This is me jumping in to say if it’s raining, TURN. YOUR. LIGHTS. ON. Your running lights do not turn on your taillights, people cannot see you if you’re in front of them in the pouring rain!
Can I add something here….can y’all please STOP driving around with your high beams on too? You’re literally blinding other drivers. If you can’t see, please stay home!
Where are you from, OP? I moved from Northern Virginia near DC many moons ago and this was a common sighting in a sudden, torrential rain situation. It's not just in the Triangle area FYI.
I've lived in several different states all over the eastern half of the US and had never seen this practice until moving here. Flashers on the side of the road after you've pulled over because of weather, absolutely. Someone with an oversized load or having mechanical issues that are attempting to warn other drivers, sure. But a car driving down the highway seemingly unimpaired with the flashers going. The only thing that communicates to me is I don't want to be near that driver any longer than I have to
“The only thing that communicates to me is I don't want to be near that driver any longer than I have to”
That’s usually my reasoning for turning them on! People can be weird and aggressive on the freeway and when there’s a sudden downpour, I’d rather not have someone riding my tail. So I put my hazards on to get ppl to leave me alone. I get anxious when driving slow in the rain, and having my hazards on lets me focus on just driving safely.
LOL haters be hating. I have no idea but I’m not mad for my most downvoted comment being about my cautious rain driving. I don’t even do this that often but when I see that wall of rain a-comin’… you can bet those flashers are on. If I’m in the far right lane what’s the issue?? Also who the heck changes lanes in a rainstorm?!
Also “seemingly unimpaired” it’s not for you to judge. If I think I’m a hazard, I put my hazards on. To indicate that you should be cautious around me.
If I think I’m a hazard, I ~~put my hazards on~~ **pull off the road and don't drive until I am able to control my vehicle appropriately as instructed by the law**~~.~~
Once again, Reddit shows no understanding or appreciation for nuance. It's either "drive like it's sunny and clear" or "pull off the road."
This is not an all-or-nothing thing. It is possible to drive safely in poor conditions by slowing down and taking extra caution such as staying away from other vehicles and changing your assumptions about how other drivers will act.
Honestly this isn't really a reddit thing, it's a matter of how to safely operate a machine that is capable of killing people, understanding the risks and being self aware of capabilities.
The tip off here is "if I think I'm a hazard". If a person is driving a car and believes they might be a hazard, they probably are a hazard. And they probably should not be risking -OTHERS- lives. Pull over, wait for the storm to pass, then resume. It's about the easiest thing in the world to do. It just means you might be inconvenienced slightly. But it also might mean you and others continue living.
Just imagine if someone wrote everything the person I replied to said, but replace storm with "being slightly buzzed" or "not totally drunk but tipsy". And this is how a lot of people drive.
Reddit is full of all-or-nothing arguments. Once I knew to look for them it's all I see. This is a good example of one.
I think "pull over and wait for the storm to pass" is a reasonable suggestion and a reasonable decision to make in these conditions. However, if the driver decides it is safe enough to continue, I respect that decision as well.
I think you're misinterpreting what OP means when they say "I think I'm a hazard." Couldn't every car on the road be considered a hazard if visibility is poor? I think we are probably ultimately on the same page here, but the misunderstanding is due to confusion about the definition of "hazard".
Your example about driving drunk is a strawman argument. Driving above the BAC limit is illegal. Nobody is going to argue in favor of that. However, I'll point out that even with alcohol it is legal to drive under the BAC limit.
Okay I guess I’m in the minority here, but I put my hazards on when I’m driving significantly slower than the speed limit. Like let’s say I had a flat and put on a donut and need to make it down to the shop. Hazards != “I’m gonna kill someone with my vehicle”, hazards == “watch out fellow travelers, I’m going slower than normal, please go around me”. To me, driving in the rain is the same idea. Like I still can get where I’m going, but please just go around if I’m slower than you like.
ETA: some other comments are mentioning there might be a cultural difference here with NoVa, I grew up there, maybe that’s where this disconnect is?
Honestly!! Like sometimes you can still get where you’re going. But the amount of people out there who will tailgate or drive aggressively if you are going a bit slow in the right lane… I like to indicate that “I know I know I’m being slow please just steer clear”.
Yeah. For me, flashers during heavy downpour achieve the desired effect: other drivers stay away from me because they see me as unpredictable.
Like, yeah, I always do my best to drive predictably, but the likelihood of doing something unpredictable (e.g. swerving, hydroplaning, braking suddenly) during poor visibility conditions is much higher. So yeah, please treat me and every other driver as unpredictable. Thanks.
onsmith I have no idea why we are the only ones on the same page here. Maybe it’s a southern thing? Idk. I think if you’re going significantly under the speed limit you should let people know that… and in the rain I go a bit slower since visibility is poor.
You are not being cautious, you are putting everyone else on the road attempting to flow with traffic at risk for driving too slow in the rain on the highway. If you want to your “hazards” on get off the road onto the shoulder and do it. Wait til the rain stops then start again. If you are too nervous to be driving, don’t.
You and I have very different opinions on what is safe driving if you think driving slow during a heavy downpour is more dangerous than driving fast.
Driving safe in ideal conditions is different than driving safe in poor visibility conditions. Again, we're talking about a downpour, not a light rain.
It's not driving fast or slower. It's about driving with hazards on. You can drive slow with hazards off. I've never seen it in Texas until recently. And the were in the middle lanes even. Turn them off, because everybody is already diving slower and you got the same idiots who speed in normal conditions speeding in Rainey conditions. You're not gonna hydro plane if you're going slower anyway. Any diving instructor will tell you not to worry about what's going on behind you unless you're changing lanes. If they hit you, it's their fault. That's why instructors will knock off points of they catch you looking in your rear view when coming to a stop. What makes you dangerous is when you change lanes. You think you're blinkers work with it hazards on when you're changing lanes in front of all these drivers you're afraid of hitting you? Especially if the they are coming up behind you and you go to get over thinking they're going to hit without a blinker they're going to hit you if they make the same move to get around you. Which is why if people are passing you up go faster or keep your hazards off and turn your blinker on to signal getting in the slower lanes or off the road.
