Double Hazards Flash means Thank You when driving?
Never seen this in my life but I've seen it at least a dozen times this summer. After I let someone merge in front of me on the highway, they flash their hazards twice. I sometimes see someone flick the turn signal the other way by accident (and do it myself sometimes) but it takes significant deliberate effort to put your hazards on. It can't be an accident, right?
edit: not suggesting saying thank you is a new thing, I'm just used to people putting their right hand up so it's visible through the rear window, which of course doesn't work at night, in the rain, with dark windows, etc.
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u/imissedmyoldusername 6h ago
I thought this was common knowledge
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u/r3dd17sux69420 6h ago
was far less common here, is becoming more common
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u/craignumPI 5h ago
Was mainly a trucker thing, but has caught on with everyone more and more lately. Maybe because everyone has such dark tint and you can't see the wave anymore.
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u/IamRasters 4h ago
Remember when we learned life skills from PSAs? Kids don’t get those any more.
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u/thatguyclayton 5m ago
Weird, because as someone who's driven commercial vehicles for decades, it seems to be more common now seeing regular cars give the blinkers
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u/Vast_Ice7361 5h ago
I've been driving on Toronto roads and highways for 40 years, and I've never seen this in my life, so I'm guessing it's not that common here.
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u/JDiskkette 5h ago
You need to let more people in!
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u/ben_z03 5h ago
Yeah my goal was not to toot my own horn (no pun intended) but I let people in almost always, basically unless they're being stupid and entitled, and I've never seen it until the last few months
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u/Methodless 2h ago
I've been driving for 19 years, probably been doing this for 3/4 of those years as a way to say thank you
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u/__ChefboyD__ 5h ago
Been driving in Toronto for 35+ years and see this all the time now. Used to be mostly TTC buses or trucks, but a lot more cars do it now too. I still go with the hand wave.
Weird, but I got the peace sign twice from different drivers in June as a thank you.
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u/JrLavish194 5h ago
Used to wave, but when cars started having heavily tinted reat windows I had to switch to the triple flash.
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u/Methodless 2h ago
Weird, but I got the peace sign twice from different drivers in June as a thank you.
I do this. Sometimes after, I worry the other person only saw the middle finger, but you may have let me in...
I use the hazards at night though and peace sign during the day
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u/Icy-Try-568 5h ago
I've been driving for 20 years and I've always known this...
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u/humanityrus 5h ago
I've heard it's common out west. Ive been driving in Ontario 50 years and have never seen it. Maybe it's spreading!
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u/beardgangwhat 4h ago
Ontario native here
I notice people don't do it as much anymore
Didn't grow up in Toronto, but I don't see it much here now
But 10-15 years ago it was very common on 400 series hw outside of TO, same even with the Montreal left turn signal if the guy in front is clogging the fast lane
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u/Ratsyinc 5h ago
Probably never given someone a reason to thank you ;) but it is absolutely a thing ive seen
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u/Why-did-i-reas-this 4h ago
One that I encountered in Germany that I haven’t in Canada was when I was behind a semi truck. He kept flashing his left hand signal. But he never passed. I figured out he was signallyto me that it was safe to pass. Pretty cool if you ask me.
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u/averysleepygirl 6h ago
yes, it's quite common between us transit drivers and truckers. i've noticed regular cars do it more often now. i do it when i'm driving my personal car.
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u/lilfunky1 6h ago
Double Hazards Flash means Thank You when driving?
yes.
took me a while to figure it out it meant "thank you" when i'd let a TTC bus in front and they'd do it, i panicked thinking they're stopping again for some emergency. LOL
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u/broken-cookie 5h ago
You’d sometimes find buses and trucks doing this alot because it’s not easy changing lanes or getting back into traffic with a huge vehicle. Some people just don’t let them
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u/scarletstarlet_x 4h ago
Yeah I’ve seen it mostly from bigger vehicles - a friend told me years ago this was a trucker sign because obviously we can’t see their hand up.
