Is it just me, or is indicating going out of fashion?

zagfles

Deleted_User wrote: »

It's not just if other cars need to know if your are indicating. People on foot need to know too. That's how I was told when learning to drive.

Many a time I have crossed the road and someone in a car trying to enter it has taken offence because I was crossing it. Only they were not indicating because they thought they didn't need too as there was no other cars about.

Yes this happened to me, nearly got run over by some silly cow who turned left without indicating - her excuse was that cars have to turn left there (straight on was buses only), but as a pedestrian crossing a side road HTF was I supposed to know, I couldn't see the signs from where I was.

Some people really need to engage their brains, just because it's the only way they can go doesn't mean that's obvious to other road users.

Another one was when I was driving, waiting at red light, oncoming traffic had a right filter with filter on green. Some moron car turned right without indicating, some moron cyclist going my way went through the red light - guess what happened. Would say they both deserved it if I were evil

alastairq

''anybody actually needs to know''

There is a common presumption that, when driving, the only other 'road-users' are other drivers.

Which is why, in all my driving-related posts throughout, I refer to 'road-users', or 'anyone'......it is my job to do so,between 8 and 4!

TrickyWicky

alastairq wrote: »

SO, do you indicate when it is un-necessary? [Simply because 'you were taught to?']

Oh boy, here we have a BMW driver who thinks indicating is clearly a bad thing.

No I indicate whenever I should do. I don't judge whether it is or is not necessary, I simply indicate my intentions so that others know what I intend to do. That is what you're supposed to do. You're not supposed to decide for yourself that you don't need to indicate - thats how errors and accidents happen.

FYI If I am going right, I will indicate right. If I am going ahead I will not indicate. If I am going left, I will indicate left. Got a problem with that?

alastairq wrote: »

Because after 6 years of holding a licence, you really should be at quite an advanced level of skill as a driver....and by now should be looking to see if ''anybody actually needs to know'' what you intend to do?

Seriously whats your problem? I indicate so that people know what I am doing. I could simply not bother would that please you?

You're slating my driving after 6 years yet you actually don't know me, have no idea how safe or dangerous I am on the road and have no idea whether your comments are warranted or not.

alastairq wrote: »

[for the driving test, your use of indicators would be assessed on use ''when necessary, correctly, and in good time'']

Are you still ranting on pointlessly?

alastairq wrote: »

Whether you see another road user indicating, or not....the question that should be asked is, 'did anyone else need to know?'

When you see another road user indicating, you're the road user that needed to know so I would say yes.

Why are you trying to suggest that indicating is bad? - This thread is about the very people that you sound like.

alastairq wrote: »

and, 'did that indication, or lack of, create a problem amongst those road users around and about?'

Oh seriously, you really must be a BMW driver.

alastairq wrote: »

Using indicators can also be misleading....if done with the best of intentions, but incorrectly.... just as much as not bothering to indicate at all.

No doubt about that however you seem to be on the war path against their use at all.

alastairq wrote: »

The same with the 'token-gesture' indication.

If you get two flashes in my area count yourself lucky! Most folks don't even bother indicating at all. On the local motorway you'll sometimes get one flash though.

alastairq wrote: »

If one copes comfortably with the actions of others, then a good job of driving has been done.

I wish I could say the same about some peoples reactions to forum posts.. :rotfl:

alastairq

The symptoms of a driver who has progressed little from the day they passed their test?

I would expect a better understanding of the principles your instructor taught you....especially after 6 years of 'holding' a licence?

You have built your opinion of how to conduct yourself on the roads, based on limited training for licence acquisition.....! You are full of misinterpretation and misunderstanding!

You are not alone!

However, carry on as you are.....but don't dare to criticise those on the roads who have bothered to educate themselves about driving, further than that needed to pass the test.

Pop into WH Smith,and buy yourself 'Roadcraft', to get a better understanding of all the aspects of driving ?

SCO

This is my top driving annoyance as well. not any specific type of person that does it, but have noticed it seems to be the newer cars that do it.

Generally 80% wont indicate.

