Too Idle To Indicate

[DickieD]

I have had a driving licence since 1959. In 45 years of motoring I have always tried to be as helpful and courteous to others on the road as possible. I rarely fail to indicate and give up my priority with a headlamp flash umpteen times a day - it's really not difficult, and speeds others on their way.
Why then is it so darn difficult for everyone to do this? I am constantly jamming on my brakes at roundabouts because people approaching from the right, and who intend to turn left are Too Idle To Indicate. (TITI). And there again few people give up their priority for me. Are they incapable of seeing what goes on 75 yards in front? Do they know where their headlamp flasher switch is? Three women drivers where I used to work didn't, and I can only recall one woman giving up her priority to me. (Stand by for flak). It seems that many these days put as much thought (the police called it Roadcraft) into their driving as they apply to putting on their socks. But the real question is: are those who are TITI never ***sed off by all the other TITIs? If so why don't they mend their ways at the next junction? Perhaps it's time I gave up, but I really enjoy driving my hairy little sports car, it's just not much fun in traffic.

[doorknob]

Well you got that off your chest, someone must have p***** you off a treat today.  I do agree with you. My bugbear is the people that drive up to traffic lights in the outside lane (UK driving) and you wait patiently behind them only to find they switch their right turn indicator on when the lights change!  As a point of fact, headlight flashing is a warning instrument, used similarly to a horn and shouldn't really be used as you suggest.

[Hgrove]

I also try to be as courteous as possible in driving, and I do find many other drivers extremely irritating as well as dangerous for not indicating etc.  In particular, drivers should always make allowances for the fact that the driver in front of them may simply not know the way or be looking for a house no. or road sign and therefore they may be going slowly and may indicate and turn suddenly.  This one is in the highway code but they never do!  Once I realised I was approaching a roundabout where I had to turn right so I had to move into the right hand lane from the left.  I was not going very fast.  A car in the right hand lane was shooting down way too fast, he was obviously irritated by my presence, he hooted his horn at me and then overtook me on the left and shot over the roundabout.  I have to say for a second I wished him an accident.  I don't know how fast he was going but way too fast.  Another time I had to merge from a sliproad onto an A road but it was pitch dark and raining and I realised my window was completely steemed up so I had no choice, I had to stop and open the window.  In so doing I lost my chance and it took a while before there was another gap.  Just as I was moving off at the next opportunity the a**eh**e behind me decided he was tired of waiting, he overtook me on the inside and moved in front of me in order to get onto the A road.

[senga-marie]

My father was a policeman and used to supplement my driving lessons (OMG back in 1977) and he drummed into me the concept of roadcraft, and I have to agree with DickieD, very few female drivers apply it or even seem to be aware of it. I listen to the other girls spouting on about us being 'safer' drivers than men, and then I ride in their cars with them and cringe. Sorry ladies, but as an advanced driver myself, I have to concur that the majority of men are the 'better' drivers, Being a good driver does not mean behaving as if you are taking you test each time you drive, most male drivers, have the mentality of keeping the flow, and this means looking much further ahead, better judgement of speed and distance ratio (how many women have you sat behind at busy junctions , who miss chance after chance to pull out?) A girl I know  never yeilds for drivers wishing to turn right mainly because she never notices then on time, and because she reckons not enough people do it for her!  Yeah gal..right on !!

[DickieD]

doorknob -- I'm aware of the Highway Code's rule on headlight flashing. Nevertheless, I think, in common with one or two well known motoring journalists, that this rule is due for an update in an attempt to unclog the roads. A quick flash could be officially adopted as meaning 'proceed, I am aware of you and prepared to slow if necessary' or 'it's OK for you to pull over' the latter mainly for lorries of course, whilst a long flash could still mean a warning. I expect it's easier for the powers that be to keep the status quo because of the difficulties that could arise if drivers fumbled their indicating and flashed inadvertently, or if all were suddenly expected to possess the ability to read the situation ahead which many don't. As senga-marie says, there are many with very little ability to judge others' speed and intentions. When you think that immediately after passing the test they can go out on the (now overcrowded) motorways and be all around you, a few feet either side doing 70mph plus�. well, it worries me somewhat.

[Hgrove]

I must disagree with Senga-Marie; being a good driver is also about being tolerant of the fact that not all other drivers are as "good" as yourself;  there are the new drivers, the elderly drivers, those who simply don't know the way, those who have three screaming kids in the back etc.  Being a good driver means first and foremost being safe, and this includes being tolerant of other road users;  becoming impatient because the driver in front of you misses a chance to turn right is not part of being a good driver, it just makes you a bulling road user.   All this is in the Highway Code.

[doorknob]

DickieD - I'm with you on all points, I just thought I'd mention the "flashing" bit for if you were involved in a collision resulting from your flashing in the way you advocate, you would probable be held "mostly" responsible due to its inclusion in the Highway Code. It's frightening what people aren't aware of in the Highway Code.  When being instructed in 'roadcraft' I was told to use a slight (but noticeable) inclination of the head towards other drivers.  In this way if the wheel were to come off later (pun intended) your intentions could be totally deniable.  If all people drove their vehicles as if the car in front/behind were a marked police vehicle there would be far fewer accidents and a lot less road rage.