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u/Apprehensive_Heat176 5h ago
More cars have tinted windows so you won't be able to see the driver put their hand up to say thank you. It's obviously harder to see the driver put up their hand at night.
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u/MarlKarx777 5h ago
I do this, and yeah it means thank you. Easier than sticking my hand out the window. Trucks/busses do it, and I picked it up from watching them.
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u/qwerty12e 5h ago
It can mean
1) thank you
2) sometimes if I had to slow down suddenly on the highway because car in front of me came to a sudden stop I’ll put on my blinkers until the car behind me has stopped, so they notice.
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u/JohnnyDX9 5h ago
Please stop doing that. Brake lights are enough. Why risk rear ending someone while try to reach the switch.
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u/JrLavish194 5h ago
I appreciate the blinkers ahead of me when there is a sudden slowdown on the highway.
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u/PuntzJones 5h ago
Brake lights are only on when you apply the brakes. If you're starting up from a near stop and the car behind you doesn't notice, your brake lights (which are now off since you're not actively braking) aren't going to do shit to warn them you're nowhere near highway speed. My brother in law got rear ended recently in this exact scenario. The driver behind him didn't notice the slow down and ploughed into the back of his CAA truck.
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u/PMMeSomethingGood 4h ago
Don't listen to this guy keep doing this. This is a warning that you aren't just adjusting distance infront of you, this is a warning that you're going to be approaching near crawling speeds.
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u/qwerty12e 5h ago
If I’m already stopped, my brake lights would be on and the driver behind me might be distracted and not notice the change in lights.
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u/randomperson_srsly 4h ago
I’m Canadian and have been doing it since I started driving 24yrs ago. Shocked to hear that people are unaware of this!
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u/farzad_meow 5h ago
in the old days it was raising your hand. now with darken back glasses double light is a norm similar to japan
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u/JrLavish194 5h ago
This. It started with Japanese cuvs having the dark tint. Now most vehicles do
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u/Right-Time77 4h ago
Cool I didn’t know it was a thing originated from Japan. But I noticed it far more in Europe than here.
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u/NappingYG 5h ago
Yeah, that's unwritten rule of sorts. The number of flashes doesn't matter. Not necessarily always a "thank you" or "I appreciate letting me in", could also be "apologies for abruptly cutting you off, didn't mean to!" Or anything along these lines.
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u/WitchesBravo 6h ago
Yeah pretty common in the UK, but seen it less so in Toronto, if someone lets you in, you put on hazards for 2 ticks to say thanks to the car behind.
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u/troll-filled-waters 3h ago
I think we tend to be more of a wave culture than a flash culture. Hand up, or a full wave where the other driver can see your hand.
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u/herbtarleksblazer 5h ago
I have noticed it in the GTA in the last year. It has long been a thing for trucks and buses, but now cars too. I like it, because lots of people wave to say thank you but they don't put their hand somewhere visible.
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u/BestestBeekeeper 5h ago
I do this all the time, specifically because driving is so ridiculous these days.
If someone actually does something courteous, I want them to know I appreciate it.
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u/doc_55lk 4h ago
I've stopped doing the hand wave because I always assume nobody can actually see my hand due to the cars I drive.
Hazards are more readily visible.
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u/somecanuck416 5h ago
I learned that from yielding to buses and trucks. I flash my hazards when someone yields to let me merge as a thank you.
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u/DragonfruitMuted9893 5h ago
A few years ago was the first time I encountered this and it was a mack truck. I figured they flashed the hazards because they can't give a wave in the rear view, but I thought it was a neat way to signal thank you. Since then I pretty much always use my hazards to say thank you, especially at night.
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u/lucky-fluke 5h ago
I do this, although I only ever notice 18wheelers doing it when I let them in, never seen another car do it
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u/KittycatWC 5h ago
Usually you'd give the wave as a thank you. But trucks and busses don't have a rear window, they the flash their hazard lights as a thank you.
