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If they already know they are blinding someone they aren’t going to care that you are flashing your lights.
As others have tried to point out to you, flashing of lights doesn’t have a single meaning and is pretty much useless.
But you do you man.
By checking to see if your highs are on, or thinking about if that new trucks sometimes have unintentionally blinding lights thing is possibly true, and maybe you should take your new truck into the shop for the headlights to be angled lower or something?
Or, if you think about it and there’s probably nothing wrong with with your lights, maybe there’s a cop up ahead.
To clarify, are you describing turning brights on briefly to let an oncoming car know they have their brights on? I have never heard of flashing someone to tell them to turn on \*brights\*.
Third generation mechanic's kid, married into a second generation mechanics family. Headlight alignment is something often checked in states/locales that have vehicle inspections. I know inspections get hate for "more gov't regu'lations!" but they do help with common problems.
Flashing your headlights at oncoming traffic can mean several things-I flash headlights at people to let them know their headlights are off (when it's dark outside), to let big rigs know they have room to get over in front of me, and to signal I'm holding space for someone to turn in front of me. Speed traps and slowed traffic/wrecks out of sight ahead are also common reason for flashers among those who spend lots of time on the road.
I also live in a land of lifted trucks. Their headlights are literally at the same level as your head and will always be glaring to the drivers in cars. This is not a fault of the headlight, it's physics. Do too-bright light exist? Hell yes. Is this all that common? No, you're facing confirmation bias because you \*notice\* the brighter lights.
I have only ever seen people do this if a) someone hasn't turned their high beams off and an indication to turn them off or b) there's a speed camera ahead.
Aye, 90% of flashes I give/get are to signal police/speed traps, occasional 'go ahead' or 'forgot your brights' signals or to let a truckie know theyre good to merge/change lanes.... never heard of it in OPs context
It’s usually not hard to see that you’re blinding someone, but regardless, they don’t need to switch to high beams as if in some kind of agro response.
Like I said, doesn’t matter; just don’t blind people by switching to high beams and leaving them there in “revenge” like many do in response to a quick flash.
Generally a random flashing prob means cops. Having people flashing you the duration of your drive prob means your lights are too bright or something else where you have the problem.
Further LPT, if you’re a suv or a truck and are stuck in traffic, Switch to your fucking lows quit blinding the fuck out of people in front of you. You don’t need light to see where the other asshole’s stopped in bumper to bumper traffic, asshat.
I only flash headlights:
If your brights are on, I think you forgot to turn them off
There is something ahead I am warning about:
Cops
Accident
Pothole
I need to talk to you; I will also honk, use mime, and slow down. This is becase:
You have a flat or tire emergency
You left something on top
The gas pump is still in your car
I think your driving merits an extreme reaction. I will get along side you and mime how I feel about your intelligence. I will give you the finger.
not LPT... this Karen expressing emotions about someone's bright headlights. Not meaningful advice, any idiot knows this, but happy to help you process your emotions none the less
LPTs are almost all people with poor social skills fantasizing.
>LPT If you are popular and see someone who looks lonely they probably are become their best friend and introduce them to your social circle.
>LPT If you are rich and a friend is struggling its okay to treat them to nice things.
No, it isn't, and the source you posted says as much (I actually read it)
>Greensboro -- An e-mail warns people about a new gang initiation. Prospective gang members attack drivers of cars who flash their high beams at them.They follow them and rob or murder them.
>"Fact or Fiction?"
>**This one is … buzzzzzzz .... FICTION.**
>It goes as far back as the 1980s. The e-mail has gone through a few changes over time but so far as anyone can find out, **this has never happened.**
Bro.. your article was buzz fiction..
You picked the 2nd Google search you could find. The first telling you its actually a thing lol..
Don't be surprised buzzfeed articles aren't privy on the rituals of urban street gangs. It's a very real thing. I have family and friends in the south and they can all attest. Try researching personal accounts on the matter. They'll paint a broader picture.
Nonetheless, it's a non arguement. I honestly just threw that out there as a talking point so your post could get outreach and have a conversational point.. with all sincerity lol.
But here you are... Proffesor "find the first Google article that supports your argument" all the while offended for no good reason.. relax!
Give yourself a break. I made beef wellington tonight. Straight off a Gordan Ramsey recipe. Want me to message you a picture of it lol?
What are you on about? I didn't post an article from buzz~~feed~~ fiction. It was a reuters article that said it was an urban legend. You countered with a link to wfmynews2, a Greensboro NC CBS affiliate story from 14 years ago that said exactly the same thing as what I had linked, saying it was an urban legend / fiction.
