BMW - Do new BMWs have indicators?

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Sat 20 Sep 2008 15:57
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Halmer
Just wondered if they'd ditched them because no one with a BMW where I live seems to indicate.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:00
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Manatee
I've got news for you - it's spread to all the other makes as well.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:01
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Bill Payer
They do, bit they only work when they're used all at the same time when the car is parked in the special "BMW only" parking areas marked out with double yellow lines.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:05
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Halmer
I've also noticed that if you buy a private number plate for a Range Rover the indicators are automatically disabled and becomes mandatory for the driver to wear cool sunglasses even when it's raining.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:07
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Halmer
...............and you get an automatic right to park on the pavement outside the entrance to all establishments even though there are car park spaces available.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:07
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Alby Back
My Signum has indicators. Trouble is, they are a really really stupid design. I seem to remember some irritatingly smug American fellow extolling their virtues when they first fitted them to Vectras. Some hogwash about this being the future of indicator design or something. Well guess what, it wasn't and isn't. Stupid just Stupid.

Feel better now !

Edited by Humph Backbridge on 20/09/2008 at 16:07

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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:08
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Ian (Cape Town)
I think that the indicators become disabled when you drive with both front and rear fog lights on in all weathers.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:28
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Brit_in_Germany
But strangely they are reactivated when used to jump to the head of a queue by using the wrong lane and at the last minute swapping to the right lane.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:32
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Pugugly
I wondered what that clicking noise was when I first had the Skoda.

Just another generalisation I'm afraid - as someone said all makes, Fords it was one day, Volvos th nest- straw poll whilst motorcycling on a bike with stupidly designed indicators.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:40
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Brian Tryzers
I think we're being unfair to BMW here. All their cars come with indicators - they have to, it's the law. It's the switch that's a £3,000 optional extra.
};---)
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:41
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Halmer
ah I get it now.

When you meet a roundabout in a new BMW the indicators become disabled but a false arm with a mobile phone attached to it springs up to your right ear at the same time as the steering becomes uncontrollable causing you weave from one side to the other.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:41
Do new BMWs have indicators? - jbif
.. no one with a BMW where I live seems to indicate.


Halmer seems to be on a mission to upset minorities. First it was disabled drivers, now BMW drivers, next it will be WMCM [according to Jeremy Paxman, they are a vanishing species at the BBC].
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:48
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Halmer
No not at all.

I have utmost sympathy for disabled folk (like my Dad) as evidenced by my reasonable (but sympathetically worded) question. Maybe you didn't read it properly?

At the same time, after over 30 years of driving, I've come to the conclusion that a higher majority of new BMW drivers (in comparison to other makes) are arrogant, big headed, selfish oafs that don't give a jot about other road users.

Just my view of course and I hope that this clarifies it.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:48
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Brian Tryzers
Do BMW drivers still count as a minority? The number of (mostly black) 3s I see on my regular M40 trundle suggests otherwise.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 16:53
Do new BMWs have indicators? - jbif
I have utmost sympathy for disabled folk

Do BMW drivers still count as a minority?


;-)
In reply to WDB and Halmer, I missed out a smiley or two in my earlier reply.
:-)

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Sat 20 Sep 2008 17:14
Do new BMWs have indicators? - deepwith
I wish I had cut it out, but some months ago there was a letter in the Motoring section of the DT, next to HJ's column, which explained this. The gist was that drivers of BMW's are far superior to those driving other cars, have much better control and responses plus have a highly sophisticated, fast car which means they do not need to indicate.
Am not so sure this letter writer had their tongue in cheek!
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 17:19
Do new BMWs have indicators? - jbif
Am not so sure this letter writer had their tongue in cheek!


Not if it was signed by jez 530i.

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Sat 20 Sep 2008 18:51
Do new BMWs have indicators? - ForumNeedsModerating
I think you're all being rather hard on BMW drivers - I understood the lack of (usage of) indicators was in the spirit of 'Efficient Dynamics', inasmuchas they use electrical energy which finds expression as greater CO2 output - so they're just trying to be green(er) really.
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Sat 20 Sep 2008 21:07
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Blue {P}
Yawn.

