When did this become a thing?

On the freeway this weekend. Doing 15 over in a 65, cruise control on in the right lane overtaking traffic and a lifted Dodge diesel bombs up behind me at an easy 95mph. I decide to not speed up and just finish my pass. Dudeguy behind me holds up a square ultrabright LED flashlight to the windshield and sets it to that flash mode they all seem to do as if that will make me get out of his way more quickly. After I am in the left lane the guy passes and holds up the flashlight to me and makes the universal WTF gesture as if I was in the wrong and his magical diode scepter should have made me part the waters for him.

The next day same basic story. I am in a group of two dozen cars doing 10 over in the left lane passing a steady stream of trucks in the right and a Lexus balls up to me and starts flashing the same square LED light at me in a futile attempt to make us get out of his way. And then it happens again an hour later with a Civic.

What is this square flashlight that endows its owners with these delusions? Is this part of some new road rules I am not privy to?

Sounds like a rude and ludicrous misunderstanding of "flash to pass".

get a light like that in the shape of an raised middle finger and put it in your back window... then make it a point to slow down and cruise along right next to another car for the next few miles so they can't pass... even (especially) if it means missing your exit and being late to wherever it is that you are going..

That would be an invitation to grab a handful of change from the console and Christen their car. They should thank their lucky stars I haven't upgraded to ball bearings and paver bricks.

Or start carrying a hand held 10 million candle power spotlight to join them in their self righteous ways of blinding fellow motorists.

Sounds like it could be considered impersonating the police, flashing lights and all. Call 911. Popo hate when jackwads do that kinda E36 M3.

fasted58 wrote: Sounds like it could be considered impersonating the police, flashing lights and all. Call 911. Popo hate when jackwads do that kinda E36 M3.

This. You call 911 and tell them a car has driven up on your bumper and is flashing a light at you and motioning to pull you over. I mean, those LEDs look blue, right? A cop will be there faster than you can say "can I get a dozen glazed, please?"
They'll pull this guy over and for a few reasons will be real irritated. After a complete vehicle search at the very least, Bro DB will learn himself a lesson.

yup, anything that involves a flashing light on the front of your car is a +1000 no no. I think EMTs can run lights but they can only be white and you can't exceed the speed limit.

I'm pretty sure that would scare the crap out of me. I'm almost certain I would probably panic and slam on the brakes.

Wait? You're passing in the slow lane, and someone wants you to get out of the slow lane so he can pass?

Thankfully, I don't see that kind of thing around here. Unfortunately, that probably would have been a pass on the right shoulder instead.

Mike wrote: Wait? You're passing in the slow lane, and someone wants you to get out of the slow lane so he can pass? Thankfully, I don't see that kind of thing around here. Unfortunately, that probably would have been a pass on the right shoulder instead.

I would have slowed down. And have in the past.

Upset someone so much that when they got around a big truck via the very open left lane that they slowed down to show their displeasure. So much for being in a hurry, I guess.

But I would also tip the state police about it- tell them that you are getting flashed from non cop cars (apparently). They would have a field day.

Mike wrote: Wait? You're passing in the slow lane, and someone wants you to get out of the slow lane so he can pass? Thankfully, I don't see that kind of thing around here. Unfortunately, that probably would have been a pass on the right shoulder instead.

this. I drive the slow lane unless I am passing. It would take an accident, real cop car, or some other emergency vehicle to crowbar my ass out of that lane unless I was overtaking. If Somebody non-official came up behind me with a flashing LED strobe.. you better bet I would be a "good citizen" and slow down to the speedlimit

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)

Yeah, I wouldnt exceed 10 over for pretty much anything. Might be a dick move, but screw getting someone elses ticket.

I'm also in the same boat as the 100% illegal. If that E36 M3 keeps happening, start jotting down license plate numbers and reporting them to the state or county police. That trend needs to die quick.

I deal with enough Douchenozzles here on I-57 that want to drive 100 mph (seriously) when I'm doing 80 in a 70. I really hope that trend doesn't migrate here.

I remember once a stanced out Jetta that came up behind me while I was passing and flashed his lights at me like a freaking psycho. Once I was done with my pass I got over and get took off and continued to flash his lights at everybody else in the passing lane.

Those square LED spotlights are much more affordable and convenient than incandescent types, making them cheap and easy for any jackass who wants to use them to dazzle other drivers.

Appleseed wrote: Or start carrying a hand held 10 million candle power spotlight to join them in their self righteous ways of blinding fellow motorists.

I like this solution. Or a paintball gun.

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.

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.

Speaking purely hypothetically of course, something like this would return the favor of the flashing light, kind of an escalation of force. Small, rechargeable, cigarette lighter adapter, and about 13K Lumens.

alfadriver wrote: hurtful words

Well, no, I did not (obviously). In that case... set phasors to "kill".

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

alfadriver wrote: hurtful words

Well, no, I did not (obviously). In that case... set phasors to "kill".

LOL!!!!

I'm going to pretend that the "hurtful words" were "driving under the limit"...

You guys will love these lights- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NO_rn3Ril0

And one can just buy them here- http://www.strobes-r-us.com/thumbnail.asp?cid=13

Tangent- oh so how I HATE flashing strobe lights in the fog. The police in Puerto Rico have their flashers on all the time, and I had one pass me with super bright blue LED's at night in the fog. I could not see anything other than the light.

Looks like I got my lefts and rights wrong. I was in the passing lane overtaking long groups of traffic (labor day weekenders, campers, trailers full of quads...ect)

I am a keep right except to pass guy to a fault.

The lights were just department store swivel head LED things like this

Press the button once and it lights up, twice and it flashes.

One sighting and I assume random occurance, three times in two days with the same kind of device and I start to wonder what it is I don't know about.

In reply to Ditchdigger:

In that case, for a rude person tailgating, I would not exactly speed up. Still pass, but not as quickly as "demanded".

Funny how many times during a commute that someone rushes up on the last car in a long line of people passing other people. As if we are not in a hurry like they are. I've also seen weavers in slow traffic trying to get through only to drive just under the limit when the traffic clears. huh?

Isn't this what 4th gear is for?

Also, I have no problem turning on yellow/whites in traffic to get my point across.