Indicating when there is more than one exit

[Taita]

Hello,




In the above scenario:

I don't want to put my indicator on too early, before my exit is coming up. However, if I indicate as soon as I have passed the first exit, I worry that I'm not giving enough notice to following drivers.

If I indicate before the 2 exits, I will be going past the first exit, with my indicator on (which was a fail on DSA tests). Somone in the side road could see that, and assume I was pulling into the first road, and pull out from the 2nd one, and into my path. Same if there were 3 exits in a row, with me wanting to leave at exit 3.

Sorry, I cant explain it very well. But basically, I don't want to go past an exit with the indicator on, and I don't want to bung indicator on on the last minute.

[identti]

Well as with many things, you sometimes have to compromise.

Using the body language of the car can help a great deal with this. I generally drive past the exit at a speed and position so that it doesn't look like I'm going down that turning. I will also be looking where I want to go.

You need to signal so that the road users behind get some warning, so I'd probably do it just before the first junction, but make it look like you have no intention that you're going in there. I know some road users signal as they make the turn, but if people interpret it as that then it shouldn't do a lot of harm as you are turning soon after, and you won't be set up to make the earlier turn.

[Taita]

Yeah, I tend to slow down and don't move allll the way to the left, but should an incident occur I don't want to be blamed for 'not turning when he was indicating' even though a flashing indicator means nothing aside from the bulb works.

[SamHH]

IMO, don't indicate until you have passed the first turning. Having the person behind you not knowing whether your intentions are A, B or C is better that having the person waiting at the first turning thinking your intentions are A when they are actually B.

[Distant]

I wouldn't indicate until I've passed the first junction but I'd be on the brakes nice and early if there's anyone behind, to give them warning that I'm slowing.

Nice pic by the way

Edited by Distant on Monday 29th December 19:02

Edited by Distant on Monday 29th December 19:03

[T5R+]

No vehicle at 1st junction - mirror/indicate/position/speed/brake/etc as normal, watching for appearance of vehicle from this road.

Vehicle at 1st junction - wait until 1st junction has been passed and then indicate. If the 2 junctions are very close to each other, you should have been off of the accelerator a while back and slowing for your exit, thus person behind you should be expecting "something". You may end up mirror/brake/indicator/manouvre in this situation - not ideal order.

I may be mistaken but if there is a vehicle at 1st junction and you indicate early, s/he exits and collosion occurs, they are at fault

I am of course assuming this is in a built up area with clear stretch of road which partly dicates speeds allowable and not a NSL, which would be lots more fun.

[Distant]

T5R+ said:

I may be mistaken but if there is a vehicle at 1st junction and you indicate early, s/he exits and collosion occurs, they are at fault

Yes, but that's little consolation when you've got a face full of air bag.

[camgear]

I would indicate as soon as I get to the point where I wouldn't make the first turn if I tried, the same as flicking the indicator on between in the in/out lanes on a roundabout exit, if that makes sense.

[JuniorD]

This scenario must be commonplace on roads with driveways extending onto them but I have never thought of it as a problem.

[Taita]

JuniorD said:

This scenario must be commonplace on roads with driveways extending onto them but I have never thought of it as a problem.

Yes but its more where there are 2 fairly high traffic turnings off a busy road, rather than residential driveway scenario.

[MDO]

Official method (for what it's worth) is:-signal to chap behind via the medium of brake lights (used in good time). Add turn signal as you pass last turning. Chap behind now knows somethings afoot & a confusing signal is avoided.
It was suggested above that if no one is waiting to emerge you would just signal early as normal. O.K. but I would add a qualification to this, that you could only consider this if you could see for a long way down the side road and there was no chance of anyone approaching.
To cancel a signal late (as someone "suddenly" appears at the stop line), then reapply it seems a little "off" to me.

Edited by MDO on Saturday 10th January 16:33

[Viggo]

Using indicators is all about communicating with other road users so, as usual, the answer to your specific question is "it depends". Observe where other road users (including pedestrians) are, use indicators (or not) as appropriate to those particular circumstances. There's no set answer for all eventualities.