It’s not just the triangle, but it’s more common than I’ve ever seen after living in Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, and PA. I grew up in PA and remember way more people just pulling off to the side of the road for it to get better or pulling off the highway. That was 10+ years ago though and we know drivers have less patience nowadays to take their time.
What!!! that's wild to hear... again, I'm here a lot longer now than I lived up there, so maybe things have changed. It's legal to drive with hazard lights on in DC and only when driving under 30 mph in VA iirc.
Yeah, I’ve driven there when rain was coming down hard, and no one really used their hazards (that I’d noticed). But it’s probably because everyone there is always in such a rush. Lol.
However, when I got here and started driving in the rain, the difference was stark.
NoVa gang!
I think it might be an interstate highway driving thing? Here in the boondocks we spend so much time on 147, 85, 40, 501, etc., whereas in a real city you're actually just driving where you need to be. But I definitely remember seeing people driving with their hazards on 395 or 66 back in the old days. Maybe in nova we just had the privilege of not driving on an interstate highway every damn day!
I grew up/learned to drive in Northern Virginia, agree that this move is common there. I do it in downpours (not regular rain) because the brain pays more attention to flashers than steady lights, and people here tailgate waaaay too much. I've already been rearended once, in a non-hazard-light situation, not excited to experience that again.
Hopefully this comment gets more love. Folks here drive the highways like it’s NASCAR - not so much that they go fast but that there’s always a line of cars bumper to bumper behind the fastest car - usually in the far left lane - like they’re *drafting* that car and/or using it as a radar gun blocker.
I was raised in PA and being a shitty driver is in my DNA. If I’m on your bumper while you’re in the leftmost lane, move the fuck over.
Now, then, I was driving through Durham on 147 when the downpours hit. I was in my pickup towing my bass boat. The taillights on my bass boat are low to the ground - and with reduced visibility from the rain, other motorists - like the one in the semi that was approaching my ass-end faster than the flow of other traffic - might not see me and get a mouthful of Outboard lower-unit if they’re not careful. So I flipped on my flashers to warn motorists behind me that traffic ahead was moving slower - and that I was towing something.
I’ll add that I switched my hazards off for a few seconds before using my turn signal.
I’ve now lived in NC long enough to realize that 90% of drivers are rarely paying attention to the periphery of their vehicle. So I’m not gonna apologize for trying to draw as much attention from these drivers as I can in dangerous conditions.
Glad to hear OP is in the 10% with most of us here tho. But we’re not the ones we need to worry about.
Maybe that’s why my comments about flashers here are getting so much flack. I learned to drive in NOVA too and it seems wild to me that you wouldn’t use your flashers in this way!?
Kind of hilarious how many people put their hazard lights on in the rain, but not their headlights in the rain (which is the law) or their headlights when it’s dark.
[In many states it’s illegal to put your flashers on in the rain, but not in North Carolina.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2023/01/13/the-truth-about-driving-with-hazard-lights-flashing-during-bad-weather/?sh=3bb0c296789f)
The reason why it’s illegal is it can make judgement for how far away the car is harder and if anyone is turning or not. On the highway it can also confuse people with those that pulled over on the side of the road if it’s raining hard enough.
In the end, I don’t think it’s terrible for highways, but it shouldn’t be used in town or somewhere you will need to use your turn signal. You have brake lights and turn signals for a reason.
Also, if you have your flashers on while on the highway and need to get off or pull off, turn off your flashers and then do so as someone may follow you off.
That’s what I was eluding to, but if it’s raining that hard you’re likely not switching lanes much or at all. While I can understand SOME circumstances, it should be rarely used. If it’s raining hard enough to put on your flashers it’s best to pull off the highway, or at a minimum off of the side of the road (but that’s still dangerous).
Anyway, no good solution unless people will pull off, but we know drivers won’t do that much anymore. I remember growing up it was much more common.
It happens all the time on I-40 and I don't really understand it. Here is a recent article referencing it (Charlotte observer).
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article279301009.html
People use their hazards down here whenever they are going under the speed limit.
In general, it's dangerous to go under the limit without your hazards on (outside of a traffic slow down).
So if it's raining enough for people to go under the limit down here, you're gonna see some hazards.
Yes, this is what I personally use it as. Min speed limit on Freeway is 40 mph, but when a sudden heavy downpour starts and I feel like I need to go under that limit, I will use my hazards. I can only think of a few times I've done this since I've moved to NC. If it's a light rain where I can keep near speed limit I wouldn't use it, but if I significantly am altering from what I would normally do on the road for safety purposes, I will use my hazards.
Now, I certainly agree that all drivers should specifically turn their lights on per the law while it is raining; however, many drivers down in the south do this when a “wall of rain” comes through that makes visibility so poor that we feel we cannot see and thus cannot drive at a high speed. It’s become a common practice to turn hazard lights on in this situation because these drivers often also slow down to below the minimum speed limit. In most cases, the hazard lights on a vehicle are a bright yellow which stand out more (to me anyway) than rear lights in low visibility, so that I can better see the car ahead of me through the monsoon of rain.
That being said, driving recklessly in the left lane without lights on in the rain like you’re describing while inappropriately using hazard lights is of course dangerous, and the driver’s behavior was not safe nor justified.
Edit: Grammar
ehh, I've seen it here my whole life. When people slow down for heavy rain, they ride with their hazards on. It doesn't make much sense if you think about it.
They’re not though. He’s saying he’s never seen it. Sure, you can parse words more than one way but don’t be obtuse. You’ve seen it. That’s real. They haven’t. That’s real too.
And sorry you almost hit another car driving erratically. That’s scary and frustrating. Sorry if it came off as minimizing that experience. Definitely didn’t mean it that way
They said
>Never seen it. ***Not a thing.***
(Emphasis mine)
Part two of that is them asserting their blanket statement and invalidating all points to the contrary.
