Are other drivers trying to tell me something? Am I being really thick?!

[MindYours]

When driving at night if nobody is in front of me or coming the other way I put the full beams on (country lanes) but if there are any cars behind me they nearly ALWAYS flash at me as if I've pissed them off or something. Obviously I turn off the beams straight away...

Full beams don't affect drivers behind do they? Am I missing something here?!

[DecemberSnow]

@Oysterbabe

I was gonna say the same 🤔😂

[NeedAnExpert]

even when you drive bang on the speed limit

How are you determining that? Most speedos read 10% over, so you think you’re doing 40, but you’re closer to 35. If someone is behind you in a car whose speedo is more accurate than yours, you will indeed be going too slow.

[SimplySteveRedux]

What kind of car have you got, because if it’s say a small car, sometimes you are right in the line of some cars bulbs so it looks like they’re on main beam but they’re not.

I've just changed to an SUV from an estate car, the SUV lights went directly through the lower-down car, and the brightness of LED lights can definitely look like you're being beamed. Auto-full beam is my bet.

[fligglepige]

'They're probably just signalling you to turn your full beam off. Because you don't need them on and you could dazzle an unsuspecting oncoming vehicle.'

You what? Has anyone ever drove along a dark country road behind a car with the full beam on thinking 'they should turn the lights down, what we need right now is less visibility. I'll flash them to let them know.'

[ReceptacleForTheRespectable]

They're probably just signalling you to turn your full beam off. Because you don't need them on and you could dazzle an unsuspecting oncoming vehicle.

On a dark and quiet country road, it is far safer driving with full beams for better visibility. You just dip them when someone approaches in the other direction. The driver behind should not be distracted by a full beam light on the car in front unless they are a seriously incompetent driver.

What do you think the full beams are for, if not unlit roads?

[PigletJohn]

"someone pushing their finger onto their full beam option for 2 or 3 seconds because they're trying to tell me something. "

certainly sounds like they are being dazzled. Faint chance that you have a missing light (bulb not working)

I don't see any alternative to looking to see what lights are showing on the back of your car.

It's usually foglights but sometimes it's person with foot on the brake causing brake lights to show.

[AlexaAmbidextra]

'They're probably just signalling you to turn your full beam off. Because you don't need them on and you could dazzle an unsuspecting oncoming vehicle.'

What a bizarre thought process. Please tell me you don’t drive.

[Foslady]

Rather than just standing behind the car do you have someone who could drive behind you for a short distance that way you can check it’s not something shorting as you go over bumps or round corners?

[AuntSpiker]

They're probably just signalling you to turn your full beam off. Because you don't need them on and you could dazzle an unsuspecting oncoming vehicle

I've been driving for over 30 years and I've never known anyone do that . It's also alarming that people don't know where their fog light switches are. It's incredibly dangerous to not use your fog lights when visibility is poor. Isn't that the first thing you do when you get into a new car, familiarise yourself with all the switches, demisting controls, horn and hazards?

OP, you need to check your car urgently for an electrical fault. These drivers must be flashing you for a reason.

[MrsPelligrinoPetrichor]

I'm only making my place, get out there OP and check your lights

[SarahTancredi]

need

That maybe correct however given it happens whether I have a sat nav measuring speed in top as well or whether it doesnt matter what the speed limit is because its rush hour you wont get out if second gear fir the next 3 miles and I clearly would loose the fight if I attempted to drive through the milk tanker infront of me, they still do it

Still I occasionally get the last laugh when they think they will finally get past me using the right hand lane only to end up trapped behind someone turning right ...

[Schwibble]

Suspect an electrical fault - your rear lights are turning off when your full beams are on. Or rear foglight goes on, or reverse light.

Get it checked OP.

[AuntSpiker]

Actually Pigletjohn I also wondered whether the OP was driving with a foot on the brake, but then thought that surely no-one would do that... Would they??

[PigletJohn]

"No not fog lights, the symbol for full beams comes on."

What colour is this symbol?

[Topazance]

Foot on the brake thing... Did you keep stop starting OP?! Ahem.... yeah I think it's the fogs too....

[CluelessNewMama]

Another one who just realised I don’t know how to turn my fog lights on (or when to use them instead of full beams)

A job for tomorrow!

[SarahAndQuack]

@pigletjohn, the main beam symbol is blue.

[user1481840227]

They're probably just signalling you to turn your full beam off. Because you don't need them on and you could dazzle an unsuspecting oncoming vehicle. Also many people find other drivers with full beam on a more dangerous distraction, even if you're the car infront

What?
Never once heard anything like that before in my life.

[PigletJohn]

I was asking OP.

[user1481840227]

@SarahAndQuack

Some cars automatically have the dims come on, whereas with other cars they have to be manually put on! They're the same lights though.


I think that's what the mean.

[AuntSpiker]

At least now I understand why I see so many idiots driving in thick fog without fog lights on. They can't find the switch. Am absolutely gobsmacked that people don't know where it is, it could save your life and the lives of people driving behind you. I once drove on the A1 in the densest fog imaginable. No-one overtook me, I don't think anyone else wanted to be the front car. Seriously, fog lights were what kept those of us on the road that evening alive.

[Naughty1205]

I've a feeling they just want you to speed up?

[TakeNoSHt]

Probably impatient drivers behind you. I know there is often quite a high national speed limit on back/country roads and racer boys love to go faster than that. If you aren’t comfortable going super fast that is ok, do what i do and tilt the rear view mirror up so you can’t see the very off putting flashing lights. They’ll be the ones to feel too cocky on the road and crash one day not you

[DecemberSnow]

My car is a big of the road 4x4 , so sometimes if we have lights on, as we are above the cars it can be dazzling for them, but its our normal lights, we can move them down slightly but its all country roads, and no lights around here too

[TrainspottingWelsh]

Think I know what the cause is.

It isn't ops lights, or an electrical fault, or driving too slow. It's the muppets that seem to think it's acceptable to drive when they don't even know how their lights work or when to use them. Probably some of the posters on this thread, trying to discover what the pretty buttons do as they drive along. 'Oh, but my dashboard looks so nice with the little blue thing all lit up'