Getting peoples attention to pull over?

[path1]

Couple months ago I saw a guy parked that had 2 elec cords between his trailer and his pick up. It turns out second cord was elec cord from his generator to some medical equipment in his trailer.

Sort of interesting how people have their hitch set ups. Some have bungee cords wrapped every which way. One guy had a hose clamp around elec cord and top of plastic socket. Whatever works I guess.

Today getting on freeway I’m behind several cars and a big truck. Maybe going 30 mph, the traffic behind us are moving to next lane over to let us on. I finally get onto the slow lane of freeway and this pick up pulling a large boat passes me. I glance over and his latch for the trailer ball is sticking straight up, and no elec cord and no safety chains, no nothing. Looks like he just put hitch on the ball and that was it. Short time later I’m able to move over a lane. I try to catch him to get his attention. When I'm even with him I honk and have window down and pointing with my arm to pull over. He doesn’t do anything. Maybe he doesn't see me. I speed up change lanes in front of him. I put on 4 ways, my window down, my arm is pointing to the right. I slow down a little, he has to see me. He moves over one lane, speeds up and gives me the finger as he goes by.

What is your method to get someone’s attention?

[Veebyes]

This thread came to mind yesterday. We were following behind a 5er when one of its left wheels burst into flame. First reaction was to call 911 telling them exactly where & what was happening. Knowing waht a burning fiberglass boat looks like there was no interest in pulling our trailer up alongside his underway.

Either he saw it himself, or a car driver next to him got his attention, because he pulled over.

Last seen in the mirror he was stopped & there was a cloud of smoke. Hope it did not spread to the trailer body. Nice older Mountaineer.

[JaxDad]

K3WE wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
(Snipped for highlights)

1) you really think you could blind someone with a 3 AAA battery flashlight in their rear view mirror from probably 75' back?

2) I didn't see any 'bragging' and I certainly can't by any stretch of the English language figure out how a shirt pocket sized flashlight used to get the attention of a driver in a potentially deadly situation could be described as "obnoxious".

3) Well, not anyone with even a bit of common sense anyways.

#1. The number of AAA batteries is immaterial. I can get myself in big doo doo by shining my 2-AAA-battery laser pointer at an airplane.

#2. Let me remind you of what you wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
I have a small but extremely bright LED flashlight that lives in a pocket on the doghouse. It has an adjustable beam, flood to spot, and three settings, low, high and high strobe. You would NOT miss the strobe pointed your way.

I've used it a few times to get another drivers attention, it is very effective, day or night.

"Extremely bright", "LED", "High Strobe" "You would NOT miss it." "It's very effective day or night"

You're bragging dude.

3). There's too many people in the world who lack common sense.

...No where do you describe how you are careful at night to not use the Extremely bright, High Strobe setting, that's very effective and would NOT be missed during the day during the day...

...nor do you describe efforts to be sure you aren't blinding the other driver, nor describe how you convey that there's a problem with their trailer and you're not some road-rage person or car jacker.

I don't know if you have common sense or not, maybe you do. But the problem is indeed what you didn't say.

I stand behind my comments that folks need to be careful about using extremely bright lights that would NOT be missed day or night (regardless if you back pedal now on how weak it is or how many batteries you have).

# 1) you would be in big doo doo firing of a 12 gauge to get their attention to, it's also illegal on top of stupid, but that's not what we're talking about.

# 2) make a truthful statement, it is very bright, a person would not fail to see it as they would the waving the subject was asking for an alternative to, is not bragging. I'm sorry if you don't understand the language. Perhaps if I'd said something like my flashlight is brighter than your flashlight it could be interpreted as bragging.

# 3) I'm very quickly coming to realize that is all too true.

[toedtoes]

JaxDad wrote:

toedtoes wrote:

Sport45 wrote:
And please pray the strobe doesn't induce a seizure.

Look up photosensitive epilepsy and decide if you're willing to take the chance pointing a strobe at a stranger. Not just a stranger, but one driving a motor vehicle pulling a trailer that is about to come off its hitch.

Because isn't the reason you were trying to get their attention in the first place because there was a potentially dangerous situation if they kept driving?

There's no logic allowed in these threads, it's already been decided you're better off to make a phone call and HOPE an official can find the vehicle before something ugly happens.

I wasn't agreeing with you. I added that there is even MORE danger with pointing a strobe at a driver when they have a trailer about to come undone. Doing something that has the potential to make a bad situation worse is not smart.

[JaxDad]

toedtoes wrote:

Sport45 wrote:
And please pray the strobe doesn't induce a seizure.

Look up photosensitive epilepsy and decide if you're willing to take the chance pointing a strobe at a stranger. Not just a stranger, but one driving a motor vehicle pulling a trailer that is about to come off its hitch.

Because isn't the reason you were trying to get their attention in the first place because there was a potentially dangerous situation if they kept driving?