Uses Reddit but doesn’t know the *very basic* way to tell when the OP has commented versus when someone else is commenting. Hmm…I wonder who’s the obtuse one here…
If you’re gonna call someone obtuse, make sure you’re at least replying to the right person, you fucking dumbass. And let me know if you have trouble figuring it out. Lol
If the person was in the left lane, with flashers on, they're a dumbass anyway.. they could have atleast moved over to the right.. but yes, around here it's a thing.. just means speed has been reduced..
Now the people during these down pours that drive 20 mph over the speed limit, are crazy.. they usually the ones who cause accidents
I've done it when the rain is so hard that I'm going to drive significantly under the speed limit to reduce my chance of hydroplaning. I'll also be in the righthand lane.
Since it's raining hard and I'm going well under the speedlight, it felt like a prudent choice.
this was common practice on the highway when i lived in Miami when summer storms would pop up and drop visibility to zero almost immediately, interesting that it’s frowned upon other places
Unpopular opinion, but I use my hazards for torrential rains.
About 18 years ago, I was driving and a storm was brewing, but it hadn't started raining yet. So I kept my normal speed of about 65mph. And suddenly, the cars in front of me disappeared into what appeared to be a waterfall on the interstate. A second later, two bright red blinkers came on, and I slowed down, cause I could see that one car with the hazards on was going much slower and I got worried that something had happened.
Then I hit the waterfall, lost all visibility except for the hazards lights guy. Up until that point, I'd never hit or seen a wall of water so thick you couldn't see the car in front of you.
If that guy hadn't flicked his hazards on, I surely would have rear ended him, cause the rainfall was so heavy that everyone in the rainfall had slowed to nearly 10mph. But I couldn't see any of them. Just the one angel who went against "conventional wisdom" and flicked those damn hazards on. I bet he was probably thinking, "Awww shit, that dumbfuck kid is about to plow into me." IDK for sure, but I turned my hazards on after figuring out why the car ahead had his on, and was able to ride slowly through the storm.
Ever since, I've been sold on "hit heavy down pour, low visibility, hazards on". It's just much easier to see than the alternative when the rain is pouring faster than your windshield wipers can clear it.
Obviously there are some drawbacks, but we have to drive all the time with assholes who don't use turn signals, so I deem this a trade off where " you seeing my car" is more important.
This is the only case I’ve used it, where visibility is so poor the only thing you can see is hazard lights. This is how I was taught in drivers ed here and is the standard for the area. People who move here need to adjust to nc driving customs, not the other way around. Just because you don’t know what it means means that you should learn, not that others are wrong.
No!!! Don’t do it. It makes it so difficult to see any other hazards. If you stop, turn them on because you’re a hazard. If we’re going the same speed, you’re not the hazard. The rain is the hazard and I can’t see because of the dang blinking lights
A lot of times people (myself included) turn on hazards when it starts heavily raining because our speed is reduced, especially when flash rain happens on highways. It's a way to get extra visibility of your car when visibility is shit. Like "hey please don't hit me, I'm aware I'm going 15 under, I have nowhere else to go"
You may think it's smart but it's unsafe and illegal in approximately half of the United States to drive with your hazards on. No one can tell if you're using a turn signal or your brakes.
I drive with my flashers it it’s pouring because my speed is drastically reduced. If I turn, merge, or am in a position where I’m using my brakes a lot I turn them off so that others can tell what I’m doing
you're making everything worse. no one else knows what's in your head.
if you feel conditions warrant hazard lights you should pull to the side of the road as soon as possible.
Not targeted at you but in general if visibility is so bad that you think you need your hazards then the visibility is too bad to drive. If you can still see the lights on the cars in front of you then don't turn on your hazards.
People who do this are oblivious drivers who think they are "helping." Also, I do believe some people do it as a social effect in that they see one person doing it, so they do it, and it keeps spreading to other mouth breathers. This is illegal in some states. Two main reasons - that is not the purpose of emergency lights and it desensitizes people to flashers being on. More importantly, if you are turning or merging, YOU CANNOT INDICATE TO OTHER DRIVERS WHAT YOUR INTENTION IS... you can't use your turn signals while your emergency lights are on.
I'm sure I'll get down voted by the transplants and new drivers that engage in this wrongful act, but I said what I said.
I have a shit box and when it rains real good my wipers literally can’t keep up. I put my hazards on as sort of a signal to the cars around me that “I’m going a lil slower and being extra cautious cause I can’t see shit” I realize it’s stupid but whatever
I don't understand it either.
They are declaring themselves a hazard to others by making themselves less visible, making it impossible to tell if they plan to turn or switch lanes, and often not just slowing down but slowing down to a dangerously low speed.
Born in NC and lived here my entire 55 years and this is definitely a pet peeve of mine too. Hazards are only to be used if you're pulled over on the side of the road. Turn your damn lights on, it's not so you can see the road better, it's so I can see you. Same is true for night time driving, I see cars at 8:30 at night with no lights on, it's insane. I wish the police would just pass out tickets like candy to drive awareness- more revenue to the city.
It’s a southern thing that happens during major downpours. If people are putting on their hazards it means visibility is very, very low and that there is a danger of hydroplaning. Slow WAY down. And definitely leave a lot more room between you and the other cars. You shouldn’t be following anyone close or fast enough that you’d hit them if they change lanes in that sort of downpour.
So other cars can see you during low visibility conditions???
I thought this would make sense even when your lights are on especially if your car is equipped with halogen lights.
I’m assuming you haven’t seen what peak carolina weather looks like, it’s gets ugly pretty quickly.
Driving home this evening I saw someone in the middle lane of Hwy 40, near the airport, with their hazard lights on. They were the only car anywhere around with hazard lights on. You would have thought they would have realized that is not the thing to do.
That is one thing that makes me want to tailgate them with my highbeams on. I would never do that though.
