Not indicating

[carguy45]

toon10 said:

The Mrs. often does this and yeah, it's really annoying. I get more annoyed at the drivers who can't read roundabouts. Approach a roundabout, scan the area and OK there's a car to the right but there's also another car going straight over from the opposite direction so no need to give way as they have to giveaway to the oncoming car. Oh, we're stopping at roundabout anyway, even know there's nothing to give way to. Cheers.

I was at a large roundabout recently (on a dual carriageway setup, with 5 separate exits). I was in the right hand lane as I was taking the last exit on the roundabout, furthest round to my right. Car sitting next to me in the left hand lane decided they were also going to take that exit, so proceeded to go round the roundabout in the outer lane, which almost caused a collision 3 times because of other drivers (in the correct lanes) trying to take their exit but finding that car suddenly in their way. Then they pulled in front of me at the point of exit and almost took my wing off too. Cretins.

[ATG]

Lil_Red_GTO said:

It seems to be a common misconception that when going straight on at a roundabout you don't need to indicate at any time. Indeed, a lot of people seem to think the following applies at roundabouts:

Turning left / first exit: I don't need to indicate as I'm only on the roundabout for a short time and not really getting in anyone's way.
Going straight / second exit: I don't need to indicate as no-one else does and I vaguely recall my driving instructor saying something about that.
Turning right / third exit: I don't need to indicate as by that point I'm well established on the roundabout and have right of way anyway.

My favourites are the people who indicate right as they approach a roundabout because they are intending to turn right ... so far, so good ... and they continue to indicate right as they drive around the roundabout ... and they continue indicating right as they leave the roundabout "because I am turning right", but mainly because they're incapable of imagining what the world looks like to other road users. A friend's Mum drove like this and every journey with her was terrifying. As a 10 year old in the back seat I had more traffic awareness than she did. It's hereditary too. One of her kids had a low speed head on crash with a coach on a country road, and the other hit a stationary object on their driving test.

[Pica-Pica]

ChocolateFrog said:

Getting worse. Twice recently I've gone to turn right out of a t junction only for the car I was intending to slot in behind turning right in front of me without indicating.

One of those where it would be my fault but at a busy junction a little help wouldn't go amiss.

I can’t absolve the other car not indicating, but surely there were plenty of clues that it was turning right?

[Smint]

Pica-Pica said:

I can’t absolve the other car not indicating, but surely there were plenty of clues that it was turning right?

They're almost experts at this round here, approach quickly and if they indicate at all its as they make the turn, couldn't possibly let the person turning right go that would shrink their underwhelming manhood even further.

[popeyewhite]

ATG said:

My favourites are the people who indicate right as they approach a roundabout because they are intending to turn right ... so far, so good ... and they continue to indicate right as they drive around the roundabout ... and they continue indicating right as they leave the roundabout "because I am turning right", but mainly because they're incapable of imagining what the world looks like to other road users.

Yes to all of that, but compounding that bovine stupidity is the fact they've been blocking the inside lane of the DC at 45 mph for the previous 2 miles just "because I am turning right".

Edited by popeyewhite on Thursday 13th March 18:16

[Arrivalist]

Had a woman approach a roundabout the other day. I was at 6 O’clock and she was at 12. She had no indicator on but rather than go straight on she decided to take the second exit, I.e. take a right turn across my path.

I’d already entered the roundabout before she started the manoeuvre but had a sneaking suspicion she was one of those who didn’t use the indicators so went very slowly. She was totally furious when I pointed out the error of her ways and was adamant that putting her indicator on as she was already on the roundabout and turning was adequate

Muppets, all of them.

[swisstoni]

Shame satnavs can’t automatically indicate appropriately. They know where they are going and are clearly more intelligent than a lot of punters.

[Rayny]

swisstoni said:

Shame satnavs can’t automatically indicate appropriately. They know where they are going and are clearly more intelligent than a lot of punters.

This is true - Even if the satnav is neither plugged in nor turned on

[HJG]

Maybe OP encountered me.
My BMW F11 has the highly common water-in headlight issue and it affects the circuit board, disabling the front indicator(s).

[popeyewhite]

HJG said:

Maybe OP encountered me.
My BMW F11 has the highly common water-in headlight issue and it affects the circuit board, disabling the front indicator(s).

Not just the F11, it's incredibly common apparently.

[Mr Tidy]

popeyewhite said:

HJG said:

Maybe OP encountered me.
My BMW F11 has the highly common water-in headlight issue and it affects the circuit board, disabling the front indicator(s).

Not just the F11, it's incredibly common apparently.

Sounds like another unwanted feature of newer models. Isn't is covered by the warranty?

I've had 8 BMWs dating from 2002 to 2007 and none had that issue!

[popeyewhite]

Mr Tidy said:

popeyewhite said:

HJG said:

Maybe OP encountered me.
My BMW F11 has the highly common water-in headlight issue and it affects the circuit board, disabling the front indicator(s).

