Correct Driving technique

[lilyfrog]

Can anyone answer a question which my husband and I have been arguing about for years. The query is how to overtake correctly on the motorway.

His thoery is that you put your indicator on and then sit and wait for a gap in the lane you are moving in to as this lets the drivers know you want to pull over so they let you in.

I appreciate this makes a lot of sense and is the most common practice, however I remember being taught to wait for the gap in the traffic and then indicate when you you know you are going to move. My theories for this are that it is mirror, signal, manouver not signal, mirror, manouver. Also if I see a car put its indicator on when there is no room to pull in fron of me I panic they have not seen me and are going to pull in to me.

Shouldn't an indicator mean you are moving, not intending to soon.

[Loosehead]

Generally it is as you say , Mirror, signal, manouver. Often though on busy motorways you could wait all day for a gap so signalling your intentions is often used to encourage some kind sole to leave a gap to let you into.

This is most common when,you are on the inside lane and come up to truck and have to get past. The highway code encourages you to move over to the left but in doing so you put yourself up the backside of a truck all the time and have to repeat the above all the way down the MW. That I think is why a lot of people stay in the middle lane, but that's another story.

[lilyfrog]

best not to get started on the middle lane thing!

so would you say that I am correct then in my theory of what is good driving?

[Grunty]

On the police advanced course and the heavy goods course, the procedure taught is to start the signal when an overtaking vehicle is beside you.  That vehicle will not react, but the next one will have maximum warning that you intend to move out. 

No, an indicator is not to show what you are doing now.  People can see that without a signal.  The idea is to warn them of what you intend to do, so they can make allowances in good time.  Of course many people do signal and steer at the same time, and then the point of signalling at all is lost.

I take Loosehead's point, but suggest that if this is necessary, then the traffic is too close together for the speed and I for one prefer not to get between them.

[Loosehead]

Yes you are technically correct but to get out from behind that truck you'll have to stretch the point a bit or you'll be there all day. It's like trying to turn right at a busy junction. The highway code says "Wait for a gap and......." but in reality you'd wait till xmas so you edge out, not good, but necessary. The highway code is a guide, you some times have to use a bit of common in certain situations

[derekpara]

When I see the opportunity to overtake coming up Iactivate the indicator and let it flash three times before beginning my manouvre. Likewise, when returning to the inside (or middle) lane I adopt the same procedure. This allows my message to sink in and for people to respond.  I was taught this by a Class1 police driver many years ago and it seems to work. In Germany I have noticed what Lilyfrog describes earlier; drivers there do leave their indicators on for long periods waiting for a gap. Mind you, many cars now seem to have inoperative indicators !

[depressedmgl]

I suspect you are all wrong.  If you drive a BMW, you move out, put your indicator on for one blink.  The volvo driver doesn't have to bother using the indicator at all, after all he has his headlamps on all the time.  Kia drivers have one indicator going all the time which alternates with a brake light.

[Gef]

Well said mdoo98! Poor derek seems to think that 3 flashes of his indicator means get out of my way. What an idiot. Unfortunately many drivers are like that today. Correct way is to indicate and wait for a couteous and vigilant driver to let you out.

[nfn]

lilyfrog, yet another example where we women drivers are much better than men.

[derekpara]

mdoo98 Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I indicate when there is no-one beside me or anywhere near me in my intended lane. In other words it is clear to pull out.As for GEF, disagree with me by all means, but insults at a distance are underhand and should have no part in a discussion group like this.  I strive to improve my driving every day, and have been doing so for many years by various means. Anyone who attempts to make a daily advancement in driving skill is to be encouraged, not insulted.

[chazza]

I was taught that you put your indicator on just before you move, if it is safe to move (ie not when there is another car beside you).  I agree with you about the panic thing, i do it too!)

 

I also hate cars that move lanes and then dont cancel their signal and drive for miles with an indicator on.  How can they not see/hear the indicator flashing!

[ursula62]

When I was doing my motorbike training (the instructor was an ex police bike instructor) I was advised that all an indicator tells other drivers is that the bulb is working.  It is your observation and general road skills that alert you to what other drivers intend to do. That's why learners aren't allowed on motorways, they haven't enough experience to anticipate what other drivers might do.

Depressed has a good point... the standard of driving on motorways is pretty terrible. Particularly people with fast cars who think they can do what they like, without mentioning those people with trailers or caravans who don't follow the rules in the highway code, and the middle lane hoggers.

If we all followed the highway code then driving on motorways would be a much nicer experience.

Of course that assumes that everyone knows the highway code... which we all know isn't true!

Oh for annual tests to make sure we all kept our skills up to scratch.  I suspect this would possibly make more Government revenue than speed cameras!

[Gef]

derekpara, I offer you my sincerest apologies. I totally misread your method as winking three times whilst moving out. I totally agree with your answer. Once again, I am sorry.

[derekpara]

GEF.  Apology accepted, of course. My fault for not making myself clear.

[mouthu]

Better idea, i would agree that all an indicator does is let others know it's working, personally I think you'd be safer taking the bus or getting a truck ( might is right) ever noticed who comes of better when a truck indicates...