I use it literally everywhere out of habit, I got made fun of for using it when pulling out of my moms driveway once lol
The only reason I won’t possibly use it is when I’m in a turn only lane at a red light and don’t want to listen to it for 3 minutes
Most people I find only use it 75% of the time at best.
I’m 2.5 years into driving and am curious if it’s just what semi-new drivers do or if I’m the odd one out.
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Making funof someone for doing the responsible thing is childish and stupid.
As long as you are using them to indicate intent you are using them correctly. At worst you are being extra clear to drivers around you. If you don’t use them though, at worst you are an unpredictable driver that might be involved in a crash.
Fuck the people that made fun of you.
P. S I use them any time I do something that isn’t driving straight, i don’t care if there are others around me, if it’s a single lane, if it’s obvious, etc. Every time I stray from a straight line I signal it.
I felt dumb using it at a roundabout because nobody does there, then I looked it up and found it’s something you’re supposed to do. No harm in over communicating when you’re in control of a few thousand pounds of metal.
…i always use my signals to unambiguously communicate intent; the only time i’ve been embarrassed is after carrying that habit onto the track, but it’s tough to break…
…my wife uses her signals to ask permission, which i feel can cause confusion, but she feels the same way about me…
All the time. To the point of if I don’t use it I really kinda have a “Shit, forgot my signal” moment.
That said I don’t get too bent out of shape about other people not signaling unless it’s these two situations: making a tight lane change, or with a speed differential where I’m overtaking. Basically just short of cutting me off. Signal and I can compensate. Cut over with no warning and fuck you. Second is braking before signaling a turn, say into a driveway or side street. IDK what the hell they teach in driver’s ed these days but we got drilled that you signal first and then brake because the signal is a warning to the driver behind you that you’re gonna slow for a turn and gives them time to prepare for what you’re gonna do. Be predictable. Seems like 3/4 time people just hit their brakes in the middle of the lane leaving you wondering wtf they’re doing or if they’re just an idiot.
First thing: the blinkers are for your own safety, but they’re also for other people’s safety and to help improve the flow of traffic (for example, if somebody waiting at a T-junction to go into your lane sees in a timely fashion that you’re going to exit at the junction, they’ll know earlier they can come in rather than have to wait to see what you actually do and this kind of thing times many such situations adds up to better traffic flow).
Second thing: it’s a lot easier and cognitively simpler to just do it without thinking rather than considering the situation to see if you should do it or not and a good mental trigger point to train that as an instinctive movement is “if I’m going to turn out of my lane, I’ll turn the blinker on for the side I’m turning to” - so, turning of the road -> blinker on that side; changing lane -> blinker on the side I’m moving to; going to stop and park on a side of the road -> blinker on that side.
Personally I just use the blinkers for all such situations and don’t even have to think about it, and as for the first point I made, that just informs how early I do it (I’ve trained myself to do it quite a bit before I turn in order to help with traffic flow). This does mean that at times I’ll use the blinkers when there is nobody else around to actually use that information, simply because I’m not actually thinking about “should I do it or should I not?” I’m just unthinkingly executing a trained impulse. Never had any problems with excessive wear and tear of blinker lights and since I don’t need to think about the “should I turn the blinker” decision I can focus on more important things, so as I see it, even at the cost of at times using the blinkers when there is nobody to see it so there is really no point, I’m still better of having trained myself to do it like this.
That said blinker usage amongst drivers massively depends on the country and the general driving culture there. For example were I come from, Portugal, most people only use the blinkers in situations were they stand to gain from it themselves (for example when exiting a road to the left, crossing a lane, were others might give you way, out of good manners if they know your intentions), then of the rest most will use it for the safety of other cars but almost none will do it for the safety of pedestrians, whilst in The Netherlands (were I picked up my current habits on this) they’re generally pretty thorough on using blinkers in all situations they should quite independently of seeing or not people who might use that information (possibly because of all the bicycles around, as they’re often hard to spot using the mirrors when in certain positions relative to a car which are exactly the positions were knowing that the car wants to turn is important for the safety of the cyclist)
There are specific directives for Audi, BMW and Mercedes which void their warranties should you ever even think such scandalous thoughts as using the indicators individually; not using them to say that you know you’re parking in a stupid place, angle across a pavement but you’re only buying some chocolate from that corner shop.
