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Why do people stop using their indicators/turn signals?

#61
The facts speak for themselves

New Study Says Failure To Use Turn Signals Is A Leading Cause Of Car Accidents

New Study Says Failure To Use Turn Signals Is A Leading Cause Of Car Accidents « CBS Philly

Turn signal neglect results in over twice as many crashes as distracted driving

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Who Is Liable For Accidents Caused By Failure To Signal?

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Turn signal neglect a real danger, study shows

Turn signal neglect a real danger, study shows - Business

Not using turn signals is breaking the law

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#62
People don't pay attention.*

People don't care about other people.

Law enforcement spends less time than ever writing tickets for traffic infractions, unless it's a speed trap.

Drivers are dumber than they used to be and there's more of them than ever.

Testing to get a license is easier than ever. I've personally known several people who would've never received a license in the '70s. I think it was once mandatory to re-test to renew a license. Now you can do it by mail.

*I've been cut off no less than 3 times this week by people who were in lanes that ended and when it came time to merge, they simply drifted over without signaling or even looking. I don't even bother honking.

It's mainly because people are either stupid, don't care, or both.
 
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#63
Immigrant said:
Testing to get a license is easier than ever. I've personally known several people who would've never received a license in the '70s. I think it was once mandatory to re-test to renew a license. Now you can do it by mail.
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Indeed. It seems you don't even need to learn how to park a car, that's why many cars now offer the ultra-useful self-parking option... :rollno:
 
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#65
My theory is that there are two root causes of the problem. One is that there is some proportion of drivers who chronically ignore turn signals: those people who think only of themselves and don't give a damn about other drivers. The other is situation-specific, in which people who ordinarily do use signals fail to do so because at the moment they are sipping their coffee or eating a cheeseburger or holding a cell phone to their ear. The latter is an example of the effects of distractions rather than an alternative to it.
 
#66
Because they're either lost or just plain inconsiderate. Me, I use mine all of the time because (1) I want all of the morons driving around me to know what I'm doing, and (2) right after I got my Mustang I installed a sequential tail light harness, and it looks darn cool!
 
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#67
Richland123 said:
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The study cited in the articles linked by Richland123 recommends a simple technological solution: "Smart Turn Signals." Here's a summary from the specific link quoted above:

"Smart Turn Signals use vehicle sensors and computer control to not only shut off the turn signal appropriately and accurately under every conceivable driving situation, but also assists the driver to assure that the turn signal is used regularly. The Turn Signal Assist feature is similar to a seat belt reminder – If you habitually neglect the use of your turn signal when you execute turns, you will eventually get a friendly reminder display. For drivers who use turn signals nearly every time, no display will ever appear, so it is never a nuisance for most drivers. Drivers who neglect their turn signals will quickly improve their habits and therefore reduce their overall risk of involvement in a crash as well as reducing the risk of getting a traffic citation."

Interesting idea. Would it work?
 
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#68
MonetBass said:
right after I got my Mustang I installed a sequential tail light harness, and it looks darn cool!
Click to expand...
If you saw my 1994 bottom of the barrel Nissan short-bed pickup truck with 380K on it you would know immediately that I am not a 'car guy'. I recently gave a friend a ride to a car dealership to pick his car up after some sort of repair, and when I pulled in all I could think of is the looks on the faces of the salesmen at Bloomingdales when a homeless man wanders in and urinates on himself...that being said; those sequential tail lights are really cool...and on a Mustang...MUY Bonita, MUY Bueno!!!!!!
 
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#69
to be more serious and constructive to the topic, it seems like some people do it habitually - we've all seen those guys who are always clearly speeding and constantly shifting between lanes, regardless of how packed the road is. Anecdotally, I notice that they're usually in either a big truck like an F-150 or a Silverado (nice trucks, and most of them are pretty responsible drivers, anecdotally) or they're driving a higher-end car like a sports car, BMW, or even a Chrysler. Again, this is anecdote, not fact, this stuff isn't peer-reviewed, it's just me making half-arsed connections when driving. I liked making them squirm by blocking them, but seeing as that could cause a pileup, I suppose I'll be less petty and stupid in the future. That said, I think they're just habitually too busy thinking they've got somewhere to be and perhaps they're self-important or something, or maybe their wife's water just broke or something.