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Sat 20 Sep 2008 23:59
Do new BMWs have indicators? - pointlesspoints
not found many with indicators that work problem seems to be spreading to Audis. also the headlights on bmw,lowercase on purpose, dont switch off.
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 00:09
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Pugugly
There is a running lights option as there is with most modern cars - including my humble Skoda.
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 00:27
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Dave_TD
when you drive with both front and rear fog lights on in all weathers


I once followed a fairly old (1995-ish) prestige german-manufactured car along a road well known for "cruising" on a clear, not-even-slightly-misty evening, and watched as the front fog lights lit up the road for a few seconds, then went out, then the rear fog lights came on, then went out, then the fronts on and off again, then the rears came on and stayed on...

I can only assume the driver wanted the front ones on for added "cool" but couldn't figure out whether the button with the picture of the foglight facing left, or the one with the picture facing right, was the switch for the fronts! And what's worse, couldn't tell from how they lit the road up whether they were on or not...

Edited by Webmaster on 21/09/2008 at 13:32

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Sun 21 Sep 2008 00:32
Do new BMWs have indicators? - T Lucas
Indicators are pretty much overated.Whats the point,you know where your going.
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 10:42
Do new BMWs have indicators? - prm72
I actually like " Beemers" but i have never owned one and am never likely to purely because of the awful reputation and arrogance of the drivers, why are they transformed when they get in the cars?
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 14:13
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Devolution
Perhaps you could print out and hand this "urgent BMW recall" notice to those with non working indicators!!

tinyurl.com/yfqvtq

(Sense of humour warning...)
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 15:40
Do new BMWs have indicators? - injection doc
The problem is the nut behind the steering wheel!
I Doc
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 15:56
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Westpig
fairly amusing, shame about the spelling mistake and the language that will surely fall foul of the site swearing rules......(had one of my posts snipped the other day, felt a right naughty boy)
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 16:09
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Lud
Tee hee.

But I haven't noticed BMWs signalling less than other cars. I only notice them at all when they are signalling first one way, then another, brake lights going nervously on and off, and waddling incredibly slowly from lane to lane completely at random to show that they are being driven by an incompetent who doesn't know where he/she is going and who doesn't mind getting in everyone else's way. I don't know where everyone gets this idea that BMWs are driven in a press-on manner. They hardly ever are except sometimes on motorways.

Drive through St John's Wood a few times if you don't believe me. That will get things back in proportion. You will see lots of Mercs, Audis, Jaguars etc. behaving in the same way there.
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Sun 21 Sep 2008 21:15
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Avant
I thought this old chestnut had been done to death long ago. I drive 20,000 miles a year and can honestly say that I haven't noticed more aggressive driving, lack of signals etc. any more from BMW drivers than from others - and yes, I would have said that before I had one myself.

What is true is that BMW have, like Vauxhall, given in to some idiot designer who has changed the design of the indicators for no conceivable reason. Indeed on SWMBO's mark 2 Mini the infection has spread to the wipers as well. I know one can get used to it, but why should one have to? The standard design works perfectly well on the 7-year-old Z3, and even better on VAG cars where a flick of the switch gives three blinks rather than one. What on earth is wrong with that?

Edited by Avant on 21/09/2008 at 21:15

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Sun 21 Sep 2008 23:35
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Waino
The none-use of indicators stems from the mis-advice given out by advanced driving instructors and other misguided theorists.

They say that you shouldn't automatically signal when turning etc because it could lead to a situation where the driver goes into 'automatic' mode and doesn't think about whether he needs to signal or not. What has actually happened is that drivers have gone into 'automatic' none-thinking mode anyway - and don't signal.
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Mon 22 Sep 2008 19:48
Do new BMWs have indicators? - pda
Couldn't agree more waino.

At least 90% of traffic could be kept moving in the rush hour if indicators were used.

P'raps BMW drivers can,t afford a shilling to put in the leccy meter to get them working.

Pat
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Tue 23 Sep 2008 01:44
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Lud
>>
At least 90% of traffic could be kept moving in the rush hour if indicators
were used.

