Flashing truckers

Mint Aero

What's this strange phenomenon about.

We'll take a motorway as an example as this is where I usually see it. Car passes truck. Truck driver flashes lights at the car as it passes

I originally thought that the drivers were cutting in tight in front of the trucker and he was flashing out of anger but no.

No because I passed a truck and I didn't cross back over in front of him. I stayed in the other lane on the motorway and the f*cker trucker flashed me

What's going on?

Realt Dearg Sec

Mint Aero wrote: »

What's this strange phenomenon about.

We'll take a motorway as an example as this is where I usually see it. Car passes truck. Truck driver flashes lights at the car as it passes

I originally thought that the drivers were cutting in tight in front of the trucker and he was flashing out of anger but no.

No because I passed a truck and I didn't cross back over in front of him. I stayed in the other lane on the motorway and the f*cker trucker flashed me

What's going on?

Dirty pervs.

fergiesfolly

Is it possible he was flashing a truck travelling in the opposite direction.
It's a traditional greeting of the trucking fraternity.

DEFTLEFTHAND

When a truck passes out another, the driver of the overtaken truck flashes the other back into the lane. It lets the driver know that they've cleared the full length of the lorry.

Mint Aero

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Is it possible he was flashing a truck travelling in the opposite direction.
It's a traditional greeting of the trucking fraternity.

Obviously I'm not thick and thought this but I usually check for other truckers. Happens on empty stretches of road specifically when a car passes they do it.

Outlaw Pete

You're supposed to go to the next rest stop, take your clothes off and wait in the gents.

Was ages before I copped it myself.. and boy did I cop it.

fergiesfolly

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

When a truck passes out another, the driver of the overtaken truck flashes the other back into the line. It lets them known that they've cleared the full length of the lorry.

Op was in a car though.
And I've never in my life seen that happen between two trucks either.

Mint Aero

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

When a truck passes out another, the driver of the overtaken truck flashes the other back into the line. It lets the driver known that they've cleared the full length of the lorry.

I'm talking about cars.

fergiesfolly

Mint Aero wrote: »

Obviously I'm not thick and thought this but I usually check for other truckers. Happens on empty stretches of road specifically when a car passes they do it.

Nothing obvious about it

Mister Vain

I was expecting so much more from this thread. I'm disappointed.

J.pilkington

Mint Aero wrote: »

No because I passed a truck and I didn't cross back over in front of him. I stayed in the other lane on the motorway and the f*cker trucker flashed me

This is probably why, you were being an a55hole driver by not going back into the correct left non overtaking lane, truck driver probably assumed you were simple and flashed you to remind you to get out of the overtaking lane

Pinch Flat

You do see drivers of trucks flash each other a good bit, usually to acknowledge a truck coming the other way.

They'll also flash other vehicles driving on full beam headlights coming the other way.

Skyfarm

it could be there's a miss piggy or eveil knevil or a gumball machine or even a gay charlie ahead.

10 10 everybody








https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_CB_slang

The flying mouse

Is it not saying its safe to pull back into lane after you have passed them ?

dudara

Truck drivers will flash incoming cars who have full beams. Full beams are really irritating to trucks.

In your case, it was probably because you remained in the overtaking lane instead of returning to the driving lane.

Glass fused light

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

When a truck passes out another, the driver of the overtaken truck flashes the other back into the lane. It lets the driver know that they've cleared the full length of the lorry.

It's this, you should pull in ahead of them and once back in the lane please feel free to misuse your hazards to say 'thank you'.

Also another fun fact, if you pump your hand in the right way, they may blow their horn.:D:D

Galwayguy35

Pinch Flat wrote: »

You do see drivers of trucks flash each other a good bit, usually to acknowledge a truck coming the other way.

They'll also flash other vehicles driving on full beam headlights coming the other way.

Yep saw a truck flash the car in front of me who must have had full beams on, unfortunately I got a dose of it as well, you'd be seeing stars after it.

Avatar MIA

Not a motorway situation, but a truck driver would sometimes pull into the hard shoulder to let cars pass. Often cars put on their hazard sign as a thank you as they pass. Trucker flashes acknowledgement. It's 'decent driver 101'.

CelticRambler

I don't think I've ever seen it done between a truck and a car, but it's relatively common on the continent between truckers and campervans, and it works both ways. I do it myself when I'm struggling to climb at more than 80kmh and some HGV powers past on the outside. As soon as he's clear, he gets a flash, pulls in and acknowledges the gesture with a left-right wink of his indicators (no hazards).

force eleven

I've dyslexia. This thread is all worng.

_Kaiser_

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Is it possible he was flashing a truck travelling in the opposite direction.
It's a traditional greeting of the trucking fraternity.

This

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

When a truck passes out another, the driver of the overtaken truck flashes the other back into the lane. It lets the driver know that they've cleared the full length of the lorry.

... and this

What's more annoying though is when they decide to overtake but haven't the power to do so at a reasonable pace and it takes minutes to do so, with a line of cars building behind them in the meantime.

RobertKK

This part was interesting as I had never heard of this:

What's this strange phenomenon about.

We'll take a motorway as an example as this is where I usually see it. Car passes truck. Truck driver flashes

Then it became a normal story...

tabby aspreme

It's not power that's stopping them passing quickly, it's the speed limiter , there may be a 1/2 kilometre of a different between the trucks

Jesus.

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Op was in a car though.And I've never in my life seen that happen between two trucks either.