Other times, there are people that just seem to either have one signal lamp burnt out, or might just genuinely forgot that one or two times - maybe they've got something on their minds (like their wife's water just breaking), maybe their kids are in the car and being a distraction, or maybe it's just been a long day. We're not really machines made for driving, we're (to some people, arguably) beings that share ancestors with modern apes that have somehow figured out enough science and engineering to make us the pilots of several hundred (or thousand, depending on what you're driving) pounds of metal. We're not going to be bang on every time, I'd say if even the best of us are bang on with all of the details %80 of the time, that'd be a pretty good number.
 
#72
I was with a guy once, and I noticed he never used his turn signal.

I asked him why. He said "why use the turn signal, there was nobody else coming."

I figured this summed up the problem neatly. His philosophy ignored all of the other drivers he couldn't see, and those are the ones who usually hit you.
 
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#73
In Europe it tends to be partly cultural and partly individual habits.

In Italy for example you can drive for a week without seeing a single person using a turn signal, and they do a lot of tailgating and lane switching and jockeying there. On the other hand drivers remain alert and reactive.

In the UK almost everyone signals all the time. It is drilled into them from the start of driver's ed and generally all road signs and correct behaviour is stringently followed.

Other countries fall variously between these two extremes.
 
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#74
Lobster11 said:
The study cited in the articles linked by Richland123 recommends a simple technological solution: "Smart Turn Signals." Here's a summary from the specific link quoted above:

"Smart Turn Signals use vehicle sensors and computer control to not only shut off the turn signal appropriately and accurately under every conceivable driving situation, but also assists the driver to assure that the turn signal is used regularly. The Turn Signal Assist feature is similar to a seat belt reminder – If you habitually neglect the use of your turn signal when you execute turns, you will eventually get a friendly reminder display. For drivers who use turn signals nearly every time, no display will ever appear, so it is never a nuisance for most drivers. Drivers who neglect their turn signals will quickly improve their habits and therefore reduce their overall risk of involvement in a crash as well as reducing the risk of getting a traffic citation."

Interesting idea. Would it work?
Click to expand...

friendly reminder ? by a computer ? whats wrong with the technology the good lord provided for you, ya know the one that's situated between your ears. You know what the friendly reminder should be ? maybe the oil should be syphoned off to another holding tank and cause a bit of engine damage, I bet you would remember to use them after you got the bill for an engine rebuild. I think people are way to quick to let computers and technology do mundane tasks they are perfectly capable of performing themselves............ say like, using a turn signal for example.
 
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#77
Altitude said:
I was with a guy once, and I noticed he never used his turn signal.

I asked him why. He said "why use the turn signal, there was nobody else coming."

I figured this summed up the problem neatly. His philosophy ignored all of the other drivers he couldn't see, and those are the ones who usually hit you.
Click to expand...

I was driving home from rehearsal one night...very late on a week night. It was well after midnight and the road I was on was seemingly empty. I pulled into a left-hand turn lane and made the turn (I had a green light) and was pulled over a few moments after that. The police officer asked me why I didn't signal my left turn. I told him I had nobody to signal to. "Nobody except me," he said. Walked right into that one.....
 
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#79
Oh I agree and wasn't offering an excuse to the officer. I answered him honestly, I didn't see any other car on the road (and didn't see headlights). I was just piggy-backing onto Will's point about not always seeing other drivers.

FWIW, I didn't get a ticket that night. I think the officer was more just looking for a reason to pull me over and look in my van. He asked me where I was coming from and when I told him I was coming rehearsal we struck up a conversation about the local music scene. Turned out he was familiar with our band. One of the cooler exchanges I've had after being pulled over. :)
 
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