>>

... and if people placed their vehicles correctly without making a supermini's rump occupy an HGV space by placing it diagonally with great conservatism.... and if they moved within say five seconds of the special TfL-jimmied short-duration green light coming on... and if the screaming carphounds would just get a damn MOVE ON... then perhaps you might have a point pda. But I don't think indicators will do it by themselves.
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Tue 23 Sep 2008 11:17
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Old Navy
... and if people placed their vehicles correctly >>


Good vehicle positioning, well recognised, is almost as good as an indicator.
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Mon 26 May 2014 09:18
Do new BMWs have indicators? - larryblag

I can an honestly say that I have noticed more aggressive driving, lack of signals etc. any more from BMW drivers than from others. Also, and this is purely based on my observations whilst on my motorcycle - BMW drivers seem to be the ones I really have to watch for my personal safety. A shame

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Tue 27 May 2014 00:16
Do new BMWs have indicators? - focussed
The none-use of indicators stems from the mis-advice given out by advanced driving instructors and other misguided theorists.



No not misguided and not theorists.



The correct way to signal is to take in the information from all around when approaching a hazard in order for you to ascertain as to whether you need to signal to inform another road user of your intentions.



If you don't need to signal-you don't signal-it's that simple.
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Tue 27 May 2014 10:26
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Sofa Spud

Also can anyone confirm that Subaru Imprezzas are exempt from silencer regulations?

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Tue 27 May 2014 11:50
Do new BMWs have indicators? - FP

"If you don't need to signal-you don't signal-it's that simple."

That may be a simple concept, but the result (if anyone actually really enters into this rationalisation) is that very few people think they need to signal at all. The impression I get is that a lot of drivers don't care about anyone else, and many make important decisions like which lane they should be in at the last minute, and expect everyone else to fit in around them.

No doubt I'm out of step with most, but to me the really simple approach is to signal always, as a matter of habit. You don't need to make a decision about it, you just do it, and can concentrate on everything else. It's one less thing to think about. That way you end up by being informative and courteous to other road-users about your intentions, and it means you think about your intentions in advance.

And don't get me started about supermarket car parks. Hardly anyone signals at all, for any manouvre whatsoever. The only saving grace is that speeds are so low.

Edited by FP on 27/05/2014 at 11:51

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Tue 27 May 2014 12:31
Do new BMWs have indicators? - gordonbennet

I agree with you FP, but when i took an IAM course many moons ago it was made clear to me that i should only indicate where there was someone who would benefit, and makes sense in some ways when everything is perfect, but things never are.

My argument was that a car/cyclist/anyone could appear from behind a hedge/wall/parked vehicle and that valuable single flash of an indicator already flashing might just prevent something happening, or help them if making rapid, possibly emergency service, progress, and i've always found indicating to be quite natural so why not?

It wasn't just for that reason, one in particular of the instructors was such a massive anorak (even the other instructors couldn't put up with him) that he was unbearable, and i dropped out before i could take the test.

Indicating, indeed normal competent driving has now reached such rarity that when someone does indicate and position properly, allowing me to maintain progress, particularly in the lorry instead of having to stop for no reason at all, then i find myself putting my hand up and smiling a thankyou, sad weird bloke or sad state of driving affairs?

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Tue 27 May 2014 13:39
Do new BMWs have indicators? - FP

"...when i took an IAM course many moons ago it was made clear to me that i should only indicate where there was someone who would benefit..."

Yes, I have heard this and it does strike me as intelligent driving, though I would argue it imposes an extra decision-making process. As you say, in an ideal world, that is how it would be.

For the average driver, though, it doesn't make sense. Few are intelligent enough, or motivated enough, to put themselves through that process, with the result we get today.

The frustrations of waiting at roundabouts or junctions for drivers who don't signal, who change lanes without warning under your very nose, who pull up next to the kerb leaving you to wonder if they're about to do a u-turn, and so on, all in heavy traffic, have been well aired.

I don't see anything changing.

And no, you are not a sad, weird bloke, just a driver who is thoughtful and courteous and who appreciates those qualities in others.

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Wed 28 May 2014 16:55
Do new BMWs have indicators? - Marklew

I find Evoke drivers to be the worst offenders on my twice weekly 500 mile commute down the M6 and M40 at the moment.

Although on Tuesday an E Class was weaving in and out of lanes for ages, hard acceleration and braking, no indicators, gave him a nice smile as I went passed having stayed in the left hand lane at a slow but consistant traffic induced 50 probably getting twice the consumption and saving my brake pads from getting changed once a week.

Basically a c#ck can get into any car!

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