to hate people "helpfully" flashing their lights.

[ChampagneTastes]

I'm probably being unreasonable. The last couple of days I've had people flashing lights at me as I drive to and from work. At first I thought it was directed at someone else but then it happened when there were no other cars on the road. I checked my lights: they were not on full beam and appeared to be working correctly. I was not, as far as I can tell, driving like an arse. So what all these people actually achieved was simply making me massively paranoid but in no way enlightened as to what the problem might be. Unless we develop some form of basic morse code to pass on messages with our lights, it really isn't very helpful to flash at people is it?

I'm always very grateful when people flash their lights at me. In my many years of driving it's meant the following - accident ahead; speed trap ahead; you've forgotten to put on your headlights; I'm letting you out into this long line of traffic; thank you; obstruction in the middle of the road

What's not to like? Even if I can't immediately work out why they're flashing, I know something's going on and I am on my guard.

Op - only one of mine was. I've no idea why - it was a second hand car, happened before I got it, but don't know if it was the result of someone knocking it while changing the bulb or owt (I know bog all about cars).

Anyway - it was only the offside one, and I could only tell it was wrong if I pulled up to eg a garage or wall, when I could see from the reflection that that light was shining a little higher than the other. I assume I got flashed as other drivers mistakenly thought I had my main beams on. I mentioned it next time it was at the garage and they fixed it.

Definitely not foglights. DH reckons the lights are fine (recent new bulbs which may be bright but don't appear to be excessively so). No adjustment available on the lights: they are either dipped or on mainbeam.

Flashing is supposed to signify to the other driver to take care, not to proceed, that's how they do it on the continent (Europe I mean). In the UK we flash to let someone take priority at a turning. Conflicting I think.

One January a few years ago it was dark, wet and windy. I was driving down a narrow lane on the edge of a town, no streetlamps. A car that appeared to be coming towards me flashed frantically. It blinded me and I slowed down (I wasn't going fast anyway) because I couldn't see but it was too late and I hit a tree that had come down on my side of the road in complete dark. Now if I hadn't been flashed so much by the other driver I might have seen it in time. Flashing isn't always helpful.

I bet people are mistaking your normal lights for full beams. If you go over bumps in roads etc they might be thinking you are flashing them!

Either your lights are adjusted wrong

Or you are a very generous driver and everyone is thanking you round here flashing lights is standard for thanks.

Yanbu. I also hate it, I'm always worried I've got something on the roof of my car or something hanging off. It just makes me paranoid.

Slow down is sticking your arm out and waving it up and down I thought.

Had a van driver do that once coming in the opposite direction is was a speed trap he was warning about.

IIRC you shouldn't proceed based just on someone flashing / waving as if to give way to you, in case they are signalling someone else / about something else, you need to check they are also slowing down / looking at you / whatever. I don't think it's "official" as in highway code that flashing lights means I'm letting you out, I think it's just something people do IYSWIM.

Having said that it is a LOOoooog time since I read the highway code!

Your lights are probably blinding people

We get people putting their hazards on briefly to say thanks as well.

Is that usual?

i bet some of this is regional. Like a local road language.

I agree that although you might not know what exactly what the flashing is for it is helpful to know that you need to slow down, take extra care as there's something ahead.

A van flashed me just yesterday and as I drove around the corner there had been an accident, I had slowed down so had plenty of time to avoid it.

I HATE IT when people briefly put their hazards on to thank another driver. I totally panic and start looking for the hazard

I'm pleased someone else has mentioned hazard lights. Although I now feel incredibly stupid.

I recently started driving again and convinced myself that when people do it to me it meant I was a hazard on the road. Before when I drove it never happened but now, all the time. I've even changed my driving to be as nice to others as possible (it wasn't bad before) and it's been happening more. To say thanks, that'll explain it.

flashing blinds others its so pointless specially when people flash you to speed up it just makes me slow down fuking take over

Flashing should only be used to let drivers know you are there or for a hazard. Flashing to allow someone to pass, etc is confusing and you shouldn't treat it as "ok, I can go", though many do. Often it's used as a thank you too.
OP, suggest your lights are set too high.

I flash my lights at drivers if...
They don't dip their head lights coming towards me and are blinding me at night.
If they are driving over the white line on my side of the road coming against me.
If they are driving around in the dark with no lights on.
If they drive out in front of me from a side road when I'm travelling on the main road doing the speed limit which means I have to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting them.
To signal to a driver that I'm letting them into the que if in traffic.

I only hoot at a driver if they are reversing too near my car (would rather alert them than let them crash into my car).

A lot of people seem to flash me in my car. I drive a new Honda Civic and the lights are very bright! Nothing I can do about that though, it's the way they are manufactured but gets very annoying I'm forever paranoid that it's something dodgy with my car they're flashing for. I probably shouldn't but I've been known to flash back to let them know my full beam isn't on

Why on earth do people flash other drivers to let them know theres a speed trap ahead? If people are speeding, let them get caught and maybe they won't do it again.

Do you have a car with those very bright normal headlights - sorry not sure what they are called.

Think they tend to be in audis/bmw.

I know when DH had a car with them DH used to moan about usually older people flashing him - they thought he was on main beam but were just normal headlights. They are a lot brighter than those in my little car.

I get it a lot because of my bi xenon headlights. Do you have them too?

I find those new headlights too bright and it's another vote here for potholes. I always think the car behind is flashing me but it's bad road conditions coupled with those ultra bright lights.

However (OT)I have been flashed to "go faster" when doing the speed limit just after I passed my test. Dangerous practise. My motto now is overtake me or fuck off.

Wasn't some bloke prosecuted for flashing to alert to a speed trap? I thought that was illegal.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1343959/Driver-flashed-headlights-warn-motorists-speed-trap-fined.html

Getting flashed at by the 'get-out-of-my-way' impatient driver behind when you are already driving at 70 and overtaking a juggernaut on a two-lane motorway makes me really cross.