My car has lane detection such that my steering is ‘corrected’ if I don’t use an indicator. It gets confused on country roads and often tries to steer into the hedge or ditch. Fucking thing. It can’t be turned off long term, but only ever time one turns on the ignition.
Yikes. Lane correction legit freaks me out. I thought it could always be turned off long term but I guess not.
It would be a disaster using that in the city I live in (Pittsburgh). Like I’m sorry that our roads are based on deer trails from the 1800s that go through woods and winding up and down hills. With all the city traffic to go with it.
Downtown can be even worse. Like you legit have to break traffic laws to get around, there’s no other way. If one of them cars “corrected” me on a tight narrow street when I go over the double yellow to pass someone on a bicycle, that could end terribly for everyone.
It’s like the people that designed these cars only ever have to drive on perfect grids with multiple lanes or the highway.
Well said! Blighty here.
There were so many complaints on the forums about it that I thought it was going to be a nightmare, but it’s not quite as bad as I was expecting TBF. I just have to be very careful on road merges and those funky country lanes.
Didn’t get to visit Pittsburgh so far but would love to, country is a necessarily shrinking resource here these days.
Pittsburgh’s great! I’ve lived here my whole life, bought an old home from 1890 here during covid that’s right along the Allegheny River. I can see it from my front stoop. I’m also surrounded by woods and have only one neighbor who’s about a hundred feet away. But I can still walk around the city or bus most places pretty easily.
I’m currently renovating the home slowly as I go, but I love it to death. This is me and my fiance’s forever home for sure.
Pittsburgh is a great mix of Appalachian country, rust belt, and small city all in one. Like I can drive maybe 15 minutes up the road and I’m in the sticks, or I can bop around the city. There’s also the suburbs of course, but I have no reason to go to them unless I’m driving thru them.
I’ve worked in factories for the past 10 years or so in electrical manufacturing of control and power systems for the big steel mills around the country. I love that the industry is still here if you can drive. Like I get to work in 20 minutes, can’t beat it. Most industry is quite a drive outside other cities.
Sounds idyllic. Back in the day ('95 ish) Mrs and I flew into Boston and toured the five states around there in about two-three weeks (!) just getting a taster. Went back again later but had mother-in-law and kids with us so look-see wasn’t going to happen.
Loved New England, especially the seafood (even the tourist version) but couldn’t do the over-commercialisation (ten minutes of programme then five of adverts).
By contrast, I love the looser financial controls. I passed the US SEC Series 7 and UK Registered Representatives prior, so the contrast was immediate.
Being in the middle of nowhere with a media server in the internet age sounds the best of both worlds.
Getting my hands dirty with copper and blowtorches was for fun only. I think I made a mistake - AI is a thing.
Congrats sir! Enjoy!
that sounds dangerous. My mom’s car, a minivan which is big and scary to me, has a thing where it tries to stay in the lane for you automatically which was very scary the first time I tried to drive it lol
That’s the thing I’m taking about!
It’s a bit scary tbh. If you don’t do (steer) what it says it shakes the steering wheel as if a wheel was seriously unbalanced or broken.
It’s my first new-to-me car in a while. So I’m enjoying most of the new tech but not quite this bit!
I don’t use turn signals when driving around a roundabout unless I’m exiting because I’m not psychotic.
But seriously, they are for signifying intent, not blinking idly, and they should be used plenty.
I put a turn signal on when I back into my underground parking spot when I’m literally the only person down there. Force of habit that I’m totally cool with.
I use it even in my drive way. Good habbit is a good practice that makes operating any system easier and honestly just more fun. I know cars get a bad rap these days but it’s an amazing technology that’s fun to be a part of.
use. your. blinkers.
If you turn your wheel, use your blinker.
No. Not when the road curves. Only when changing lanes, turning at an intersection, or pulling out from being parked.
