Why do people stop using their indicators/turn signals?

[96tbird]

Hmm, no offense but a little bit of a gray area IMO. She was forward of you which gives her the right of way, except for the fact that she must merge into your lane. She has to do it safely but using the signal and moving over is her only option, except rapidly accelerating or slowing to let you go first. "Merge" is not the same as "yield." If she can safely enter your lane ahead of you, you're supposed to let her.

I let people in all the time in that scenario. It's just a live and let live driving attitude. Literally.

I'm not excusing her for cutting you off, but at the same time if a collision had resulted you would probably be found partially liable.

A lot of people (not you, necessarily) feel they own their lane, and no one else should have the right to use it until they're done with it. If you built the road on your property, sure, but public roads are for everyone. Now GANGWAY!!

No she isn't forward of me when I am occupying the lane directly beside her My car was in her way of clearing the change. Her lane was ending in a right turn only or hit the concrete median or hit me.

The mere act of signaling does nut mean you can begin to move into occupied space. The occupier has right Of way. If you think that's grey, I'm glad you don't live here or there'd be two of you in this town. Shudder.

 

[Pilgrim]

One of my biggest red flags is when another driver is in my blind spot (right or left, there are blind spots on both sides) or when I'm in their blind spot. Both are perfect opportunities for them to do something stupid.

I won't drive in another driver's blind spot; I'll speed up or slow down. Usually I speed up so they see I'm next to them..which I don't assume is the case until the nose of my car is even with theirs.

And NOBODY - I say again, NOBODY - is aware of the concept of "Right of Way." Right of Way

 

[Tom Lane]

One of my biggest red flags is when another driver is in my blind spot (right or left, there are blind spots on both sides) or when I'm in their blind spot. Both are perfect opportunities for them to do something stupid.

I won't drive in another driver's blind spot; I'll speed up or slow down. Usually I speed up so they see I'm next to them..which I don't assume is the case until the nose of my car is even with theirs.

And NOBODY - I say again, NOBODY - is aware of the concept of "Right of Way." Right of Way

Completely agree, except... I don't like to travel parallel to another vehicle because I like for both of us to have the option of switching lanes suddenly, so I change position until one of us is ahead.

 

[slobake]

One of my biggest red flags is when another driver is in my blind spot (right or left, there are blind spots on both sides) or when I'm in their blind spot. Both are perfect opportunities for them to do something stupid.

I won't drive in another driver's blind spot; I'll speed up or slow down. Usually I speed up so they see I'm next to them..which I don't assume is the case until the nose of my car is even with theirs.

And NOBODY - I say again, NOBODY - is aware of the concept of "Right of Way." Right of Way

Nobody? Does that include you?
I agree with you about blind spots. I very am conscious of this when it comes to large vehicles like trucks and buses.

 

[slobake]

I used the see bumper stickers that read: "Visualize world peace"
Then I saw bumper stickers that read "Visualize whirled peas"
Then I saw bumper stickers that read "Visualize using a turn signal"

 

[Dash Lashes]

just from seeing this thread's title from day to day, ive started/been consciously using my blinkers more often

TB can be considered a "way of life"

_dash

 

[ChrisB2]

Somebody's hot button is showing here. Unlax.

Nah, just deploying some of my own unfonted sarcasm...

 

[96tbird]

To be clear here is the area I am speaking of. Note the solid line that technically says you cannot change lanes here.

 

[slobake]

Yesterday I was driving in the city and realized too late I was in a right turn only land. There is so much traffic you don't realize this until you are close to the intersection.
I put on my left turn signal and that clued the cars behind me to start honking immediately. After several cars in the left lane passed one kind soul let me merge. The whole thing took about ten seconds. The guy behind me was giving his horn a real workout.
Last week my wife dropped my off at the corner near the subway station. The guy behind us started honking and cursing at us. I took me less than ten seconds to jump out of the car and for her to drive off. He glared at me I told him to relax he drove off still looking angry.
We have unwritten rules for drivers around here.
A two second delay deserves a polite honk
A five second delay entitles you to lean on your horn.
A ten second delay entitles you to lean on your horn and shout obscenities
A thirty second delay entitles you to a trip in the ambulance for the heart attack you invited.

Once you are behind the wheel no other driver is entitled to delay your forward motion for any reason whatsoever.
Remember that only other drivers make mistakes on the road and when they do you are entitled to make comments about their intelligence and ancestry.
If for some strange reason you do make an error in judgment every jerk that gets annoyed at you is a complete anus orifice.

 

[MJ5150]

I usually get busy texting or looking at the internet on my phone and forget to use them.

