Many motorists, on observing a hazardous situation developing ahead which required severe braking, will activate their hazard warning lights (turn signal flash).

This is a sensible and rational response to inform following drivers of a potential hazard ahead.

The proposal is for a button on the steering wheel additional to the horn. When pressed and held, it flashes the hazard warning lights at double the normal rate, and - if technically achievable - at a higher brightness level.

When the horn button is pressed, it flashes the hazard lights in the same way.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 04 2016

Emergency Stop Signal https://en.wikipedi...op_signal_.28ESS.29
A related fast flashing of the brake lights to indicate hard braking [notexactly, Aug 12 2016]

//This is a sensible and rational response to inform following drivers of a potential hazard ahead.

Er, no? Brake lights and visible pitching of the car ahead are sufficient to warn those behind. All hazard lights do for a moving vehicle are occlude the turn signals, which adds to the danger considering a hard braker is often going to swerve left or right and should be signaling that.

We have fog, blizzards, and other weather here and half the idiots drive at half the speed limit with their hazards on. Yes, I know it's foggy! And yes I see you! Now would you stop pretending that you're at the side of the road with a flat.
-- the porpoise, Aug 04 2016


Actually, Porpoise, if it's snowing, foggy, or even raining heavily, there's a good chance you CAN'T see them ahead unless they're riding their brakes.
-- 21 Quest, Aug 04 2016


In the situations I was describing, you could see several cars ahead. The symphony of hazard lights is distracting and prevents proper signaling. Anyway, most cars have running lights these days and we shouldn't be out-driving our visibility anyway. I don't know, maybe it's the roads I drive.
-- the porpoise, Aug 04 2016


Funny, we are told here in the mountains to drive with hazard lights on in extreme fog, but to turn them off if pulled over because if the person behind thinks you're in the lane then in icy conditions they might not brake in time.
The conditions change with altitude.

What about just blue flashing lights? Nothing flashes just blue here so it wouldn't indicate anything but a hazard to be avoided.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 04 2016


// What about just blue flashing lights? Nothing flashes just blue here so it wouldn't indicate anything but a hazard to be avoided. //

That hazard being police?
-- notexactly, Aug 12 2016


A google image search for blue+flashing is boring, but when you add +nude to it it becomes more interesting.

Of course, any google search can be made more interesting using that trick. Take any mundane term and see...
-- normzone, Aug 18 2016


On reconsideration of this idea (and not merely as a feeble excuse to churn it) we now propose that there should be a link between the vehicle's antilock braking module and the brake light control, such that the lamps illuminate steadily under normal braking, but when it's severe enough that the ABS intervenes then the brake lamps strobe brightly. This might be achieved by a ciircuit to allow temporary voltage over-drive to the lamps, by having an additional, brighter lamp, or by strobing high-intensity rear foglights, if installed.

The frequency of flashing should be carefully selected to maximize the probability of inducing an epileptic fit in other motorists, thus ensuring a steady flow of new dashcam crash videos.
-- 8th of 7, Jan 11 2019


It's a straight line attempt but I don't know if it is the wanted all points segue to inter-vehicular communication.
-- wjt, Jan 15 2019



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