Are indicators an optional extra on new cars..

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

jonon9

Can't cure stupid.

Potential-Monke

Used to be an optional extra on just Mercs, BMW's and Landrovers, but now it seems to be an optional extra on most cars.

cnoc

jacksie66 wrote: »

.. because nobody seems to know how or when to use them. Roundabouts and indicators go as well together as ISIS at a gay pride parade..
Sorry for the rant but I nearly crashed this morning because someone decided to use the wrong lane at a roundabout without an indicator..

What age profile was the driver?

red ears

There should be penalty points for not using them properly.

Kimbot

Yes indicators are optional extras going by the new cars I see on the roads. Also I see full beams with all the time on running option are standard on all new motors too.

Parchment

Seem to be an extra option on shiny new audis and bmws!

paddydriver

Don't forget the new rule that minimum of 2 extra cars can continue to proceed through a junction after the lights have gone red..

nhunter100

jonnycivic wrote:

Yes indicators are optional extras going by the new cars I see on the roads. Also I see full beams with all the time on running option are standard on all new motors too.

Welcome to the wonderful world of driving populated by Dick heads and Morons. Just pay attention and you'll be grand.

Winterlong

It's just energy conservation is all.

Kimbot

nhunter100 wrote: »

Welcome to the wonderful world of driving populated by Dick heads and Morons. Just pay attention and you'll be grand.

Oh im well used to them all at this stage now

Parchment

nhunter100

jonnycivic wrote:

Oh im well used to them all at this stage now

Good, you like I have overcome the shock that Darwins law hasn't caught up with those idiots yet but it will. :-)

duffman3833

they might think there saving some mpg's by not using them

Harry Palmr

Always been the case on BMWs, esp 3 series.

Kimbot

nhunter100 wrote: »

Good, you like I have overcome the shock that Darwins law hasn't caught up with those idiots yet but it will. :-)

I really hope darwins law can take care of those people that drive around when its still daylight out with their full beams on, then I will live happily ever after

whiskeyman

I think not using them is still better than using them incorrectly!

I never trust indicators anymore... I've seen too many crashes caused by incorrect / assumptions over indicators, that you're best not to trust them. To 'indicate' is only to suggest a course anyway.

Trusting an indicator is trusting the driver using them...
No thanks...

Graces7

I have seen many drivers stopped at lights or road works with hazard warning lights on;probably got tailgated by someone with no intention of stopping on red.

DrumSteve

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Always been the case on BMWs, esp 3 series.

I had a 3 series.

The indicators are on there and they worked fine. My only issue was the lights started to flash when I got too close to the car in front of me on the motorway. Great safety feature in fairness.

Potential-Monke

Graces7 wrote: »

I have seen many drivers stopped at lights or road works with hazard warning lights on;probably got tailgated by someone with no intention of stopping on red.

According to the lad who was doing my driving test, you're supposed to have hazards on when stopped at road works. That was 10 years ago mind, and apparently it doesn't matter if the road is lit up with flashing orange lights indicating that there's roadworks.

Harry Palmr

whiskeyman wrote: »

I think not using them is still better than using them incorrectly!

I never trust indicators anymore... I've seen too many crashes caused by incorrect / assumptions over indicators, that you're best not to trust them. To 'indicate' is only to suggest a course anyway.

Trusting an indicator is trusting the driver using them...
No thanks...

As someone who is a full time pedestrian these days I agree, roundabouts are a challenge, always wait to see where they actually go!

jimgoose

Graces7 wrote: »

I have seen many drivers stopped at lights or road works with hazard warning lights on;probably got tailgated by someone with no intention of stopping on red.