-Mike

 

[ChrisB2]

No she isn't forward of me when I am occupying the lane directly beside her

Yeah, in your original post you said:

Lady in the right lane is positioned just behind the nose of my NEW car so I can JUST see her taillights.

i.e. Her car is forward of yours, like I said.

The mere act of signaling does nut mean you can begin to move into occupied space. The occupier has right Of way.

I don't know. Like I said, to me it's a gray area. I just let them in. See the article Pilgrim linked. If you allowed a crash to occur I think you would be partially liable.

And NOBODY - I say again, NOBODY - is aware of the concept of "Right of Way." Right of Way

Thanks for posting that, very interesting. I was a little off stating who had right of way in the above situation but the article does seem to support my view that 96tbird should allow her to merge. I still say "merge" obligates all drivers to yield when necessary and this article does a nice job of explaining how we all have an obligation to avoid crashes.

 

[bass12]

Being thoughtful and considerate of others is not currently trendy.

 

[Pilgrim]

When I get caught in a turn lane like that, I don't stop or hold up traffic. I turn right. A block down the street, I'll use an intersection to turn around and come back to the place where I got in the wrong lane.

I don't hold up traffic when I;m the one who made the mistake, and taking a right is safe and easy. I don't know why people decide they MUST continue through the intersection. Same for missing a freeway exit - I'm not going to go sideways across three lanes to make the exit, I'll go down the road a piece and find another exit. (And I'm out west, where the next exit can be 5-10 miles.)

 

[96tbird]

Yeah, in your original post you said:



i.e. Her car is forward of yours, like I said.



I don't know. Like I said, to me it's a gray area. I just let them in. See the article Pilgrim linked. If you allowed a crash to occur I think you would be partially liable.



Thanks for posting that, very interesting. I was a little off stating who had right of way in the above situation but the article does seem to support my view that 96tbird should allow her to merge. I still say "merge" obligates all drivers to yield when necessary and this article does a nice job of explaining how we all have an obligation to avoid crashes.

Ok her tail was in line with the middle of my front fender "so I could just see her taillights" get it? Yeesh.

Why would you even argue the point? You weren't there.

Look at the picture above. Solid white line. No changing lanes.

 

[ChrisB2]

Ok her tail was in line with the middle of my front fender "so I could just see her taillights" get it? Yeesh.

Yeah I get it, she was forward of you, like we have both said all along.

Ok.

 

[slobake]

I don't hold up traffic when I;m the one who made the mistake, and taking a right is safe and easy. I don't know why people decide they MUST continue through the intersection. Same for missing a freeway exit - I'm not going to go sideways across three lanes to make the exit, I'll go down the road a piece and find another exit. (And I'm out west, where the next exit can be 5-10 miles.)

Me neither

 

[Tom Lane]

Yeah, in your original post you said:



i.e. Her car is forward of yours, like I said.



I don't know. Like I said, to me it's a gray area. I just let them in. See the article Pilgrim linked. If you allowed a crash to occur I think you would be partially liable.



Thanks for posting that, very interesting. I was a little off stating who had right of way in the above situation but the article does seem to support my view that 96tbird should allow her to merge. I still say "merge" obligates all drivers to yield when necessary and this article does a nice job of explaining how we all have an obligation to avoid crashes.

Technically, you're not supposed to cross a solid white line, so the other driver should have continued in her lane and made the right turn, but, if she's not going to follow the law, then she should have slowed down until there was a safe opportunity to cross the line. Still, trying to play chicken with her would be a mistake if that's what happened. Getting irritated about her illegal and unwise behavior, that's personal choice. Me, life's too short.

 

[96tbird]

All good till it's your car. And it wasn't chicken she zoomed up threw on her signal and started coming over. Traffic was bumper to bumper being rush minute (city of 60k) after the red light we were just released from.

As I had said I had to jam my brakes to not be creamed. I'm lucky I didn't get rear ended as well.

Every time at that bottleneck, people speed from the lights 100 yds back and try to jump in line over the bridge.

As for Chrisb, with that view, you are part of the problem.

 

[placedesjardins]

Everyone who is driving must have used their indicators at some point, because presumably you have to use them to pass your driving test. So at some point in the intervening years, some people stop using them. Why is this? Do you use your turn signals? If not, why not?

Yes, I do. It's the law and provides safety for myself and others.

 

[Tom Lane]

All good till it's your car.

Not really. All's too good till it's your realization of what's important to you in your life. Make a note and tell me what you think in 15 years. 10 to 1 you will think differently, and wish you had 15 years ago.