Why was this car flashing / full-beaming me?

shortie_chik

This evening I drove from Dublin to Kilkenny. On the M7 between junction 6 & 7, there was a large truck on the opposite side of the motorway, I could see it from a good way back. It flashed its top lights (not the regular headlights like on a car, the high-up flood light type ones over the cabin) so I thought I must have had my full beams on. I actually still did, and turned them down immediately.

As the truck was a good distance back, it flashed the flood lights about 3 more times before we crossed. It was quite annoying (I guess so were my accidental high-beams ) but I thought no more about it. Maybe it's a thing that truckers do...?

Anyway, just after this incident, the car immediately behind me turned on its full beams. They were steadily on, and very annoying as it was blinding when I glanced in my rear-view mirror. Finally I flicked my rear-view mirror from night-mode back to day-mode for a second, and back to night-mode, to let them know they had their high-beams in my eyes. The car turned down or perhaps off their lights for a second (it was hard to tell, looked like they turned them off completely & the bulb was cooling down for a moment) and then blasted them back on high again.

They kept them on high and a few times switched the lights off for a couple of seconds and then back on high. It felt like this was going on for ages, but probably just a few km between jct 6 & 7.

I was driving in the left lane & it was possible to overtake me easily. I had been travelling at about 110kmph before this car came so close, but it was starting to freak me out & I slowed to ~100kmph. Eventually the car 2 places behind overtook us both, and the flashing car followed a minute later.

There were no cars broken down anywhere, I didn't see any gardaí / accidents / check points or anything. Don't know if the car flashing is related to the truck flashing.

When I arrived in Kilkenny (unaccompanied thankfully) I checked the back of my car. Lights are all working ok, there's nothing odd about the boot / bumper / tyres / anything else I can see. There was also no axe-wielding maniac in the back seat (the thought did cross my mind, & then I started getting carried away with all kinds of freaky urban legends... :eek:)

This happened at about 8:30 this evening & I remembered the licence plate of the car. I've looked it up online so have the time, location, plate number & car description. So now what? Is this the kind of driving you'd report to the Gardaí? Or do I just forget about it & try not to have nightmares about getting run off the road by nut cases?

Why was the car flashing me? Just being an a$$hole, or is this a "thing"? Anyone else experienced this flashing around that area? (My imagination was going wild with gangs & weirdos waiting on the side of the road for me... :eek:)

ottostreet

Possible your rear lights have failed? I followed a car last week that had working front lights, but rear lights were out. I flashed it a few times before overtaking.

shortie_chik

Nope, lights were definitely on - I checked this while I was driving - and when I got to Kilkenny I got out & checked my rear lights were ok. All the bulbs are intact.

MuppetCheck

Poorly focused dipped beam and an idiot behind you?

Portlawslim

Did you have your fog lights on?

YbFocus

Something had to be going on with your car at the time for everyone to be flashing you. Or it's possible that the lorry had flashed you because you were blinding him and the guy behind you had badly adjusted lights.
I don't think there is any case for reporting anything to the guards.

Tails142

Did you have your fog light on?

HeidiHeidi

Did you have your rear fog-light on? That can be incredibly blinding to a car driving behind.

Or else, as others have said, did you have no rear lights on at all? Easily done in some cars - I drive an Avensis sometimes, and the dash lights up even though you have no lights at all switched on :eek:. Complete recipe for disaster, especially in the city. Not such a problem on unlit rural roads, in fairness.

AFAIK some "auto" DRLs put on headlights, but not rear lights - can't quote models, except an Audi A6 I was driving at one point - had to make sure that we had the headlights actually switched on, otherwise we were driving unlit behind....

miller50841

Do you drive with fogs on?

Is it possible while your driving that your brake lights have a fault where they are staying on or flickering while you are driving?

I would check all lights are functioning as should and that correct watt lamps are fitted as I see a lot driving with rear fogs on and no brake lights or flickering ones or stuck on always.
Also see some put the higher watt lamps into where there should only be for example 5 watt.

