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?!

Exactly. But it seems Toyotas have a setting where headlights are on but nothing else. 🤷🏻‍♀️

What would be the point in them not coming on?

It's ridiculous, and dangerous, but this is exactly what DRLs do. I think they should either be mandated on front and rear, or be banned altogether. It's the most ridiculous design you can imagine.

I read that Toyota screen print and didn't see anything I interpreted has saying headlights can be on with everything else off.

must be electrical
but why would anybody be that bothered about a fog light, enough for everyone to flash at op
i wonder if your lights go off at the back or something

I've googled another Toyota document, and it's clear that:-
Position 1: is lights "off" (but DRLs will be on because they always are.)
Position 2: is sidelights on
Position 3: is headlights on

It explicitly says that in position 3 all other light except for DRLs are on.

(Document is for a Yaris, but don't see why Aygo would be different.)

www.toyaris.com/headlight_switch-337.html

why would anybody be that bothered about a fog light, enough for everyone to flash at op

I was wondering that too, it's not that much of a distraction.

But anyway it's not looking like the OP is coming back so we may never know.

On the plus side, people have been educated about DLRs. Which is a good thing if they now go out and check their lights when they get a new car!

So many cars are bigger now with their headlights higher so if you are in a normal non wanky mobile and followed mostly by 4x4’s they will create more glare and the appearance of being flashed

Another reason why they are such terrible things on standard roads

To those people disbelieving that DRLs are on at the front but not the rear - have you not SEEN the number of cars which now seem to be driving around with only front lights on? It's getting pretty common now that DRLs are a legal requirement, and is indicative of the poor level of knowledge most people have about their cars (or about safe driving).

I think that if you drive on unlit roads at all (ie not urban driving), you must have had at least one scary experience of driving up behind a car that has no rear lights on, and then realising it's another idiot relying on their DRLs.

Why are so many suggesting that OP may be going too slowly, and thus other drivers are flashing to convey this, as if this explains it and is fair enough? Do those posters do this themselves?

This is aggressive and dangerous, and completely at odds with the Highway Code: headlights should only be flashed to let another driver see that you’re there, not as an admonishment or to convey a message.

If you’re not happy that the car in front is going a little slower than you’d like, well tough shit.

This thread has been an eye opener. Very infrequent driver here and learned the hard way to sort out lights before anything else after fumbling around for fog lights one time when they were suddenly needed.

Volvos are the only cars that have DRL’s front and back (as they should) and have some since the 1980’s (possibly earlier)

I know this as I had a C reg Volvo back in the day

I assume it’s the same as why go backwards?

The modern rules of DRLs only being required by law at the front is rediculous and alarmingly dangerous

have you not SEEN the number of cars which now seem to be driving around with only front lights on

Actually no, although a few days after I had my experience I was waiting for my husband at my local railway station and a lady drove in, lights on at the front but not at the back. I can't remember which sort of car it was. But that's the only time I have noticed it, it's not a regular occurrence to see people without rear lights on, it's usually people not having lights on at all.

OP, I also drive a small car, despite being older, i have a slightly sporty looking model (blacked out rear windows etc). I don't often drive country roads at night anymore, but i am an experienced driver, drive on or near the speed limit, know the road etc.

I invariably get flashed regardless of full beams. I know how to operate my beams correctly, I know all my lights are working and I'm driving perfectly well. I've concluded that it's either dickheads who just like to be in front or it's young guys looking for a race.

DH thought I was making it up but he's experienced much more aggressive driving when in my car than he gets in his more manly estate, and he's been flashed at from behind at night in my car.

Daytime running lights are only on the front, often see cars with no rear lights on. Also see loads of cars with one light out over the last couple of years, much more than I used to.

But that's the only time I have noticed it, it's not a regular occurrence to see people without rear lights on

Try rush hour on your nearest motorway or major A road.

I've learned something new in response to this thread. You aren't always required to have your headlights on at night. If there's lit street lighting you can legally drive with only your sidelights on.

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/lighting-requirements.html

I used to have similar but with cars coming towards me flashing me (I didn't have main beam on).

I kept checking and checking my lights and they were all fine when I got out the car and checked them. Couldn't understand it. Then I noticed the bulb had fallen out it's socket and was at a funny angle. It still worked and I couldn't see the difference looking at the lights when stood but obviously made a difference to approaching cars.

I've seen people driving on a residential housing estate with their fog lights plus full beam on. Its not that dark!

Sometimes people don't have their normal beams adjusted correctly for how many people/luggage is in the car. If you are driving, look at where the light dips onto the ground, it shouldn't be too far away, then you drive far enough behind the car in front so that your light dips onto the ground behind their lights. There is usually a wheel or switch somewhere that allows you to adjust the angle. Or you could just do what every other fucker does and drive your 4x4 so your lights shine directly in the back window of the car in front.

Here's a wee tip, if the driver in the car in front is able to do shadow puppet theatre onto the road by using your car lights to cast the shadows, you are too close, back off!

Why are people repeatedly suggesting that it's bumps in the road or the OP driving too slow? They only flash when full beam is on... Do they think she magically speeds up or the road becomes bump-free when full beam is off??

I just find it bizarre and irresponsible that Op turns to bunch of strangers for an answer, after driving for years?(2 cars worth) of people flashing her, and yet never once thought 'maybe I should look at the back of car with the lights on'

When you get flashed it's usually for a reason.
if it's head on, check the lights are on or not main beem. Slow down a bit for a while incase they are warning me of something up ahead, if none of the above, check the car and lights once stopped.

If flashed from behind its either a tail gater or something up with the lights at the back, again first thing is check once stopped.

Not keep going out on the road in the dark and constantly getting flashed at, but never bother checking your car, then asks some randoms on the Internet who can't see your bloody car, why all these people are flashing you.

why would anybody be that bothered about a fog light, enough for everyone to flash at op

Fog lights on when there's perfectly good visibility are seriously distracting. The Highway Code is very clear about their use:

You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves

the Police will pull you over to tell you to turn off your fog lights if you have them on when you dont need them.

why would anybody be that bothered about a fog light, enough for everyone to flash at op
I can’t actually believe someone needs to ask this. Oh wait I can due to the amount of idiots I see driving with their fog lights on and no fog.