[sddsddean]

Go along with Dickies comments, my main problem is that driving an HGV, you want to keep it moving (saves on diesel, wear etc.), so I coast up to roundabouts, have to stop for vehicles coming from the right, just to see them belt down the road I've come up. As with so many things, people seem to think indicators are for their own benefit, not other drivers. This scenario is repeated in rain. Obviously loads of people don't put their lights on as it won't help them see, but the point is, it is so they can be seen.

If I might hijack the post a bit, is it just me, or do other people find that more and more people are pulling out in front of you and you have to slam the brakes on? I thought it was just when I was driving my truck (the 'I don't want to get stuck behind that' attitude), but I find it more and more happens when I am driving the car. At least once a day (probably 2 or 3 times) someone pulls out of a side turning and I have to slam the anchors on! Then they proceed to do '22mph' and normally pull into a turning 300 yards up the road. Are people really that intolerant nowadays?

[apricot2]

I think part of the problem is down to where you live.  I live in a small rural community where I don't dare to carve anyone up as they probably know me.  I try not only to be considerate but also tolerant of  other drivers 'shortcomings'.  After all, what does a rant actually achieve? 

[DickieD]

sddsddean -- unlikely to happen I know, but it would be a good idea for every new driver to spend a week with a truck driver so they could appreciate the problems. I drove a truck with a 4 wheel drawbar trailer on the continent for a few years in the 70s. It seemed that once off the ferry at Dover all the problems you mention began. It's worse now I'm sure. Probably because of that experience I now actively look to help LGVs and buses. Buses because each passenger could represent another car now not clogging the highway. Naturally I don't jam on my brakes to do this - in most cases a slight lift off the throttle is all that's necessary. Plus the flash!!

[Del68]

Totally agree with you DickieD. I find that far too many people consider certain features on their vehicles "option extras" Things like indicators and mirrors which they opt not to use, another is their own necks which they quite often forget is able to turn and actually look over their shoulders. Fog lights are a bit of a mystery too, I must be driving with my eyes closed the number of cars I see with these lights on when I have not seen any fog what so ever. Do people realise it is quite dangerous to drive with them on when it's not even slightly foggy? They dazzle the driver infront and those coming towards them. Anothe rbug bear is tailgateing. I travel the lenght of the M27 every day during rush hour, and the number of accidents caused because of tailgateing is just ridiculous, no doubt the option not to use a mirror and indicators is a big factor in these accidents too. Most profession that require driving insist have mandatory re-testing on a regular basis, even if it is every ten years I believe that ALL drivers should be re-tested every so often, and failed if necessary. Maybe then we would have more considerate and safe drivers on the road and fewer idiots who cause the accidents and incidently drive on their merry way leaving the carnage behind them (which of course they don't see because the rear view mirrow is an optional extra which they opt not to use)
Rant over, just my tuppence worth.

[Clanad]

As long as we're allowed a certain amount of politcal incorrectness, I'd like to touch on a truly frightening vision most of us have probably experienced.  That moment of stark terror when, upon glancing in the rear-view mirror, we see it completely filled with a small (usually red) car, in which the (usually a less than 20 age female) driver is is concurrently talking on a cell phone and, with their other hand, adjusting their makeup in their rear-view mirror!  I usually try to head for the side of the road.

[sddsddean]

Agree with you Dickie. You can't appreciate driving a large vehicle unless you've done it. I'm not sure if it was on here or not, but someone suggested everyone should take a test on a motorbike for the same reasons.

As to your point Del about retests, I agree with you, but it will never happen. 1) It is a vote loser. 2) The DVLA are stretched as they are, without having to worry about retests. What I think is worse, are these TV progs that show the likes of Maureen, who has had 20 odd tests, 1000 lessons etc and still wants to pass. Assuming they can drive, for 30 mins, on a test on the 26th test, would you believe they can drive? There should be a limit of, say, 5 or 10 tests, before you have to give up. Driving is a skill and some people can do it and some people can't, but you would be hard pressed to find anyone who will admit to being a bad driver (I'm not talking about making mistakes, we all do that, but some people just cannot drive). Maybe the Government can help in some ways. As an HGV driver I had to have a medical before I could take my test. Now I am (almost) 45, I have to have a medical every 5 years. I had mine last week and was amazed that I passed the required sight test without my glasses on!! Surely the Government can lead the way by bringing in meaningful medicals and perhaps all drivers should be subject to them. There must be 3 or4  cases a year you read about someone knocking someone over on a crossing and the driver is legally blind!

Rant over!

 

[simms]

Is this something that bothers you?

[saffstar]

DickieD I am a lady driver and I routinely give up my priority - if you ever come across me on the road I'll prove it!  I just wish people would return the favour; I spent literally four minutes last Friday morning just trying to pull out of my driveway (no senga-marie, I wasn't being all girly!) with every driver steadfastly ignoring me  - rude, miserable b****rs.  In the end a lovely HGV driver let me out - I do hope he has a lovely Christmas!!!!

[DickieD]

Well done saffstar - I just wish there more of us about. We would all get around much quicker and in the process derive some satisfaction from not being one of your inept, tunnel-visioned 'rude miserable b*****s'! I hope you and your HGV driver (and all who are not TITI) have a nice Christmas.