Am i the only person who indicates?

Am i the only person who indicates?

Author
Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

54 months

Saturday 15th July 2017
quotequote all
Has indication become a thing of the past?

Increasingly i notice that the majority of cars don't indicate and i was following a fully marked police car that also completely failed to indicate during the time i was behind it!


Pica-Pica

13,767 posts

84 months

Saturday 15th July 2017
quotequote all
Yes, I have followed police cars who do the same. One even overtook me on a motorway, then indicated left (presumably to return to lane) but it was just before an exit slip road - shoddy. They too, fail to give a signal that may help a pedestrian who is waiting to cross a road. I give them a woeful shake of the head.

Solocle

3,287 posts

84 months

Saturday 15th July 2017
quotequote all
Alas, a couple of days ago, I was nearly taken out by a bus, positioned in L1 of a roundabout, without any signal that he wanted to take the third exit. eek. Me being aware of his blind spots and hence making good observations, coupled with fast reaction times, saved the day.

W124

1,523 posts

138 months

Saturday 15th July 2017
quotequote all
Yeah, it's bad voodoo out there at the moment. Especially at roundabouts in the South-East.

supersport

4,058 posts

227 months

Sunday 16th July 2017
quotequote all
W124 said:
Yeah, it's bad voodoo out there at the moment. Especially at roundabouts in the South-East.
Roundabouts everywhere. Those going straight on seem to just cut them regardless of how big the roundabout or what is on the inside.

Never rely on indicators as they either don't happen or are wrong.

Pica-Pica

13,767 posts

84 months

Sunday 16th July 2017
quotequote all
supersport said:
W124 said:
Yeah, it's bad voodoo out there at the moment. Especially at roundabouts in the South-East.
Roundabouts everywhere. Those going straight on seem to just cut them regardless of how big the roundabout or what is on the inside.

Never rely on indicators as they either don't happen or are wrong.
Or you can't see them, or the sun picks up the lens giving a falsely interpreted signal. I tend to watch for front wheel angle and change thereof.

Jonobigblind

754 posts

82 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Not sure if it’s more prevalent recently or I’m just noticing it more but there seems to be a higher proportion of drivers making their way around a roundabout, 3rd or 4th exit type of direction without indicating until just before they leave.

This means I often see them come round as if they’re going straight on, only for them to keep coming, but which time I’ve usually pulled out. Get a few flashes or beeps occasionally but I just clap them and remind them of the orange blinky things on the side of their lights.

I have usually anticipated what they’re doing by where they’re looking or position of their wheels but if they can’t be bothered to let me know they’re coming round I can’t be bothered to give way for them.

I have two balls, neither of which are crystal as I explained to an irate lady once. I advised her to be more considerate to other road users and she might end up having better commutes.

caelite

4,274 posts

112 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
You know this is something I have often wondered; on a dual carriageway, fairly quiet with mainly traffic in L1, I come up behind a truck/slower car, my usual manoeuvre is to signal to move out to L2, pass, then move back to L1 after I can gained 30-50m gap on the car I have passed.

Should I use my indicator to move back to L1? I often don't unless I have someone behind me in L2 as I see moving to L2 to pass then moving back in as 1 whole passing manoeuvre rather than 2 Lane changes.

I notice the consensus with other drivers seems to be the same, not indicating to return to L1, but I have no idea if it is the 'right' thing or not.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

261 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
I very rarely signal when moving from lane 2 to lane 1. Going from lane 3 to lane 2 I usually do because lane 1 traffic might be thinking of moving to lane 2. In fact if I'm going from lane 1 to 2 I often don't signal, it depends on what's behind me and whether the driver I'm intending to overtake might be liable to pull into lane 2.

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

186 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
Or you can't see them, or the sun picks up the lens giving a falsely interpreted signal. I tend to watch for front wheel angle and change thereof.
Modern clear glass with orange lights are much harder to see than the old clear bulb behind orange lenses.

Occasionally people seem surprised by which way I go in my VW Caddy van. Having looked at other Caddys, from certain directions the front indicators really don't show up.

Bobajobbob

1,436 posts

96 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Indicating definitely appears to have been made optional in Kent for the past few years.

daemon

35,813 posts

197 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
And when they do bother ti indicate, why cant people grasp that its Mirror Signal Manoeuvre?

The amount of times you see people brake, oblivious to whats happening around them THEN indicate!!!

If you're behind them you dont know if they're slowing to a stop, about to perform an emergency stop, turn LEFT, turn RIGHT???


Actual

745 posts

106 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Also the opposite - incorrect indicating,

At a roundabout outside a supermarket near me with 4 exits aligned to the points of the compass and drivers consistently position themselves in the right hand lane on entry and indicate right but then take the 2nd exit and chop me up as I go straight ahead.

Solocle

3,287 posts

84 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
caelite said:
You know this is something I have often wondered; on a dual carriageway, fairly quiet with mainly traffic in L1, I come up behind a truck/slower car, my usual manoeuvre is to signal to move out to L2, pass, then move back to L1 after I can gained 30-50m gap on the car I have passed.