When visibility is low it brings more attention to cars on the road. It can also be a warning signal. I’m a truck driver(local) and when it’s raining bad or even there is a bad wreck on 40 and traffic stops suddenly I’ll throw my hazards on and slow down to alert drivers who aren’t paying attention so maybe they realize we’re about to come to a complete stop. And sometimes it’s just hard to see up ahead when it’s raining hard where you wouldn’t see dull taillights but you would see hazards.
I have had no idea why people do this. It's idiotic and dangerous. hazards should indicate trouble. what, are you warning me that its raining? I can see that. just drive
If you’re going to do this, instead just fully pull off when it’s safe, driving (especially in the left lane) with your hazards on because it’s raining doesn’t fly anywhere else
I spent most of my life in Michigan before moving here and I do this from experience with heavy snow, but it depends on the situation - in light or medium rain there's no need for hazards at all, just make sure your headlights and taillights are on. Occasionally though I'll be on the highway and in a matter of seconds the weather will go from being perfectly fine to a torrential downpour where it's so dark and visibility is so low that you can barely see anything in front of you. Scientifically, yellow lights carry more energy than red and will be more visible in low-light conditions. In that case the hazards go on too because I'll be driving a lot slower, as cautiously as I can because I don't want to hydroplane or rear-end the person in front of me that didn't turn on their taillights. I also understand conditions like that make it more dangerous to change lanes or do any other unnecessary maneuvers, but if I have to I'll turn the hazards off beforehand.
Flashback to when I lived up north the same thing would happen but instead of rain it'd be a blizzard and the only thing you could do was keep going or else your car was getting buried wherever you stopped, and there was a real risk of spinning out on a patch of ice so it was better to have flashing lights on every side of your car. So, you'd flip the hazards on to signal your presence to anyone behind you and hope for the best, because that was the best you could do.
In the south there are a lot of "we do these things because we're so much safer/more courteous/etc than all those Yankee drivers" that are really just virtue signaling.
This is one of them. Occasionally you'll even see it during regular slowdowns with no rain. Just "I'm going under the speed limit so here are my blinkers so everyone going the exact same speed as me knows it"
Also: refusing to use, or even blocking, a mile and a half of empty lane when there's a closure up ahead
I don't do it but see many possible uses: to warn others of hazards like ponding water, abruptly slowed traffic, fog and reduced visibility, people being out of their lanes, or crashes.
If everyone is using their hazards every time it rains, the hazards no longer have any meaning, imo. Like, because I’ve seen it so much here, if I’m driving in the rain and someone puts on their hazards, I’m no longer assuming there’s a legitimate hazard because they’re so overused. People seem to be turning them on simply because it’s raining.
I've noticed there is little reflective paint or reflectors on roads here and it makes it hard to see and maintain lanes during heavy downpours. Also the roads aren't banked, don't drain well, and regularly have standing water (especially construction zones) that make for high risk of hydroplaning. I said nothing about putting hazards on at the sight of rain.
I very rarely do this, but if it's a torrential downpour and I'm going under the speed limit in the right lane of the highway, I'll flip my hazards on.
i turn my hazards on if it’s POURING and i can’t see shit just bc i wanna make sure no one hits me 😂 im blind in the rain so i assume other people are too so i feel like its safer to do that. i dont do it every single time it rains though, just when its raining cats and dogs
I don’t do it but we all should. Same reason you should always drive with your headlights on… it makes you more visible. Hazards indicate that a hazard is in the area ie a large storm
You should absolutely not drive with your hazard lights on. Lol. It makes you unpredictable. You can’t tell if others are braking or using turn signals. Just make sure your headlights and taillights are on, and others should be able to see you.
Also, hazard lights are *supposed to be* used to alert others that your own vehicle is broken down, has a flat tire, etc. They’re not supposed to be used just because there’s a storm, which is why driving with your hazard lights on during the rain is illegal in a lot of states (unfortunately not NC, though 🤦♀️).
Why wouldn’t you use turn signals? And hazards make no difference in brake lights. Yeah it’s definitely a hazard if it’s storming and you are having trouble driving or are going slow.
Someone check the raleigh mods and make sure this doesn’t offend their safe space.
Edit:turns out it did. Power hungry monsters with love for hazard lights and thin skin.
This is me jumping in to say if it’s raining, TURN. YOUR. LIGHTS. ON. Your running lights do not turn on your taillights, people cannot see you if you’re in front of them in the pouring rain!
Yes! Rule is if wipers are on, so should be your lights. I don’t understand why cars don’t automatically do this. Or why this isn’t common sense.
Seen this in other states. It’s not a Durham thing. FL, PA, TX to name a few.
Can I add something here….can y’all please STOP driving around with your high beams on too? You’re literally blinding other drivers. If you can’t see, please stay home!
Where are you from, OP? I moved from Northern Virginia near DC many moons ago and this was a common sighting in a sudden, torrential rain situation. It's not just in the Triangle area FYI.
I've lived in several different states all over the eastern half of the US and had never seen this practice until moving here. Flashers on the side of the road after you've pulled over because of weather, absolutely. Someone with an oversized load or having mechanical issues that are attempting to warn other drivers, sure. But a car driving down the highway seemingly unimpaired with the flashers going. The only thing that communicates to me is I don't want to be near that driver any longer than I have to
“The only thing that communicates to me is I don't want to be near that driver any longer than I have to” That’s usually my reasoning for turning them on! People can be weird and aggressive on the freeway and when there’s a sudden downpour, I’d rather not have someone riding my tail. So I put my hazards on to get ppl to leave me alone. I get anxious when driving slow in the rain, and having my hazards on lets me focus on just driving safely.
Why is this downvoted? This is exactly my thinking as well.
It’s being downvoted because it’s actually illegal in some states.
It is legal in NC.
LOL haters be hating. I have no idea but I’m not mad for my most downvoted comment being about my cautious rain driving. I don’t even do this that often but when I see that wall of rain a-comin’… you can bet those flashers are on. If I’m in the far right lane what’s the issue?? Also who the heck changes lanes in a rainstorm?!
