Why do so few drivers indicate these days?

Robisere

Iceweasel wrote: »

To indicate left continuously all you do is push the lever down gently until you meet the resistance and keep your finger pressure on it - it will then keep signalling until you take the pressure off.

If you go past the resistance point it will keep indicating until you actually turn the steering wheel enough for an approx 90 degree left orright turn - or until you gently touch the lever in the opposite direction.

I use the three flashes very often - to signal lane changes and overtakes - it's so simple to user.

The only time I would want it to indicate continuously is when I am intending making a turn at a junction for example.

Why would you need to have an indicator on continuously if you were not turning to the right or left?

Spot on! That is exactly right! (Had to add the last bit so that there were nough characters!):o

Robisere

MothballsWallet wrote: »

Or we should do what the Russian police do: traffic cops at every major(ish) junction armed with 50-calibre machine guns and RPG-7s.

Actually the Russian weapon is a DshK 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun. The 0.50 inch calibre weapon, is a Browning Heavy Machine Gun and is a US - made weapon used by many NATO forces including the UK. I don't think the RPG-7 has been used by Russian federation forces for many years now, it was replaced in RF forces by the RPG-29.

Just thought you should know!

Biggles

GabbaGabbaHey wrote: »

It's a very difficult skill to master for those who were brought up on 3-pedal manual boxes, but they are becoming an increasingly rare breed these days.

Not in this country. On the odd occasion when I have rented an automatic, I warn my passenger(s) to expect one 'emergency stop' before I have completely trained my left foot to keep totally off the pedals - it still really wants to depress the clutch.

Andy_L

Biggles wrote: »

Not in this country. On the odd occasion when I have rented an automatic, I warn my passenger(s) to expect one 'emergency stop' before I have completely trained my left foot to keep totally off the pedals - it still really wants to depress the clutch.

I had a US hire car once that was auto but also had the "hand brake" operated by a small pedal where the clutch should have been. That caused some entertainment

prowla

Iceweasel wrote: »

To indicate left continuously all you do is push the lever down gently until you meet the resistance and keep your finger pressure on it - it will then keep signalling until you take the pressure off.

If you go past the resistance point it will keep indicating until you actually turn the steering wheel enough for an approx 90 degree left orright turn - or until you gently touch the lever in the opposite direction.

I use the three flashes very often - to signal lane changes and overtakes - it's so simple to user.

The only time I would want it to indicate continuously is when I am intending making a turn at a junction for example.

Why would you need to have an indicator on continuously if you were not turning to the right or left?

Haha - continuously, obviously doesn't mean for the entire journey... (One example could be if you were pulling in to the left side of the road.)

Holding down with one finger is OK, provided you are not turning the wheel a lot; I find I rarely do that method.

The way mine cancels is if I dab it down (ie. not past the resistance point) in the same direction.

I find the three flashes quite handy too.

Strider590

NewUserHere wrote: »

That's very dangerous. Your as bad as the person your trying to scare by doing it in the first place

I'm not trying to scare anyone...........

I'm making them think my brake lights might be faulty, not brake testing them, it's a good way to regain some space without invoking a road rage incident.

Given that the "normal" advice given is to stand on the brakes (dangerous and stupid), I don't see any issue with the technique I mentioned.

prowla

Strider590 wrote: »

I'm not trying to scare anyone...........

I'm making them think my brake lights might be faulty, not brake testing them, it's a good way to regain some space within invoking a road rage incident.

Given that the "normal" advice given is to stand on the brakes (dangerous and stupid), I don't see any issue with the technique I mentioned.

I used to try and be clever like that too.

Biggles

Strider590 wrote: »

Given that the "normal" advice given is to stand on the brakes (dangerous and stupid), I don't see any issue with the technique I mentioned.

I don't think that's 'normal' advice at all. But the trouble with your suggestion is that when the driver behind sees your brake lights he may think you are about to 'stand on the brakes' and carry out an emergency stop himself, causing havoc behind him.

My technique is to ignore tailgating unless it's dangerously close, then - very, very gradually - slow down until one of three things happens:-
1 He gets the message and drops back;
2 We are going so slowly that the gap is no longer dangerous; or
3 (most likely) He gets fed up and overtakes me.

Whichever way it goes, problem solved.

NBLondon

I'm pretty sure I remember being taught "You don't always need to indicate if there is no-one to benefit from the signal" - but there have been very few circumstances where I've actively been able to judge that. Pretty much only if driving in the small hours. I remember the rule about not having to indicate if you are in a lane where you can only go one way. So in the left-filter lane nearest where I live - I don't sit with it on but I do the 3 flash as I start to pull away for the benefit of pedestrians who may not recognise the filter lane and assume all traffic is staying put. So overall, I probably do err on the side of indication. Because so many other road users to appear to be blinkered idiots, I'd rather make it extra clear to them.


The big problem I see is that the indicator is supposed to mean "I intend to move/turn to the right/left" where many use it to mean "I am moving/turning NOW!" So consider this scenario... You are driving in Lane 1 of a 2 lane dual carriageway at a sensible speed of 67mph and approaching a LGV on it's limiter at 56mph. You check your mirrors and there is a sporty saloon overtaking in Lane 2 at 78mph. You can see a gap behind them, so there will be space to move out behind them to overtake safely. When do you indicate to start the move out? If you indicate early - will the overtaking car think you are about to dive in front? If you indicate late, any vehicle behind you at a similar speed may start their overtake and you end up slowing to avoid running into the back of the wagon.


Or put yourself in Lane 2, cruising at 69mph ready to pass the LGV (still doing 56mph) and the elderly Nissan Primera behind it at 59mph, when the Nissan puts an indicator on and a second later lurches into Lane 2 while accelerating to 61mph...

Cornucopia

I find that happens to me all the time (I live near the 2-lane section of the M2). The optimum time to indicate, I think, is just as the overtaking vehicle passes you. That's as early as you can do it, without the overtaker thinking you haven't seen them.

If the gap behind the overtaker is large, then indicating doesn't really help anyone, and isn't that critical. If it is small, then indicating isn't going to prevent you from potentially impeding following traffic. On which basis, it's not critical overall to indicate in this situation - just important not to create a misleading impression.