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ILikeLamas678 t1_itz0ixh wrote

Using your hazard lights could help alert the driver behind you something is up and will increase your chances of not being pancaked.

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more_sluggish t1_itz3er5 wrote

Also, pump the brakes (brake on, then brake off, rather than constant braking) will make your brake lights go on and off which is more noticeable than constantly on or off so will help to catch the next drivers attention.

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werepat t1_iu12qu3 wrote

I lived in Germany for a couple years and if anything out of the ordinary happened and you were in a car, you were supposed to turn the hazard lights on.

Any traffic hazard, slow down, vehicle disabled and best, traffic camera, were met with everyone turning on their hazards and alerting everyone else behind them to slow down and be more cautious.

I have taken that back to the US, but it hasn't caught on just yet.

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mogoexcelso t1_iu2xcaq wrote

Same experience in México. They even use hazards to warn drivers traveling the opposite direction. It took a few close calls with cattle in the road for me to catch on, but I really appreciated it once I did. For how bad drivers can be in Mexican cities, the rural drivers are some of the best I ever encountered.

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Quiverjones t1_iu0yr4f wrote

Yep. If you have to slow or you see a large animal crossing, pop them hazards.

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International_Brief5 t1_itzrdtq wrote

That creates confusion, please don’t do that.

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ILikeLamas678 t1_itzs6le wrote

Hazard warning lights are a driver-controlled system that causes all turn signal lamps to flash at the same time. Its purpose is to alert oncoming cars to the presence of an emergency, thus the name. They generally flash repeatedly to better draw other drivers’ and passengers’ attention.

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Smacpats111111 t1_iu01jw9 wrote

Hazard lights can indicate a variety of things (and basically never indicate "we're stopping now"), brake lights automatically indicate "we're stopping now". You do not want to distract people from the brake lights. People are trained to hit the brakes when they see red, you do not want to confuse them by adding more flashing lights. If you want to get people's attention, pump the brakes. Please never use the hazards to indicate that traffic is slowing down.

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zapdado2002 OP t1_iu0won3 wrote

where i live, hazard light on a highway are an automatic sign that theres a jam in front. pumping breaks would not be as obvious

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EmperorPenguinNJ t1_iu17fz9 wrote

Hazard lights are a standard when you’re disabled at the side of the road. How would they not apply in this situation?

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Smacpats111111 t1_iu1egxp wrote

Because you’re in the road. When I see a guy flip on his hazards in traffic, I’m probably thinking that something broke and he’s pulling over, or something else is wrong. My first instinct isn’t “oh he’s announcing he’s braking” because brake lights already announce that.

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mogoexcelso t1_iu2y17v wrote

Except brake lights don’t indicate “we’re stopping now” they indicate “I’m using the brakes right now”.

Hazards used appropriately always mean “be careful” or “don’t hit me” or “I’m stopped in the road”. All of which 100% clearly indicate what following drivers need to know about a vehicle that is going to suddenly stop on the road.

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