AIBU to flash my hazards for "thank you" or is it actually rude 😬

[Newusernameforthiss]

I learnt to drive very late (mid 30s) and I'm pretty nervous/cautious. I live in London, where the average standard of driving is terrifying and you have to be super aggressive to get in and out of gaps etc.

I have learnt to flash my headlights, and that this means "go ahead" if you're waiting by a line of parked cars or "go on your turn" at a junction. Or even just a pass-agg "I'm here" if honking would be a bit much.

When I let people in ahead of me in a queue/merging, they often flash their hazards once at me, so I took it to mean "thank you" so I do it too now.

When I drive outside of London, I do "thank you hazards" and people put their headlights on full or honk at me 😬😬😬 is it rude outside the M25? Is it rude everywhere??? And I've completely misinterpreted it? This stuff is a nightmare. I've only just got into the groove of remembering to bring biscuits every time I go on a playdate for the children. Obviously my first priority is driving safely but I hate there's some kind of etiquette code I have no idea about???

YABU - flashing you hazard lights is rude
YANBU - thank you hazards are a thing

It's illegal I think

While you may know what your flashing means the other driver may not. I was turning right and the oncoming driver flashed me. Seriously we nearly had a head on as I found out I'd accidentally knocked the main beam on. I thought was flashing to go on but he was flashing to tell me about the beam which was probably blinding.

I think flashing headlights is far too open to interpretation. I used to be a local news reporter and remember attending an inquest of a couple who were killed in their car when they headed out of a road straight into the path of a lorry. Witnesses said the lorry was flashing them and the coroner suspected they had thought the lorry driver was saying “you go ahead.”

Only yesterday someone thanked me/ apologised by flashing hazard lights as they cut me up off a roundabout. I appreciated it and felt less cross about it .

Yeah I think you might have solved the mystery 😂😂 I definitely have an appalling habit of getting stuck quite far out to work when to go, going in a tiny gap, then guiltily giving the old thank you hazards basically as an apology so I wouldn't blame anyone for honking me. I am getting better tho! I hardly ever do it now!!

Ahahahahaha you win, dot dot dash, not dot dot crash

Where I learnt to drive in Hampshire as a teenager it wasn't a thing, and my parents never did it, but when I met my husband from Norfolk he taught me it. His father is a HGV driver so presumably that's where he got it from. I've seen it a few times where I am in west Sussex now, and I do it occasionally. But I suspect my parents continue to be unaware!

This is actually a great point, thank you

I think people are getting confused with hazard lights and the thanks you do with headlights. Hazards are for when people have let you out in front so you are showing them your back lights, if you are letting someone out in front you flash your headlights or just stop and wave if daylight and they are close enough to see you.

I've only read @Newusernameforthiss posts. But to address your question, here in Ireland we use our hazards to say thanks and if the car behind responds by flashing main beams it's taken as saying "you're welcome " So that's possibly what is happening with you?! I like it. I've never had anyone honk their horn though.