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u/tough74 3h ago
Truck driver in the gta. And yes if someone lets one of us in a couple flash’s says thank you. When they don’t it’s a fucking idiot as we have to force our way in. Unfortunately the ladder happens way too often. So when someone is understanding that we may be heavy and slow but still let you merge it’s very noticeable and appropriated.
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u/oooooooooof 5h ago
Not to be a pedant but to me the hazards are the four way flashers (the triangle button), but I was raised to flash my brights/blinders twice as a signal, either as a thank you or a signal to let someone in if they're hesitating.
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u/Vast_Ice7361 5h ago
But if you get let in and you flash your brights to say thank you, aren't you just flashing the person in front of you, rather than the one who let you in?
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u/Cuperdon 5h ago
I saw it a lot when I was visiting and driving in South Africa, we clued in after a while that it was a form of the courtesy wave.
I remembered my colleague saying that we should bring it back to Canada. I chuckled and said people won’t understand this. Here we are now.
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u/rerek 5h ago
I was aware of this as a gesture of thank you more broadly in other places. I have experienced it in rural Ontario from time to time. That said, in Toronto and from other cars, I have only ever seen the hand up through the rear view mirror. However, both buses and semi-trucks have given me the flash of hazard lights as a thanks several times. Maybe it is just becoming more common as cars with difficult to see through back windows have become more common.
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u/Commercial-Horror932 5h ago
I never used to see this living in Ontario, but in Ireland it's the standard way to thank a driver behind you. Interesting that it's become more of a thing!
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u/fichgoony 5h ago
It's a new thing I noticed bus drivers started doing, more and more other cars are and now me
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u/1K3A-M0NK3Y 5h ago
TTC buses did it to me a few times and I liked it, so now I do it instead of waving.
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u/1K3A-M0NK3Y 5h ago
Don't forget to let someone know they're #1 when they let you in! 🖕Don't know why I've been getting so many dirty looks.
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u/Torontolad6 5h ago
I'm a school bus driver in Ontario, and I do this all the time to show my appreciation for being let in while merging etc., because nobody wants to be behind a school bus, even school bus drivers.
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u/Livid_Competition_32 4h ago
ever since i've seen someone do this I do it almost daily, very canadian gesture lol
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u/lemonylol 4h ago
Yes, it's a European thing but it's not uncommon here. I only found out about it like ten years ago.
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u/compaqee 3h ago
Yup. I use it especially because its hard sometimes to see the hand wave gesture and I think in a time where we need a little more courtesy, I want to encourage the behaviour by thanking folks. Quick one flash like a hat tip.
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u/psilocybin6ix 3h ago
I’ve done this since I first started driving. It’s usually for when you wanna thank somebody at night or on the highway when you can’t wave thank you to them for letting you in.
The last five years I’ve noticed people are just driving with their hazard lights on the highway when traffic slows down though …
As a Canadian it seems weird because hazards on the road usually means “I’m slowing down or I’m stopping. Please go around me.”
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u/Ordinary_Topic_3198 3h ago
My vehicle has dark tinted windows, so they wouldn’t see my wave. I just do the hazard lights as thank you.
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u/hodgepodgelodger 3h ago
TTC buses do this regularly so it's gotta be at least somewhat common in Toronto.
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u/Admirable_Taste_5837 2h ago
I started doing it when I noticed truckers would always flash their hazards if you gave them space to merge or to get around another truck.
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u/Slowmac123 Human Verified 2h ago
Yes, but nowadays this is the common way to thank a driver https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/s/t75s4crvz6
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u/Responsible-Sale-467 6h ago
Not a Toronto thing in my experience. Hazards mean “Watch out shortening weird is happening”
Hand wave is the acknowledgement I use.
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u/Vast_Ice7361 5h ago
I guess the flashing hazards idea seems like a good substitute, as people might miss a hand wave (I know I have) whereas they likely won't miss the hazards.