Otherwise if none of above maybe they were as blind as a bat, and may also have had there lights adjusted down low which would mean the distance they would see in front would be greatly reduced.

corktina

Irelands roads are full of knobs.

alias no.9

Was the truck flashing the gimp behind you who was trying to blind both you and him or did you encounter the two at entirely separate locations?

shortie_chik

Portlawslim wrote: »

Did you have your fog lights on?

I'd be about 99.9% certain that I didn't have my fog lights on. You have to pull out the switch on my car to turn fogs on. As far as I can recall now, I just turned the lights off "normally" when I arrived.

YbFocus wrote: »

Something had to be going on with your car at the time for everyone to be flashing you. Or it's possible that the lorry had flashed you because you were blinding him and the guy behind you had badly adjusted lights.

But the truck flashed me from the front, and the car was behind! So it would seem weird that they both noticed something going with my car on at the same moment.
And yes the truck driver probably was flashing because I'd forgotten to turn down my high-beams (this isn't a regular thing, I'm quite conscious of my lights.)

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Or else, as others have said, did you have no rear lights on at all? Easily done in some cars - I drive an Avensis sometimes, and the dash lights up even though you have no lights at all switched on :eek:. Complete recipe for disaster, especially in the city. Not such a problem on unlit rural roads, in fairness.
AFAIK some "auto" DRLs put on headlights, but not rear lights - can't quote models, except an Audi A6 I was driving at one point - had to make sure that we had the headlights actually switched on, otherwise we were driving unlit behind....

My car isn't fancy enough for anything like that! It's a 03 VW polo, I have to turn on the lights myself and I always do. It's the first thing I do upon starting up the car, even have my dipped lights on during the day. It's absolutely automatic with me by now. And I was an hour on the road by the time this happened, so I should definitely have noticed before then if I had no lights on!

miller50841 wrote: »

Is it possible while your driving that your brake lights have a fault where they are staying on or flickering while you are driving?
I would check all lights are functioning as should and that correct watt lamps are fitted as I see a lot driving with rear fogs on and no brake lights or flickering ones or stuck on always.
Also see some put the higher watt lamps into where there should only be for example 5 watt.
Otherwise if none of above maybe they were as blind as a bat, and may also have had there lights adjusted down low which would mean the distance they would see in front would be greatly reduced.

The lights all appeared to be ok when I checked this evening, but I'll take another look tomorrow. I expect the lights are all correctly fitted since I use a very reputable VW garage & the car passed the NCT.

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Poorly focused dipped beam and an idiot behind you?

I'm hoping this is all it was... No gangs or other craziness anyway... Basically I just needed reassurance that I don't need to be freaking out about driving this stretch on my own... :rolleyes:

CiniO

Once I was driving on motorway between Dublin and Galway at about 120km/h. Someone in old red van came from behind, and kept driving literally 1m behind me at that speed.
I tried slowing down, but he didn't overtake. When I accelerated and lost him, he reached me in next minute and again kept on my ar$e again.
Eventually I had to keep really high speed for extended period of time to loose him.

There's plenty idiots down there and you don't know what their intentions are.

uberwolf

shortie_chik wrote: »

I'd be about 99.9% certain that I didn't have my fog lights on. You have to pull out the switch on my car to turn fogs on. As far as I can recall now, I just turned the lights off "normally" when I arrived.

with the vw the lights turn off as normal after the fogs have been on.

JillyQ

Were you in the left lane or right lane?

shortie_chik

alias no.9 wrote: »

Was the truck flashing the gimp behind you who was trying to blind both you and him or did you encounter the two at entirely separate locations?

I suppose the truck could have been flashing the car behind me (although I do have to own up to missing switching to dipped lights in good time when the truck came onto the horizon), as it might have seen the car from a good distance back.

