Okay, so the wife and I went to New Orleans this past weekend and on the way home to Florida the weather was horrible. I couldn't help but notice the number of people driving with their hazrard lights flashing. Most of them did not have on their driving lights. What gives? I was always taught to turn the lights on when raining but never heard the hazard light thing. Anyone out there got any inputs? one of the only times I use the hazards, unless broke down, is when interstate traffic goes from speed limit to dead or near-dead stop to warn others behind me. i picked that up over in europe though...

Mike

 

no answers here either. i'm the same. I would have my headlights on first.
maybe all those drivers are aware of the pending deluge. I've been in florida when it really pours. I've never seen rain come down that hard before. you could really hardly see.

 

In Virginia, as in many other states the law is that when your wipers are on, your Head lights MUST be on.
Of course like just the DC "No Handheld Cell Phone While Driving" laws, if they're not enforced, no one pays any attention to them.

 

Hazards are more visible in low visibility.
Here in Canada when you are travelling slower then posted speed and may impeed traffic you have to turn your 4 ways on.

 

Here in Ohio you must have your headlights on during any type of percipitation and 1/2 hour before sunset until 1/2 after sunrise..

 

The hazard folks I stay away from like the plague....LOL.... That means "An idiot in the drivers set, STAY AWAY!!!!!". This time of the year in the south you must be prepaired. Good Tires, Wipers, and RainX go far..... I vote lights on also. That's what I do. I have passed many an idiot going 50 MPH, hazards a going, about to cause a wreck folk all of the time. If your vehicle is in that bad a shape, pull over to the right and then turn on your hazards.

 

Hazards are meant to mark a vehicle stopped in the lane or stopped partially blocking the lane. A car on the shoulder needn't turn on hazards if it is beyond the fog line. If it is broken down the proper signal is an open hood.

Hazards are also used to notify approaching vehicles of a slower than normal speed while occupying the slow lane. Most often used by truckers on mountain passes. This is what I was taught and remember from drivers ed and Commercial Driving class.

Kurt

 

when we drop below 45 climbing a hill on the interstate we turn our hazards on or when stopped on the road for a wreck or something

 

Some states it’s illegal to drive with hazards on. I drive with my headlights on at all times.

 

Sometimes we get a storm that turns day into night and pours so hard the wipers on fast cant keep up and hail pounds your truck. thats when people either pull under overpasses or drive slowly with their hazards on. I have done it before once or twice.

 

I do the same. It's just a habit now to turn them on. I think people see me better and hopefully will help avoid a collision.

..

 

I always drive with lights on in the rain, the fog, or even a dark & cloudy day. One thing that amazies me is the number of people here who do not turn them on in the rain!

There was one time, when the rain was coming down so hard, it was very foggy, and I was driving an unfamiliar road, that I also turned on the four-ways just to increase visability. Otherwise, probably best not to - too distracting overall.

 

I do the same. I think it was from all the years on the seward highway passing the signs telling me to turn my lights on. now its just habit.

as for hazards, here (iowa) people use them in the slow lane just to let you know they are going slow when the weather is bad. its easier to tell when its pouring down rain and you are coming up on them.