Do you use your indicators?

Floppybits

As the title says do you use your indicators and if not why not?

I don't know if there has been a rule change but hardly anyone nowadays use their indicators or if they do they are used incorrectly. Is there are reason for it or is that people just cant be arsed?

shietpilot

Yes I use them but it seems like nobody else uses them properly. It's pretty frustrating being at a roundabout in heavy traffic and you have to guess in what direction the cars will go that you are yielding to because they either don't use indicators at all or are indicating in the wrong direction.

pippip

Floppybits wrote: »

As the title says do you use your indicators and if not why not?

I don't know if there has been a rule change but hardly anyone nowadays use their indicators or if they do they are used incorrectly. Is there are reason for it or is that people just cant be arsed?

Exaggerate much?

bladespin

Yes, pretty much all the time.

ironclaw

Always, its a completely natural part of driving. A reflex. If it isn't, you frankly shouldn't be on the road. If I ever change direction without them, even in quiet car park, I instantly know I messed up and actually feel bad about it.

Henry Ford III

I drove a BMW recently and it had no indicators.

antodeco

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I drove a BMW recently and it had no indicators.

I think they removed them a few years ago

bazz26

It's a lazy habit that some drivers get into. Some drivers like to use the minimum amount of thinking behind the wheel and that split second thought to use their indicator is just a bridge too far.

Kings Inns or bust

bazz26 wrote: »

It's a lazy habit that some drivers get into. Some drivers like to use the minimum amount of thinking behind the wheel and that split second thought to use their indicator is just a bridge too far.

As with another poster above though it should be a reflex not a thought. I literally can;t turn the car without flipping them on.

I can't go on to youtube as I'm sat too close to the boss today but surely there have been enough posts for the Jason Staytham (sp) clip on this to be posted by now?

McG

loads of people seem to indicate as they turn the wheel which is too bloody late.

bazz26

Kings Inns or bust wrote: »

As with another poster above though it should be a reflex not a thought. I literally can;t turn the car without flipping them on.

I can't go on to youtube as I'm sat too close to the boss today but surely there have been enough posts for the Jason Staytham (sp) clip on this to be posted by now?

A reflex has to first start out as a thought though. :pac:

Widdershins

It's that people are either too stupid or too lazy. Nearly got ploughed into by a madwoman at a roundabout. She hadn't indicated and it looked like she was going straight on. She was actually going right around. At speed. I had to slam the brakes and she roared abuse at the top of her voice. ''You stupit bit**'' etc.

Kings Inns or bust

bazz26 wrote: »

A reflex has to first start out as a thought though. :pac:

Well I supose, I start thinking about Penolpe Cruz and... oh look reflex :P

my3cents

Use them all the time even when there is no one else around. Its a habit you shouldn't even have to think about like putting on a seat belt.

maximoose

All the time.

The only time I really notice others not using them is at roundabouts, people haven't a fûckin breeze.

*Kol*

I do, but especially if I am taking a right turn at a mini roundabout. I don't know how many times that people have entered a mini roundabout while I have been turning right and indicating correctly. Is there some unwritten rule that you can just plough ahead into a mini roundabout as long as you are closer than 50 yards to it, regardless of whether there is somebody using it or not?!

I take it that it's acceptable not to indicate if there is nobody in sight of you in any direction?

highdef

McG wrote: »

loads of people seem to indicate as they turn the wheel which is too bloody late.

The vast majority of people who do use their indicators indicate too late, especially when it comes to lane changing. Agreed that most put on their indicator as they move the steering wheel. Use of the indicators is to indicate your intention that you want to make a turn, change lane, etc......NOT that you are currently in the process of changing lane. If you turn on the indicator whilst you are carrying out your intended manoeuvre, then you may as well not bother.
When changing lanes, I usually begin indicating 2/3 seconds before I intend to move over and then cancel the indicator once over half the car has entered the new lane.

K.Flyer

Oh yes all the time...

Maneuvere, oops, Indicate, Mirror :pac:

Using indicators is one thing, but why can't people learn how to use them in good time, preferably before other road users have already figured out what they are up to.

IMO indicators should be active long before brakes are applied for making a turn at a junction, preferably they should be used before slowing down.
Clear and timely indication, how difficult is that to learn

wotswattage

When I was a learner I said I'd try and 'form a habit' of always using them 100% of the time no matter how small or deserted the roads are. I know you should anyway but if you force yourself into the habit it becomes second nature and you don't even have to think to use them.

my3cents

K.Flyer wrote: »

Oh yes all the time...