But I didn't notice any problem with the car behind me until the truck was passed. So I think the car only started flashing after the truck was gone, but this was probably only less than a minute later.

shortie_chik

uberwolf wrote: »

with the vw the lights turn off as normal after the fogs have been on.

My lights were definitely still on. Definitely.

JillyQ wrote: »

Were you in the left lane or right lane?

I was in the left lane, there was loads of space to overtake!

ba_barabus

I had somebody up behind me doing this last night. Very annoying. Again there was no explanation as to what their problem was. I just put it down to them being idiots.

uberwolf

shortie_chik wrote: »

My lights were definitely still on. Definitely.

!

what I was trying to say was that even if you think you turned your lights off the normal, you may not have. You may have turned off your fogs and have been driving with them on.

It's the only explanation that won't keep you up all night with the fear of a close escape!

JillyQ

shortie_chik wrote: »

My lights were definitely still on. Definitely.




I was in the left lane, there was loads of space to overtake!

I really dont understand why the driver behind you didnt overtake then.

Jesus.

corktina wrote: »

Irelands roads are full of knobs.

This is the most probable explanation.

A lot of drivers just seem to like flashing their lights at people for the most mundane things.

You just happened upon a clown I'd say.

650Ginge

Runner for longest most tedious topic award....

wil

Jesus. wrote: »

A lot of drivers just seem to like flashing their lights at people for the most mundane things.
.

I don't find that. People tend to have some reason for flashing, and many people are a little too sensitive to what they see as criticism or annoyance. Just tonight had a taxi in front of me with no lights on. Many people including myself flashed him, but his lights did not come on. Judging by other factors in his driving, observation and good driving were not among his driving skills.
Needless to say he is probably complaining at the number of drivers flashing him.

Despite NCT, (and I wish people wouldn't rely on a NCT as reason not to check their cars regularly) I see many cars with broken lights, no rear lights, no brake lights, reversing lights stuck on, this in addition to inappropriate fog lights on, high beams on, indicators stuck on for miles.
Light faults can be intermittent such as loose connection so might be worth getting a full check to be sure.

I once was stopped by someone while pulling a trailor. Turns out the indicators on the trailor were wired wrong way around. I thanked the person as I hadn't realised and appreciate being politely told when something is wrong.

I've bolded some not previously mentioned.

YbFocus

Yep I agree, I have never had someone flash for no reason. I would reckon something was going on.
Could you be missing a mud flap or hub cap maybe?

timmy4u2

Yes there are knobs out there but most of the time they need something to trigger them.
If you were inattentive enough-known as without due care and attention- to dip for the lorry on the opposite side it is highly possible that you were driving with your rear fog lights on.
Obviously when you stopped to check your rear lights you were on your side lights-parking lights- and in this situation your rear fog lights would not light.
Of course you know that the only lights that can legally be lit on a stationary car are the sidelights except when stopped in traffic etc.

As regards reporting it I would say do. You were very obviously upset by the event and intimidated and there could be a case under the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Or in any event if not, the driver will think twice the next time he/she tries to bully another road user.

Basil Fawlty

The car behind had no functioning dipped beams only full beams. He turned them off and on again to show you that so you didnt think he was trying to blind you on purpose.

timmy4u2

Basil Fawlty wrote: »

The car behind had no functioning dipped beams only full beams. He turned them off and on again to show you that so you didnt think he was trying to blind you on purpose.

You need to get that fixed before the next NCT.

duckysauce

YbFocus wrote: »

Yep I agree, I have never had someone flash for no reason. I would reckon something was going on.
Could you be missing a mud flap or hub cap maybe?

would you flash someone at night that has a missing mud flap or hub cap ???? sfj

YbFocus

duckysauce wrote: »

would you flash someone at night that has a missing mud flap or hub cap ???? sfj

I wouldn't see it at night, but this was 8:30. If one was immeadiately about to come off I'd give a flash or two and get out from behind him/her before my car ate it.