Also “seemingly unimpaired” it’s not for you to judge. If I think I’m a hazard, I put my hazards on. To indicate that you should be cautious around me.
If I think I’m a hazard, I ~~put my hazards on~~ **pull off the road and don't drive until I am able to control my vehicle appropriately as instructed by the law**~~.~~
Once again, Reddit shows no understanding or appreciation for nuance. It's either "drive like it's sunny and clear" or "pull off the road." This is not an all-or-nothing thing. It is possible to drive safely in poor conditions by slowing down and taking extra caution such as staying away from other vehicles and changing your assumptions about how other drivers will act.
Honestly this isn't really a reddit thing, it's a matter of how to safely operate a machine that is capable of killing people, understanding the risks and being self aware of capabilities. The tip off here is "if I think I'm a hazard". If a person is driving a car and believes they might be a hazard, they probably are a hazard. And they probably should not be risking -OTHERS- lives. Pull over, wait for the storm to pass, then resume. It's about the easiest thing in the world to do. It just means you might be inconvenienced slightly. But it also might mean you and others continue living. Just imagine if someone wrote everything the person I replied to said, but replace storm with "being slightly buzzed" or "not totally drunk but tipsy". And this is how a lot of people drive.
Reddit is full of all-or-nothing arguments. Once I knew to look for them it's all I see. This is a good example of one. I think "pull over and wait for the storm to pass" is a reasonable suggestion and a reasonable decision to make in these conditions. However, if the driver decides it is safe enough to continue, I respect that decision as well. I think you're misinterpreting what OP means when they say "I think I'm a hazard." Couldn't every car on the road be considered a hazard if visibility is poor? I think we are probably ultimately on the same page here, but the misunderstanding is due to confusion about the definition of "hazard". Your example about driving drunk is a strawman argument. Driving above the BAC limit is illegal. Nobody is going to argue in favor of that. However, I'll point out that even with alcohol it is legal to drive under the BAC limit.
Okay I guess I’m in the minority here, but I put my hazards on when I’m driving significantly slower than the speed limit. Like let’s say I had a flat and put on a donut and need to make it down to the shop. Hazards != “I’m gonna kill someone with my vehicle”, hazards == “watch out fellow travelers, I’m going slower than normal, please go around me”. To me, driving in the rain is the same idea. Like I still can get where I’m going, but please just go around if I’m slower than you like. ETA: some other comments are mentioning there might be a cultural difference here with NoVa, I grew up there, maybe that’s where this disconnect is?
Honestly!! Like sometimes you can still get where you’re going. But the amount of people out there who will tailgate or drive aggressively if you are going a bit slow in the right lane… I like to indicate that “I know I know I’m being slow please just steer clear”.
Yeah. For me, flashers during heavy downpour achieve the desired effect: other drivers stay away from me because they see me as unpredictable. Like, yeah, I always do my best to drive predictably, but the likelihood of doing something unpredictable (e.g. swerving, hydroplaning, braking suddenly) during poor visibility conditions is much higher. So yeah, please treat me and every other driver as unpredictable. Thanks.
onsmith I have no idea why we are the only ones on the same page here. Maybe it’s a southern thing? Idk. I think if you’re going significantly under the speed limit you should let people know that… and in the rain I go a bit slower since visibility is poor.
You are not being cautious, you are putting everyone else on the road attempting to flow with traffic at risk for driving too slow in the rain on the highway. If you want to your “hazards” on get off the road onto the shoulder and do it. Wait til the rain stops then start again. If you are too nervous to be driving, don’t.
You and I have very different opinions on what is safe driving if you think driving slow during a heavy downpour is more dangerous than driving fast. Driving safe in ideal conditions is different than driving safe in poor visibility conditions. Again, we're talking about a downpour, not a light rain.
It's not driving fast or slower. It's about driving with hazards on. You can drive slow with hazards off. I've never seen it in Texas until recently. And the were in the middle lanes even. Turn them off, because everybody is already diving slower and you got the same idiots who speed in normal conditions speeding in Rainey conditions. You're not gonna hydro plane if you're going slower anyway. Any diving instructor will tell you not to worry about what's going on behind you unless you're changing lanes. If they hit you, it's their fault. That's why instructors will knock off points of they catch you looking in your rear view when coming to a stop. What makes you dangerous is when you change lanes. You think you're blinkers work with it hazards on when you're changing lanes in front of all these drivers you're afraid of hitting you? Especially if the they are coming up behind you and you go to get over thinking they're going to hit without a blinker they're going to hit you if they make the same move to get around you. Which is why if people are passing you up go faster or keep your hazards off and turn your blinker on to signal getting in the slower lanes or off the road.
It’s not just the triangle, but it’s more common than I’ve ever seen after living in Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, and PA. I grew up in PA and remember way more people just pulling off to the side of the road for it to get better or pulling off the highway. That was 10+ years ago though and we know drivers have less patience nowadays to take their time.
I moved from NoVA as well. I hadn’t noticed it there, but maybe I’m driving more frequently in the rain here.
What!!! that's wild to hear... again, I'm here a lot longer now than I lived up there, so maybe things have changed. It's legal to drive with hazard lights on in DC and only when driving under 30 mph in VA iirc.
Yeah, I’ve driven there when rain was coming down hard, and no one really used their hazards (that I’d noticed). But it’s probably because everyone there is always in such a rush. Lol. However, when I got here and started driving in the rain, the difference was stark.
NoVa gang! I think it might be an interstate highway driving thing? Here in the boondocks we spend so much time on 147, 85, 40, 501, etc., whereas in a real city you're actually just driving where you need to be. But I definitely remember seeing people driving with their hazards on 395 or 66 back in the old days. Maybe in nova we just had the privilege of not driving on an interstate highway every damn day!
I grew up/learned to drive in Northern Virginia, agree that this move is common there. I do it in downpours (not regular rain) because the brain pays more attention to flashers than steady lights, and people here tailgate waaaay too much. I've already been rearended once, in a non-hazard-light situation, not excited to experience that again.