Should I use my indicator to move back to L1? I often don't unless I have someone behind me in L2 as I see moving to L2 to pass then moving back in as 1 whole passing manoeuvre rather than 2 Lane changes.

I notice the consensus with other drivers seems to be the same, not indicating to return to L1, but I have no idea if it is the 'right' thing or not.
Certainly you don't need to indicate back in the performance of an overtake. As, according to the HC, L2... are overtaking lanes, I'd assume that the general principle stands. However, from a roadcraft POV, you signal when it could benefit somebody. If somebody is following you through and seems a bit of an idiot, a signal left might stop them from trying to undertake you.

GerryAttrick

13 posts

96 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Jonobigblind said:
Not sure if it’s more prevalent recently or I’m just noticing it more but there seems to be a higher proportion of drivers making their way around a roundabout, 3rd or 4th exit type of direction without indicating until just before they leave.

This means I often see them come round as if they’re going straight on, only for them to keep coming, but which time I’ve usually pulled out. Get a few flashes or beeps occasionally but I just clap them and remind them of the orange blinky things on the side of their lights.

I have usually anticipated what they’re doing by where they’re looking or position of their wheels but if they can’t be bothered to let me know they’re coming round I can’t be bothered to give way for them.

I have two balls, neither of which are crystal as I explained to an irate lady once. I advised her to be more considerate to other road users and she might end up having better commutes.
Sorry, but I think they're doing it right and you're wrong.
Surely the H.C. advice on roundabouts should be followed - treat it as a one-way street and only indicate for lane changes or when about to exit. To continue on the roundabout requires no signal.
Therefore you're complaining about people doing it correctly.

Munter

31,319 posts

241 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
GerryAttrick said:
Sorry, but I think they're doing it right and you're wrong.
Surely the H.C. advice on roundabouts should be followed - treat it as a one-way street and only indicate for lane changes or when about to exit. To continue on the roundabout requires no signal.
Therefore you're complaining about people doing it correctly.
Dear god. We found one.

Try section 186

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using...

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

GerryAttrick

13 posts

96 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Munter said:
Dear god. We found one.

Try section 186

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using...

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
Yes, that's what I was referring to. It's notable that only on the section relating to turning left does it say continue signalling - straight on requires no signal and right requires signal only on approach.
Question of interpretation. I admit that it may appear to be useful to indicate right as a signal that you're not exiting or moving into the left lane, but I would regard this as potentially misleading. If you're in the correct lane for your intended exit and not signalling then your intentions should be obvious.

Pica-Pica

13,767 posts

84 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
GerryAttrick said:
Munter said:
Dear god. We found one.

Try section 186

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using...

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
Yes, that's what I was referring to. It's notable that only on the section relating to turning left does it say continue signalling - straight on requires no signal and right requires signal only on approach.
Question of interpretation. I admit that it may appear to be useful to indicate right as a signal that you're not exiting or moving into the left lane, but I would regard this as potentially misleading. If you're in the correct lane for your intended exit and not signalling then your intentions should be obvious.
No. The image shown in HC shows the car going straight on indicates left just after the first exit. This is for a roundabout with N,S,E,W exits, in practice they are not all like that.

Munter

31,319 posts

241 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
GerryAttrick said:
Munter said:
Dear god. We found one.

Try section 186

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using...

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
Yes, that's what I was referring to. It's notable that only on the section relating to turning left does it say continue signalling - straight on requires no signal and right requires signal only on approach.
Question of interpretation. I admit that it may appear to be useful to indicate right as a signal that you're not exiting or moving into the left lane, but I would regard this as potentially misleading. If you're in the correct lane for your intended exit and not signalling then your intentions should be obvious.
Which bit of the 3 instructions confused you?

signal right and approach in the right-hand lane (E.g. the right hand indicator is on, because you are taking an exit past 12 o'clock.)
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout (Your right hand indicator should STILL BE ON)
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want. (Now your left hand indicator is on)

Your suggestion that "right requires signal only on approach" is flat wrong. You even quoted the text that tells you it's wrong.

GerryAttrick

13 posts

96 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Munter said:
Which bit of the 3 instructions confused you?

signal right and approach in the right-hand lane (E.g. the right hand indicator is on, because you are taking an exit past 12 o'clock.)
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout (Your right hand indicator should STILL BE ON)
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want. (Now your left hand indicator is on)

Your suggestion that "right requires signal only on approach" is flat wrong. You even quoted the text that tells you it's wrong.
Not confused, (Your right hand indicator should STILL BE ON) does not appear in the H.C. If turning right I will normally cancel the indicator once I am on the roundabout and established in the correct lane, then signal left once necessary to change lane or exit, depending on the layout of the roundabout.

Nowhere in the quoted text does it indicate that signalling right applies to any stage after approach.

We are just reading it differently. I've re-read it carefully a number of times and still hold to my interpretation, which agrees with what I was taught. I do see people indicating right while negotiating a roundabout, and treat them with caution as I have observed a significant number that exit the roundabout while still signalling right!