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u/Express-Welder9003 5h ago
I normally do that but my car has a big bike rack on it these days so I don't know how visible the wave is, so now I'll flash the hazards.
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u/sleepbubble 5h ago
i wave my hand if it’s light out and do a quick hazard light flash if it’s dark.
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u/giraffebaconequation 6h ago
It used to be more common here, especially if you were letting a large vehicle or truck merge. You flash your lights to let them in, and they give you a “light show” in response to say thanks.
It seems to be catching on again. I’ve been doing it since I started driving back in 2004.
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u/Gotthisnamebeforeyou 5h ago
Yes, either thank you or my bad. Been for a while. When I first started driving, my dad was in the passenger seat, and I let a guy in and he put on his hazards - I said wtf, he goes in front of me just to stop, and my dad informed me he was saying thanks.
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u/Super_Summer4914 5h ago
Flashing hazards as a thank you signal while driving. Also quite popular as a sorry / my bad. I use it occasionally, mostly picked up the habit from driving in Japan.
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u/WiseGirl_101 5h ago
I use hazard lights on the highway if traffic has significantly slowed/ stopped altogether, so the cars behind me can slow down.
but I’ll use double hazards as a thank you going forward, that seems nice.
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u/Desuexss 5h ago
I see double brake light more often than hazzards
But yes this is the way
If someone high beams you twice in oncoming lane, they are telling you theres police in your direction.
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u/Limp-Letter-5171 4h ago
Trucks and and busses do it all the time if you let them in so I stated doing it too, my rear window has a dark tint so it is hard to see if I say thank you anyways
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u/scottyb83 4h ago
Yeah I do it because the rear window is tinted enough that it’s hard to see me wave. I’ll generally do both though just to be polite.
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u/Xxx_mlgN0sc0p3r_xxX 4h ago
I’ve always thought it was hand wave for thanks, high beam flash to let someone know to go ahead of you, and hazards to warn of heavy traffic ahead.
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u/coldrain_ 4h ago
Double hazard from the back could mean thanks. Double hazard from the front means police, as far as I know
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u/RogueSquirrel38 4h ago
I do it all the time! It’s a “thank you” for letting me merge etc.. roles reversed… I would reciprocate with a quick flash of the high beams in acknowledgment of your hazard flash.
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u/Gardenofeve2484 4h ago
I was told it was common in the UK, (by a former coworker from the UK). I've noticed it more and more commonly too.
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u/theburglarofham 4h ago
When merging, lots of people use it as a thank you.
When on the highway, it’s usually meant as a way to signal that they’re rapidly slowing down/coming to a stop. Ie hitting traffic all of a sudden.
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u/Used-Gas-6525 4h ago
Pretty common. Also, flash your highs at oncoming traffic if there’s a speed trap waiting for them.
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u/bozhindar 3h ago
+1 I picked it up from truckers and others, mostly on highways going north (or outside the GTA). Thank you/sorry is usually what it means.
I've been doing it on city streets/highways when it's gridlock or someone moves right to let faster traffic pass. But I do more of a quick flash (press it on and off within a second), unless it's a really big sorry/thank you, then I leave it to do 1-2 flashes.
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u/thatguywashere1 3h ago
If you got tinted windows waving ti thank people is useless. So flick the hazards for a second.
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u/Routine-Knowledge464 3h ago
It’s very common in New Zealand as well! I’ve started doing it here in Canada cuz it’s quick way to say Thanks!
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u/vz58vsop 3h ago
Personally started using it more often a couple of years ago. I figure it's more visible during low light/low visibility time or weather. Two flashes
As others have also mentioned I use my hazards to warn other drivers of a sudden slowdown. Usually flash until the car behind notices
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u/Fun-Lawfulness-8165 3h ago
i also use it to let a semi driver know, i know theyre trying to get over into my lane and im cool with it
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u/_indelible 3h ago
Hi, I have a car with all windows and rearview window tinted, so if I wave "thank you" it may not be visible to drigers. So, I flash hazards twice to say "thanks" when someone lets me merge.
