Hazard light parking - why?

d_brennen · 22 May 2015 at 11:11

Seeing this more and more, people parking up with hazards on. Nothing unusual here you think, just idiots parking where they shouldn't under the impression that hazard lights provide cover. But no, more and more I see people parked in parking spaces alongside the road with hazard lights a blinking. WTF? What is any more hazardous about you sat in your car in a parking bay than any of the cars who's owners have gone elsewhere?

I vowed not to get wound up by motoring several years ago and it was a great relief, almost Zen moment, and this behaviour doesn't really annoy me as such. What it does do is make me reluctant to let people out who are indicating that they want to leave the parking space. The number of times I've slowed because I've seen what I thought was indicators only to see it was a parking troll...

Guy · 22 May 2015 at 11:32

I'm concerned with the number of people on the hard shoulder on the motorway, that don't have their hazards on.

arknor · 22 May 2015 at 11:53

They are simply warning you that a mentalist is in control of a motor vehicle as advised by their psychiatrist

Drangueos · 22 May 2015 at 12:00

There is a Van driver where I live, that parks his van on a single yellow line for more than 2 hours with his hazard lights on, after 6pm he turns them off.
He does that almost everyday and never got a ticket as far as I know.

Tip of the day: Buy a van and get free parking wherever you go!

Scania · 22 May 2015 at 12:04

I was told a while ago by a traffic warden that I'm very unlikely to get a ticket if stopped with my hazards on in my HGV, although experience has proved this wrong, I've been ticketed unloading (with hazards) outside a builders merchant that I was too big to get into, didn't stop the little Hitler though!

Most people alas assume hazards = free parking or an acceptable apology for some daft cutting up manoeuvre they have just performed in front of you!

lmfy2k · 22 May 2015 at 12:14

parking on zig zags with hazards on annoys me no end

Haggisman · 22 May 2015 at 12:35

Have you guys not read the Highway code?

Section 483.1:

If stopping to answer a phone call from your mate Doreen to gossip for 45 minutes about the soaps last night, and whether little Shazza's baby's dad is Dean or Trev, you MUST stop in the most awkward place possible to maximise the inconvenience to all other road users, and you SHOULD put your hazard lights on.

Frozennova · 22 May 2015 at 12:55

People towing on rope who have their hazards on instead of using their indicators need to be shot as well as those that park on single/double yellows with hazards on

matt_fsr · 22 May 2015 at 13:45

Seems to be mostly a mobile phone thing around here.

Phone rings, pull over sharply to the side of the road, come to complete stop, answer phone, then put hazard warning lights on.

And yes, the movement and stopping at the side of the road must ON NO ACCOUNT involve the use of indicators. I'd imagine between holding the phone and steering wheel, that's more than enough to cope with without the added hassle of mirror check, signal, and maneuver. :mad:

d_brennen · 22 May 2015 at 14:11

That kind of idiocy I understand, but what I mean is when people have somehow managed to gather enough wit to park their vehicle properly then pop the hazards on :confused:

peterwalkley · 22 May 2015 at 14:29

An attempt to protect their car from some distracted numpty on a phone ploughing into the back of them perhaps ?

d_brennen · 22 May 2015 at 14:33

peterwalkley said:
An attempt to protect their car from some distracted numpty on a phone ploughing into the back of them perhaps ?

Parked, as in next to the road, with all of the other parked cars. Jeeze, I think I have my answer

kaku · 22 May 2015 at 15:12

These days hazards tend to mean "I'm about to do something stupid".
I guess it's the motoring equivalent of "hold my beer".

Kaeo · 22 May 2015 at 16:20

Been a while since I've called them hazard warning lights instead of stop anywhere lights.

BigglesPiP · 22 May 2015 at 20:35

It's fine, it's their way of letting you know they are a complete birk and you should keep some distance.

ADT · 22 May 2015 at 20:58

They are probably warning others of their stupidity, or maybe to bring your attention to their newly leased german whipp

geekman · 22 May 2015 at 22:04

I do this all the time when I can't find a space and I'm only going to be a few minutes, but so does everyone else here so I think that makes it OK

d_brennen · 23 May 2015 at 01:20

geekman said:
I do this all the time when I can't find a space and I'm only going to be a few minutes, but so does everyone else here so I think that makes it OK

I think you and a few others have what I am complaining about wrong. These people have parked, in designated parking, out of the way, yet still put the hazards on.

The lack of comprehension here makes me think these people are normal and i am the one who has the problem

/thread

Kuros · 23 May 2015 at 10:31

I've seen some silly things whilst driving with people and hazards.

Lots of traffic on the M42, someone (old beat up rover, so clearly not a unmarked police car) drives down the hard shoulder, hazards flashing and gets off about 1/2 a mile up the road at the next junction. As if putting hazards on absolves you of doing reckless and illegal things.

Hotwired · 23 May 2015 at 10:39

One car.... correctly parked...?

I've been to places in spain where in the evening it's apparently acceptable to stick your car any old place in the middle of town as long as you have your hazard lights on.

Rows of cars parked up with hazard lights on...