Why do people often not indicate when turning into side roads?

[weltweit]

But if they're not aware, it'd be best to indicate anyway, just in case.

Sure.

All I am saying is when driving slowly through a residential area at 3am there is probably not much need to indicate as you will be the only human about!

Equally when approaching one of the mini roundabouts here where there is good visibility, if there is no one around it is not necessary to indicate.

 

[Kanda]

Probably you say.

Therefore, not 100% certain.

Just indicate, scared of wearing out your bulbs?

 

[Crispy]

that may be so. personally, I do it every time anyway. that way there's no room for error at all.

the chances are slim, but there might be someone walking at 3am, there might be someone sprinting or cycling that you didn't see. Other road users shouldn't have to depend on your judgement, iyswim.

 

[weltweit]

... the chances are slim, but there might be someone walking at 3am, there might be someone sprinting or cycling that you didn't see. Other road users shouldn't have to depend on your judgement, iyswim.

Other road users depend on my judgement all the time, and I on theirs.

Did you see the head on collision FifthGear showed where both cars were doing 60mph, the legal speed at which you can drive on an A road. Both cars were completely smashed. There would have been no survivors, that was a closing speed of 120mph.

Every time I drive down an A road I am completely at the mercy of the judgement of all the road users that are coming towards me, and they at mine. If just one of us gets it wrong and crosses the white line (for any reason) it is a total catastrophe for both of us.

Indicators are very important. It is important that they are used when they should be used and not used when they should not be used.

Some friends of mine were nearly killed on a motorcycle because their indicators did not cancel and they continued down a road with their left hand indicator on. A driver seeing that turned into the main road immediately in front of them and simply took them out.

Because of that I stripped the indicators off my motorcycle so I could not be taken in the same sort of accident. I used hand signals since then, its pretty hard to leave a hand signal on .

Personally I do not trust indicators very much because of experiences like that, I watch the vehicle, how it is positioned in the road, which way it appears to be going to go rather than just relying on the indications which appear to be showing.

 

[jusali]

Sure.

All I am saying is when driving slowly through a residential area at 3am there is probably not much need to indicate as you will be the only human about!

Equally when approaching one of the mini roundabouts here where there is good visibility, if there is no one around it is not necessary to indicate.

Jesus, it's not as if it's that much of an effort is it?

Mirror, Signal, Manouevre it should be a reflex before every action, seriously!

 

[weltweit]

Jesus, it's not as if it's that much of an effort is it?

Mirror, Signal, Manouevre it should be a reflex before every action, seriously!

Sure, 99% of the time I probably do do that .. Well I am about to pop out in my car and will perhaps report back if I did or not !!

..

My main point is that you the driver should be aware of all the vehicles and pedestrians that are around you, all the time. If you are not aware of them then you are not driving with due care and attention.

 

[tommers]

I get so utterly sick and tired of these lazy cunts - the motorway ones are the worst. And - flamed or not - they are ALWAYS men. Always.

grrr!!!! those bloody men! they get everywhere don't they?

 

[pogofish]

because they are thoughtless cunts, end of.

This!

I've also heard not indicating justified a few times & it is often something along the lines of - "I know where I'm going, why should I bother telling anyone else?"



I also have to say that I don't see much difference between wealth & sex of driver in this - Each can as bad as the other.

I would however be interested to see any corrolation between not indicating & mobile phone use - IME, if the driver is yacking away, they are much less likely to indicate.

Personally, It is at the point where if I am joining traffic, I don't move till I can actually see their wheels turning.

 

[bi0boy]

I usually shout 'INDICATE!!!!' if their window is open, the lazy gits.

I usually shout "FUCKING INDICATE YOU STUPID CUNT!!", especially if I have to jump out of the way, which will probably get me stabbed or maybe shot one day.

 

[gentlegreen]

Indicators are very important. It is important that they are used when they should be used and not used when they should not be used.

Some friends of mine were nearly killed on a motorcycle because their indicators did not cancel and they continued down a road with their left hand indicator on. A driver seeing that turned into the main road immediately in front of them and simply took them out.