There's no logic allowed in these threads, it's already been decided you're better off to make a phone call and HOPE an official can find the vehicle before something ugly happens.

[toedtoes]

robwhite61 wrote:
If you are on the interstate, every state has signs posted for the number for their highway patrol. In TN it's *THP on your cell phone. This would be the number I would call instead of 911.

I don't think I've ever seen a sign on California interstates that provide a CHP number. The only number I've ever seen posted is 911. When we have signs saying to report drunk drivers, etc., they always use 911. But it's really good to know that there are other numbers posted in other states that should be used instead of 911.

[toedtoes]

Sport45 wrote:
And please pray the strobe doesn't induce a seizure.

Look up photosensitive epilepsy and decide if you're willing to take the chance pointing a strobe at a stranger. Not just a stranger, but one driving a motor vehicle pulling a trailer that is about to come off its hitch.

Because isn't the reason you were trying to get their attention in the first place because there was a potentially dangerous situation if they kept driving?

[Sport45]

And please pray the strobe doesn't induce a seizure.

Look up photosensitive epilepsy and decide if you're willing to take the chance pointing a strobe at a stranger. Not just a stranger, but one driving a motor vehicle pulling a trailer.

[toedtoes]

JaxDad wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
Not sure how you can flash any light in someone's rear view mirror from 75ft back when they're towing a trailer...

I think the point that's being made is simply that flashing lights at a stranger on the road is not likely to get their attention in a good way that will result in them pulling over. More likely, it will scare them and cause them to speed up trying to get away from the flasher - which will make a potentially dangerous situation more dangerous.

The point is simply to get someone's attention, PERIOD.

Why in God's green earth would someone accelerate away from a guy with a flashlight?

Why in god's green earth would someone pull over for some strange guy shining/flashing a light in my eyes while driving down the highway?

[K3WE]

JaxDad wrote:
(Snipped for highlights)

1) you really think you could blind someone with a 3 AAA battery flashlight in their rear view mirror from probably 75' back?

2) I didn't see any 'bragging' and I certainly can't by any stretch of the English language figure out how a shirt pocket sized flashlight used to get the attention of a driver in a potentially deadly situation could be described as "obnoxious".

3) Well, not anyone with even a bit of common sense anyways.

#1. The number of AAA batteries is immaterial. I can get myself in big doo doo by shining my 2-AAA-battery laser pointer at an airplane.

#2. Let me remind you of what you wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
I have a small but extremely bright LED flashlight that lives in a pocket on the doghouse. It has an adjustable beam, flood to spot, and three settings, low, high and high strobe. You would NOT miss the strobe pointed your way.

I've used it a few times to get another drivers attention, it is very effective, day or night.

"Extremely bright", "LED", "High Strobe" "You would NOT miss it." "It's very effective day or night"

You're bragging dude.

3). There's too many people in the world who lack common sense.

...No where do you describe how you are careful at night to not use the Extremely bright, High Strobe setting, that's very effective and would NOT be missed during the day during the day...

...nor do you describe efforts to be sure you aren't blinding the other driver, nor describe how you convey that there's a problem with their trailer and you're not some road-rage person or car jacker.

I don't know if you have common sense or not, maybe you do. But the problem is indeed what you didn't say.

I stand behind my comments that folks need to be careful about using extremely bright lights that would NOT be missed day or night (regardless if you back pedal now on how weak it is or how many batteries you have).

[Veebyes]

Get past him, slow down in front to get drivers attention, flashers, sweep hand up & over roof indicating to pull over, followed by a raised clenched fist to stop.

Alternating flashers & right signal might work too.

[OkSixpack]

robwhite61 wrote:
If you are on the interstate, every state has signs posted for the number for their highway patrol. In TN it's *THP on your cell phone. This would be the number I would call instead of 911.

This is the best answer on here so far. There are ways of getting someones attention without flashing a light in there eyes and taking a chance of blinding them. I can't believe some people are so insistent on using one. Oh well, this could go on forever.
Jim

[Sport45]

JaxDad wrote:
Why in God's green earth would someone accelerate away from a guy with a flashlight?

Because they don't know if they can trust the stranger trying to get them to stop?

[JaxDad]

toedtoes wrote:
Not sure how you can flash any light in someone's rear view mirror from 75ft back when they're towing a trailer...

I think the point that's being made is simply that flashing lights at a stranger on the road is not likely to get their attention in a good way that will result in them pulling over. More likely, it will scare them and cause them to speed up trying to get away from the flasher - which will make a potentially dangerous situation more dangerous.

The point is simply to get someone's attention, PERIOD.

Why in God's green earth would someone accelerate away from a guy with a flashlight?

[Sport45]

I think I'll go to Party City and pick up a costume badge. I'll put it in a card wallet along with one of my old driver's licenses.

That way I can pull up beside the vehicle in question and tap my horn. I'll hold the badge up alongside my 1911 and indicate he should pull over with a flick of the wrist.

That should do it. 🙂