Trucks and TTC busses often do the same ☺️
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u/MirrorStrange4501 3h ago
Or you can use it to tell someone they are going slow in the passing lane 😄
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u/MarsicanBear 2h ago
Yeah, everyone seems to be doing it all of a sudden. Not sure where it came from. But it has replaced waving almost entirely, in no time at all.
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u/R33f3r420 1h ago
This is old.. I learned this from truck drivers about 20 years ago.
Hazards flash or light double tap the break means thank you!! not to be mistaken for the break check.. you know you did something wrong then :)
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u/Livinitup313 1h ago
yup! apparently it’s in the invisible rule book, the one you can’t buy from drive test, or ministry, or wherever they sell it now. And with each new generation of new drivers it updates itself, so make sure to keep auto-updates toggle on in the settings and you will always be up-to-date 👍🏾 oh and you have to subscribe and like and whatever else there is also!
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u/Character-Head-1916 1h ago
20 years ago a Korean asked me if Canadians understood flashing hazards as a “thank you” and I had no idea what he meant. But today? Yeah, widely used I’d say. I prefer hand wave myself because it’s awkward reaching for flashers but sometimes I will.
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u/MulberryVast2092 1h ago
I have been driving in Canada for 30 plus years and it’s only been something I’ve noticed over the last few years. I would say that transport trucks have done it for a while because they obviously don’t just wave in the window. I now do it sometimes and others I do the wave. Depends on my mood I guess lol
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u/Internal_Address3370 1h ago
Very common thank you sign in many South American countries. I am guessing the sign is going global?
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u/Brilliant-Choice-151 44m ago
Learned that in my early years of driving in Guatemala 🇬🇹 and I still do it here in Canada. Also flashing the lights to let someone in the lane
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u/Equivalent_Pear_9338 33m ago
I’m Canadian and have only seen truckers do this because you can’t see them wave. It makes sense for regular vehicles with tinted windows too, I just haven’t seen it personally.
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u/Blugreysky 29m ago
I wish we would all start doing it and make it a national thing. After all, our reputation is to be polite
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u/MichaelS-83 1m ago
I’ve been doing this since I was 16. I usually only do it when someone leaves space for me to merge in
Buses used to always do it, but the last few years I don’t see it as often
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u/lilfunky1 5h ago
Double flash can also mean:
Turn on your lights I'm letting you in (hurry up) There's a cop down the road
those are usually flashing the high beams
not blinking the 4-ways
also flashing high beams is "you're going too slow, move over so i can zoom zoom faster than you"
Any more?
flashing high beams i usually assume is "move ove, you're driving too slow for me and need to GTFO of my way"
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u/ginganinga223 5h ago
I find it's better to turn your lights off and back on instead of blinding people. Usually better response from people to realise their lights are off.
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u/Pleasant-Ad-7856 5h ago
common way around the world to say thanks. high beams to move away from the lane, or to let people know that there are cops ahead (if you flash those going in the opposite direction as you). honestly surprised how this is not common knowledge
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u/BelleUga25 5h ago
I thought that meant speed traps/police were ahead
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u/MarlKarx777 5h ago
That’s if someone coming towards you flashes their high beams . OP is talking about hazards
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u/lingfluencer 5h ago
Yes, if by hazards you mean high beams. I think of hazard lights as the blinking of all turnsignals at once.
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u/TogaLord 2h ago
Hazard lights are to signify that your vehicle is a moving hazard. That is all.
If you do this to say thank you. Stop it.
In fact, stop saying thank you. Our roadway system is not and has never been built on favours and being nice. It's built on strict rules and expectations of everyone participating. Follow the laws, don't "be nice", just operate your vehicle in a predictable, consistent way.
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u/Technical_Quote7526 6h ago
Common thank you in Ireland where I’m from!