Maneuvere, oops, Indicate, Mirror :pac:

Using indicators is one thing, but why can't people learn how to use them in good time, preferably before other road users have already figured out what they are up to.

IMO indicators should be active long before brakes are applied for making a turn at a junction, preferably they should be used before slowing down.
Clear and timely indication, how difficult is that to learn

Along with checking your blind spot its expected on the test so just why do people then think its OK not to bother from then on?

wotswattage

A particular gripe of mine is drivers only indicating after they start to turn/change lane. On the m50 someone could be halfways out of the lane and into the next one before they indicate! What's the point?!?

my3cents

wotswattage wrote: »

When I was a learner I said I'd try and 'form a habit' of always using them 100% of the time no matter how small or deserted the roads are. I know you should anyway but if you force yourself into the habit it becomes second nature and you don't even have to think to use them.

I was taught to drive by an ex coach driver and when there was no one else on the road he said you indicated to let anyone you hadn't seen know where you were going.

Cheensbo

The Indicators are on the right stalk in my motor, so I use them because I don't have to put down my phone like I would if the the indicator stalk was on the left hand side.

Jesus.

ironclaw wrote: »

Always, its a completely natural part of driving. A reflex. If it isn't, you frankly shouldn't be on the road. If I ever change direction without them, even in quiet car park, I instantly know I messed up and actually feel bad about it.

That's just daft mate. If there's no other car around on a totally empty road/car park it makes no difference.

Cheensbo

Jesus. wrote: »

That's just daft mate. If there's no other car around on a totally empty road/car park it makes no difference.

Its just as stupid as having lights on during the day sure

bladespin

Jesus. wrote: »

That's just daft mate. If there's no other car around on a totally empty road/car park it makes no difference.

See my3cents posts above, never assume you're alone.

Jesus.

Cheensbo wrote: »

Its just as stupid as having lights on during the day sure

To each his own

K.Flyer

Jesus. wrote: »

That's just daft mate. If there's no other car around on a totally empty road/car park it makes no difference.

When you drive a commercial where the only view behind you are your side mirrors best practice is to Always indicate, there may be some idiot right on your bumper and you can't see him.

The Backwards Man

Do none of ye know the price of indicator bulbs these days? Only use them if there's somebody stuck up your hole or you met someone you know and you didn't realise until you were past them.

highdef

Jesus. wrote: »

That's just daft mate. If there's no other car around on a totally empty road/car park it makes no difference.

Well there may be no other cars/pedestrians/cyclists around, from the viewpoint of the driver. It's quite possible there is someone around but the driver has not seen them so for that reason I ALWAYS indicate.

_Kaiser_

maximoose wrote: »

All the time.

The only time I really notice others not using them is at roundabouts, people haven't a fûckin breeze.

.. and on motorways. The amount of idiots out there who just drift/swerve between lanes without indicating is ridiculous.

Always indicate myself. It's instinctive regardless of the time or day or how quiet/busy it is.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

my3cents

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

How does anyone thats pulling out of the junction you are pulling into know its OK to pull out unless they wait for you?

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

anonanymore

Widdershins wrote: »

It's that people are either too stupid or too lazy. Nearly got ploughed into by a madwoman at a roundabout. She hadn't indicated and it looked like she was going straight on. She was actually going right around. At speed. I had to slam the brakes and she roared abuse at the top of her voice. ''You stupit bit**'' etc.

That's the problem with the roundabout signaling rules, if a driver isn't indicating you don't know if they're going straight on or just not indicating.
I preferred the old rule.

Sue Pa Key Pa

I always use my indicators. It's a good habit that becomes an automatic function when driving. It's the feckers that indicate as they COMPLETE their manoeuvre that get on my tit

my3cents

Sue Pa Key Pa wrote: »

I always use my indicators. It's a good habit that becomes an automatic function when driving. It's the feckers that indicate as they COMPLETE their manoeuvre that get on my tit

And they also seem to think that more than three flashes is rude.

