Ok it's late.........but a pet hate of mine is.

[*Al*]

When people join a dual carriageway or motorway on the slip road and don't indicate until they cross the marker line into L1!! Please fking indicate in advance dheads!

[jagnet]

Do you really need to rely on them indicating? They're on a slip road, so I'm not sure what other option is likely other than feeding into lane one.

[Lurking Lawyer]

Am I missing something? Why indicate?

You know very well where they're going - it's not like there can be any doubt!

[*Al*]

Why would you not indicate? You are attempting to join a major carriageway! Would you pass your test by not indicating? Indicating earlier gives carriageway users more visual warning of your intentions.I honestly can't see an arguement not to indicate, especially low light/dark conditions.

[Fox-]

*Al* said:

Indicating earlier gives carriageway users more visual warning of your intentions.

Although I always indicate, just what else do you think the intentions could be? They are either going to join the carraigeway, join the carriageway, crash into the embankment or join the carriageway.

[Lurking Lawyer]

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, you indicate to tell others what your intentions are and where you're going. Where else can you reasonably expect a car on a sliproad to be going other than joining the inside lane of the dual carriageway or motorway....?!

Indicating is redundant there.

[*Al*]

Lurking Lawyer said:

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, you indicate to tell others what your intentions are and where you're going. Where else can you reasonably expect a car on a sliproad to be going other than joining the inside lane of the dual carriageway or motorway....?!

Indicating is redundant there.

Do you drive a BMW or Audi?

[snuffle]

Fox- said:

*Al* said:

Indicating earlier gives carriageway users more visual warning of your intentions.

Although I always indicate, just what else do you think the intentions could be? They are either going to join the carraigeway, join the carriageway, crash into the embankment or join the carriageway.

[*Al*]

I fear this is not going well lol.

[Six Fiend]

snuffle said:

Fox- said:

*Al* said:

Indicating earlier gives carriageway users more visual warning of your intentions.

Although I always indicate, just what else do you think the intentions could be? They are either going to join the carraigeway, join the carriageway, crash into the embankment or join the carriageway.

Have another

[Lurking Lawyer]

*Al* said:

Do you drive a BMW or Audi?

Neither!

And answer the question.....

[jagnet]

Highway Code said:

Driving on the motorway
259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should
give priority to traffic already on the motorway
check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane
not cross solid white lines that separate lanes or use the hard shoulder
stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking

Leaving the motorway
272
Unless signs indicate that a lane leads directly off the motorway, you will normally leave the motorway by a slip road on your left. You should
watch for the signs letting you know you are getting near your exit
move into the left-hand lane well before reaching your exit
signal left in good time and reduce your speed on the slip road as necessary

So no mention of indicating when joining the motorway, but it does say you should when leaving.

[sherbert90]

As has been said, where so you expect them to go? Really?

[5paul5]

This is just about the only time i dont indicate, its obvious you are joining the main carriageway so whats the point theres no where else to go !

[johnpeat]

You indicate for a large number of reasons

1 - at night/in fog or poor visibility, it's easier to see when cars are joining the carriageway
2 - some sliproads become lanes in their own right - other become sliproads for the next junction - it's not always necessary to leave them and drivers approaching them/using them may not always realise this so SHOW what you're doing
3 - because the Highway Code says you should indicate before changing lanes and it's not up for discussion.

All this "it's obvious that they're going to join the carriageway" is showing poor driving skill/awareness. You're assuming you know every bit of road - and that the other driver does too - be ashamed of yourselves for being so shorted sighted and presuming stuff

[sherbert90]

*Al* said:

Why would you not indicate? You are attempting to join a major carriageway! Would you pass your test by not indicating? Indicating earlier gives carriageway users more visual warning of your intentions.I honestly can't see an arguement not to indicate, especially low light/dark conditions.

I'm sorry, but

[BonzoG]

*Al* said:

Would you pass your test by not indicating?

I didn't indicate onto a couple of fast dual-carriageways on my bike test - you're only going to go one way, so what's the point? Didn't even get a minor fault.
Similarly they expect you not to indicate when moving off from the side of the road when there's no one there to indicate to.


Been taught the same in any advanced training I'd done in the car beforehand, or with the driving assessors at work - if your observations are thorough enough then you should be able to decide that certain indications are not necessary. If you just indicate out of habit 'in case' you've missed something, then you probably have. (Missed something.)

johnpeat said:

because the Highway Code says you should indicate before changing lanes and it's not up for discussion.

Again, I rarely indicate when returning to the left after an overtake except where my intentions might not be clear (the M8 through Glasgow for example has a number of slip roads on the right hand side, so it makes sense to indicate left back out of them to show you're not leaving). Never been dug up for this on any test.

Edited by BonzoG on Sunday 22 January 23:33

[5paul5]

quote=jagnet]

Highway Code said:

Driving on the motorway
259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should
give priority to traffic already on the motorway
check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane
not cross solid white lines that separate lanes or use the hard shoulder
stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking

Leaving the motorway
272
Unless signs indicate that a lane leads directly off the motorway, you will normally leave the motorway by a slip road on your left. You should
watch for the signs letting you know you are getting near your exit
move into the left-hand lane well before reaching your exit
signal left in good time and reduce your speed on the slip road as necessary

So no mention of indicating when joining the motorway, but it does say you should when leaving.

Cant argue with that

[Jandywa]

What other pointless pet hates do you have?

[*Al*]

johnpeat said:

You indicate for a large number of reasons

1 - at night, it's easier to see when cars are joining the carriageway if they're indicating
2 - some sliproads become lanes in their own right - other become sliproads for the next junction - it's not always necessary to leave them and drivers approaching them may not know this
3 - because the Highway Code says you should indicate so just fking do it

All this "it's obvious that they're going to join the carriageway" is showing poor driving skill. You're assuming you know every bit of road - and that the other driver does too - be ashamed of yourselves.

At last John a saviour! So am i really a poor driver for indicating when it's 'obvious' what i'm doing? Sometimes in certain conditions ie low visability, noticing the indicator of a car joining the carriageway in advance helps with planning and possible lane changes for safety reasons.