Because of that I stripped the indicators off my motorcycle so I could not be taken in the same sort of accident. I used hand signals since then, its pretty hard to leave a hand signal on .

Personally I do not trust indicators very much because of experiences like that, I watch the vehicle, how it is positioned in the road, which way it appears to be going to go rather than just relying on the indications which appear to be showing.

But indicators do cancel these days, and all of us make mistakes - so every little helps I reckon.

I have to say I never used to have indicators on my motorcycles either - or mirrors come to that.

And yes, I need more than another vehicle's indicator before I pull out.

 

[weltweit]

But indicators do cancel these days, and all of us make mistakes - so every little helps I reckon.

I have to say I never used to have indicators on my motorcycles either - or mirrors come to that.

And yes, I need more than another vehicle's indicator before I pull out.

I was the same, no indicators and no mirrors. Ok when you are riding quickly and people do not come up behind you a lot but perhaps not so clever in other instances.

But on many motorcycles it is sometimes quite hard to realise that your indicators are still on. Bright sunlight perhaps or not taking your eyes away from the road to look down at the instruments for a moment both can mean you are driving along without realising that you are indicating and that can cause a nasty accident.

 

[weltweit]

I watched myself as I drove this afternoon trying to work out if I always indicate or only indicate when there are people there to indicate to.

The roads were however quite busy so I automatically indicated at every junction.

It is true to say that you should always mirror signal manouver but I think I have gotten into the habit of in fact indicating at people.

What I mean when I say I indicate at people is that each time I indicate I have a specific target in mind who I want to see my indication, vehicles to the right, to the left, entering a roundabout .. I am indicating at them, it is them that I want to see my indication.

If you were driving on an empty motorway in the slow lane and decided you wanted to move to the centre lane for maximum safety would you indicate? I would probably not, why? because what is the point? there is no one there to see your indication.

Incidentally I did save the life of a young woman today on my way home. She approached the side of the road I was driving on looking as if she was intending to cross and she was only looking in the other direction as if she had forgotten completely that vehicles could be coming from my direction also. I slowed as I approached her and then slowed a lot to a complete standstill as she stepped out into the road in front of me. Had I not been aware of her and the mistake she seemed likely to be about to make I would have continued at 30mph and would have run her over.

So I just come back to my main point : you the driver should be aware of all the vehicles and pedestrians that are around you, all the time. If you are not aware of them then you are not driving with due care and attention.

 

[Stobart Stopper]

If there are no cars behind me or pulling out of the road I don't usually bother to indicate.

 

[Crispy]

So I just come back to my main point : you the driver should be aware of all the vehicles and pedestrians that are around you, all the time. If you are not aware of them then you are not driving with due care and attention.

100% agree
however your attention is not infallible. therefore, always indicate, just in case

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

in essence you only should indicate to warn other road users (including pedestrains) of your intent to turn no visiable road users no need to indicate.

which is fine on a country road not so good in cities and towns however.

part of it is incosiderate behaviour part of it is that a hell of alot of people don't know where they are actually going and haven't planned their journey to be aware of when they need to turn and i'm afraid a large part of it is that there's an awrful lot of prats on any form of transport.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

100% agree
however your attention is not infallible. therefore, always indicate, just in case

which is against the highway code. btw.

 

[gentlegreen]

which is against the highway code. btw.

Oh dear - better arrest all of us at one time or another - that'll save so many lives.

If we were all totally moral beings we would stick to rail or bicycles.

Failing that, we may choose to indicate more often than strictly necessary.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

and in doing so if it isn't necesary who exactly are you indicating too?

other than your already smug ego?

 

[weltweit]

which is against the highway code. btw.

Oh, is it? its a long time since I read the Highway code, what does it say on the matter of indicating?

 

[gentlegreen]

and in doing so if it isn't necesary who exactly are you indicating too?

other than your already smug ego?

Oh do please get out from up yourself.

3 prepositions in a row - top that.

