Why don't you indicate?

Deastons

Car_54 wrote: »

Have you actually passed a driving test?

I have, but I don't remember that being a large part of it.

Mercdriver

Deastons wrote: »

I didn't know this. I had no idea I should indicate right when I simply start moving forward in my lane.

If I'm in traffic on the motorway and all three lanes come to a stop, I wouldn't then indicate right when the traffic started to move again - that would give the impression I intended to change lanes.

You obviously don't have buses on your scalextric system.

Think about it. There is a bus on the bus stop and you are in the nearside lane. You will likely look to overtake the bus to make progress. Now the bus is ready to go. The driver would rather you didn't overtake him while he pulls away so he indicates his intentions. As there isn't a proceed ahead signal there is only one signal he can use and that is the right signal.

Remember this for when you are old enough to take your test.

Nasqueron

Mercdriver wrote: »

You obviously don't have buses on your scalextric system.

Think about it. There is a bus on the bus stop and you are in the nearside lane. You will likely look to overtake the bus to make progress. Now the bus is ready to go. The driver would rather you didn't overtake him while he pulls away so he indicates his intentions. As there isn't a proceed ahead signal there is only one signal he can use and that is the right signal.

Remember this for when you are old enough to take your test.

Just to reiterate the earlier point, in THIS SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, the comment is about a bus in a bus lane which cars can't drive in, the bus will continue in the bus lane while cars pass in the next lane. In a general road situation you are totally correct but with bus lanes it's different (assuming there is no obstruction in the bus lane which requires the bus to pull out into the second lane).

Nasqueron

Deastons wrote: »

Erm... I know.

I might be able to dig-out the number of my old driving instructor if you want to tell him.

I just don't see the need to keep quoting obviously stupid/dangerous advice which your driving instructor should know better than to say. If he's teaching people that indicating left when changing lanes on a 3 lane road is pointless he shouldn't be teaching drivers

Deastons

Nasqueron wrote: »

I just don't see the need to keep quoting obviously stupid/dangerous advice which your driving instructor should know better than to say. If he's teaching people that indicating left when changing lanes on a 3 lane road is pointless he shouldn't be teaching drivers

Do I "keep quoting"?

And if you think he shouldn't be teaching, I'll gladly pass you his details so you can go and inform him what he's doing wrong (because I assume you're a professional instructor or examiner yourself).

Deastons

Mercdriver wrote: »

Think about it. There is a bus on the bus stop and you are in the nearside lane. You will likely look to overtake the bus to make progress.

Incorrect.

The bus is in a dedicated bus lane (lets call that lane 1) and I am with all the other traffic in lanes 2 and, often in London, lane 3.

When I see a bus in lane 1 indicating right, my immediate assumption is that it wants to filter into lane 2 (perhaps because it's at the end of the bus lane, or someone is parked in the bus lane, or there's a bus in front of it that it needs to get around). So I slow to create a gap to let it in, only to find it carries along, in a straight line, in lane 1.

Joe_Horner

Deastons wrote: »

But the buses don't pull away from the kerb. They're in a bus lane which is a bus's width. There's no-one to indicate to.

It makes sense if they've pulled over and are then indicating to re-join the traffic. But in London they indicate even though their position doesn't change - they just start driving along the bus lane they were already in.

It doesn't matter.

They're not stopped because of a queue ahead, so there's no other way to warn other road users that they're about to start moving. That might be pedestrians, other bus lane users, or even someone who's about to cut into the bus lane ahead (whether they're supposed to or not).

They're making a change from stopped to moving with no other visible warning, so they indicate.

almillar

I didn't know this. I had no idea I should indicate right when I simply start moving forward in my lane.

Forget the lane. Imagine just a 2 way street. Bus/car/whatever wants to pull in at the side of the road to stop. They indicate left, slow down, stop. Possibly keep the indicator on. They want to move off again - pull out - they indicate right, look for a gap, and go.
Now, in the situation you describe, there is the luxury of a bus lane, but the above still applies - doesn't mean the bus wants to move from the kerb directly out to the next lane.

If I'm in traffic on the motorway and all three lanes come to a stop, I wouldn't then indicate right when the traffic started to move again - that would give the impression I intended to change lanes.

That's daft, of course. You're mixing up pulling in to the side of the road to stop, with being stuck in traffic.

It makes sense if they've pulled over

They should be over, right beside the kerb, but I hope you will understand if you don't actually physically see them move over in a tight lane.

Imagine you're a cyclist following a bus - you want them to indicate to pull in (I need to overtake or stop), and to indicate to pull out again (I don't need to overtake, he's starting to move).

If you continue to make your own rules up and drive to them, whilst everyone else is (supposed to be) following the Highway Code, you'll keep coming into conflict with other road users.

To be fair, "almillar" stated that you need to indicate right to pull away again, even within your own lane.

Yes.

It's not just the IAM - the DVSA advise against it.

But in the situation described, it WOULD be necessary. NOBODY advises against indicating to pedestrians. SOME advise against indicating when there's no-one around to benefit from it.

on a motorway or dual carriageway, to indicate right, but never indicate left.

Never say never. Do you always take things so literally? GENERALLY, on a single or dual carraigeway, or on a motorway, you would indicate right to overtake, but not bother with indicating left. But in multi-lane traffic, slip roads, one way streets, a left indicator can be useful.

I didn't know that. You learn something new every day, thanks for the info.

Err, you've had plenty of learning to do in this thread so far...

Joe_Horner

Nasqueron wrote: »

Just to reiterate the earlier point, in THIS SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, the comment is about a bus in a bus lane which cars can't drive in, the bus will continue in the bus lane while cars pass in the next lane. In a general road situation you are totally correct but with bus lanes it's different (assuming there is no obstruction in the bus lane which requires the bus to pull out into the second lane).

You can reiterate that as often as you like, it makes no difference.

Other road users may use that bus lane - typically cyclists, often taxis, sometimes motorcycles, and certainly other busses. In addition, any pedestrian looking to cross (including passengers off the bus) might choose to cross in front. they probably shouldn't, but they might.

So, that's a shitload of road users who might benefit from an indication that he's about to start moving, even in the situation described , weighed against your (and only your) inability to cope without confusion and panic at his little flashing light.

Mercdriver

Nasqueron wrote: »

Just to reiterate the earlier point, in THIS SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, the comment is about a bus in a bus lane which cars can't drive in, the bus will continue in the bus lane while cars pass in the next lane. In a general road situation you are totally correct but with bus lanes it's different (assuming there is no obstruction in the bus lane which requires the bus to pull out into the second lane).

You do realise that you can also use a bus lane in ANY vehicle outside of its hours of operations as well? Also as stated, other vehicles are authorised to use a bus lane even during its hours of operation - cycles, taxis and in some areas like Bristol and London, motorcycles.