Why do so few drivers indicate these days?

iammumtoone

been thinking about this and thought of another area I don't indicate :eek: (although not sure if I should/need to as again no one else does)

Traffic light controlled junctions.
I don't indicate here as I need to be in the correct lane and take my instructions from the traffic lights, therefore everyone knows my intentions by what their lights are showing.
I indicate if I need to move across the road to get into the right lane but not to turn the corner as the traffic lights control this. If there is an instance where i could turn one way of another at the light then I would signal but not if it is one way.

It this right or wrong? am I just a really bad driver I am sure I never indicated at traffic light when learning,

iammumtoone

There is a traffic light controlled junction near me where there are two lanes turning right.
If I saw someone indicating in the left hand lane here how would I know they were indicating for the turn or indicating as they needed to move across to be in the right hand lane?
I would assume they were indicating to change lane, every instance I have come across of someone indicating here was to change lane. It would be rather confusing if they were indicating for the right turn.

Robisere

I was taught to drive in the Army in the late 60's. "Mirror, signal, manoeuver" was indeed the mantra and I indicate automatically, whether there is another vehicle behind me or not, it then becomes second nature. I don't see the problem with using the slight flick of 3 flashes: it's fine for indicating when overtaking a stationary vehicle.

People who fail to indicate that they are about to make a turn, are a pet hate of mine: how are following vehicles supposed to be aware of their intentions? Telepathy? But for me, much worse than that is the driver who does not obey the roundabout priority rule: give way to traffic emerging from your RIGHT! The worst offenders are Taxi drivers in my town. A few months ago, one shot out in front of me and almost hit me, I was driving steadily and halfway across the roundabout when he shot out. He had the gall to say that I was in the wrong, because I had been drinking! (For medical reasons, I do not and cannot drink alcohol, have not done so for a long time) An altercation ensued and I produced my camera, photographed the scene and asked him to call the Police if he thought I was DUI. He got into his taxi and drove away.

Next worst problem? - pedestrians in my town, who will walk across my car when I am behind another stopped at a pedestrian crossing. can they not walk a couple of yards further? Or the pedestrian who walks across as I am driving between two crossings, maybe 15 yards apart.

I don't react to these last two types of incident, as the looks on some faces are inviting me to do so. Life is much too short to raise one's blood pressure over the actions of the brainless.

Shimrod

Iceweasel wrote: »

Indeed - Judgement is required. Automatically signalling every time could lead to people just signalling without the judgement part.

And again - not signalling could lead people to not signalling every time without the judgement part. It is obviously is happening enough for there to be regular threads on here about it. There have also been threads about incorrect signalling - I don't think I have ever seen one complaining about people signalling when they never had to. What does that tell you?

Cornucopia

iammumtoone wrote: »

been thinking about this and thought of another area I don't indicate :eek: (although not sure if I should/need to as again no one else does)

Traffic light controlled junctions...

This is one of the most annoying "failure to indicate" scenarios - where the right-hand lane at traffic lights is for turning right OR going straight on, and the right turn is phased to be obstructed by on-coming traffic. Failure to indicate right in this scenario leads to right-turning, non-indicating vehicles at the head of the queue blocking vehicles behind them.

iammumtoone

Cornucopia wrote: »

This is one of the most annoying "failure to indicate" scenarios - where the right-hand lane at traffic lights is for turning right OR going straight on, and the right turn is phased to be obstructed by on-coming traffic. Failure to indicate right in this scenario leads to right-turning, non-indicating vehicles at the head of the queue blocking vehicles behind them.

I did say that if there are two options to travel after the lights THEN I do indicate, its only if its one way I don't.

Car_54

At least two posters have told us that their mantra is "mirror, signal, manoeuvre".

Time to read the Highway Code - that's NOT what it says.

iammumtoone

Car_54 wrote: »

At least two posters have told us that their mantra is "mirror, signal, manoeuvre".

Time to read the Highway Code - that's NOT what it says.

Really? maybe the rules have changed but I definitely remember being told this by my driving instructor. I was also told I must always keep my hands ten to two and not cross them (although I will have to admit to not always following this advise anymore either )

iammumtoone

I must admit to being surprised at being the only person to admit not indicating on all occasions :eek:

I cannot be the only person on MSE to not indicate in the two circumstances I have described.

One of them (left turn in left hand lane at roundabouts) I will correct and start to indicate.

At traffic light controlled junctions where the traffic light is for one way only I am still unsure in some instances this could cause confusion

Cornucopia

Car_54 wrote: »

At least two posters have told us that their mantra is "mirror, signal, manoeuvre".

Time to read the Highway Code - that's NOT what it says.

I don't think it's necessarily a good mantra (better than nothing, though). However, it is definitely what my Driving Instructor said, repeatedly, all the way back in 1990.