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

almillar

But there's an old saying "you learn to pass your test, then you learn to drive".

Yep, lots of people do this. Lots of other people breath a sigh of relief, then proceed to forget everything they learnt and let the bad habits start.
I think if everyone drove to driving test standards we'd have far fewer accidents.
The above points about indicating for pedestrians etc are very valid IMO. Where has this snobby attitude come from, criticising drivers who are indicating? So what if the lane only goes one way, there are much worse offences going on, and the indication COULD be useful to SOMEONE.

Strider590

almillar wrote: »

Yep, lots of people do this. Lots of other people breath a sigh of relief, then proceed to forget everything they learnt and let the bad habits start.
I think if everyone drove to driving test standards we'd have far fewer accidents.
The above points about indicating for pedestrians etc are very valid IMO. Where has this snobby attitude come from, criticising drivers who are indicating? So what if the lane only goes one way, there are much worse offences going on, and the indication COULD be useful to SOMEONE.

Possibly, but it all depends on what habits people pick up, some are bad, some are better and more efficient.
The highway code is an all round safety baseline, but it doesn't reflect modern driving conditions.
The IAM in many respects, turn the highway code upside down.

Prothet_of_Doom

In 1984 I took and past both car and motorcycle test, and instructors and my dad (3 people with years of driving experience) all told me, that a good driving will know where the other cars are going without the need for indicators, and in fact would take into account that the indicator might not actually be signaling the way they intended to go.

So try ignoring the indicators of other people and see how good your power of prediction is.

On a related point, it Boils my Wee that nobody indicates to overtake cyclists.

Lum

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

On a related point, it Boils my Wee that nobody indicates to overtake cyclists.

I do, but then I'm also that one weird person who actually moves to the other side of the road as if overtaking a car, rather than trying to squeeze my car between the cyclist's handlebars and the white line.

I wonder if people don't indicate because they're expecting the cyclist to act in a similar manner to a 40 everywhere muppet and attempt to block the overtake once they realise what's going on, putting everyone in danger.

mattyprice4004

Lum wrote: »

I wonder if people don't indicate because they're expecting the cyclist to act in a similar manner to a 40 everywhere muppet and attempt to block the overtake once they realise what's going on, putting everyone in danger.

Well if they did that to me, they'd have near on 2 tonnes of car to the face and I'd be fine. I don't see how that's putting everyone in danger.

Strider590

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

In 1984 I took and past both car and motorcycle test, and instructors and my dad (3 people with years of driving experience) all told me, that a good driving will know where the other cars are going without the need for indicators, and in fact would take into account that the indicator might not actually be signaling the way they intended to go.

So try ignoring the indicators of other people and see how good your power of prediction is.

On a related point, it Boils my Wee that nobody indicates to overtake cyclists.

This is pretty much how I feel in a nutshell.....

Indicators are a nice bonus, but half the time they're being used wrongly anyway..... For example going straight over a roundabout, in the LH lane, whilst indicating right.

And yeah, indicating to pass cyclists.... Why does nobody in front of me do this, but everyone behind me does?
I wonder if it's because everyone mindlessly follows the car in front?

Lum

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

Well if they did that to me, they'd have near on 2 tonnes of car to the face and I'd be fine. I don't see how that's putting everyone in danger.

Well given that most folk would try to avoid actively hitting the cyclist, there's a chance they may end up swerving or braking suddenly and ending up in an accident with something else instead.

jase1

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

So try ignoring the indicators of other people and see how good your power of prediction is.

On a related point, it Boils my Wee that nobody indicates to overtake cyclists.

Why? Surely both the cyclist, and other drivers, should be able to rely on their power of prediction?

alastairq

And yeah, indicating to pass cyclists.... Why does nobody in front of me do this, but everyone behind me does?
I wonder if it's because everyone mindlessly follows the car in front?

well...you'll only find me using the indicator [to inform of an intended change of position]...to overtake a cycles,..... IF......I deem there are other road users who need to know/be told what I intend to do.

If I do not identify any other road users who need to know what I'm about to do, I do not use the indicators.

After all, there is no need, and I've yet to see any sort of signalling system on a vehicle which tells everybody else...''I'm about to overtake a cyclist!'

I do NOT use my indicators to 'inform' a following vehicle of the presence of a hazard I am about to pass.

It is not my position to assume they 'do not know'.

If they don't realise.....until it is too late for them to cope with comfort, then they have failed to 'exercise due care & attention.'

I'm not about to go around enforcing the Law on others.....!


As far as the IAM is concerned, a lot that they promote is also of a dubious nature, I'm sure....but..consider this.....can a concept promoted by the IAM be used ..''in evidence'' against a driver charged with a failure to exercise due care & attention?

For certain, the Highway Code can.

All of it..regardless of whether it is advice, or enshrined in Law.

The Highway Code is about allowing all road users to interact with each other, regardless of level of skill, or what they are doing, on the Public Highway.


Does the IAM promote interaction?

To anyone other than a motor vehicle driver /rider?


To make myself clear, I do not hold IAM or RoSPA or any other 'advanced' driver group in awe, or attach any sort of credibility to such.

But, when I have to 'deal' with such drivers/riders, I do expect a far higher standard of skill to be displayed, and am more rigorous in my assessments of such.

I am often disappointed.

Lum

How about indicating because on the off chance that a cyclist ever actually does a shoulder check at least they'll know what your intent is?