Should Hazard Light be used during adverse weather condition?

[Wolverman]

dejavu....

[Kelpie]

Agree. At times, there may not be a clear winner or loser...it may not be unnecessary be any at all.

 

I feel it's good that certain topics be discussed with an open mind. At least there is an awareness of what some other road users are thinking.

 

In fact, some of my colleagues didn't know they can use hazard light during adverse weather conditions. These mentioned colleagues have not driven out of Singapore their whole lives so this topic is something "new" to them.

 

Regards,

[Speedsun]

It is not who wins in the poll but from the result there are many who voted "No". This implies that many may get confused so it is not advisable to turn on. If only a few voted "No" then turn on hazard lights are acceptable and the result means not many will get confused.

 

So for those who think turning on hazard lights are safer in bad weather, some others may not think so. They get confused and don't know how to react, instead bang onto your car because it is not a standard protocol to them.

[Wolverman]

[Kelpie]

It is not who wins in the poll but from the result there are many who voted "No". This implies that many may get confused so it is not advisable to turn on. If only a few voted "No" then turn on hazard lights are acceptable and the result means not many will get confused.

 

So for those who think turning on hazard lights are safer in bad weather, some others may not think so. They get confused and don't know how to react, instead bang onto your car because it is not a standard protocol to them.

 

1. IMHO, actually it is just a matter of getting use to. This hazard light thingy is probably new to some, hence some interpret that this will confuse others. For season & experienced drivers, nothing is too new to expect liao. I seldom have to use hazard light in SG. But when in Malaysia and Indonesia, I will be just like one of their locals, switching on hazard lights during adverse weather condition, its a second nature.

 

2. So I'm pretty neutral, see someone on hazard light infront, whether stationery or moving, I will just proceed with caution. I don't find it offensive.

 

Regards,

[Speedsun]

Maybe it is a very good art from you. Just to let you know I am poor therefore I don't have a big monitor to see your art but anyway I am not an artistic person, so can't be bothered to appreciate your art. So sorry to have waste your time to do it. Michael Faye may appreciate your effort more.

Edited September 17, 2007 by Speedsun

[Wolverman]

[Icekitten]

for my own, if the car in front hazard lights are on.... i will be able to gauge the distance between me and the car in front and if i am travelling faster i will be able to slow down and keep a distance from the front car. Same thing if the car comes to a complete stop i will be able to pre-empt it as i will notice the front car getting nearer and nearer to me.

 

What most people fail to realise is, what if the car behind is travelling faster than the car in front, as visibility is very low, by the time the driver see the car in front, it may be too late...

 

some may say if visibility is low, y travel fast....? to me travelling about 40km/h should be ok for me but to some they may prefer to travel at 20km/h..... this difference of 20km/h is enough for an accident to happen becuz i am travelling faster than the car in front. so if the car has no rear foglights, how will i be able to know how near the distance is w/o the hazard lights....

 

I for 1 dare to admit i experienced travelling in heavy rain especially if the rain is coming from the front.... and all i can see is hazard lights, to know if a car is in front of me anot....

 

though low visibility is not common in SG, but all it has to happen is once only... and there may be a regret for life.

 

I mean let's say you have been cruising a distance behind a car which had its hazard lights on all the while. And it has to stop suddenly. It can't use its hazard lights to warn ppl of its sudden decrease in speed, and supposedly the driver behind is already used to seeing a moving car with hazard lights on and thus it would not occur to him that the car in front has to stop suddenly. So how can the driver in front communicate to the driver behind that he has to stop suddenly, without using his hazard lights (which are already turned on)?

 

I personally feel that speed is not the utmost in driving safely in heavy rain. I think the avoidance of hard acceleration is more important. It is easier to react and brake from gradual acceleration than hard acceleration.

 

I drove in rain where I couldn't see the body of the car in front at all. Could barely make out the license plate number even. And I was at most 1-2 car lengths away. Speed was about 50kmh. Still the tail lights were visible, and license plate lights just barely.

 

One thing I'm confused about is why does it supposedly make it easier to gauge distances with hazard lights than normal rear lights? I thought that gauging distance has nothing to do with the colour or pattern of lights. It's the driver's own judgement. If anything, hazard lights flash, so it should be more difficult.

 

I think if really lau pok car with really dim lights then maybe it's better to have hazard lights on. Better than no lights. But most cars in SG are not lau pok cars to this extent.

[Icekitten]

if it is yourself that you are describing, so be it lor. you win lor. hahaha...

 

Excuse me sir, all I'm asking is how will a driver driving with his hazard lights on communicate his intention to other drivers if in any case, he has to stop suddenly in the middle of the road/expressway.

 

1st you said hazard lights on are for people to see you. Is it right to say that you do that because you feel you cannot rely on others to be observe equal caution as you and see you in the rain?

 

But then in reply to my question, you say that only dumb drivers cannot gauge if the car in front is going to stop suddenly in low visibility. So aren't you now relying on other drivers to be equally cautious as you or as smart as yourself to be able to tell that you are going to stop suddenly and react appropriately, if you are the driver in front?

