The (mis)use of hazard lights

Captain Slow IRL

The sister-in-law, unfortunately, had her car break down on her in town today. The engine cut out and wouldn't restart, she was on her own in the car so stuck on the hazards as there was feck all else she could do until her fella came down to her.

There was no-one around to offer assistance (pedestrians anyway) and anyone driving past assumed she'd just parked the car and stuck on the hazards as she was just parked - said assumptions stopped anyone from actually stopping and checking if she was in trouble, she even got a few toots and unpleasant gestures from inconvenienced drivers.

Eventually, her OH came down to her rescue and was able to tow the car out of harms way (it's a megane fwiw!) A pedestrian had walked by in the meantime and helped her push the car aside, fair play to him!

That's what you get from such a gross misuse of hazard lights in the town, inconsiderate f**kers who don't know how to operate their indicators or who are just too lazy to find somewhere to park their car. Read the f**king manual and learn how to use your car correctly.

Rant over!

McConkey

Too many people think the hazard lights are there to provide some kind of Invisibility Cloak for their badly parked car

djimi

It amazing how many people think that youre hazards give you an excuse to park where you please. Ive seen people stop dead in the middle of the road and stick on their hazards just so that they can take a phone call.

Unfortunately the longer you drive the more you realise that a lot of drivers on the road are incosiderate idiots; either ignorant of the rules of the road or too stupid to follow them. Sad fact of life...

Eric Cartman

McConkey wrote: »

Too many people think the hazard lights are there to provide some kind of Invisibility Cloak for their badly parked car

yes and commercial vehicles that are actually loading get beeped and shouted at as a result. people need to stop doing it

Broken down Megane :eek: Pre 2005 no doubt
If that happened to me I'd open the bonnet so folks would know I was broken down, someone may help too. There are so many people with hazards on about the towns and cities these days I'd always presume they were just parked unless they were in a really bad spot.

Uncle Paul

Harzard lights should be renamed 'park anywhere lights'.

Hospital loading bay? I HAVE MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON!
Middle of a country road? I HAVE MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON!
Double parked in a one way system? I HAVE MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON!

Colonel Sanders

Same thing happened to me. Broke down on Strand Road in Dublin heading towards Booterstown almost a year ago. Truck took ages to come so I was left stranded with my hazards on. Fuel pump was bust so someone stopping would've done no good. The amount of filthy looks/waved fists/hoots of horns I got was ridiculous

Atlantic Dawn

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

The engine cut out and wouldn't restart, she was on her own in the car

Rant over!

If she was sitting in the car with the hazards on I wouldn't approach at all for fear she would call the law and think I was some kind of psycho. If she was outside the car with them on that would be a different story.

djimi

Colonel Sanders wrote: »

Same thing happened to me. Broke down on Strand Road in Dublin heading towards Booterstown almost a year ago. Truck took ages to come so I was left stranded with my hazards on. Fuel pump was bust so someone stopping would've done no good. The amount of filthy looks/waved fists/hoots of horns I got was ridiculous

Sad thing is, youd probably have gotten the same reaction even if the people had known you were genuinely broken down...

Captain Slow IRL

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

If she was sitting in the car with the hazards on I wouldn't approach at all for fear she would call the law and think I was some kind of psycho. If she was outside the car with them on that would be a different story.

Do you go around dressed as Freddy Krueger?!

sesna

I always thought hazards were for thanking truck drivers who pull into the hard shoulder to let you by

Owen

If I was broken down and I wanted help, I'd put the hazards on, and open the bonnet too. Otherwise I'd assume someone's double parking.

challengemaster

RoverJames wrote: »

Broken down Megane :eek: Pre 2005 no doubt

Don't jump to conclusions on that one - girlfriends friend while driving home from househunting for the next college term, in her parents '10 megane - Engine failure light came on. Car wasn't more than 4 months old... happened again a few weeks later after being fixed, too.

challengemaster

challengemaster wrote: »

Don't jump to conclusions on that one - girlfriends friend while driving home from househunting for the next college term, in her parents '10 megane - Engine failure light came on. Car wasn't more than 4 months old... happened again a few weeks later after being fixed, too.

lol, my comment was tongue in cheek as the Renault dudes claim the post 2005 models to be bulletproof

GTE

djimi wrote: »

Sad thing is, youd probably have gotten the same reaction even if the people had known you were genuinely broken down...

"How Effing dare you break the F down there you Effing p****. I have to get to Effing work you b*****d!!!"

It sad that its a bit true. . .

Good rant though, I know exactly what you mean. Its just one piece of crap in the jigsaw of Irish motoring.

Guy:Incognito

RoverJames wrote: »

lol, my comment was tongue in cheek as the Renault dudes claim the post 2005 models to be bulletproof

And you claim theres never been a Renault built that hasnt broken down

Stekelly

Stekelly wrote: »

And you claim theres never been a Renault built that hasnt broken down

In fairness I would be well surprised if it was a modern one that the OPs sis in law has. And the 2010 with the engine light on isn't a break down. Was genuinely a tongue in cheek comment rather than wanting to annoy ye

Danjamin1

I was going to start a new thread on this exact topic before I realised it most definitely has been done before!

It's got to be one of the most irritating things on Irish roads. My particular gripe is with taxi drivers as they happen to be the group I've noticed doing this the most, but some of them seem to think you can use your hazard lights in lieu of indicators! In general you either get no indication whatsoever that they're pulling in or else the hazard lights come on and you're to guess where they're going!

People already pulled in anywhere with the hazards on do my head in as well, it gives people the impression they can park anywhere once they hit that bloody button! It's most annoying when you see they've pulled in arseways to take a phone call.

corktina

Eric Cartman wrote: »

yes and commercial vehicles that are actually loading get beeped and shouted at as a result. people need to stop doing it

even more important, the Gards need to enforce the Law. All these bad habits stem from poor education of drivers and the laxity of the Gards over the years

Bebo stunnah

What are hazard lights?

Do you mean the magic button with the triangles on it that let me park wherever the hell I want?

Alanstrainor

Don't resurrect 4 year old threads please...