Not that it was gone as you picked me up wrong, but that it's immeadiately detaching from the car.

Beer Assistant

YbFocus wrote: »

Yep I agree, I have never had someone flash for no reason. I would reckon something was going on.
Could you be missing a mud flap or hub cap maybe?

Must be some kinda of humour here !

Your joking right ?

duckysauce

YbFocus wrote: »

I wouldn't see it at night, but this was 8:30. If one was immeadiately about to come off I'd give a flash or two and get out from behind him/her before my car ate it.

Not that it was gone as you picked me up wrong, but that it's immeadiately detaching from the car.

it's dark at 20.30 now

YbFocus

I mean as in if she was to go outside and check now, maybe one was flailing about on the car when the car behind her was flashing.
I'm just giving opinions to the person who wants them.

I never said that they were flashing because she was missing a hub cap at the time but mean't that she could have been loosing one, not was missing one

duckysauce

YbFocus wrote: »

I mean as in if she was to go outside and check now, maybe one was flailing about on the car when the car behind her was flashing.
I'm just giving opinions to the person who wants them.

I never said that they were flashing because she was missing a hub cap at the time but mean't that she could have been loosing one, not was missing one

so in the dark a truck on the other side of the motorway saw a loose hub cap :eek:

timmy4u2

YbFocus wrote: »

I wouldn't see it at night, but this was 8:30. If one was immeadiately about to come off I'd give a flash or two and get out from behind him/her before my car ate it.

Not that it was gone as you picked me up wrong, but that it's immeadiately detaching from the car.

A very correct thing to do as any part of a car coming detached on a motorway could lead to some very serious consequences for other road users should they come into contact with it at the high allowable speeds of a motorway.
I have flashed one or two drivers on the motorway whom I have found driving with deflated tyres as this is a very serious situation and could lead to a serious accident.

Now, did the OP check her/his tyres?

YbFocus

duckysauce wrote: »

it's dark at 20.30 now

You seen what I mean't, I'm going no further with whatever your trying to stir.

I was simply meaning that something may have been detaching from the car, we all see loose bodywork on the roads, maybe something was coming off??

YbFocus

duckysauce wrote: »

so in the dark a truck on the other side of the motorway saw a loose hub cap :eek:

Nope the truck flashed for her/him having there fulls on.. read the OP stop trying to **** stir.

timmy4u2

duckysauce wrote: »

so in the dark a truck on the other side of the motorway saw a loose hub cap :eek:

Of course it goes without saying that that truck driver was breaking the law by having spot/driving/foglights on the top of the cab

Jesus.

wil wrote: »

I don't find that. People tend to have some reason for flashing, and many people are a little too sensitive to what they see as criticism or annoyance. Just tonight had a taxi in front of me with no lights on. Many people including myself flashed him, but his lights did not come on. Judging by other factors in his driving, observation and good driving were not among his driving skills. Needless to say he is probably complaining at the number of drivers flashing him. Despite NCT, (and I wish people wouldn't rely on a NCT as reason not to check their cars regularly) I see many cars with broken lights, no rear lights, no brake lights, reversing lights stuck on, this in addition to inappropriate fog lights on, high beams on, indicators stuck on for miles.
Light faults can be intermittent such as loose connection so might be worth getting a full check to be sure.I once was stopped by someone while pulling a trailor. Turns out the indicators on the trailor were wired wrong way around. I thanked the person as I hadn't realised and appreciate being politely told when something is wrong.I've bolded some not previously mentioned.

You're entitled to your opinion mate and more luck to you but I disagree to be honest. I find that there's far too many clowns out there that have an over-inflated sense of importance and sometimes like to act all high and mighty when they get behind the wheel of a car. You'd know the type just by reading some of the posts on this Forum. Some of the things people can make a fuss about beggars belief. I'm not talking about a genuine scenario such as you outlined with your indicator trailer scenario (although I think flashing someone because their indicator is stuck on is a bit much tbh) and I'd never be bothered by someone flashing their lights at me, whether for a genuine reason or just being a pernickety arse.