 

Doesn't that contradict your earlier sentiments for driving with the hazard lights on?

If you can't even trust others to see you in the rain, how can you trust that they can react in time to a sudden situation?

 

So either 1) the use of hazard lights is unnecessary in the first place, or 2) there must be a better and more logical answer to my question than that you have given.

 

Just my two cents.

[Wolverman]

sometimes only visually they can understand

[Icekitten]

the use by hazard lights by many drivers are only if the following conditions are met, ie

 

1) VERY heavy rain storm or bad fog ( those which wiper at full speed also no use as well as cannot see lane marking type )

2) When cruising on high way

3) When speed goings down to easily 40-50km/h in lane 1

 

with such scenerio, even if a car met with some trouble and stop in the middle, with or without hazard light, the surrounding cars should be aware due to extreme caution taken under such weather condition. with that being said, here are the chances,

 

1) possibility of car than breaks down in middle of hi-way in heavy rain and uses hazard light = 0.0001% ? non encountered so far

 

2) possibility of car that uses hazard light in heavy storm to increase visibility = 1%

 

I hope that all drivers follow your guidelines for using of hazard light.

 

Comparing the two scenarios which I've described in my post to Zakuii earlier, which scenario do you think the driver behind would be able to react faster to?

 

I agree that the possibility of a car breakdown in bad weather is low, but it's definitely not impossible.

 

Like Galantspeedz has said, it only has to happen once. And it can be a regret for life.

[Speedsun]

Mentioned to you already, my monitor small, strained my eyes to see your "art" pics, furthermore I don't know how to appreciate. Hmmm.... let me guess... you as dart boards for me to throw darts!! Only 3 tries! If wrong, you confuse me as I do not share the same protocol with you.

[Icekitten]

Time for you to come in with your many pictures.

[Yeshe]

Comparing the two scenarios which I've described in my post to Zakuii earlier, which scenario do you think the driver behind would be able to react faster to?

 

I agree that the possibility of a car breakdown in bad weather is low, but it's definitely not impossible.

 

as i said, even if a driver using the hazard light during very bad weather condition has trouble with his car and needs to stop, what should he do? he doesnt need to do anything, just stop lor. in that kind of scenerio, all drivers will be very cautious and ready to stop whether or not someone's car has a problem. its because of the extreme weather condition that is causes everyone to increase their awareness on the road. to further improve that awareness, its where the use of hazard light in those condition comes in.

[Qpik]

 

I feel that the hazard should be use during adverse weather condition - real bad weather like extreme foggy and thunderstorm condition because it increases the visibility of yourself to other road users.

 

If there is a need to use left or right signal, turn off the hazard light first then use your signal... a bit troublesome.. but no choice.. it is only safe to do so.... . Anyway, in such adverse conditions you dun change lane as often as on good weather days right?

 

Those with rear fog light can use it, then dun turn on the hazard light already...

 

Fm my observations, visibility created by stock fog light also subjected to weather condition. If heavy rain, no use too. Hazzard light are better off.

[Qpik]

Those who are "for" or "against" switching on hazzard lights hv their own opinions.

 

We might hv alot seasoned drivers but that doesn't mean that all hv driven under extreme weather conditions.

The purpose of this thread is enlighten drivers that we hv such extreme weather conditions & what to expect when they happened to be caught in such conditions in the first place.

 

By such conditions, I would refer to when you can't even "see" the lights of the car in front of u though u might be going less than 50kmh. U can't even see the lane markings or the cars behind u. In short, u can't see/hear anything around u. All u can hear is the heavy rain beating down yr car. With global warming, I hv encountered more & more of such extreme weather in our sunny S'pore. To be precise, at least 4times last yr.

No need to misconstrue others' driver warnings, they might sound like personal attacks but their intentions are good. Cos at the end of the day, the real winner is one who can manage to arrive at their destination safely under such adverse conditions.

Edited September 18, 2007 by Qpik

[Icekitten]

Ok. So there's nothing which can be done in such a situation to inform other drivers that he has to stop his car suddenly. Or at least improve the awareness of other drivers to a car that has to stop in the middle of the road.

 

Thanks for answering.

[Madsumm]

the "duh" thread again...

 

Well.. signal hazards only when you are in complete stop... (In SG I mean)

 

That is what I do.

 

Otherwise, other methods will work.

 

Ok, I've used the experience I gained from driving in autobahn at 240kmh.

 

When i see at a far distance, at that speed, with 2 hazard lights.. i start engine brake and start my hazard to "tell" the others behind me to quickly slow down.. and it carries on to the back and others as well done in the same way by other drivers...

 

When I slowed and see the other vehicle behind got my msg.. i turned my hazards off and do a brake blink to indicate the condition in front by lightly tapping the brakes to slow..

 

Here in SG i do the same.. suddenly.. vehicle stop in front... i press the brake and start the hazard when i know i will come to a complete stop (this is only in highway).

 

Once I noticed the vehicle behind slowed and got the msg.. i quickly turned it off.

 

For adverse weather condition... rear foggies will do..

 

Rgds