Ideally a good 10-20 seconds beforehand.
I use it as soon as it’s clear what it means. If there are multiple turns, that might be four seconds so that they don’t expect me to turn early. I’ll typically hit it in the middle of the intersection of the first turn.
If there’s no earlier option to turn, I’ll absolutely leave it on for 10-15 seconds.
Regarding switching lanes I prefer when other driver enable their signal a few seconds just before they do the maneuver. If they enable their blinker too early I don’t know when exactly they will switch lanes which is confusing IMHO.
We say we know people aren’t from our town when they use their indicators going round the market square and the corner after/before it.
Unless you get a BMW. Then you buy the right not to use your blinkers.
I thought they made that a subscription now.
Always. Driveway? Blinkers. Parking? Blinkers. On an empty road with no one in sight? Believe it or not, blinkers.
It’s a muscle memory. When you get used to using them, you just do. If you have exceptions, you might forget it when it matters.
100% the same. I never even think about it. It’s just baked into my brain.
The only time I don’t is leaving my driveway. We’re corner house on a quiet cul-de-sac so it just doesn’t occur to me.
People leaving roundabouts on the first exit who don’t indicate before entering are the ones that annoy me most. They will watch me waiting to enter or slow down to stop as they approach and literally not lift a finger to help.
Roundabout = indicator you donkey. There’s literally no legal way to use one without it (here anyway).
Oh god. I absolutely hate ppl who don’t signal off roundabouts. I drive a car but also a motorbike, I’ve learned not to trust at roundabouts due to too many near misses. Fucking pillocks all of em.
My mom tried to tell me that when you turn left through an American roundabout, you enter and leave with your left blinker blinking.
I was a child the last time I had to sit quietly on such a big disagreement with her lol. I guess I’m lucky.
I’m lucky
Unlike other people using roundabouts the same time as use
I always signal out of roundabouts, but never on. Legally I’m supposed to signal in but that makes no sense to me because of course I’m going to be entering the roundabout, there is never another option.
Not being preachy…If you’re taking the first exit (turning right essentially if you drive on the right or turning left of you drive on the left) you should be indicating as you enter. It allows traffic from other lanes to enter the roundabout without stopping to figure out where you’re going.
Yes, I do it only if I’m taking the first exit.
Sometimes when I’m turning a sharp normal turn in a parking lot or ramp, I’ll instinctively signal, even though there’s no need to.
I’m with you all the way to the final sentence.
Your indicator usage is linked to your mirror usage. If you use indicators in all situations regardless, what you might actually forget to do is look in your mirrors properly, which is more important.
Your first two mentions are fine examples. In the UK at least, using indicators when entering your driveway or a parking space isn’t necessary if no other cars or pedestrians are approaching your car.
Obviously I don’t just use blinkers and go without looking. I would’ve thought that goes without saying
Why would somebody forget to check their mirrors more often if they use turn signals?
It doesn’t logically follow to me.
The people who made fun of you won’t be laughing when they share 50% of the blame during the damage claim phase of an accident.
Yeah, it’s a lot easier to just make it a habit and doing it everywhere instead of overthinking the context.
Yeah. Whoever made fun of you is an idiot.
I use it all the time and I judge people who don’t.
Yes. Don’t listen to people who tell you not to.
The indicator is for communicating your intent to change the position (which lane you’re in) or direction (turning in or out of a road, parking space, etc.) of your car.
The safest thing you can do as a driver is to be PREDICTABLE to other drivers. The indicator communicates necessary information for other drivers to predict your actions.
Not using one when changing the position or direction of your car is inconsiderate and dangerous to other road users. It is also illegal.
Use them. Please.
Not just to drivers.
There’s nothing more annoying as a pedestrian than a vehicle whose driver has seemingly decided to run into you because they 1) didn’t think to use their signals and 2) mostly just checked for car traffic until you’re right in front of their bumper.
Very much this.
I was hoping to imply that with the phrase “road users” but I wasn’t explicit about it.
Cyclists too. If you can’t keep a cyclist safe you shouldn’t be allowed in a car.