I think not signalling shoud be either a £50 or £100 fine.

You would not pass the driving test without signalling.

Ynayesta

Taxi Drivers, and Audi Drivers (my experience) in this area seem to be the worst offenders on the can't be arsed to indicate list. I'm pretty sure crapola like this is due to be a fixed £100 fine (amongst others with the added points etc for the offence)

I'm not particularly sure about laziness, but there's certainly a sense of urgency in driving, like: "it's absolutely imperative that I overtake this cyclist so that I can cut them off to turn this corner and save myself 3 seconds"

The speed limit is also optional it would seem to some.

alastairq

You would not pass the driving test without signalling.

yes you could!!

IF....the examiner agreed it wasn't necessary, because they noted you determined first whether there was any road user who needed to know....and they agreed with that!

However..your instructor would have not wanted to place you under any more pressure than that already imposed by being 'on test'...!
Therefore, your instructor would have taught you to signal every time .....regardless of whether there was anybody else around, or who, needed to be informed .
In other words, if the indicator was used for a situation...but no-one else was about, the examiner would have noted that fact, but perhaps not bothered to make a point...however, if the candidate were left on their own to make such decisions, and decided not to indicate....but the examiner identified a road user who may have 'needed-to-know'...then a fault [or..serious fault] would be recorded.

Instructing a novice driver prior to test is as much about not leaving things to chance, as anything else.

alastairq

The speed limit is also optional it would seem to some.

The speed limit is 'optional' to all.

What is not optional, is the penalty for exceeding it...?

zagfles

alastairq wrote: »

yes you could!!

IF....the examiner agreed it wasn't necessary, because they noted you determined first whether there was any road user who needed to know....and they agreed with that!

However..your instructor would have not wanted to place you under any more pressure than that already imposed by being 'on test'...!
Therefore, your instructor would have taught you to signal every time .....regardless of whether there was anybody else around, or who, needed to be informed .
In other words, if the indicator was used for a situation...but no-one else was about, the examiner would have noted that fact, but perhaps not bothered to make a point...however, if the candidate were left on their own to make such decisions, and decided not to indicate....but the examiner identified a road user who may have 'needed-to-know'...then a fault [or..serious fault] would be recorded.

Instructing a novice driver prior to test is as much about not leaving things to chance, as anything else.

It's rare that you can be certain nobody else needs to know. Pedestrians can change direction quickly, people can dart out of houses and across the road, or from behind obstacles eg phone boxes, parked cars. Cyclists can come haring out of alleyways and make a split second decision on which way to go. Happened to me at "Y" junction, cyclist was a total moron but had I not been indicating I could have run him over.

alastairq

It's rare that you can be certain nobody else needs to know

As a novice, even more so..inexperience means, observation skills aren't as keenly developed as those of an advanced, experienced driver.

Cat B driver instructors are fully aware of this, and instruction is gauged accordingly.

However, the point I want to make is, not to pass judgement, or criticise other drivers, for not doing what WE would do, in the situation as we perceive it.

They may be equally as 'correct', in doing the opposite to us!

It's a 'horses-for-courses' thing.

With regards to the rest of your example? How do you think bus drivers cope?

They cannot drive around stamping on the brakes all the time.....throwing a passenger is as bad as running someone over!

''Anticipation [of the actions of other road users]'' is the skill looked-for on any driving test.

Those who drive along, hoping to be able to 're-act' in time, are already too late.

'Anticipation' stems from what the driver see's, with regards to the environment...and how much clear vision they have, not just ahead, but to either side as well...[the ''what-if?'' idea]

It is about adjusting what one is doing with the vehicle, to reduce the levels of risk.....either perceived, or actual.

That's why, driving ''too close'' to the vehicle in front is counter-productive....the driver behind has to rely on the driver in front for warning of any problems arising. Drop back a metre or so, and the view ahead becomes much more informative.

The more the driver see's, the better able they are to anticipate what others might do......and how we might cope with what they do.

Couple that with speed adjustment, and we also have time to cope with what they do.