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

Oh, is it? its a long time since I read the Highway code, what does it say on the matter of indicating?

all advanced and indded standard drving technics will tell you that it shows you aren't paying sufficent attention to your road conditions if you indicate to no one as i said exactly who are you indicating too...

people who indicate out of habit rather than variying their actions to the road conditions are promoting poor road craft.

 

[gentlegreen]

people who indicate out of habit rather than variying their actions to the road conditions are promoting poor road craft.

It may show that, or it may simply show that you aren't wasting thinking time deciding whether or not to indicate.

... or as I said before, acknowledging that we aren't all IAM candidates all of the time.

------

It's like this "rule" about not staying in the middle lane on motorways.
It's bleedin' obvious that changing lanes is a hazardous procedure - especially in an older car with blind spots ... so if there are miles of caravans in the inside lane, you'll find me in the middle one a lot of the time - making allowances of course for those who are only there for a rest and indicate their desire to pull out ...

I wonder what the IAM thinks of cyclists like me who stake their claim on the road and don't dip into every available gap between parked cars .. ?

I keep thinking of signing up for an IAM course, but as mainly a cyclist, I doubt I would be able to swallow the whole of their religion.
(I doubt my 15 year old car would be up to the job either).

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

there's no may about it it's quite binary in that aspect if you aren't thinking about what you are doin gon the road that is poor road craft you shouldn't be on the road and be descratcted by anything else is the ideal.

of course i'll accept not everyone get's on the road inthe right head state to actually become road traffic in the first place the point is they shouldn't.

I really can't see why you dissapprove of people following the correct road useage and view it as some kind of flippancy which is optional.

the IAM woudl tell you not to duck in and out of the cars (unless the road suffiecently narrowed to prevent safe passge of course) as this will expose you to more danger than a countious movement which will expouse you to less danger.

you seem to be under the impression that good road craft is something which is anti cycling. It isn't its about being a more considerate, observant road user.

If you have the oppertunty take the course i think you'd be suprised. they can provide cars if yours isn't up to it.

 

[gentlegreen]

Well you do it your way, I'll do it mine, and with luck some policeman will take me off the road before I kill someone.

(You aren't TJ's lovechild by any chance ? )

*retires to chaise longue with the vapours*

 

[Crispy]

It's very possible to be fully aware of your surroundings and indicate every time as a force of habit, garf. It's not binary, its complementary.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Someone nearly killed me the other day, speeding merrily into a side-road without indicating. They had a good excuse though, they were on the phone so probably didn't have a hand free to use the signal.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

On the flip side though, whilst I always hand signal coming in to the side road before my house from the main road, it's quite common for the hoards of peds walking across it to not notice me till I'm already in.

 

[newme]

Originally Posted by GarfieldLeChat
people who indicate out of habit rather than variying their actions to the road conditions are promoting poor road craft.

Indeed, much as I find myself disagreeing with Garf on many things, that is exactly what you get taught by driving instructors, my dads missus being one. If theres no one else to see your signal on the road, you should know that 100% because of being aware of your surroundings and by proper looking etc before attempting the signal or maneovure. Fairly sure it will actually count against you in a test if you indicate when the road is empty, as it shows a lack of awareness of your surroundings and other road users, or lack thereof.

 

[newme]

Not to say that a disturbing number of people aren't aware of any number of things while on the road, or are just complete and utter bastards, particularily it seems that if a Motorbike is filtering through traffic and your stuck there unable to move much or very fast, a worrying number of people seem to find it acceptable to unexpectedly pull further into the middle of the road, seemingly in an attempt to block their passage.

So whoever that was in the that french piece of shit car, I hope a lorry does the same to you so you can experience the same disparity of size and weight and fucking think about what your doing next time you decide to take your frustration out on someone who didnt decide to buy a 4 seater car and sit in traffic on his own.

 

[Crispy]

Hmm. I can see the argument, but it doesn't make logical sense to me. It's impossible to be 100% aware at all times - our eyes face forwards, and our vision is imperfect. I'll make the best use of those faculties, but having an instinctual backup can be useful.