Back when I was learning to drive (early '90s, is Southern Ontario), I remember being taught to do things like flash beams at a passing trucker, so that they know when it's safe to pull in front of you, or to blink your running lights or turn signal briefly as a thank you, when someone lets you in on a crowded lane change. None of this was a "you must do this", just "it's polite to..."

Back then, this behaviour was extremely common from commercial truckers, and somewhat common among the general driving populace. Now, it seems that I don't see it at all. I don't remember the last time I've seen anyone do this, except myself.

So, was this something that was more of a regional thing to begin with? Was it common across the US/Canada (or other locales)? If so, is it still common in your area?

From my recent 12,000+ miles of road experience in the past 6 months, I saw truckers still frequently doing this. Cars though, can't remember anyone signaling to the trucks, though I found I did this a few times when in the car.

I don't see it at all. Perhaps people are concerned that their gesture will be misread as irritation with something the other driver just did, so they avoid flashing.

These days there are only three instances in which I see people flashing their lights:

1- to indicate that your high-beams are on
2- in stopped traffic, to indicate they're letting you merge into traffic in front of them from a turn or on-ramp
3- to indicate there's a speed trap ahead in the direction that person just came from

From what I've seen, the only signal to indicate a "thank you" is a quick wave of the hand.

Still living in southern Ontario, and I see light signalling from other cars less often than I recall from years ago.

Indeed, flashing headlamps is not so simple anymore, what with Daytime Running Lights, HiD headlamps, always on headlamps, automatic headlamps, automatic high beam dimming, and general electronic 'helpfulness'.

HiD headlamps do not like to be flashed on-off-on-off-on and the slow start-up process precludes flashing them when off and actually having a noticeable effect.

General ignorance of the finer points of driving etiquete seems to have increased, while wearing my curmudgeon hat.

I should correct myself a little. The lights behavior from the truckers seems to be more just using the running lights, instead of high beams. Slightly different flashing of the running lights seemed to indicate "I want to pass", "safe to pass" and "you have cleared my truck, safe to return to the right".

Still not universal, but it was handy to pick up on to avoid being in a bad spot while on two wheels.

I should also clarify a little: I've never heard of flashing your regular lights. IMO, the mechanism doesn't lend its self to doing that. Most cars I've driven turn their regular lights on and off with a twisting motion, making rapid on/off motions awkward.

In every case of flashing lights, it's been pretty easy to tell that they were using high beams...

Here in the UK the practice of signalling with your lights is common place, but actively discouraged in the driving licence tests, they can be easily mis-read and can mean different things to different people. It encourages the use of hand signals and gestures, some of which would leave no room for misinterpretation (these ones would not be on the official list of course)

Cheers

Cris

I’ve seen these actions more as a truck to truck thing. However when pulling a trailer I sometimes flash.

Also lights on and off three times indicates a cop is ahead checking speed. I like this courtesy from other drivers most of all and often wave a thanks at them (all fingers).

REALLY old cars, like the ones I drove from the 70s, often had the headlight switch as a knob that you pulled away from the dash to activate. First detent was running lamps, next added low beam headlamps, last position engaged high beam headlamps. To flash, you just yanked that knob all the way out, then pushed all the way back in. To the approaching cars it appeared that all lights in the front came on together, and went off together.

In these modern times, the 'optical horn' is typically a pull on the turn signal stalk which activates the high beam lamps only.

To let trucks know it is safe to pull in, I typically flash my headlights as opposed to flashing my high-beams. Less confusion for folks on the other side of the road thinking there is a speed trap going their direction.