Not just the F11, it's incredibly common apparently.

Sounds like another unwanted feature of newer models. Isn't is covered by the warranty?

I've had 8 BMWs dating from 2002 to 2007 and none had that issue!

Interesting, I've had three and the indicators seemed to work as intended. Nevertheless it seems a commonplace issue unless something else is to blame.

[Cliftonite]

popeyewhite said:

Yes to all of that, but compounding that bovine stupidity is the fact they've been blocking the inside lane of the DC at 45 mph for the previous 2 miles just "because I am turning right".

Edited by popeyewhite on Thursday 13th March 18:16

The inside lane of a dual carriageway (the one nearer/est the central reservation) is generally called the outside lane?

HTH

[popeyewhite]

Cliftonite said:

The inside lane of a dual carriageway (the one nearer/est the central reservation) is generally called the outside lane?

HTH

I'm always getting that wrong, mainly because I think of it as the fast lane (yeah yeah I know).

[tobytronicstereophonic]

I really wish the drivers with the 'Indicators are optional' philosophy would share the thinking behind their beliefs.
There is the 'You don't need to use them in many circumstances' bull, but every morning, on a 3 mile commute, there will be at least one driver who are Commanders of their Own Personal Universe.
Not giving a toss whether they nearly maim a cyclist (Monday) drive into the side of me because they are incapable of keeping in their lane (Wednesday).

The best one was 'M' who as my apprentice, when he wired the front indicators up so left was right and vice-versa.
Impossible?
It was a Citroen 2CV with a 'basic' wiring loom.
Fortunately, the poor driver eventually realised something was amiss with all the irate drivers nearly crashing into him.

On another day, the service manager asked M to get the paperwork from a new Citroen BX he was fitting a new towbar to.
'Lower the ramp!' I shouted.
'I'm fine, I can get it'

Pulling the raised car backwards off the vehicle lift - he hadn't applied the handbrake - he fell from the car as he attempted the climb into the boot and the rear wheels left the ramp.
The bottom of his overalls snagged on the new towbar and remarkably saved him from a sticky end. He was swinging pendulum-like, upside down.

We should've left him and finished our lunch...

[Watcher of the skies]

J4CKO said:

It does amaze me how often drivers fail to indicate, usually in cars where the workload is pretty low due to being automatic and having all manner of gadgets.

I worked it out one day following some SUV, in and out with no indication, but, got to a queue and needed to get into that lane, the indicators miraculously pinged into life as the lady driving needed something, where indicating a lane change or turning didnt benefit her.

Same people will consider themselves superb drivers, they arent.

And we moan about traffic, but how much time is lost because you arent sure what another drivers intentions are ? Am sure we could have a decent improvement in journey times if people drove the car rather than just did some minimal operating of it.

They are the same derps that sit in lane 2 for 150 miles at a stretch.

That is my view. It's simply down to lack of consideration for other road users. Why bother to indicate if it doesn't benefit me seems to be the attitude.

[Olivergt]

Tommo87 said:

Olivergt said:

the cueball said:

Never trust a flashing indicator...all it shows is that the bulb works!

^^^THIS

You can act on the basis that they will be turning, but always, always, be aware that they might not and plan for that scenario.

On roundabouts, just judge your approach so that if they are exiting the roundabout, they will have started that before you arrive so you can just continue on.

That reads like an open excuse for not bothering to indicate anywhere!!

Hopefully not.

I'm just putting the emphasis on the person seeing the indicator, "Trust but verify" as Reagan used to say.

Personally, when I see someone indicating, I'm going to assume that they will actually turn, but I don't take it as gospel, I will leave time and space to be able to react if they don't.

There are also instances where it's going to be more obvious that they will turn.

For example:

You are following a car on a reasonably straight road, up ahead there is a right turn, the car in front starts to indicate right, that's a pretty much 100% that they will turn right, if they don't turn, their only option is to keep going straight on, so there is not much for me to do in this scenario.

[Rich Boy Spanner]

It's not worth bothering getting annoyed about, Once you accept that UK driving standards are about the same as Istanbul but with added boneheaded UK knuckler dragger aggression thrown in then it all becomes easier to live with, and yes, I do drive in Istanbul.

[Olivergt]

Rich Boy Spanner said:

It's not worth bothering getting annoyed about, Once you accept that UK driving standards are about the same as Istanbul but with added boneheaded UK knuckler dragger aggression thrown in then it all becomes easier to live with, and yes, I do drive in Istanbul.

Agreed, just relax, give everyone plenty of space and get on with your own journey.

[popeyewhite]

Olivergt said:

Rich Boy Spanner said:

It's not worth bothering getting annoyed about, Once you accept that UK driving standards are about the same as Istanbul but with added boneheaded UK knuckler dragger aggression thrown in then it all becomes easier to live with, and yes, I do drive in Istanbul.

Agreed, just relax, give everyone plenty of space and get on with your own journey.

"Plenty of space"
You won't get that around here.