I consider it a good idea when there's traffic behind me to flip on the hazards on encountering an unexpected situation like roadworks or parked/stopped vehicles on country roads, usually. I don't leave them on, though - that's not necessary, the idea is to alert the driver(s) behind to the situation.

jimgoose

I've taken to not believing a word when I see an indicator on around town/suburbia. It's usually either incorrect use or else it's been on since the last turn. I have been developing my Haregai skills instead. This situation seems to get worse the newer the car. :pac:

Kimbot

jimgoose wrote: »

I consider it a good idea when there's traffic behind me to flip on the hazards on encountering an unexpected situation like roadworks or parked/stopped vehicles on country roads, usually. I don't leave them on, though - that's not necessary, the idea is to alert the driver(s) behind to the situation.

Yeah, I have seen it once or twice at a bridge in laois that is constantly undergoing roadworks. All the signs in the world are there to let you know that there are traffic lights up ahead and to expect delays etc. People sitting waiting on lights and bang some car just goes straight through the back of them.

logically

/Waits patiently for thread to transform into one about cyclists... predictably....."they don't pay road tax, Joe" and "they always run red lights, Joe", and "they always ride on the footpath, Joe" and "I heard they always give immigrants free bikes, Joe" and "Joe, everyone does silly things on the road apart from me, Joe." Joe. Joe? Joe? BEEEEEP.

jimgoose

logically wrote: »

/Waits patiently for thread to transform into one about cyclists... predictably....."they don't pay road tax, Joe" and "they always run red lights, Joe", and "they always ride on the footpath, Joe" and "I heard they always give immigrants free bikes, Joe" and "Joe, everyone does silly things on the road apart from me, Joe." Joe. Joe? Joe? BEEEEEP.

Good point, actually - indicators would be no harm on bicycles either.

andekwarhola

A lot of Irish drivers don't realize that indicators are thus called because they're used to indicate your driving manoeuvre in advance of it being performed. As opposed to an (optional) accompaniment to it.

jimgoose

andekwarhola wrote: »

A lot of Irish drivers don't realize that indicators are thus called because they're used to indicate your manoeuvre in advance of it being performed.

As opposed to an optional accompaniment to it.

Oh yes, the old "Indicators are for turning!" mob. :pac:

logically

jimgoose wrote: »

I've taken to not believing a word when I see an indicator on around town/suburbia. It's usually either incorrect use or else it's been on since the last turn. I have been developing my Haregai skills instead. This situation seems to get worse the newer the car. :pac:

This is one of the very first lessons my Dad taught me when learning to drive. He asked "What does an indicator tell you?" . Me : "That the person is turning in that direction". Dad : "No son, it means the person just has their indicator on - it means nothing more than that."

Graces7

jimgoose wrote: »

I consider it a good idea when there's traffic behind me to flip on the hazards on encountering an unexpected situation like roadworks or parked/stopped vehicles on country roads, usually. I don't leave them on, though - that's not necessary, the idea is to alert the driver(s) behind to the situation.

Exactly and it is an idea I have copied and adhered to.

Graces7

We used to call the "trafficators"in the old days when they were like little hands that shot out from the car, or when we only had hand signals.. Ah the good old days!

jimgoose

Graces7 wrote: »

Exactly and it is an idea I have copied and adhered to.

I realise of course that alerting folk behind you to potential hazards is a most unorthodox use of Park-Anywhere lights, but that's just the kind of maverick I am. And yourself also, t'would seem!

jimgoose

Graces7 wrote: »

We used to call the "trafficators"in the old days when they were like little hands that shot out from the car, or when we only had hand signals.. Ah the good old days!

I actually remember a couple of 1960s VW Beetles knocking around where I grew up that still had those, despite the fact that Wolfsburg issued a kit for upgrading to electric light-based indicators sometime before 1970.

Graces7

jimgoose wrote: »

I realise of course that alerting folk behind you to potential hazards is a most unorthodox use of Park-Anywhere lights, but that's just the kind of maverick I am. And yourself also, t'would seem!

Notsur what park anywhere lights are? lol

I used hazard lights when I round a bend and there are sheep or cattle or ponies or deer loose ahead.... . Leave them on a while to warn oncoming cars. NB I am totally rural now so maybe different nuances apply!

