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Driving, blinking lights and what the locals mean

I often find myself behind the wheel in foreign lands.

Disclaimers/caveats: When public transit is easy and goes where I need, I'm happy as a clam to ride the train or bus. But as my travel tastes evolve and my destinations become increasingly off the beaten path, lately I find myself driving more, because that's really the only way to get where I want to go in a reasonable amount of time. I know others hate driving for a variety of reasons and that's OK, I don't. You do you, I'll be exercising my IDP. I try to be a good, responsible driver and a courteous guest. I've been driving a long time, I learned how to fly airplanes before I learned to drive cars, with the importance of safety drilled into me at a young age. I think I'm pretty good at both. Safety is of course my top priority, but I don't like to waste time stuck behind a slow moving vehicle ahead and that means sometimes you gotta pass one. I recognize and remember all the risks and consequences of driving.

(For what follows, I'll be referencing left/right assuming driving on the right side of the road, as we mostly do in the USA. Things obviously flip left/right where they drive on the left.)

I've noticed that in some places locals use turn signals and hazard lights in ways that differ from what I experience at home.

For example, at home in the USA, I have seen the following and it appears to be the norm in many places I've been (usually out in the middle of nowhere):

You're driving down a two-lane "highway", you're behind a large truck, bus or other big, heavy vehicle. The vehicle ahead of you is heavy, and moving well below the speed limit, often because it's going up a hill. You're in an area where passing is permitted, but because you don't have a clear view of the road ahead (either because the truck you're following is really big, or the road is just slightly curvy so it obscures your view of the road ahead), making it tricky, dangerous and/or nerve-wracking to try and get a "peek" at whether or not there is any oncoming traffic in the opposite lane.

Many times a truck or bus ahead, sensing that you want to pass, will turn on their blinker (turn signal) to indicate that the way ahead is clear, and that this would be the time to pass them. I've seen this in the USA (and also Mexico). Sometimes (not always) the truck/bus ahead will slow ever-so-slightly, and maybe inch over to the absolute edge of the pavement, to reinforce the idea that "this is a good time to pass me." But sometimes the road is too narrow and that truck/bus is already hugging the pavement edge, and they don't want to slow down any further because they're giving it full throttle just to maintain their current speed.

The trick here is the ambiguity of the meaning and which turn signal they use...

Typically, a left blinker usually means "it's clear, pass now." A right blinker (sometimes) means "don't try it now, we'll all die."

Of course, a left blinker can just mean "I'm gonna turn left" - though turning left usually is preceded by slowing down. Likewise, right blinker can mean "I'm about to turn right" and is slowing down is also expected. Or it could mean the driver ahead is clueless and just left their turn signal on. There's a lot potentially at stake, and you're left to try and interpret the meaning of the "code" being used by a stranger in a foreign country. So it's obviously not a highly reliable system.

Recently (in Scotland), I encountered vehicles ahead turning on their "hazard" flashers (both left & right blinkers). I had no idea what the intended message was (it was enough to make me even more cautious than usual). I THINK that was before a right turn (across traffic, because left-side driving). But it made me wonder.

Have you encountered this sort of driver-to-driver signal system before? Where, and what exactly did it mean? (Other than ALWAYS BE VERY CAREFUL!).

Posted by
530 posts

Usually in the UK hazards are used when saying thank you to another driver, for instance, if they let you into a queue of traffic. And for actual hazards too, of course. What you describe about trucks indicating sounds terrifying, open to misunderstandings and disasters if the driver following doesn’t know the code.

Posted by
23826 posts

The whole advice about relying on a truck driver's signals is dangerous. If he is wrong, your dead, you can not sue! I would never do it. You need a lot of patience.

Posted by
7181 posts

Indeed, relying on such ambiguous and prone-to-completely-wrong-misinterpretation "code" is fraught with risk - and the potential consequences of getting it wrong are so dire. I fully appreciate all that. The phrase "Seriously? Yeah, as serious as a heat attack!" comes to mind.

Which is why I was curious to learn if anyone else had encountered such, and what their understanding of the various possibilities were supposed to mean.

Interesting to hear that hazard flashers are used to say "thanks" in the UK. Didn't know that. (And nice, low-risk of misunderstanding and no potentially deadly consequences...).