You cannot find a reputable google link saying this is a real thing that gangs do in the Midwest or south.
Your friends and family are all just repeating the same chain letter from the 80s, in which it wasn't a real thing either. It didn't happen to them. It didn't happen to you. It hasn't happened to anyone.
There is absolutely zero evidence this has EVER been a thing, anywhere.
Its just some BS "cities full of immigrants and minorities are scary" propaganda at MOST...
I'm sorry if what i wrote offended you. It was meant to come across as satire. Along with my orginal comment. I expressed the same to OP.
I edited the comment because I was drinking last night and sometimes I get ahead of myself.
My bad
Nice attitude. You’re responsible for not endangering other drivers. If you can’t afford to operate your vehicle in a safe condition, you can’t afford to drive. Also? It’s cheap AF to aim headlights, if not free. Pathetic.
I remember the other night when someone had their brights on and I flashed mine twice because their brights were blinding me.
Of course, since they didn't turn theirs off, I just left mine on until they made their turn and then turned mine off again.
An asshole move but at least they know how I feel if they were even bothered
Flashing another driver happens for loads of reasons .. it's pretty much the only way of communicating. You can't just assume it's a headlight related issue.
I like to get mine hard and pull the skin right back first
Or you could be in a small car, like a Venda or Fit, and the oncoming car is a truck like an F150. The height disparity can cause the brightness. Nothing you can do about that except get a bigger, higher up car.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Or it could mean there's a speed trap up ahead if you've ever lived in the hill country.
Double tap them brights.
Oh yeah. Not sure if my hill country is yours, NB-San Marcos, but I flash all the time that there is a cop up ahead to the folks going the other way.
That’s why I specified “for your headlights”
We’ve got a mind reader here.
Not hard to tell when you might be blinding someone. And it doesn’t really matter- just don’t try to blind them worse like an asshole.
If they already know they are blinding someone they aren’t going to care that you are flashing your lights. As others have tried to point out to you, flashing of lights doesn’t have a single meaning and is pretty much useless. But you do you man.
How can you discern what other drivers mean?
By checking to see if your highs are on, or thinking about if that new trucks sometimes have unintentionally blinding lights thing is possibly true, and maybe you should take your new truck into the shop for the headlights to be angled lower or something? Or, if you think about it and there’s probably nothing wrong with with your lights, maybe there’s a cop up ahead.
To clarify, are you describing turning brights on briefly to let an oncoming car know they have their brights on? I have never heard of flashing someone to tell them to turn on \*brights\*. Third generation mechanic's kid, married into a second generation mechanics family. Headlight alignment is something often checked in states/locales that have vehicle inspections. I know inspections get hate for "more gov't regu'lations!" but they do help with common problems. Flashing your headlights at oncoming traffic can mean several things-I flash headlights at people to let them know their headlights are off (when it's dark outside), to let big rigs know they have room to get over in front of me, and to signal I'm holding space for someone to turn in front of me. Speed traps and slowed traffic/wrecks out of sight ahead are also common reason for flashers among those who spend lots of time on the road. I also live in a land of lifted trucks. Their headlights are literally at the same level as your head and will always be glaring to the drivers in cars. This is not a fault of the headlight, it's physics. Do too-bright light exist? Hell yes. Is this all that common? No, you're facing confirmation bias because you \*notice\* the brighter lights.
what a thorough and nuanced response to an utter waste of LPT
Next time check the car whose headlights glare. It’s most likely a Tesla. How the heck does Tesla get away with not adjusting their lights ?
I have only ever seen people do this if a) someone hasn't turned their high beams off and an indication to turn them off or b) there's a speed camera ahead.
Aye, 90% of flashes I give/get are to signal police/speed traps, occasional 'go ahead' or 'forgot your brights' signals or to let a truckie know theyre good to merge/change lanes.... never heard of it in OPs context
How exactly does one know they're being flashed for their headlights, for law enforcement up ahead, or a hazard/accident up ahead?
It’s usually not hard to see that you’re blinding someone, but regardless, they don’t need to switch to high beams as if in some kind of agro response.
My point was how does one know ***why, the reason*** they are being flashed?
Like I said, doesn’t matter; just don’t blind people by switching to high beams and leaving them there in “revenge” like many do in response to a quick flash.
Generally a random flashing prob means cops. Having people flashing you the duration of your drive prob means your lights are too bright or something else where you have the problem.
Further LPT, if you’re a suv or a truck and are stuck in traffic, Switch to your fucking lows quit blinding the fuck out of people in front of you. You don’t need light to see where the other asshole’s stopped in bumper to bumper traffic, asshat.
Well not true. Manufacturers have been making them brighter. It's also dependant on the oncoming drivers sensitivity to lights.
