When did this become a thing?

alfadriver wrote: Tangent- oh so how I HATE flashing strobe lights in the fog.

Around here, some genius decided that school buses need a white aircraft-style strobe on top in order to be visible. Because, you know, think of the children. I remember getting stuck in traffic on 95, at night in heavy fog, behind a school trip with about 5 of these buses. I thought I was going to have a seizure. I did end up with a severe headache that lasted 2 days.

In reply to Duke:

"Hate" is a strong word.

As a migraine sufferer, I cannot say "hate" enough times, to describe how I feel about those goddam strobes on school busses.

I'm not typically a "call the cops" type, but yeah, as someone else said, this "trend" needs to die quickly. While I experience general brodozer douchery daily, I've yet to see this one.

Sad to say that General Asshattery has been a "thing" for quite some time....

Duke wrote:

alfadriver wrote: Tangent- oh so how I HATE flashing strobe lights in the fog.

Around here, some genius decided that school buses need a white aircraft-style strobe on top in order to be visible. Because, you know, think of the children. I remember getting stuck in traffic on 95, at night in heavy fog, behind a school trip with about 5 of these buses. I thought I was going to have a seizure. I *did* end up with a severe headache that lasted 2 days.

RealMiniDriver wrote: In reply to Duke: "Hate" is a strong word. I cannot say "hate" enough times, to describe how I feel about those goddam strobes on school busses. They give me headaches too.

Yea seriously WTF is up with those stupid roof strobes?

As for the original poster's experience I haven't seen that here, but social media does a good job of accelerating stupid ideas. I'm sure it will be on the way.

Fortunately, the flashing strobe thing hasn't made it to SEPA/NJ - or at least not the routes I drive on regularly. For better or worse, the PA bumper height laws (actually enforced around here) limit the number "brodozers" around here. And I'm sure flashing LED's would catch the attention of the PA SP (often in unmarked cars) PDQ.

I'm with you guys on the school bus strobe hate. A couple of the districts I commute through use them.

Tangentially related, a few years ago I was driving my normal evening commute on I-75. 70mph speed limit and only 2 lanes northbound, I got stuck behind a guy going about 5 over in front of me and to my right was someone matching my speed. Pretty quickly some psychopath in a civic comes flying up behind me, flashing lights, freaking out, he was crazy close to my bumper. I had nowhere to go, couldn't move right, couldn't finish my pass, and I think I was stuck there for 5 minutes. I was genuinely scared that he was going to cause a wreck and I was going to get seriously messed up. I cannot comprehend how someone would be willing to risk killing somebody cause they have to wait a minute to pass. Additionally, it's amazing how completely oblivious the other two drivers were to the situation. One of the scariest situations I've been in on the road.

Oh, and of course the civic guy was a NY Yankees fan!

Rob_Mopar wrote:

Duke wrote:

alfadriver wrote: Tangent- oh so how I HATE flashing strobe lights in the fog.

Around here, some genius decided that school buses need a white aircraft-style strobe on top in order to be visible. Because, you know, think of the children. I remember getting stuck in traffic on 95, at night in heavy fog, behind a school trip with about 5 of these buses. I thought I was going to have a seizure. I *did* end up with a severe headache that lasted 2 days.

RealMiniDriver wrote: In reply to Duke: "Hate" is a strong word. I cannot say "hate" enough times, to describe how I feel about those goddam strobes on school busses. They give me headaches too.

Yea seriously WTF is up with those stupid roof strobes? As for the original poster's experience I haven't seen that here, but social media does a good job of accelerating stupid ideas. I'm sure it will be on the way.

I remember those strobes appeared on school buses out in the country back in the mid-90's because they felt that you would be able to see a bus at a distance over the top of a cornfield, which kind of makes sense, if you were color blind and couldn't see the school bus itself.

However, it's now become a standard thing and it is quite obnoxious.

I have yet to see someone using a flashing led, but I have seen a truck with led fog lights, and a motorcycle covered in blue lights with bright led headlights. I didn't like either one very much at all. As for the discussion about the right vs left lane, in my area its actually the middle lane that is the only one that is mostly safe from aggressive tailgating, both the left and right lanes are used for passing lanes.

thealbatross wrote: Tangentially related, a few years ago I was driving my normal evening commute on I-75. 70mph speed limit and only 2 lanes northbound, I got stuck behind a guy going about 5 over in front of me and to my right was someone matching my speed. Pretty quickly some psychopath in a civic comes flying up behind me, flashing lights, freaking out, he was crazy close to my bumper. I had nowhere to go, couldn't move right, couldn't finish my pass, and I think I was stuck there for 5 minutes. I was genuinely scared that he was going to cause a wreck and I was going to get seriously messed up. I cannot comprehend how someone would be willing to risk killing somebody cause they have to wait a minute to pass. Additionally, it's amazing how completely oblivious the other two drivers were to the situation. One of the scariest situations I've been in on the road. Oh, and of course the civic guy was a NY Yankees fan!

I generally try to cut down my bad driving behaviors, but when there's 2 cars side by side matching speeds. I'll ride the center line and flash my lights if they don't get the point.

Travis_K wrote: I have yet to see someone using a flashing led, but I have seen a truck with led fog lights, and a motorcycle covered in blue lights with bright led headlights. I didn't like either one very much at all. As for the discussion about the right vs left lane, in my area its actually the middle lane that is the only one that is mostly safe from aggressive tailgating, both the left and right lanes are used for passing lanes.

I will be changing the fogs in my disco to LEDs soon.. but I am also the guy who only actually uses his fog lights in bad weather.. and usually with the headlights off (but parking lights on) You can believe that if I am using my fogs.. the weather is very bad

I find the school bus strobes nothing more than a mild irritant. What is much more irritating is when the school buses spread four lanes wide across the highway and do 55.

where I used to live in PA.. we had one school bus driver who was a seriously shiny happy person. If you got stuck behind her, you got stuck with 50 other people doing 25 in a 45mph road. She would do no faster and would wait extra long for the kids to get seated or off of the bus.

I remember once getting ready to pull out of my driveway when I saw her coming.. as I went to go, she floored it to keep me from pulling out. It didn't stop me.. but she was on the horn for a good long time

I should have a berkeleying dash cam for those damn minivan school transports. I drive 45 in a 45 because this road demands it in morning rush, they're up to 60+ and gettin' a little too sporty w/ lane change and cutting close E36 M3 wtf.

C'mon, what about the chilren.

alfadriver wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

KyAllroad wrote: Sounds like time to slow down to the speed limit. And stay in front of said brodozer for a while to give him a chance to "cool off". (Given you aren't in a Lotus or Miata)

Why? If you don't want to go as fast as traffic in the left lane the answer is simple. GTFO of it. It's perfectly fine to be pissed about some douche with blinky lights being an shiny happy person... but you should be moving the berkeley over ASAP after completing the pass.

Just to be clear, you did note that this happened in the RIGHT lane, not the left lane. Which is perfectly fine to slow down to the speed limit, or just under, IMHO.

Ummm, technically, the passing lane still requires staying under the speed limit. I realize NO ONE EVAR does it (including me).

The passing lane is not a license to drive whatever speed you want, just because you are "passing", and it is completely obnoxious to think you have a right to get pissed off at anyone because they are driving the speed limit.

SVreX wrote: Ummm, technically, the passing lane still requires staying under the speed limit. I realize NO ONE EVAR does it (including me). The passing lane is not a license to drive whatever speed you want, just because you are "passing", and it is completely obnoxious to think you have a right to get pissed off at anyone because they are driving the speed limit.

I think the irritation comes from someone believing they own the road, and if they want to pace somebody in the "slow lane", its their god given right to backup traffic for miles. What difference does it make to said person going the speed limit in the "fast" or "passing" lane and going the exact same speed in the slow lane? Nothing, besides common courtesy. I doubt it has anything to do with the person actually driving the limit.

I haven't seen this exact thing happen with the handheld light, but I have seen brodozers with LED strobes attached inside their windshields(not even the blue ones) try to pretend they are cops and scaring people out of the way. It usually ends very badly for them. The MA State Police don't take kindly to that crap.

There is NO WAY IN HELL I would pull over or get out of the way for anything except a marked cruiser or an obvious unmarked car in the slow lane.

Around here any red, blue or flashing lights shining to the front while the car is in motion will get you a ticket. That's why the lighted windshield washer nozzle fad didn't last but about a month in this area.

All these experiences and no one has dash cam video to show of said idiots driving behavior?

SVreX wrote: Ummm, technically, the passing lane still requires staying under the speed limit. I realize NO ONE EVAR does it (including me).

Check that. In some states you are allowed to exceed the speed limit in order to pass somebody impeding traffic. RCW46.61.425. Although technically that doesn't apply when you have two lanes going one way - which is a passing lane scenario.

I don't think a judge would buy it either way.

In reply to Ditchdigger:

Seeing that you are in OR, it answers some questions about the coworker I have with the lifted pickup truck, extra lights, and loud speaker system installed.

What happens in OR that makes people so anxious to bully other drivers?

Yes recording the car and reporting to the police is all you can do. Then send the video to the local TV station so they can sensationalize it 1000% and track the owner down to ask them what they are doing?

drainoil wrote: All these experiences and no one has dash cam video to show of said idiots driving behavior?

this isn't Russia... everyone doesn't have dashcams yet..

Guys at work were showing off their new LED flashlights, they all had that strobe feature, some w/ colors. Hope that flash to pass doesn't catch on around here but knowing this county it probably will.

I just put my mirror in the "dim" position and ignore the idiots and keep plodding along in the right lane.

Never heard of such a thing, but it would elicit an extended 54mph cruise of the left lane from me. A quick, European style flash-to-pass is no problem, I'll move right over. But that? No way.