Indicators

[MsBehave]

Why cant or wont half the driving public use their indicators? I just dont get it. They are there for a reason and yet people appear to be using them less and less.

[ninja]

I notice this problem nearly always seems to be BMW's. My other half once commented on this, so I jokingly told her that indicators were an expensive option on BMWs which is why hardly any of them had working indicators. I'm sure she still believes me to this day!

[acw]

Well I've tried shouting at them!  (The drivers not the indicators).  I find that referring to them as WINKERS helps.  Change one letter and you have the drivers, leave it as it is, it's just a nice name for the indicators!

One problem may be people thinking they're in a "right only lane" and tus have no need to indicate.  They forget that the oncoming traffic may not KNOW that it's a right only lane. 

Reason is probably that too many drivers are too lazy and too arrogant to bother.  May their cars be smashed in accidents they cause.  And may they be sued from here to Kingdom Come.  Or have their licences revoked.  :-)

[Gilli]

'Cos they're both stupid and selfish.

[IndieSinger]

I agree with everyone but acw in particular. Much better is to just make sure there is never any doubt. I, for instance, will even put on my indicator when turning onto a one-way street. It's a habit I've done since I started driving so would be difficult to break and there is absolutely no confusion as to the direction my vehicle is about to go. It's much safer all-round and I wish more people would do it.

I think that's part of the problem - not indicating if you technically don't need to. This gets you into a habit of not indicating all the time and so it becomes almost a chore to indicate when it is vital.

I'm taking bookings on "IndieSinger's SAD" (IndieSinger's School of Advanced Driving) now on 078...

[derekpara]

We've had this discussion before,  especially the lack of signals at roundabouts - even when doing 360 degrees !

I often see drivers following me negotiating junctions, roundabouts, right and left turns and giving no signals at all. Initially, my response was to be 'S-d you, mate, I'm keeping you informed but now I'm not telling you where I'm going and let's see how you like it.' But, I thought that other drivers might think that I am one of those arrogant, thoughtless b---ers. So I adopted the 'Let's teach them how it should be done' approach and signalled as per the Highway Code and IAM method.  Even if there are no cars or bikes around, a pedestrian will often appreciate some indication of which turning you're going to take.

I don't want to sound self-righteous; I just want to drive on safer roads.

[acw]

Excellent point Derekpara!!!  People so often forget about pedestrians.  And after all they are the least protected people using our roads!  They don't have a tonne of metal cage to protect them from other idiot highway users!!!

[flaming]

My first car had orange signal arrows coming out of the sides by the doors to indicate.  I had to demonstrate my use of indicators in my driving test, so I was most upset when people didn't have to when 'winkers' came into general use.

Whinge dept.: Don't you just love being behind people who don't indicate that they are turning right until the very last second, and then they indicate, leaving you stuck behind until they go?  And what about people not indicating coming at you round a roundabout where your exit in tight traffic is reliant on whether they signal or not ?

[KebabMeister]

Years ago they used to have a TV advert that showed how to use round-a-bouts and how/when to indicate when using them.  I really think they should start showing this advert again because the majority of people I saw not indicating was on round-a-abouts.

[Gilli]

What makes me spitting mad is people who manoevere (sp ?), and indicate after ..... I mean, how ridiculous and dangerous is that ?

[acw]

Yes - whatever happened to mirror, signal, man... *toddles off to get a dictionary*....*toddles back*... manoeuvre !?!?!

I really agree that the problem is mainly on roundabouts.  Especially also on mini roundabouts.  So many people think that if they're taking the "sort of straight ahead ish" exit, there's no need to clarify that they're not going right! Grrr!  Surely there's no harm in making sure people understand your intentions!?

Mind you, signalling too early is also a pain, e.g., people going to turn into their drive so putting the winker on and then driving past 2 or 3 side streets before suddenly slamming the breaks on! Grrr again!!!

[IndieSinger]

Yes flaming! Almost as bad as the people who brake then indicate. AGH!

[derekpara]

Agreed, IndieSinger, but the old police driving manual stipulated, Mirror,Speed(brakes?), Signal, Manouvre!  It seemed obvious to me that if you gave a left or right signal coming up to a junction you would have to slow down and by signalling first you gave following drivers advance warning.

Like Flaming I took my driving test a long while ago (1954) when Winkers (what a lovely word) were unheard of. The correct procedure for using semaphore signals was to give a hand signal, withdraw your arm (usually wet!) and confirm with your semaphore indicator. I still use the ' I am slowing down' arm signal on rare occasions, when it may not be obvious to following traffic that I will be losing speed - not on motorways of course. 

[Zen]

I notice Mercedes Benz even have indicators in the wing mirrors,but I have yet to see them work on any Mercedes!!!

[Mobius1]

Being a relatively new driver, I find people not indicating to be very annoying, particularly at roundabouts as people have mentioned. I'm sure it's bad enough for practised drivers who have years of judgement experience, but I find it a nightmare sometimes.

I never understood why my driving instructor always encouraged me "not" to indicate on quiet roads when beginning or ending my journey unless somebody was benefitting from it. Surely a "better safe than sorry" policy is more prudent? I can't imagine indicating to nobody being particularly harmful - especially since it's only "nobody" as far as "you" can see.

[acw]

I'm sure I was told always to indicate, even if only for the benefit of the "invisible road user".  And I passed in 2000 - hardly an age ago! 

I agree though Mobius, for new drivers it is very scary.  Experienced drivers have the advantage of being better able to judge/guess people's actions from road position etc.  HOWEVER, with that assuming comes the huge risk that we'll get it wrong.  After all, if they can't be bothered to indicate, what's to say they'll bother to use correct road position!?!

[hedgehog661]

Hi

Mobius1, its a pity your instructor did'nt explain it. however I will try for you. Effective use signals needs to be preceeded by an effective mirror (MSM) before we use a signal we look into are mirrors not just at them there we make the decision, Will any body benifit from my signal? If the answer is yes then we signal. Many drivers just signal out of habit and don't look properly before pulling out, shouting "did'nt you see my signal?" as they crash or nearly crash. Espeacially on your driving test your examiner would have pulled you up several times and you moved offf again, he/she was checking your signals and hence effective use of mirrors. This does not distract from the fact thhat we must always signal are intention when moving or turning to the left or right as we are considering the vehicles that may be round the corner. With experience we grow to learn about the bods that do not signal and are just inconsiderate, we soon notice that thier position or speed is telling us that they are turning or that the bonnet badge say's BMW therefore expect no signal.

Hope this helps

[lethologica]

Should put these drivers on bikes and introduce them to the "lifesaver" (a last minute look over your shoulder to check no-one's decided to overtake you whilst turning right or something stupid)...

They might then realise that simply flicking a switch is the least they should be doing...

[Zen]

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2005/truthful-adverti sing-p2.php?gobackto=funny-latestqqlatest-pictures

[MsBehave]

Just to put another swing on this, why is it when buses put their indicators on they have the right to move no matter what. Even if there is nobody behind me the bus will just stick on its indicator and pull out in front of me.

[hedgehog661]

You should anticipate the bus pulling out by the amount of passengers getting on off etc, The highway code say's giveway to busses,, so anticipate them in the same way you do traffic lights.