FishOnABike

Look, indicate, look, manoeuvre.

munchkin_utd

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I drove a BMW recently and it had no indicators.

yea.
I work not even a mile from the bmw factory in Munich (so LOTS of BMWs on the road) and it seems to be an exotic extra to have indicators, mainly seen as external units bolted onto test cars (although some of them seem to be dummy units just there for effect) and on the chinese / usa test models which you'd also see being driven about north Munich.

And the Minis are no better, but thats probably just BMW group policy being efficiently across the groups entire range.

The big problem then is that BMW drivers are so detached from the concept of indicators that when I indicate (and move a lane or turn into a side road) it confuses them utterly and they'd nearly crash into you.

mickdw

I see a few city drivers that come to our rural area and they tend to indicate when taking any kind of a turn even when they are not at an actual junction, just a 90 deg turn in the road.

Walter2016

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

So how does the car behind you know you will be taking first left. Similarly how does the car coming from the next entrance onto the roundabout know you will be takign first left.

Too many people don't understand what indicators are for. There's actuually a hint in the name "indicator".

If motorists would just understand that they are there to indicate to other road users what they intend to do when they are doing something that is not assumed.

E.G. We can assume that if you are driving straight in the left lane, that you will continue to do so unless you "indiscate" otherwise.

On a roundabout, as we do not have cars that will move vertically into the couds, we can assume that every car approachiung the roaundabout will be entering the roundabout. What a road user ahead or behind you wants to know is what you will be doing on that roundabout. Amazing the number of people that think they indicate that they are going onto a roundabout.!!

Problem is the problem exists, so you simply have to accept that there are people out there that will simply never understand the basic logic of indicators.

BTW - I have a bmw fitted with indicators - It was bought secondhand, so original owner must have added them as an optional extra.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

whiskeyman

A colleague had to assist a poor woman out from a written off car after another car crashed into her at a junction.
All she could say was 'but the other car was indicating in?!?'

So even if a car is indicating, never ever assume that's the way it's turning.

Floppybits

pippip wrote: »

Floppybits wrote: »

As the title says do you use your indicators and if not why not?

I don't know if there has been a rule change but hardly anyone nowadays use their indicators or if they do they are used incorrectly. Is there are reason for it or is that people just cant be arsed?

Exaggerate much?

Nope, drivers nowadays are more likely not to indicate than to indicate.

I indicate all the time regardless if I am on an empty road or car park. It was just bred into me when I was learning to drive. It seems to be more prevalent today not to use indicators that I thought the rules had changed.

I regularly drive the M50 approaching the exit for the M1/Airport and the amount of people you see who are in the right lane and then just go across 3 or 4 lanes to get to the exit without indicating is unreal. Its like "oh crap there's the exit, i better get across to the correct lane. Everyone will know what I am doing" and don't bother to indicate.

Widdershins

anonanymore wrote: »

That's the problem with the roundabout signaling rules, if a driver isn't indicating you don't know if they're going straight on or just not indicating.
I preferred the old rule.

What was the old rule?
In that instance it really did look like she was going straight on. I've been driving long enough to have had scares before but it shook me up. I don't think there's any way you could prove that it was their fault.

K.Flyer

While on the subject, and BMW jokes aside, I have noticed that the rear indicator lenses / clusters on some cars are almost useless. Given certain light conditions the brake lights smother the indicator light rendering them very ineffective and not so easy to notice.

IrishZeus

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I'm really surprised you're not getting more grief for this. Herd mentality at its finest.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

pajor

I always use my indicators. Roundabouts, junctions, changing lane on the motorway, overtaking. As I mentioned somewhere else when I was learning to drive my Dad told me 'Always indicate, it'll cost you nothing.' One touch indicators, I love 'em.

One thing (amongst others) that grinds my gears about driving here in The Netherlands is indicating on roundabouts. From what I understand, it is taught and encouraged to indicate on a roundabout when going after 12 o'clock but is not compulsory. I don't think you could fail your test for it for example. I'd say most people don't do it.

Now there is a flip side also that it makes me slow down and pay attention for that 1 second extra to make sure where someone is going. But more often than not its 'Eh indicators?!?!?'

Borderfox

Always, even when there is no one on the road. Must be at minimum 75% not using them

Alun

Just to throw the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons, I understand that the IAM's "How to be a better driver" book and the UK Police's Roadcraft manual suggests that you should only indicate if "in your opinion another road user would benefit".

Discuss

EDIT: I should add, my driving instructor back in the olden days in the UK was an ex police advanced driving instructor and he taught me that too.