Posted by
991 posts

David, I've lived in three states (technically two commonwealths and a state, but I digress). I've never seen this turn signal code you mention. I wouldn't rely on it anyway. The only communication from a semi/tractor-trailer I'll somewhat trust is when trying to cross back from the passing lane to the right lane on the interstate. Often truck drivers will flash their brights to indicate that you have the room you need in front of them to get back into the right lane.

I do turn on my headlights during the day as a courtesy and for visibility when passing a semi on the interstate. Regarding hazards, I only turn them on when pulled over and paused, when there's an issue with my vehicle and I need to slow way beneath the speed limit, or when there's very heavy rain or snow on the interstate. Has come in handy when driving through the mountains of WV.

Posted by
1863 posts

Hazards (just one flash or two) are used to acknowledge someone behind you in the UK, as they can't see your headlights to give them a flash of thanks. Sometimes when a long vehicle is passing you on the motorway, it's good manners to give them a flash with the headlights when it's safe for them to move back to the left lane after passing. The trucker will then respond with a quick blink of the hazards.

Giving a couple of blinks of a left indicator as a sign to overtake is done, but it probably isn't great practice. Fraught with danger if not used carefully, but can be helpful sometimes.

Posted by
12713 posts

Have you encountered this sort of driver-to-driver signal system before?

No.

Pretty sure all driving manuals etc., describe a blinking light on one side of a vehicle to mean a movement in that direction.
4 way flashers are a warning/slowing indicator.

To ascribe any other meaning seems to be taking an unnecessary risk.

However a blinking left turn signal in Ballard just indicates a local on their way to no where in particular.( Insider Seattle joke)

Posted by
9973 posts

When I was in Scotland and met a driver who was an equal distance from the passing place, they would sometimes flash their headlights at me to indicate that I should proceed and they would pull over.

Posted by
701 posts

I often drive a country road to work, and there a few stretches that can have lots of trucks and tractors.

I am used to the right blinker of a truck, which is driving on the right edge of the lane mean, it is okay to pass. On the highway, in general, we are supposed to stay in the right lane except to pass. Sometimes while passing a truck for example, a speeding car will come up behind and have their left blinker on. Basically means they want you to get over as soon as possible so the can speed off.

Posted by
416 posts

Many years ago in the North Carolina mountains, vehicles would turn on the left turn lights if the vehicle ahead was making a left turn. So, following vehicles would also turn on their left turn lights. It could be quite a few vehicles acting like they were turning left. This was done to keep a vehicle behind from trying to pass left.

Posted by
5227 posts

I've encountered the truck driver using his driver's side blinker often at home as a courtesy signal that it's OK to pass, especially on single lane rural highways or steep mountain passes.

Not a signal, but confusion nonetheless, in England in 2023 driving from Arundel to Winchester, Google Maps apparently thought it was doing me a favour by saying me 10 minutes and taking me through South Downs on the twisty and turny B2141 highway where the speed limit was listed as 60mph. I didn't understand at the time that all highways use that speedlimit whether it's advisable or not. There was no way I was going anywhere near that speed and often I'd have local drivers on my bumper flashing lights or fingers to get out of the way. I felt guilty not going faster but didn't know what else to do when there was no safe way to pull over and no way did I feel safe going faster.

On the Isle of Mull in Scotland on single track roads I appreciated the courtesy of the local drivers as there was always a wave at turnouts when I stopped to let the car going the other way go through. I became an expert at it as well, always remembering to give a courtesy wave when I was let through. It's a courtesy that is dying at home where drivers used to give a courtesy wave in the city when you made space to let them into your lane on high speed roads.

Posted by
9973 posts

Allan, I still give a courtesy wave if someone lets me into traffic. And I appreciate it when others do that.

Lving in a rural area, I get the country wave when I’m out walking on one of the back roads around here. That’s when drivers will lift their hand and wave to a walker and the walker waves back. It never fails to make me smile.

Posted by
3117 posts

I still recall from the booklet at the California DMV back when things were on paper that the definition of a green traffic light was proceed if safe to do so, of a red light: stop, and of a yellow light stop if safe to do so.

In other words, drivers should not go through yellow lights.

I think a lot of people from other states in the USA would be surprised by this.

In visiting Denver, por ejemplo, I have never seen a driver stop for a yellow light. Must adjust accordingly,
b/c if you follow the CA rule, you will be rear-ended before you realize the 'if safe to do so' phrase is discretionary in some places.