have got the message across that you wanted the oncoming driver to dip his lights.

People aren't used to this signal and have to give it some thought, so it might also have had the benefit of causing him to hesitate before crossing your path before finally realising the true intention of your message.

Just a possibility... I have never tried it.

I find that flashing doesn't get a response in time unless done from a long way back so I tend to not bother.

MGF wrote:I find that flashing doesn't get a response in time unless done from a long way back so I tend to not bother.

Also, the duration of the flash can aid the message, a bit like [non-AD ] horn warnings could be a "toot toot" 'hello old friend' or "tooooooot-bleeedin-tooooooooot!" 'WTF did you do that for?'

Don't you mean

Toot = I am turning to starboard
Toot Toot = I am turning to port
Toot Toot Toot = I am engaging engines in reverse
Toot Toot Toot Toot Toot Toot = I am unable to determine your intentions

?


Oops - wrong forum

Toot toot toot toot toot toot toot tooooot

Please put on your lifejackets

triquet wrote:Toot toot toot toot toot toot toot tooooot

Please put on your lifejackets

Looking at your sig, was that from the 'offshore' or 'music' experience?

"You toot it, son, and we'll join in . . . "

Yes. Both.