What does this signal mean?

ve

About 4 months ago I was driving along and all of a sudden the car behind my started flashing his lights. It was during light hours so there was no need for any of us to have lights on, so I checked the status of everything on the dash of my car, road position + my mirrors and nothing appeared out of order. Then the car driving in front of me starting flashing his left indicators twice, then the right twice [REPEATEDLY]. At this stage I became well paranoid so I pulled over and checked my car from the outside and everything was fine. The other cars proceded on. I was convinced at the time they were signalling someone else, but I thought it strange never the less.

Then again tonight, I was driving home on a main road and I thought the car that had passed me travelling the other direction flashed his lights. Then about 30 seconds later the car in front of me started doing the thing with their indicators as before.

It's been a while since I did (and passed) my driving test, but this is really bugging me as to what it means? If memory serves I thought that this was another form of "hazzard" warning. But what could the hazzard have been?

Cheers

Holsten

Well to me that would mean move in/pull over, he wants to overtake you.

Not a clue about the indicators.

Hanley

Holsten wrote: »

Well to me that would mean move in/pull over, he wants to overtake you.

Not a clue about the indicators.

He was probably indicating to show he wanted to get around you, and he flashing headlights were to bring your attention to this.

Afaik, flashing lights from an oncoming car either means turn off your headlights, or there's a hazard ahead!

Bluefoam

Is it possible that your driving is effecting other road users, why is this happening regularly to you?

There is nothing wrong with qualified drivers taking some lessons to improve their driving or maybe an advanced driving course.

Alanstrainor

OP, it could have been that you had your full beams on and they were trying to signal you to turn them off. But neither signal means anything really, i would just check to make sure i hadn't flicked on my full beams, and continue on as normal.

ve

Hanley wrote: »

He was probably indicating to show he wanted to get around you, and he flashing headlights were to bring your attention to this.

4 months ago...the car behind me that flashed his lights wouldn't have been able to overtake me because there was heavy traffic in both directions. We also were not doing any more than about 50kmph at the time + there was a junction about 300m ahead.

Hanley wrote: »

Afaik, flashing lights from an oncoming car either means turn off your headlights, or there's a hazard ahead!

As I said checked the dash and I didn't have my heads on. I also passed my NCT in the last month so the balance on my lights is in order also.

I assure you that there was nothing out of the ordinary in these situations. We're talking about driving around within the speed limits of city centre driving, and on fairly busy roads.

All the suggestions so far I am well familiar with myself. I know if a car is travelling behind me and starts flashing it usually means pull in to overtake, etc or for an oncoming vehicle...hazzard ahead, etc.

But the alternating indicators?, WTF is that about? I would really appreciate if someone could shed some light (no pun intended) on that one.

Alanstrainor

OP there is no way for anyone to know what another motorist was trying to signal to you. Neither means anything, i wouldn't worry about it.

masseyno9

Was your rear fog light on by any chance? them things are really bright!

wil

Is this what you are saying?

Car behind me flashed his full beams, overtook me then flashed his indicators alternately"

If so then the explanation is simple.

Single flash from behind is usually a request to pass and something I would occasionally do on the motorway when someone is hogging the outside lane well below the speed limit for no good reason, or rarely someone driving very slowly on a main road with hard shoulder and giving little opportunity for safe overtaking.
(never do this aggressively and never tailgate)

A single flash is also the signal truckers use to indicate to others overtaking them that it is safe to pull back in to the lane.

Flashing the indicators alternately is the usual Thank you signal used by truckers and many nonIrish drivers.
{Here they tend to use the Hazards -not necessarily a good idea as it is not a hazard, so a potentially confusing signal, hazard signals should really be confined to actual hazards}
It would normally be used when you have allowed them to overtake by giving them plenty of space, easing off your speed and flashing them when they are clear to return to inside lane.

There is a whole world of unspoken road language that goes on, especially on long distance travel.