Indicating when changing lanes - do you?
Discussion
Quiet Friday afternoon here. So:
Do you always, without fail, indicate when changing lanes on the motorway?
I used to, then read a thread (here if I'm not mistaken) that asked who benefits from signalling. Now I indicate if I'm in traffic, if there's someone close behind, or if I'm moving into lane two when lane three is also occupied. If there's no-one behind, i.e. no-one benefits from the indication, I don't do it.
Signalling to change lanes isn't one of the *MUST* bits of the highway code so I don't think this is illegal. My missus doesn't like it because when I indicate she gets advance warning we're going somewhere else. With no indication she gets taken a bit more by surprise. She's a nervous soul, mind.
What do you lot do?
Do you always, without fail, indicate when changing lanes on the motorway?
I used to, then read a thread (here if I'm not mistaken) that asked who benefits from signalling. Now I indicate if I'm in traffic, if there's someone close behind, or if I'm moving into lane two when lane three is also occupied. If there's no-one behind, i.e. no-one benefits from the indication, I don't do it.
Signalling to change lanes isn't one of the *MUST* bits of the highway code so I don't think this is illegal. My missus doesn't like it because when I indicate she gets advance warning we're going somewhere else. With no indication she gets taken a bit more by surprise. She's a nervous soul, mind.
What do you lot do?
Same here, I indicate regardless, obviously I check too I don't just indicate and move as most seem to do.
However I don't indicate to pull back in as I have read or was told that you don't need to as other drivers should assume that if the N/S lane is clear then you will move into it as that is where you should be because the other lanes are overtaking lanes only.
However I don't indicate to pull back in as I have read or was told that you don't need to as other drivers should assume that if the N/S lane is clear then you will move into it as that is where you should be because the other lanes are overtaking lanes only.
More or less everyone who ever habitually fails to indicate under any circumstance would justify it with "well no one really needs to know". Often, they are wrong, for reasons they haven't even thought of.
Just inidicate. For everything. All the time. Not doing so makes people look like an ignorant, arrogant, careless plebs, IMO.
Just inidicate. For everything. All the time. Not doing so makes people look like an ignorant, arrogant, careless plebs, IMO.
Surely if you're changing lanes then 99% of the time you're about to overtake something? If so I would think it would be a nice thing to let the 'about to be overtaken' have confirmation that you're abut to overtake them*? I agree with not indicating coming up to a roundabout if there is no-one about and you need to be in the right lane for instance or a closing lane etc...
- you know those guys who come storming up behind you in lane 1 and sit on your arse until they come off at the next junction.
Dave Hedgehog said:
this, if my changing lane may impact someone then they get the winkers
Those sound like the exact words my driving instructor used many, many years ago when I was learning. I still follow that advice. I think the beneficial side effect of making the decision stop it becoming routine and increases situational awareness.
Bennet said:
More or less everyone who ever habitually fails to indicate under any circumstance would justify it with "well no one really needs to know". Often, they are wrong, for reasons they haven't even thought of.
Just inidicate. For everything. All the time. Not doing so makes people look like an ignorant, arrogant, careless plebs, IMO.
Nonsense. Indicating without thought runs the risk of misleading signals being given.Just inidicate. For everything. All the time. Not doing so makes people look like an ignorant, arrogant, careless plebs, IMO.
An example.
Pulling out to pass a parked car - right indicator on and move towards centre of road - just the procedure that would be used to turn into road on the right. There is such a road and a car is waiting to exit and turn to his right. That driver thinks you are about to turn into 'his' road, and hence will be slowing down, so he pulls out.
Thinking before every use of the indicators avoids misleading signals and requires more observation and planning - the basis of safe driving.
I only indicate when there are cars around me in front or behind as many a time i have been moving to lane 2 when a car will decide to move from lane 1 to 2 even though there are no obstructions or reason to.
having said all the above i have noticed more and more drivers not bothering with the indicator at all?
having said all the above i have noticed more and more drivers not bothering with the indicator at all?
ismellburning said:
Do you always, without fail, indicate when changing lanes on the motorway?
Nope, not at all. I think to do so takes something away from the observation routine - it's more effective to be asking the question 'who will benefit from this?'. I don't tend to indicate when joining a motorway either, as it's pretty obvious what my intentions are as there are no alternative actions. HTP99 said:
Same here, I indicate regardless, obviously I check too I don't just indicate and move as most seem to do.
However I don't indicate to pull back in as I have read or was told that you don't need to as other drivers should assume that if the N/S lane is clear then you will move into it as that is where you should be because the other lanes are overtaking lanes only.
For this reason I always indicate that I'm pulling back in so that anyone coming up behind me knows I'm not a member of the MLOC and they won't have to move into the next lane to get past me.However I don't indicate to pull back in as I have read or was told that you don't need to as other drivers should assume that if the N/S lane is clear then you will move into it as that is where you should be because the other lanes are overtaking lanes only.
I always indicate, it's habit.
But as someone else has pointed out there are times when you have to observe that you shouldn't indicate - ie overtaking a parked car, junction on the right with a car waiting to pull out or approaching a major T junction, wanting to turn left with a minor left turn 15 meters or so just before.
But I also find that indicating has become such a habit when I'm making a change in direction that even when driving on an estate road where it might simply turn sharply 90 degs I'll still indicate - and then I think to myself 'What a tw@t! Where else could you have gone? And what must the following driver be thinking of you right now!"
But as someone else has pointed out there are times when you have to observe that you shouldn't indicate - ie overtaking a parked car, junction on the right with a car waiting to pull out or approaching a major T junction, wanting to turn left with a minor left turn 15 meters or so just before.
But I also find that indicating has become such a habit when I'm making a change in direction that even when driving on an estate road where it might simply turn sharply 90 degs I'll still indicate - and then I think to myself 'What a tw@t! Where else could you have gone? And what must the following driver be thinking of you right now!"
otolith said:
Kuroblack350 said:
I don't tend to indicate when joining a motorway either, as it's pretty obvious what my intentions are as there are no alternative actions.
One would hope so, but I fear there are some to whom it is not.I nearly always signal on joining once I've identified my slot, as I am reminding people that I am there -- and about to conflict with them.
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