Graces7

jimgoose wrote: »

I actually remember a couple of 1960s VW Beetles knocking around where I grew up that still had those, despite the fact that Wolfsburg issued a kit for upgrading to electric light-based indicators sometime before 1970.

lol.. that dates me! My family was driving us around before 1950 ! Hand signals were in and I remember one joking neighbour inventing new variations... but roads were quieter then.. Ah those were the days!. No motorways... fewer cars.. ...

jimgoose

Graces7 wrote: »

Notsur what park anywhere lights are? lol...

Park-Anywhere lights are the four flashing ambers on the Range Rover Vogue with two wheels up on the pavement outside Wagamama, indicating (Hah!) to whom it may concern that the owner knows they're improperly parked, and that therefore and ipso-facto it is no longer improper.

Estrellita

jacksie66 wrote: »

.. because nobody seems to know how or when to use them. Roundabouts and indicators go as well together as ISIS at a gay pride parade..
Sorry for the rant but I nearly crashed this morning because someone decided to use the wrong lane at a roundabout without an indicator..

I hate this. It's unfortunate, but we have to share the roads with some of the dumbest cúnts ever to draw breath. All you can do is give them a wide berth and hope you get home alive.

lazybones32

Here, indicators are only used for when you are parking on double-yellow lines...put on the hazard lights and they negate the no-parking meaning of the lines.

Zaph

jacksie66 wrote: »

.. because nobody seems to know how or when to use them. Roundabouts and indicators go as well together as ISIS at a gay pride parade..
Sorry for the rant but I nearly crashed this morning because someone decided to use the wrong lane at a roundabout without an indicator..

Not sure why you think this only applies to new cars. The lack of understanding regarding the proper use of indicators at roundabouts has been an ongoing issue in this country for years. You're just as likely to see someone using an indicator and plotting a completely different path to the one they're indicating as you are seeing someone not using them at all. The Garda Traffic Corps should be given summary execution powers for dealing with these people. If it doesn't encourage them to start indicating properly at least the numbers of these idiots will start to fall pretty quickly once they start getting shot in significant numbers.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Used to be an optional extra on just Mercs, BMW's and Landrovers, but now it seems to be an optional extra on most cars.

Yeah I didn't spec them on my new car. I use hand signals except when it's too cold to open the window to stick my arm out or if it's raining or if I forget or if I couldn't be bothered.

clintondaly

RiderOnTheStorm

But......how can they indicate if they don't know where they are going?

GritBiscuit

andekwarhola wrote: »

A lot of Irish drivers don't realize that indicators are thus called because they're used to indicate your driving manoeuvre in advance of it being performed. As opposed to an (optional) accompaniment to it.

Ah yes...the Irish take on the more traditional "mirror, signal, manoeuvre" of "maneuver, possibly signal, **** the mirrors"...

When it comes to roundabouts it's the multi-lane roundabouts that seem to cause the biggest issues. Some drivers appear unable to travel from one road to another around a circular object unless they go directly as the crow flies; lanes and the traffic in them be damned! The amount of perfectly avoidable accidents I've witnessed involving people seemingly incapable of moving the steering wheel while on a dual lane roundabout is staggering. :eek:

johnty56

I observed a car with its hazard lights on, pull out from the hard shoulder of the m9 today at about 20mph in front of the car in front of me ( about 400yards in front of me).. the car in front of me had to jam on.. then the genius with the hazards on pulled over into the overtaking lane..just as well the guy he pulled out in front of was too shocked to do the obvious and try to go around him..The motorway was empty .. this guy was either suicidal or he/she literally didn't even look in their mirrors before pulling out slowly onto the driving lane of a motorway without indicating.. How did this person manage to get so far down the motorway without being hit by a truck I don't know

Graces7

jimgoose wrote: »

Park-Anywhere lights are the four flashing ambers on the Range Rover Vogue with two wheels up on the pavement outside Wagamama, indicating (Hah!) to whom it may concern that the owner knows they're improperly parked, and that therefore and ipso-facto it is no longer improper.

For the laughter, thank you! I never knew that ! The things I miss living rural!