Proper Use of Hazard Lights

[djmondortiz]

I don't know if it is just me, but I find it weird when people uses hazard lights during the following situations:

1. Backing-up: Doesn't reverse lights indicate that a vehicle is backing up already?

2. Poor visibility: It even confuses me more because it would be hard to tell the direction of the car.

3. Looking for parking

4. Loading and unloading people

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't hazard lights used only on emergency situations only like when your car conks out or when there is something wrong that you have to drive slow at the side of the road? AFAIK, hazard lights are also called "emergency lights" and it is only switched on to signal other motorists that you are experiencing trouble, acting in conjunction to an early warning device. So hazard lights are supposed to be only used in emergency situations. But what I cannot understand  are the logic of hazard lights being used on poor visibility, when backing up, looking for parking, or when loading/unloading people.

Maybe someone can shed light on why hazard lights are actually misused.
Post Merge: December 30, 2010, 06:14:39 PM
As per Atty. Robby Consunji of Top Gear PH:

"The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic provides that "the hazard warning signal may be used only to warn other road users of a particular danger: a) when a vehicle that has broken down or been involved in an accident cannot be moved immediately, so that it constitutes an obstacle to other road users; and (b) when indicating to other road users the risk of an imminent danger.

The Vienna Convention forms part of Philippine law, as we are a contracting party to it. It is ratified by P.D. Nov 207 in 1973.

[El]

guilty on 1,3,4 and sometimes 2
Here's my take
1. Backing-up -   I think mas madaling mapansin ang umaatras pag combination ng reverse lights and hazard lights ang gagamitin... so mas madaling mapansin ng mga nasa likod na paatras pala ako
3. Looking for parking - I use the hazards pag  puno ang parking tapos may nakita na ako na paalis... para yung mga nasa likod would pass through na
4. Loading and unloading - I use the hazards to warn fellow motorists at the back na im going to pull over to load or unload passengers, but sometimes i also use the turn signal instead

sa number 2 naman, pag sakay ko parents ko at malakas ang ulan... they insist that i use the hazard lights...so sumusunod na lang ako... :dontknow:

[drawde0316]

guilty on 1,3,4 and sometimes 2
Here's my take
1. Backing-up -   I think mas madaling mapansin ang umaatras pag combination ng reverse lights and hazard lights ang gagamitin... so mas madaling mapansin ng mga nasa likod na paatras pala ako
3. Looking for parking - I use the hazards pag  puno ang parking tapos may nakita na ako na paalis... para yung mga nasa likod would pass through na
4. Loading and unloading - I use the hazards to warn fellow motorists at the back na im going to pull over to load or unload passengers, but sometimes i also use the turn signal instead

sa number 2 naman, pag sakay ko parents ko at malakas ang ulan... they insist that i use the hazard lights...so sumusunod na lang ako... :dontknow:

+1

[HyperPower™]

I'm not sure of the vienna thing but here in the Philippines, when you see a car on Hazard, 1st thing that goes in your mind that they are in a cautious situation. Warning other motorists to be cautious as well.

Like one instance, I was speeding in SLEX about 2am and saw a red ford ghia from afar and in the fast lane, when i saw the hazard blinking, i immediately put pressure on my brakes. Saw the driver went out and puked, drunk perhaps?

Absolutely crazy! Fast lane? Drunk? What the hell was wrong with him anyway?

Good thing he was on hazard, otherwise I would have continued to speed up and bam!

Use your hazard whenever you think it's appropriate.

[djmondortiz]

I think it is using it more on appropriate situations. Though in our place, I notice people using it as an excuse to become inconsiderate to other motorists. Example, they would slow down in the middle of the road and switch on their hazards to look for parking without even thinking that other motorists are behind them. Or they suddenly stop in the middle then suddenly use hazards, again, being inconsiderate to other motorists.

Though don't you think hazards should only be used in real emergencies? I think the one in the Ghia is understandable.

[aid03]

Use your hazard whenever you think it's appropriate.

+1...

ive done #2 and #4. ive also used it whenever somebody lets me pass instead of waving my hand. ive turned it on whenever traffic suddenly slows down on the freeway so nobody would rear end me. i have probably used it for a bunch of other reasons even if it's not so much of an emergency. i say, just don't take it too literally for it's name or what it's called. it's there for you to use whether it's an emergency or for common courtesy or maybe for racing. jk  
Post Merge: December 31, 2010, 10:07:31 AM

I think it is using it more on appropriate situations. Though in our place, I notice people using it as an excuse to become inconsiderate to other motorists. Example, they would slow down in the middle of the road and switch on their hazards to look for parking without even thinking that other motorists are behind them. Or they suddenly stop in the middle then suddenly use hazards, again, being inconsiderate to other motorists.