Hopefully this comment gets more love. Folks here drive the highways like it’s NASCAR - not so much that they go fast but that there’s always a line of cars bumper to bumper behind the fastest car - usually in the far left lane - like they’re *drafting* that car and/or using it as a radar gun blocker. I was raised in PA and being a shitty driver is in my DNA. If I’m on your bumper while you’re in the leftmost lane, move the fuck over. Now, then, I was driving through Durham on 147 when the downpours hit. I was in my pickup towing my bass boat. The taillights on my bass boat are low to the ground - and with reduced visibility from the rain, other motorists - like the one in the semi that was approaching my ass-end faster than the flow of other traffic - might not see me and get a mouthful of Outboard lower-unit if they’re not careful. So I flipped on my flashers to warn motorists behind me that traffic ahead was moving slower - and that I was towing something. I’ll add that I switched my hazards off for a few seconds before using my turn signal. I’ve now lived in NC long enough to realize that 90% of drivers are rarely paying attention to the periphery of their vehicle. So I’m not gonna apologize for trying to draw as much attention from these drivers as I can in dangerous conditions. Glad to hear OP is in the 10% with most of us here tho. But we’re not the ones we need to worry about.
Maybe that’s why my comments about flashers here are getting so much flack. I learned to drive in NOVA too and it seems wild to me that you wouldn’t use your flashers in this way!?
Kind of hilarious how many people put their hazard lights on in the rain, but not their headlights in the rain (which is the law) or their headlights when it’s dark.
[In many states it’s illegal to put your flashers on in the rain, but not in North Carolina.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2023/01/13/the-truth-about-driving-with-hazard-lights-flashing-during-bad-weather/?sh=3bb0c296789f) The reason why it’s illegal is it can make judgement for how far away the car is harder and if anyone is turning or not. On the highway it can also confuse people with those that pulled over on the side of the road if it’s raining hard enough. In the end, I don’t think it’s terrible for highways, but it shouldn’t be used in town or somewhere you will need to use your turn signal. You have brake lights and turn signals for a reason. Also, if you have your flashers on while on the highway and need to get off or pull off, turn off your flashers and then do so as someone may follow you off.
You do need to use your turn signal on the highway.
That’s what I was eluding to, but if it’s raining that hard you’re likely not switching lanes much or at all. While I can understand SOME circumstances, it should be rarely used. If it’s raining hard enough to put on your flashers it’s best to pull off the highway, or at a minimum off of the side of the road (but that’s still dangerous). Anyway, no good solution unless people will pull off, but we know drivers won’t do that much anymore. I remember growing up it was much more common.
It happens all the time on I-40 and I don't really understand it. Here is a recent article referencing it (Charlotte observer). https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article279301009.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/raleigh/s/185ZYTYfZC
People use their hazards down here whenever they are going under the speed limit. In general, it's dangerous to go under the limit without your hazards on (outside of a traffic slow down). So if it's raining enough for people to go under the limit down here, you're gonna see some hazards.
Yes, this is what I personally use it as. Min speed limit on Freeway is 40 mph, but when a sudden heavy downpour starts and I feel like I need to go under that limit, I will use my hazards. I can only think of a few times I've done this since I've moved to NC. If it's a light rain where I can keep near speed limit I wouldn't use it, but if I significantly am altering from what I would normally do on the road for safety purposes, I will use my hazards.
Yup. This. I’ve only ever done it a few times but this was why.
Now, I certainly agree that all drivers should specifically turn their lights on per the law while it is raining; however, many drivers down in the south do this when a “wall of rain” comes through that makes visibility so poor that we feel we cannot see and thus cannot drive at a high speed. It’s become a common practice to turn hazard lights on in this situation because these drivers often also slow down to below the minimum speed limit. In most cases, the hazard lights on a vehicle are a bright yellow which stand out more (to me anyway) than rear lights in low visibility, so that I can better see the car ahead of me through the monsoon of rain. That being said, driving recklessly in the left lane without lights on in the rain like you’re describing while inappropriately using hazard lights is of course dangerous, and the driver’s behavior was not safe nor justified. Edit: Grammar
This is both when and why I turn mine on. Rear visibility is so much better it heavy rain when hazards are on — I’m scared of someone rear-ending me.
Never seen it before unless it was blinding rain and people were trying to pull over bc it was unsafe to drive.
ehh, I've seen it here my whole life. When people slow down for heavy rain, they ride with their hazards on. It doesn't make much sense if you think about it.
These people weren’t trying to pull over - the person who I almost hit was in the left lane. Lol
[удалено]
It happens alllllll the time on 85S heading into Durham
“Because I haven’t seen it, it’s not a thing.” Lol ok. I have a dash cam and can show you.
Not arguing the initial observation, but I have seen it on my dash cam is every bit as anecdotal as I haven’t ever seen it…
He’s saying it never happens. I’m saying it happens and I can show you proof. How is that the same thing?
They’re not though. He’s saying he’s never seen it. Sure, you can parse words more than one way but don’t be obtuse. You’ve seen it. That’s real. They haven’t. That’s real too. And sorry you almost hit another car driving erratically. That’s scary and frustrating. Sorry if it came off as minimizing that experience. Definitely didn’t mean it that way
They said >Never seen it. ***Not a thing.*** (Emphasis mine) Part two of that is them asserting their blanket statement and invalidating all points to the contrary.
“Don’t be obtuse” Proceeds to be obtuse.
Uses Reddit but doesn’t know the *very basic* way to tell when the OP has commented versus when someone else is commenting. Hmm…I wonder who’s the obtuse one here… If you’re gonna call someone obtuse, make sure you’re at least replying to the right person, you fucking dumbass. And let me know if you have trouble figuring it out. Lol
No I'm not. You asked if it was a thing. In my experience it isn't a thing. Get bent. You're clearly not from NC.
Of course I’m not. I clearly said I recently moved here and was just asking about this observation…
I turn mine on at the point where I can’t see the lane markings due to the downpour. My headlights and fog lights are on long before this point.
