WTF - Confusing Signals!

Wishbone Ash

I was driving home from work this evening on a semi-rural and poorly lit but busy Dublin road in a long line of commuter traffic averaging about 60kph.

Coming off a roundabout, a car travelling in front of me braked a little and indicated once (on the nearside). I thought nothing of it. It happened again and I didn't give it a second's thought. But then it continued every couple of hundred metres for about the next 5kms.

I was travelling quite an adequate distance behind condidering the speed but even so, I allowed a larger gap to develop. I did not have full beams on nor foglights (which I only use in fog). Even though I had no passengers or anything in the boot, I lowered my headlights to the lowest setting. None of this made any difference and the signalling continued.

The road is narrow and twisty with oncoming traffic and totally unsuitable for overtaking so it couldn't have been that.

We finally reached a set of traffic lights near my home and the other driver activated his/her hazzards several times while I stayed several car lenghts back! I turned a different direction after the lights.

When I got home a minute or so later, I checked my headlights - all was well.

What was this other driver trying to tell me?

Thoie

Try checking your indicators?

peasant

Which one is "nearside" again?

(and what's wrong with saying "left" or "right" ?)

colm_mcm

nearside is the side near the kerb. offside is the other one . think it dates back to horses and carraiges.

Mr. Presentable

Wanted you to overtake?

Was in a borrowed car and looking for the wipers?

Wishbone Ash

nipplenuts wrote: »

Wanted you to overtake?

That wouldn't have been possible (see below) and I was a long way behind anyway and travelling in a line of vehicles.

Wishbone Ash wrote:

The road is narrow and twisty with oncoming traffic and totally unsuitable for overtaking so it couldn't have been that.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Maybe they were just a really bad driver?! :pac:

Rowley Birkin QC

Snyper was in the backseat of her car?

copacetic

likely they had something wrong with their electrics and the indiators/hazards came on everytime the car leaned a certain way at the same time brakes were applied etc.

Not quite the same, but have been behind lots of people whose indicators come on randomly as they brake.

Wishbone Ash

copacetic wrote: »

Not quite the same, but have been behind lots of people whose indicators come on randomly as they brake.

Yes, but the indicator only flashed once each time and after the brake lights went off. Also, it doesn't explain the activation of the hazzards at the traffic lights!

unkel

Was it a FIAT?

crosstownk

If it wasn't a fault with the car in front then he was obviously trying to convey some message. However, either he was making a bad effort at conveying the message or you missed something. Either way you'll never know now............,

AckwelFoley

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I was driving home from work this evening on a semi-rural and poorly lit but busy Dublin road in a long line of commuter traffic averaging about 60kph.

Coming off a roundabout, a car travelling in front of me braked a little and indicated once (on the nearside). I thought nothing of it. It happened again and I didn't give it a second's thought. But then it continued every couple of hundred metres for about the next 5kms.

I was travelling quite an adequate distance behind condidering the speed but even so, I allowed a larger gap to develop. I did not have full beams on nor foglights (which I only use in fog). Even though I had no passengers or anything in the boot, I lowered my headlights to the lowest setting. None of this made any difference and the signalling continued.

The road is narrow and twisty with oncoming traffic and totally unsuitable for overtaking so it couldn't have been that.

We finally reached a set of traffic lights near my home and the other driver activated his/her hazzards several times while I stayed several car lenghts back! I turned a different direction after the lights.

When I got home a minute or so later, I checked my headlights - all was well.

What was this other driver trying to tell me?

Sounds like somone was getting road head.


or, more likely they wanted you to pass them

Alanstrainor

It could have been any number of things. I remember being stuck behind a 00ish fiat punto, and it was like a light show at the back, it was night time btw. It started off with hazards, which had me baffled and deciding to leave a good distance between us, then alternating indicators and brake lights, on either side! It was insane! Couldn't believe it!

--amadeus--

Bit of a random thought but is it possible that the driver in front was accidentally knocking the indicator stalk?

I have been in hire cars with the stalks closer to the wheel than i am used to and I've clipped them when turning, for example. Maybe they were clipping teh stalk when they changed gear or something?

L1011

unkel wrote: »

Was it a FIAT?

Thats far more a Renault/Nissan and VW trait...