I'd urge those individuals I'm referring to to seriously get a grip.

YbFocus

timmy4u2 wrote: »

Of course it goes without saying that that truck driver was breaking the law by having spot/driving/foglights on the top of the cab

Is that illegal? Almost every truck has lights plastered all over it.

Jesus.

timmy4u2 wrote: »

I have flashed one or two drivers on the motorway whom I have found driving with deflated tyres as this is a very serious situation and could lead to a serious accident.

See what I mean? :rolleyes:

duckysauce

YbFocus wrote: »

Nope the truck flashed for her/him having there fulls on.. read the OP stop trying to **** stir.

The truck kept flashing after the Op dipped the head lights , not sure what your stirring crap is about.

Zirconia

Basil Fawlty wrote: »

The car behind had no functioning dipped beams only full beams. He turned them off and on again to show you that so you didnt think he was trying to blind you on purpose.

This happened to me a few years ago - I was driving back to Dublin from Cavan on a miserable dark evening, and shortly after I left, the dipped filament on one headlight went, which was annoying. But almost unbelievably, before I got halfway home, the dipped filament in the second headlight went. There was nowhere open for me to get bulbs so I had to continue on full headlights (adjusted down as far as I could with the load adjustment dial on the dashboard) , but it still caused a problem for a few drivers (not many on the road the hour I was coming back fortunately).

I suspect this might have been the story with the guy behind you, and the oncoming traffic were flashing him.

CiniO

YbFocus wrote: »

Is that illegal? Almost every truck has lights plastered all over it.

In Ireland - yes - because they can get away with it, as there is no road checks really.

Anywhere else in Europe they wouldn't go too far with such setup.

YbFocus

CiniO wrote: »

In Ireland - yes - because they can get away with it, as there is no road checks really.

Anywhere else in Europe they wouldn't go too far with such setup.

Interesting, another one overlooked by our lovely force

Jesus.

YbFocus wrote: »

Yep I agree, I have never had someone flash for no reason. I would reckon something was going on.
Could you be missing a mud flap or hub cap maybe?

Now there's a wind up if ever I saw one!

YbFocus

duckysauce wrote: »

The truck kept flashing after the Op dipped the head lights , not sure what your stirring crap is about.

We can only presume, I think it's used here in a teach him/her a lesson type of way.
Nothing drives me crazier than being blinded by headlights!

YbFocus

Jesus. wrote: »

Now there's a wind up if ever I saw one!

I have explained my post above earlier............. This has got to be a joke at this stage.

duckysauce

Jesus. wrote: »

Now there's a wind up if ever I saw one!

get the Mud Flap police out :eek:, they are never there when you need one .

YbFocus

Boys I don't get what all this is about, all I'm saying is the car positioned behind her may have been flashing because there is loose bodywork. I was not saying at any stage that they were flashing because he/she had 3 or less hub caps or mud flaps.

duckysauce

YbFocus wrote: »

Boys I don't get what all this is about, all I'm saying is the car positioned behind her may have been flashing because there is loose bodywork. I was not saying at any stage that they were flashing because he/she had 3 or less hub caps or mud flaps.

read the op as you said :eek:

'When I arrived in Kilkenny (unaccompanied thankfully) I checked the back of my car. Lights are all working ok, there's nothing odd about the boot / bumper / tyres / anything else I can see. There was also no axe-wielding maniac in the back seat (the thought did cross my mind, & then I started getting carried away with all kinds of freaky urban legends..'

Body work sweet honey :cool:

YbFocus

Maybe he/she didn't note a mudflap missing etc.

Look I'm giving a reason as to why they may have been flashing at this person tonight. You on the other hand have been just having a go at me throughout this thread, whats your problem with trying to prove that I'm wrong?

I'm trying to validate something for this person with my own thoughts on what could have gone on here thats all.