Hazard Lights in Rain Rant...

Lived in NC most of my life and usually folks don’t drive with hazards on in a light or moderate rain. In foggy conditions or a heavy downpour I see them used when cars have slowed down a lot, and sometimes I use them, when you can hardly see the car ahead of you. I appreciate them then as I have no desire to get rear ended or rear end soneone. If it gets too bad I pull over.
Your mileage and tolerance may vary.

PS. I’m far more annoyed when I get blinded at night in perfectly clear conditions by posers driving with bright aftermarket LED fog lights and aftermarket LED headlight bulbs. You know who you are.

 

I may or may not have known someone who had a little SUV equipped with a rear glass wiper and sprayer nozzle. That person may or may not have modified the nozzle to be flipped around for this one purpose

 

Been seeing this more lately around here as well. Drives me up a wall. If conditions are so bad you are worried about visibility you need to pull well off to the side of the road (and then put the flashers on)

 

If only my Taco had a rear glass wiper and sprayer...although I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult to run some rubber tubing to the rear...

 

My favorite is when people have their hazards on without their headlights on. They deserve the Darwin award.

 

It's annoying, you can see turn signals, you can't see brake lights, unless the flashers are amber, but it still takes the focus away from the brake lights.

Unless you are going extremely slow.

Maybe if don't see another vehicle behind, and it's a lot of rain. You still turn them off if you can see another vehicle behind. I would still recommend against it.

I've seen an entire row of vehicles with their hazards on in the rain.

I've even seen people with the hazards on, and their other lights off. Yes their other lights work.

Everyone else is aware that it's raining, and that you are on the road. Even if they are not driving like it.

 

Crazy thing is, when this happens, I'm in the righthand lane and nobody is in the left. I know I drive slow on my commutes so I RARELY even get into the left lane. I set my cruise control to the speed limit and relax, just about everyone else is going faster so I rarely need/want to pass anybody. I can sorta understand (not condone, but understand) someone tailgating in the left lane if a car ahead isn't passing or getting over. But these people just don't seem to want to change lanes and go around.

 

I'm with ya. They do it when it starts dumping here in coastal VA.

I grew up in rainy Washington, and driving in the rain stresses me out here. They use non-reflective paint on the lines, and there are no reflective bumps. WHO KNOWS where the lanes are when it's raining here. There are also no divots to pool the water away from the road surface which I think is downright hazardoius for high-speed roads, but that's a different rant altogether..

Usually when people click on their hazards, I treat them as such. They're a hazard. Likely going way under the flow of traffic, let alone the speed limit. Give wide berth.

My personal favorite is a tie between hazards on with NO headlights, or "it's raining, better throw on my high beams"...

 

Because todays people are idiots, they just don't think, they use their phone for that, and then they drive with the phone stuck i their face, not thinking about driving.

 

Extra points if it's a [luxury German convertible] lol

 

It never fails! My favorite experience with one of those was passing the guy a couple miles down the highway as he was on the side of the road with his hood popped!

 

Driver in the next lane was eating a bowl of cereal this morning.

 

You nailed it; roads in some places just aren't created with the same amount of love as other places. Heavy downpour can be potentially hazardous. And you said exactly what I said:

I'm not annoyed for people using their hazards; I'm thankful they're aware enough to alert others that they're operating in a way that isn't up to par with the regular flow of traffic, so I don't come up on them full speed unknowingly. That being said, if they're able to maintain full speed and visibility, there's no need for the lights.

 

Only if the vehicle speed is below 20 mph of the posted speed limit .

It is such a habit with me Rain snow even bright sun the hazard lights come on.

If it is more then 2 lanes in one direction I will always be in the right most lane

Then I have also not been paying attention and pulled in Weigh Stations from habit.

 

It is ILLEGAL to drive with hazards on in my state.

Doesn't stop people from doing it.

 

Only if traffic comes screeching to a halt or poor visibility but ya, I’d be that guy. I don’t trust anybody driving but if they roll up next to me @52 mph then lay a stretch of rubber off into the distance that’s precious

 

What state is this??

 

It's illegal in a several states:

Source: https://www.firestonecompleteautocare.com/blog/driving/when-use-cars-hazard-lights/

 

Louisiana.

The state police put out statements about it all the time. This is their reasoning...this is per their statement.

Hazards can make it difficult for others to see turn signals or brake lights, or cause them to think you are stopped in the road. Also, a car that is stalled w/ hazards on may get hit by a driver who doesn’t anticipate proper braking distance because they think the car is moving.

 

Why does snow constitute hazard lights?
Why does bright sun constitute hazard lights? If "you're blinded by the light" (Manfred Mann's Earth Band version), what good will the hazard lights because chances are the person behind you is blinded as well.
Just curious your thought process