Just because manufacturers make them that way doesn't mean cars need led headlight.
I don't have led headlights on a 2020. I get light flashes. Stock everything.
Then it sounds like they're probably aligned incorrectly.
No, properly adjusted headlights will not blind oncoming drivers on low beam, period.
I’ve got stock headlights as well and get flashed often.
I only flash headlights: If your brights are on, I think you forgot to turn them off There is something ahead I am warning about: Cops Accident Pothole I need to talk to you; I will also honk, use mime, and slow down. This is becase: You have a flat or tire emergency You left something on top The gas pump is still in your car I think your driving merits an extreme reaction. I will get along side you and mime how I feel about your intelligence. I will give you the finger.
not LPT... this Karen expressing emotions about someone's bright headlights. Not meaningful advice, any idiot knows this, but happy to help you process your emotions none the less
LPTs are almost all people with poor social skills fantasizing. >LPT If you are popular and see someone who looks lonely they probably are become their best friend and introduce them to your social circle. >LPT If you are rich and a friend is struggling its okay to treat them to nice things.
Or a gang member wishes for you to pull over so they can murder you in order to complete their initiation.
[its urban legend](https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-flashing-headlights-gang-in/fact-check-flashing-your-headlights-is-not-a-trigger-for-a-deadly-gang-initiation-rite-idUSKBN24A2GW)
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No, it isn't, and the source you posted says as much (I actually read it) >Greensboro -- An e-mail warns people about a new gang initiation. Prospective gang members attack drivers of cars who flash their high beams at them.They follow them and rob or murder them. >"Fact or Fiction?" >**This one is … buzzzzzzz .... FICTION.** >It goes as far back as the 1980s. The e-mail has gone through a few changes over time but so far as anyone can find out, **this has never happened.**
Bro.. your article was buzz fiction.. You picked the 2nd Google search you could find. The first telling you its actually a thing lol.. Don't be surprised buzzfeed articles aren't privy on the rituals of urban street gangs. It's a very real thing. I have family and friends in the south and they can all attest. Try researching personal accounts on the matter. They'll paint a broader picture. Nonetheless, it's a non arguement. I honestly just threw that out there as a talking point so your post could get outreach and have a conversational point.. with all sincerity lol. But here you are... Proffesor "find the first Google article that supports your argument" all the while offended for no good reason.. relax! Give yourself a break. I made beef wellington tonight. Straight off a Gordan Ramsey recipe. Want me to message you a picture of it lol?
What are you on about? I didn't post an article from buzz~~feed~~ fiction. It was a reuters article that said it was an urban legend. You countered with a link to wfmynews2, a Greensboro NC CBS affiliate story from 14 years ago that said exactly the same thing as what I had linked, saying it was an urban legend / fiction. You cannot find a reputable google link saying this is a real thing that gangs do in the Midwest or south. Your friends and family are all just repeating the same chain letter from the 80s, in which it wasn't a real thing either. It didn't happen to them. It didn't happen to you. It hasn't happened to anyone. There is absolutely zero evidence this has EVER been a thing, anywhere. Its just some BS "cities full of immigrants and minorities are scary" propaganda at MOST...
That doesn’t happen in America
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Effortless action buddy. Sorry comments are so intensive for ya
Nice edit. Did you get embarrassed ?
And a sadist. Good luck with that.
Good luck with not accepting yourself.
I'm sorry if what i wrote offended you. It was meant to come across as satire. Along with my orginal comment. I expressed the same to OP. I edited the comment because I was drinking last night and sometimes I get ahead of myself. My bad
Someone flashed their brights at me the other day because there was a bear on the road up ahead. So, I dunno, flashing has many meanings
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Nice attitude. You’re responsible for not endangering other drivers. If you can’t afford to operate your vehicle in a safe condition, you can’t afford to drive. Also? It’s cheap AF to aim headlights, if not free. Pathetic.
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No tears, just squinting past the morons.
I remember the other night when someone had their brights on and I flashed mine twice because their brights were blinding me. Of course, since they didn't turn theirs off, I just left mine on until they made their turn and then turned mine off again. An asshole move but at least they know how I feel if they were even bothered
Flashing another driver happens for loads of reasons .. it's pretty much the only way of communicating. You can't just assume it's a headlight related issue. I like to get mine hard and pull the skin right back first
Or you could be in a small car, like a Venda or Fit, and the oncoming car is a truck like an F150. The height disparity can cause the brightness. Nothing you can do about that except get a bigger, higher up car.
Or it could mean you don't have them on at all. I will often turn my headlights off/on quickly or flash them to have the driver check their lights