What is it nowadays with drivers and their indicators. It?s a case of I won?t bother indicating and pull out or force my way in. Or my indicator is on and here I come ready or not.
Don?t even ask about indicator use on roundabouts nowadays as nobody seems to bother.
Had a bad day today ;o )
Edited by Honestjohn on 24/02/2009 at 17:36
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I generally find I know what other drivers are going to do by observation of their position on the road, direction of travel, speed, acceleration/deceleration, orientation of driving wheels when stationary etc etc. When I learned to drive there were none of these new-fangled aids such as indicators, brake lights etc, and we didn't have any problems. Drivers these days rely far too much on these lights, and pay too little attention to observation of the movement of other vehicle and to its driver.
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I agree with L, to the point that I rely on what I think they're going to do more than the stated intention (indicator).
Speaking of roundabouts, no one seems to know how they work these days let alone how to indicate for them.
JH
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Many is the time that a car has attempted to knock me off my bicycle by indicating right, but turning left across my path at a roundabout.
Upon remonstrating with one such person, he said that he was indicating right as he was turning right relative to his approach to the roundabout. How was I to know, I asked? He shrugged his shoulders and we went our separate ways in mutual incomprehension.
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Mapmaker - you're a brave one cycling but I'm confused.
If he's indicating because he's "turning right relative to his approach to the roundabout" then did he not take the first exit? Anything past 12 o'clock would be "right" wouldn't it?
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>>If he's indicating because he's "turning right relative to his approach to the roundabout" then did he not take the first exit?
Only in France... (pedant alert: and many other countries)
Were he to take (in the UK) the first exit, he would be turning left relative to his approach to the roundabout.
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Indicators may show intent but drivers do not always do what they seem to indicate.
If I was waiting to pull out of a road and saw someone indicate left into my road I do not assume that is their intention until the car shows show change like speed etc. Otherwise I assume they will carry on.
So I'm with L too on this.
Annoying is when you're on a busy roundabout and they don't indicate intent so you have to wait for a gap you feel is safe.
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I have to confess sometimes pulling out on a roundabout and "assuming" the lack of indicator means the other driver isn't going round any further.
But only where there's enough space.
I do wonder at those who indicate right in order to go straight over a roundabout.
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I generally find I know what other drivers are going to do by observation of their position on the road direction of travel speed acceleration/deceleration orientation of driving wheels when stationary etc etc.
All completely true, but it is a question more of allowing the other road user the chance to ready himself. You can't tell for certain what direction a driver will take until they are right on top of the exit. So in that sense this method is no better than looking at indicators.
In any case it's just good manners. The number of times I've been stuck at a roundabout because a string of drivers can't be bothered to flick the switch and allow me to get ready to pull out -- you can always cancel the move if you time it correctly, but if no-one indicates you have to either assume they will all go left or assume otherwise. For safety's sake the latter prevails, and you're left sitting there.
I have to confess to having marked the cards of these idiots on a couple of occasions, and held them up on a certain piece of road by overtaking them then turning right without indicating myself, and have seen the rage in at least one of them's eyes as I boxed them in the right lane denying them the chance to undertake me. Gave me immense pleasure I'm sorry to say.
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On the other hand, I do find that putting your indicator on to say that you are changing from an inner to an outer lane (i.e. you're overtaking) is treated in France as "now, and this means you (car behind on the lane you're moving to)", and is respected as such, but in England it's treated as meaning "so you have successfully boxed me in, so would you please accelerate a bit to get past before I move out, and I'll happily stare at the lorry's rear bumper till you have".
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I can think of one mini roundabout where I often wait for someone who's not indicating but they turn left and I've waited un-neccessarily. On that particular roundabout it's not easy to tell which way a driver intends to go by their position on entry.
What is much worse, though, is on a roundabout when someone is indicating left and them decides, with a swerve, to carry on ahead. I pulled out in front of a mind-changer once - not only did they have a left-turn indicator on, they were headed off the roundabout but swerved violently back onto the roundabout, where I was right in their path. There wasn't a collision, luckily.
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Ah, the old "start changing lanes, then indicate and continue, without a care for people already in the other lane motoring along at 40mph".
Then mini roundabouts - people hesitate or just plainly don't go when they have right of way, causing confusions for the rest.
All adds to the daily challenge of driving!
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Most drivers are lost in their own little world and can't be bothered to let anyone else know their intentions, hence their lack of indicator usage, plus why they can't be bothered to use the handbrake when waiting at traffic lights.
I wonder how many people would opt for indicators were they to be made optional extras, which they may as well be for the majority of drivers such is there lack of use or knowledge on how to use them correctly.
I, for one, will continue to buck the trend and use indicators at every roundabout and every turn and in good time to ensure I inform those around me of my intentions.
What's more, drivers actually seem to respond well when indicators are used, one wonders why so many don't mirror this good practice, after all it only requires the movement of one finger.
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