Huh? I see it almost on a daily/nightly basis. Trucks will flash the other truck to let them know they've cleared their own truck so they can pull back in. Don't know why he'd flash a car though unless the OP was hauling a trailer or caravan?

Special Circumstances

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

You're supposed to go to the next rest stop, take your clothes off and wait in the gents.

Was ages before I copped it myself.. and boy did I cop it.

Toomevara, yeah?

RustyNut

You wouldn't have had your fog lights on by any chance would you?

Glass fused light

Jesus. wrote: »

Huh? I see it almost on a daily/nightly basis. Trucks will flash the other truck to let them know they've cleared their own truck so they can pull back in. Don't know why he'd flash a car though unless the OP was hauling a trailer or caravan?

It can be to say: yes I did see you coming in my mirror, I spotted that you indicate out, ovetake and indicate in, I do actually see your indicator and know you are pulling in ahead of me to let that anal surgon driver, (offended that you have just safely overtaken him/her) drive off into the sunset.

Harry Palmr

I flashed a truck the other day and got very wet.

PARlance

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I flashed a truck the other day and got very wet.

Whatever turns you on ma'lady.

Sir Osis of Liver.

Sing along.
10-4

Turtyturd

Mister Vain wrote: »

I was expecting so much more from this thread. I'm disappointed.

Your first mint aero thread?

Glass fused light

Turtyturd wrote: »

Your first mint aero thread?

Dam it,:rolleyes: There I was off googling the deep of the Internet to understand what an mint aero thread was, guess what I found:o:D

tabby aspreme

By any chance OP did you have a wardrobe malfunction that day and unknowingly flashed at the trucker as you passed , and he/she was just returning the gesture as best they could, truckers have a bird's eye view from the cab
.
Or was that piece of twine holding on the back bumper looking a bit worse for wear

DEFTLEFTHAND

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

This



... and this

What's more annoying though is when they decide to overtake but haven't the power to do so at a reasonable pace and it takes minutes to do so, with a line of cars building behind them in the meantime.

Most trucks on Irish roads have a speed limiter built in. I think it's something like 55-60 mph. So if one fella is doing 55 and the truck passing is limited to 56 it can take a long time to pass. Ideally in this situation the driver who is being overtaken should lay off the gas and decrease his speed.

Mint Aero

Right no one in this thread understands anything. Just close it. Guess we'll never find out why truckers flash. As for the posters saying I should've pulled back in from the "overtaking lane" jesus. There's actually 101 reasons why I didn't have to and if that's the reason he flashed then the railway video of dumb truckers is much deserved.

uck51js9zml2yt

Happens me all the time..a truck pulls into the hard shoulder to let me overtake. I flash my hazards when I've done so to acknowledge him and the truck flashes his lights to say "your welcome".

Job done!

Capt'n Midnight

Haven't heard from the OP in a while, guess the axe murderer the truck driver saw hiding in the back of the car got him.

md23040

The reason why a truck will overtake another doing a similar speed is out of the etiquette of slip streaming and conserving fuel. You will often see a load of trucks bunched together like this due to their lousy mpg.

Same principle as the team pursuits in cycling velodrome. Overall with driving 1000km a week in a car, lorry drivers flash out of courtesy and generally have good road manners by comparison to a lot of knobhead courier drivers and builders vans

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Haven't heard from the OP in a while, guess the axe murderer the truck driver saw hiding in the back of the car got him.

Yes, two and a half hours is an eternity.

Avatar MIA

Randy Clever Mudslide wrote: »

Yes, two and a half hours is an eternity.

Humour - you might want to google it.

blinding

Were you flashing your arras out the back window ?

I've never been flashed by a trucker in all my years driving! What am I doing wrong?

Avatar MIA

Deleted User wrote: »

I've never been flashed by a trucker in all my years driving! What am I doing wrong?

You could try flashing them first, you might even get the horn if you're really lucky!

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^^^

ha ha ha

Yamanoto

I've had what the OP describes happen to me on motorway in Ireland also & it left me a little baffled:

- moving to the outside lane to overtake, having indicated to do so.

- moving back to the inside lane, having put appropriate distance between the vehicles.

- 2 or 3 seconds later, a flash from the truck behind, which invariably makes you wonder if you've a problem with the back of your car or whether the trucker took issue with some aspect of the manoeuvre.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Humour - you might want to google it.

Right back at you.

Avatar MIA

Randy Clever Mudslide wrote: »

Right back at you.

Still haven't googled it then :pac:

uck51js9zml2yt

From talking to drivers duringy career it's to do with them gauging distance between them and you...or do I've been told.

Avatar MIA

Aliya Future Fencing wrote: »

From talking to drivers duringy career it's to do with them gauging distance between them and you...or do I've been told.

In what way?

The flying mouse

The flying mouse wrote: »

Is it not saying its safe to pull back into lane after you have passed them ?

Is there no truckers here to give correct answer in why they do this ?

Jimoslimos

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Most trucks on Irish roads have a speed limiter built in. I think it's something like 55-60 mph. So if one fella is doing 55 and the truck passing is limited to 56 it can take a long time to pass. Ideally in this situation the driver who is being overtaken should lay off the gas and decrease his speed.

No, ideally the overtaking driver shouldn't attempt the manoeuvre unless he/she can complete it in a safe timely manner, i.e spending as little time as possible in the overtaking lane. A minimum speed differential of 5-10 mph for overtaking would solve this.