Though don't you think hazards should only be used in real emergencies? I think the one in the Ghia is understandable.

i think it is inconsiderate to just stop in the middle of the road when there's people behind you. period. it's called courtesy and driver edumacation that's what they're lacking.

[Degu]

I use it when I'm stopping for an extended period of time in non-parking spaces. Also when I'm in a convoy. But I hate those new / incompetent drivers who use it as an excuse for driving lamely. :dontknow:

[czn030]

guilty on 1,3,4 and sometimes 2
Here's my take
1. Backing-up -   I think mas madaling mapansin ang umaatras pag combination ng reverse lights and hazard lights ang gagamitin... so mas madaling mapansin ng mga nasa likod na paatras pala ako
3. Looking for parking - I use the hazards pag  puno ang parking tapos may nakita na ako na paalis... para yung mga nasa likod would pass through na
4. Loading and unloading - I use the hazards to warn fellow motorists at the back na im going to pull over to load or unload passengers, but sometimes i also use the turn signal instead

sa number 2 naman, pag sakay ko parents ko at malakas ang ulan... they insist that i use the hazard lights...so sumusunod na lang ako... :dontknow:

Ako rin guilty. Hehe. But here are the reasons behind:


1. Backing up - ginagawa ko to kapag nakapark sa tabi ng kalsada. Yung tipong busy yung street at kelangan isingit yung likuran ng kotse pangharang dun sa dadaan.Gusto ko lang naman na maging cautious yung dadaan para iwas disgrasya.

2. Poor visibility - kase mabagal na ang andar ko. To give warning dun sa mga humahataw kahit ganito ang kundisyon.

3. Looking for parking - hindi kase pareparehas ang tao pagdating sa pag-intindi. Gusto ko lang na iparating sa iba na naghahanap ako ng parking at hindi nakahinto lang at nag-aabang ng mga kasama. Yung tipong parang driver ang dating. Hehe.

4. Loading and unloading - minsan kase yung taong sakay naten bigla na lang magbubukas ng pinto ng sasakyan. Worst is dun pa sa left side kase dun sila malapit. Di rin naman naten minsan pansin kung may sasakyan sa likod. Safety na lang din nung baba o sasakay.

[HyperPower™]

On second thought, I use hazards whenever I feel I need to go to the CR, it's an emergency, LBM you know...can lead to dehydration and severe shame. Open my windows and hysterically wave my hands to motorists to make way or else... :partyon:

[john5]

kainis din yung mga naka hazard na para lang makaiawas sa traffic at mag beat ng red light with no apparent reason :thefinger:

[El]

kainis din yung mga naka hazard na para lang makaiawas sa traffic at mag beat ng red light with no apparent reason :thefinger:

i was about to say.... eto na yung pinampalit nila sa wang wang...hazard lights na lang ... :nono:

[djmondortiz]

^^^You bet. Hazards + flashing headlights + horns = wang wang replacements 

[R-A-Y]

From experience, the hazard lights are really useful not only in emergency situations (like your car breaks down) but also like as mentioned, when you want to signal that you are in a cautious situation or wish to emphasize your sudden decrease of speed.

This is a normal practice (and I believe already an enforced ordinance) in Germany's autobahn where if you brake lightly, no need to turn the hazard lights, but if you brake heavily that causes your car to slow down dramatically, you turn the hazard lights on to signal the ones behind you and then move to the slower lane when it is safely possible to do so.

Here in the Philippines, I don't see anything wrong with using it in other situations as long as it is properly used. Using it for counterflowing is definitely not one of the acceptable uses for me.

That being said, I am guilty with 1, 2, 3 and 4

[Leo C.]

Guilty too with 1,2,3,4    I think it's not only hazard lights that we overuse and abuse.  These lights are tools for a specific purpose and then some.  Have you used a screwdriver to crack ice? or use a pair of pliers to hammer a nail?  Everybody use tools other than what they are intended for, right? Sometimes, that's just being creative.  We use our headlights to help us see in the dark. We also use our headlights to flash to friends or "wink" to others on the road. Or kung nagmamadali na gusto ma una, we sometimes flash the headlights. Or kung naiinis sa naka high beam, then high beam ka din.  How about brake lights? Some step on the brake pedal very slightly just to let the brake lights on in order to slow down a speeding car behind.   Yes, there are rules, laws, and policies...sabi ng sa bible "Thou shalt not commit adultery", but that's another story....

[scarab]

...actually, hazard lights are more like switching on force fields.  whenever you turn it on, you feel immune or invincible to road rules and courtesy.   :violent1: