The FLASHING of Headlights

Post by **Hoopoe** » June 6, 2019, 3:33 pm

It's worse on Motor bikes , take this morning for instance ,narrow country lane ISH , riding along at maybe 50 klick's per hour ,lots of traffic in the opposite direction , pickup truck decides he's overtaking everyone , flashing headlights , there's only one place for me and another motorcyclist to go into the ditch it is then ,fckin ------ ,a friends wife did exactly the same ,the motor cyclist ended up dead (on the same mentioned road ) her excuse "i didn't see him "or the me me me i'm bigger than you senario

Post by **shambu31** » June 6, 2019, 3:56 pm

Informative thread..!!!

Post by **Essex** » June 6, 2019, 5:00 pm

Reminds me of an incident on the M1 North of Sydney about 4 years ago, Rural Fire Service truck (not responding to an incident) was making an illegal turn at an emergency services turnpoint. A car was approaching on the carriageway that the 14 tonne firetruck intended to use. Car flashed his headlights, RFS driver took this as I will let you in, it was in fact a warning. Car slammed into truck, woman killed and husband is now a vegetable.

Lesson, flashing of lights is a warning, make sure you know what the warning is before making any moves.

Post by **Raoul Duke** » June 6, 2019, 6:35 pm

I drive with my lights on all the time (day and night and so should you) for safety reasons and always receive flashing light signals from oncoming vehicles.Apparently the friendly locals are doing this to let me know that my lights are on.
That's very considerate of them.

Post by **Raoul Duke** » June 6, 2019, 6:41 pm

Essex wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 5:00 pm
Rural Fire Service truck (not responding to an incident) was making an illegal turn at an emergency services turnpoint

How does a fire truck make an "illegal" turn at an emergency services turn point?

Post by **stattointhailand** » June 6, 2019, 7:18 pm

Raoul Duke wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 6:35 pm
I drive with my lights on all the time (day and night and so should you) for safety reasons and always receive flashing light signals from oncoming vehicles.Apparently the friendly locals are doing this to let me know that my lights are on.
That's very considerate of them.

Typical "Rich Farang" wasting his battery again

Post by **semperfiguy** » June 6, 2019, 7:38 pm

stattointhailand wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 7:18 pm

Raoul Duke wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 6:35 pm
I drive with my lights on all the time (day and night and so should you) for safety reasons and always receive flashing light signals from oncoming vehicles.Apparently the friendly locals are doing this to let me know that my lights are on.
That's very considerate of them.

Typical "Rich Farang" wasting his battery again

Actually they're trying to tell you that you're burning excess gas unnecessarily when you leave your headlights on during the day. Don't you know that's why motorbike drivers don't use their headlights at night or replace their taillights when they burn out. Most Thais are just very energy conscious. LOL!

Post by **Raoul Duke** » June 6, 2019, 8:15 pm

semperfiguy wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 7:38 pm
Most Thais are just very energy conscious. LOL!

It's so good living amongst enthusiastic environmentalists.

Post by **Essex** » June 7, 2019, 11:27 am

Raoul Duke wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 6:41 pm

Essex wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 5:00 pm
Rural Fire Service truck (not responding to an incident) was making an illegal turn at an emergency services turnpoint
How does a fire truck make an "illegal" turn at an emergency services turn point?

It was my brigade and I am also a driver.

When you are assigned to an incident and have confirmed with district base by two way, you are an emergency vehicle. You must still observe traffic rules to a sensible extent, but can use lights and siren and it is OK if you go bit faster then posted limits. You can also use emergency access points to turn on Freeways etc and are exempt to pulling into weigh stations

Once you are not on an incident, you are just another truck on the road. In this case, the crew had been stood down from responding to an incident, as other units had reached it first, so the truck was returning to Kariong RFS shed. It was in this capacity that the unfortunate fatal crash occurred.

Consequently, the driver was convicted of manslaughter. Due to extenuating circumstances he got a community service order and 12 months home detention. A very light sentence in my opinion.

Post by **Raoul Duke** » June 7, 2019, 4:23 pm

Essex wrote: ↑
June 7, 2019, 11:27 am

Raoul Duke wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 6:41 pm

Essex wrote: ↑
June 6, 2019, 5:00 pm
Rural Fire Service truck (not responding to an incident) was making an illegal turn at an emergency services turnpoint
How does a fire truck make an "illegal" turn at an emergency services turn point?
It was my brigade and I am also a driver.

When you are assigned to an incident and have confirmed with district base by two way, you are an emergency vehicle. You must still observe traffic rules to a sensible extent, but can use lights and siren and it is OK if you go bit faster then posted limits. You can also use emergency access points to turn on Freeways etc and are exempt to pulling into weigh stations

Once you are not on an incident, you are just another truck on the road. In this case, the crew had been stood down from responding to an incident, as other units had reached it first, so the truck was returning to Kariong RFS shed. It was in this capacity that the unfortunate fatal crash occurred.

Consequently, the driver was convicted of manslaughter. Due to extenuating circumstances he got a community service order and 12 months home detention. A very light sentence in my opinion.

Thank you for the detailed response and clarification.
The insurance companies would have had a field day with this incident.
I was always under the impression that emergency vehicles have right of way.
A few years ago there was that incident involving a police chase where the police ran a red light at an intersection at ultra high speed and resulted it causing a fatality,however they were engaged in an incident at the time.
Not sure what the insurance outcome regarding liability was on that one.
But as we know in Australia it is very difficult to take Victorian police to court and win.
BTW thanks for your service at the RFS.You blokes do an absolute terrific job.

Post by **Essex** » June 8, 2019, 8:17 am

it would be both reckless and illegal to barrel through an intersection at speed, siren or no siren. Any lawyer worth their salt would win if this went to a civil suit, the fact that services protect their own may stop any criminal action.

Thanks for your kind words, I loved my time in the service but now retired to Thailand. Wish I had my Cat1 Firetruck on occasions, 14 tonnes V's 150cc Honda, I don't think so.

Post by **Raoul Duke** » June 8, 2019, 9:07 am

I have fond memories sitting in DENNIS as a young tacker.I was lucky enough to have an uncle who was a fire chief.
Staying at the fire station and getting woken up in the middle of the night with bells ringing and alarms blaring,the smell of brasso and boot polish,spending hot summer days in the hose tank.Good times.

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