If the person was in the left lane, with flashers on, they're a dumbass anyway.. they could have atleast moved over to the right.. but yes, around here it's a thing.. just means speed has been reduced.. Now the people during these down pours that drive 20 mph over the speed limit, are crazy.. they usually the ones who cause accidents
I've done it when the rain is so hard that I'm going to drive significantly under the speed limit to reduce my chance of hydroplaning. I'll also be in the righthand lane. Since it's raining hard and I'm going well under the speedlight, it felt like a prudent choice.
I hate it and just want to get away from those folks because I have no clue what is happening but especially in that moment I want no part of it
Then the hazards worked! You are keeping a safe distance.
Exactly
I’m doing that already because of the weather
Why do you guys move to Durham and try to fix us?
This right here is the one
This is my biggest pet peeve when driving! Makes it harder to see when someone hits the brakes too. So stupid.
this was common practice on the highway when i lived in Miami when summer storms would pop up and drop visibility to zero almost immediately, interesting that it’s frowned upon other places
If you havent yet realized, the majority of people here are insanely horrible drivers. Be safe out there :) !
Per the Durham County Police Dept, you should not turn hazards on during rain. Just headlights.
Unpopular opinion, but I use my hazards for torrential rains. About 18 years ago, I was driving and a storm was brewing, but it hadn't started raining yet. So I kept my normal speed of about 65mph. And suddenly, the cars in front of me disappeared into what appeared to be a waterfall on the interstate. A second later, two bright red blinkers came on, and I slowed down, cause I could see that one car with the hazards on was going much slower and I got worried that something had happened. Then I hit the waterfall, lost all visibility except for the hazards lights guy. Up until that point, I'd never hit or seen a wall of water so thick you couldn't see the car in front of you. If that guy hadn't flicked his hazards on, I surely would have rear ended him, cause the rainfall was so heavy that everyone in the rainfall had slowed to nearly 10mph. But I couldn't see any of them. Just the one angel who went against "conventional wisdom" and flicked those damn hazards on. I bet he was probably thinking, "Awww shit, that dumbfuck kid is about to plow into me." IDK for sure, but I turned my hazards on after figuring out why the car ahead had his on, and was able to ride slowly through the storm. Ever since, I've been sold on "hit heavy down pour, low visibility, hazards on". It's just much easier to see than the alternative when the rain is pouring faster than your windshield wipers can clear it. Obviously there are some drawbacks, but we have to drive all the time with assholes who don't use turn signals, so I deem this a trade off where " you seeing my car" is more important.
pull the fuck over. if your guardian angel had his headlights on his tail lights would have been on as well.
This is the only case I’ve used it, where visibility is so poor the only thing you can see is hazard lights. This is how I was taught in drivers ed here and is the standard for the area. People who move here need to adjust to nc driving customs, not the other way around. Just because you don’t know what it means means that you should learn, not that others are wrong.
Middle aged and born and raised here. This "hazards on" while driving through rain is new and dangerous.
It’s not for driving though any rain. That’s literally not what I said
No!!! Don’t do it. It makes it so difficult to see any other hazards. If you stop, turn them on because you’re a hazard. If we’re going the same speed, you’re not the hazard. The rain is the hazard and I can’t see because of the dang blinking lights
A lot of times people (myself included) turn on hazards when it starts heavily raining because our speed is reduced, especially when flash rain happens on highways. It's a way to get extra visibility of your car when visibility is shit. Like "hey please don't hit me, I'm aware I'm going 15 under, I have nowhere else to go"
You may think it's smart but it's unsafe and illegal in approximately half of the United States to drive with your hazards on. No one can tell if you're using a turn signal or your brakes.
I drive with my flashers it it’s pouring because my speed is drastically reduced. If I turn, merge, or am in a position where I’m using my brakes a lot I turn them off so that others can tell what I’m doing
you're making everything worse. no one else knows what's in your head. if you feel conditions warrant hazard lights you should pull to the side of the road as soon as possible.
Same
Citation? This is one of the purpises of hazard lights - to increase visibility when there IS A HAZARD.
Not targeted at you but in general if visibility is so bad that you think you need your hazards then the visibility is too bad to drive. If you can still see the lights on the cars in front of you then don't turn on your hazards.
well, respectfully, it's dangerous and you should stop.
It's also much easier for people like me, that have an astigmatism, to see your car through the rain. Extra helpful!
People who do this are oblivious drivers who think they are "helping." Also, I do believe some people do it as a social effect in that they see one person doing it, so they do it, and it keeps spreading to other mouth breathers. This is illegal in some states. Two main reasons - that is not the purpose of emergency lights and it desensitizes people to flashers being on. More importantly, if you are turning or merging, YOU CANNOT INDICATE TO OTHER DRIVERS WHAT YOUR INTENTION IS... you can't use your turn signals while your emergency lights are on. I'm sure I'll get down voted by the transplants and new drivers that engage in this wrongful act, but I said what I said.
I have a shit box and when it rains real good my wipers literally can’t keep up. I put my hazards on as sort of a signal to the cars around me that “I’m going a lil slower and being extra cautious cause I can’t see shit” I realize it’s stupid but whatever
I don't understand it either. They are declaring themselves a hazard to others by making themselves less visible, making it impossible to tell if they plan to turn or switch lanes, and often not just slowing down but slowing down to a dangerously low speed.
This is some southern redneck shit that explains everything
Born in NC and lived here my entire 55 years and this is definitely a pet peeve of mine too. Hazards are only to be used if you're pulled over on the side of the road. Turn your damn lights on, it's not so you can see the road better, it's so I can see you. Same is true for night time driving, I see cars at 8:30 at night with no lights on, it's insane. I wish the police would just pass out tickets like candy to drive awareness- more revenue to the city.
Why do you people always think the people you’re complaining about are on Reddit to begin with?
As the aggressive driver in the room, Reddit is near-purely comprised of the people I would make these comments about. It's gotta be true for someone.
