Flash hazard lights to say "thank you"

[jack]

For a while, I've noticed cars flashing both indicators simultaneously (presumably by turning hazard lights on then off again) to say "thank you" for letting them in.

I think I first noticed it by lorries -- google suggests it may have been a lorry driver custom first.

I really like the idea of being able to say "thank you" or "sorry" as well as "please" or "get out of my way" when driving.

Am I right that it's new, or did I just not notice when I started driving?

Presumably it's not allowed (just like flashing headlights to say "excuse me" or "after you" or "do you know your lights are on/there's something wrong with your car/etc" was never an authorised use according to the highway code). Is it a bad idea, or not?

Comments

[sunflowerinrain]

I don't think using lights for anything other than their intended purpose is a good idea. Your reaction to both indicators flashing should be to slow down, or to stop as soon as possible.

Anyway, what's happened to the traditional thank-you signal for car-drivers? Hand raised in acknowledgment (in front of the rear-view mirror if you've passed the other person). Also used to say thank-you when someone lets you go first in a single-track situation. And then the other person raises their hand to say "think nothing of it, dear chap".

Lorry drivers have a different code because, well, they're not so visible. They used to have a complex code of signals (dunno if they still do). I was so irritated by a car driver thinking he could join their club and flashing different patterns at every lorry he passed that I pretended shock: "Do you know what you just said to that lorry-driver? You suggested he and you stop at the next layby for... ". He speeded up in a panic and didn't do it again. Heh.