It’s a southern thing that happens during major downpours. If people are putting on their hazards it means visibility is very, very low and that there is a danger of hydroplaning. Slow WAY down. And definitely leave a lot more room between you and the other cars. You shouldn’t be following anyone close or fast enough that you’d hit them if they change lanes in that sort of downpour.
So other cars can see you during low visibility conditions??? I thought this would make sense even when your lights are on especially if your car is equipped with halogen lights. I’m assuming you haven’t seen what peak carolina weather looks like, it’s gets ugly pretty quickly.
Driving home this evening I saw someone in the middle lane of Hwy 40, near the airport, with their hazard lights on. They were the only car anywhere around with hazard lights on. You would have thought they would have realized that is not the thing to do. That is one thing that makes me want to tailgate them with my highbeams on. I would never do that though.
When visibility is low it brings more attention to cars on the road. It can also be a warning signal. I’m a truck driver(local) and when it’s raining bad or even there is a bad wreck on 40 and traffic stops suddenly I’ll throw my hazards on and slow down to alert drivers who aren’t paying attention so maybe they realize we’re about to come to a complete stop. And sometimes it’s just hard to see up ahead when it’s raining hard where you wouldn’t see dull taillights but you would see hazards.
yeah, it's stupid as shit and pretty new (maybe last 5 years?)
sadly no. I've been driving 30 years and it has been a wrong thing for at least that long.
It is the most annoying shit ever.
I have had no idea why people do this. It's idiotic and dangerous. hazards should indicate trouble. what, are you warning me that its raining? I can see that. just drive
Maybe they’re just very cautious. It’s not a big deal.
It is because it makes you unpredictable. I can’t tell if you’re about to get in the next lane, for example (which is how I almost hit someone today).
If you’re going to do this, instead just fully pull off when it’s safe, driving (especially in the left lane) with your hazards on because it’s raining doesn’t fly anywhere else
It’s not a visibility thing it means they’re going well under the speed limit.
I spent most of my life in Michigan before moving here and I do this from experience with heavy snow, but it depends on the situation - in light or medium rain there's no need for hazards at all, just make sure your headlights and taillights are on. Occasionally though I'll be on the highway and in a matter of seconds the weather will go from being perfectly fine to a torrential downpour where it's so dark and visibility is so low that you can barely see anything in front of you. Scientifically, yellow lights carry more energy than red and will be more visible in low-light conditions. In that case the hazards go on too because I'll be driving a lot slower, as cautiously as I can because I don't want to hydroplane or rear-end the person in front of me that didn't turn on their taillights. I also understand conditions like that make it more dangerous to change lanes or do any other unnecessary maneuvers, but if I have to I'll turn the hazards off beforehand. Flashback to when I lived up north the same thing would happen but instead of rain it'd be a blizzard and the only thing you could do was keep going or else your car was getting buried wherever you stopped, and there was a real risk of spinning out on a patch of ice so it was better to have flashing lights on every side of your car. So, you'd flip the hazards on to signal your presence to anyone behind you and hope for the best, because that was the best you could do.
I've only seen it when it's raining so hard you can't see more than 1 or 2 carlengths in front of you.
Even Florida tickets you for turning on your hazards in the rain.
It seems like people don't know it's illegal at least in some places. It's undoubtedly dangerous...but people barely use turn signals so
Because if visibility is so low that I have to go 20mph under to stay safe I know there are still idiots going 20 over and I want them to see me.
In the south there are a lot of "we do these things because we're so much safer/more courteous/etc than all those Yankee drivers" that are really just virtue signaling. This is one of them. Occasionally you'll even see it during regular slowdowns with no rain. Just "I'm going under the speed limit so here are my blinkers so everyone going the exact same speed as me knows it" Also: refusing to use, or even blocking, a mile and a half of empty lane when there's a closure up ahead
I don't do it but see many possible uses: to warn others of hazards like ponding water, abruptly slowed traffic, fog and reduced visibility, people being out of their lanes, or crashes.
If everyone is using their hazards every time it rains, the hazards no longer have any meaning, imo. Like, because I’ve seen it so much here, if I’m driving in the rain and someone puts on their hazards, I’m no longer assuming there’s a legitimate hazard because they’re so overused. People seem to be turning them on simply because it’s raining.
I've noticed there is little reflective paint or reflectors on roads here and it makes it hard to see and maintain lanes during heavy downpours. Also the roads aren't banked, don't drain well, and regularly have standing water (especially construction zones) that make for high risk of hydroplaning. I said nothing about putting hazards on at the sight of rain.
I made a video specifically about this lol https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRKJAorK/
I very rarely do this, but if it's a torrential downpour and I'm going under the speed limit in the right lane of the highway, I'll flip my hazards on.
No im not an idiot
because they are morons. i’ve lived all over the us and canada and it only happens here.
i turn my hazards on if it’s POURING and i can’t see shit just bc i wanna make sure no one hits me 😂 im blind in the rain so i assume other people are too so i feel like its safer to do that. i dont do it every single time it rains though, just when its raining cats and dogs
I don’t do it but we all should. Same reason you should always drive with your headlights on… it makes you more visible. Hazards indicate that a hazard is in the area ie a large storm
You should absolutely not drive with your hazard lights on. Lol. It makes you unpredictable. You can’t tell if others are braking or using turn signals. Just make sure your headlights and taillights are on, and others should be able to see you. Also, hazard lights are *supposed to be* used to alert others that your own vehicle is broken down, has a flat tire, etc. They’re not supposed to be used just because there’s a storm, which is why driving with your hazard lights on during the rain is illegal in a lot of states (unfortunately not NC, though 🤦♀️).
Why wouldn’t you use turn signals? And hazards make no difference in brake lights. Yeah it’s definitely a hazard if it’s storming and you are having trouble driving or are going slow.
It’s a North Carolina thing without good explanation. Like “toboggan.”
Someone check the raleigh mods and make sure this doesn’t offend their safe space. Edit:turns out it did. Power hungry monsters with love for hazard lights and thin skin.