I use it literally everywhere out of habit, I got made fun of for using it when pulling out of my moms driveway once lol
The only reason I won’t possibly use it is when I’m in a turn only lane at a red light and don’t want to listen to it for 3 minutes
Most people I find only use it 75% of the time at best.
I’m 2.5 years into driving and am curious if it’s just what semi-new drivers do or if I’m the odd one out.
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I’m on the road a lot as a cyclist. Like OP, I’d estimate that at least a quarter of vehicles rarely or never signal.
Ah, but do you follow the rules as well? Ride with traffic? Give hand signals for turns?
Not picking on you, but as a truck driver, I see far too many people riding against traffic, all over the middle of the road, and generally creating their own demise.
I do about 3k miles a year and safety is my top priority. I have (knock wood) never had a serious accident, but I’ve had a couple close calls (always from an inattentive driver). Every time I read about a road cycling injury, I shudder. The Gaudreau brothers incident was particularly harrowing.
I have flashing lights on my bike, wear high vis, ride with traffic, and signal when turning. But the absolute best piece of bike safety gear imho (and one which I see fairly infrequently even though it’s cheap), is an eyeglass or helmet mounted rear-view mirror. I see handlebar mirrors sometimes and I’ve tried them myself but they aren’t nearly as good (they are useless when turning). The eyeglass mirror is a little distracting at first, but eventually you stop noticing it unless you want to, and it’s like having eyes in the back of your head.
I use it all the time and I judge people who don’t.
Always always signal your intention. I heard a woman complaining that her new car had lane control, which forced her to indicate when changing lanes. “It’s so annoying, I mean it’s obvious I’m overtaking, I don’t need to indicate!”
Also, as a frequent pedestrian I appreciate when drivers and cyclists indicate and judge heavily when they don’t. So frustrating to be waiting to cross the road and someone turns without indicating.
Other drivers cannot read minds, so use the blinker.
Its why it’s there in the first place.
I use them all the time. Pisses me off when other road users don’t. They’re called indicators here in the UK and apparently if you pass an advanced driving test and get an advanced licence you don’t have to use them all the time, particularly if there’s no-one around to see them. Advanced courses are about thinking rather than being on autopilot, and so indicating out of habit suggests you’re not paying attention to what’s going on around you.
Until humans invent mind reading and we can all do it easily without a moment’s hesitation, I will be using my turning indicator. Only idiots make fun of signalling.
I got made fun of for using it when pulling out of my moms driveway once lol
I believe the socially acceptable retort is “if you don’t like my driving, you can get the hell out of the car. If you’re staying, you can shut up”
Even when I’m a pedestrian I fucking hate anyone who doesn’t use a turn signal. Usually I’ll yield to cars because they’re faster, and as an impatient person myself I wonder who’d want to wait six years for someone to walk across whatever but I can’t do that when the idiots don’t use their turn signal.
It’s worse when you’re a pedestrian. If you swerve towards me and expect me to get out of your way you kinda have to tell me where you’re going. But if you walk a lot you get better at judging intentions by the changing speed of the car and distrasting blinkers.
Always. Driveway? Blinkers. Parking? Blinkers. On an empty road with no one in sight? Believe it or not, blinkers.
It’s a muscle memory. When you get used to using them, you just do. If you have exceptions, you might forget it when it matters.
Sometimes when I’m turning a sharp normal turn in a parking lot or ramp, I’ll instinctively signal, even though there’s no need to.
I’m with you all the way to the final sentence.
Your indicator usage is linked to your mirror usage. If you use indicators in all situations regardless, what you might actually forget to do is look in your mirrors properly, which is more important.
Your first two mentions are fine examples. In the UK at least, using indicators when entering your driveway or a parking space isn’t necessary if no other cars or pedestrians are approaching your car.
Obviously I don’t just use blinkers and go without looking. I would’ve thought that goes without saying
Why would somebody forget to check their mirrors more often if they use turn signals?
It doesn’t logically follow to me.
100% the same. I never even think about it. It’s just baked into my brain.
The only time I don’t is leaving my driveway. We’re corner house on a quiet cul-de-sac so it just doesn’t occur to me.
People leaving roundabouts on the first exit who don’t indicate before entering are the ones that annoy me most. They will watch me waiting to enter or slow down to stop as they approach and literally not lift a finger to help.
Roundabout = indicator you donkey. There’s literally no legal way to use one without it (here anyway).
My mom tried to tell me that when you turn left through an American roundabout, you enter and leave with your left blinker blinking.
I was a child the last time I had to sit quietly on such a big disagreement with her lol. I guess I’m lucky.
I’m lucky
Unlike other people using roundabouts the same time as use
I always signal out of roundabouts, but never on. Legally I’m supposed to signal in but that makes no sense to me because of course I’m going to be entering the roundabout, there is never another option.
Not being preachy…If you’re taking the first exit (turning right essentially if you drive on the right or turning left of you drive on the left) you should be indicating as you enter. It allows traffic from other lanes to enter the roundabout without stopping to figure out where you’re going.
Yes, I do it only if I’m taking the first exit.
Oh god. I absolutely hate ppl who don’t signal off roundabouts. I drive a car but also a motorbike, I’ve learned not to trust at roundabouts due to too many near misses. Fucking pillocks all of em.
I’ve only been driving for 33 years, but I try to signal every turn.
Because the signals are for those situations where you don’t see something you should have AND those situations where someone else didn’t see something they should have.
Takes a flick of the pinky to do something that could save you thousands of dollars and wasted time, or even save someone’s life. So why not do it?
Would you use your blinker in a car? Would you wink at your lover, from afar? Would you twerk and dimple, or is that too far? I don’t know how to rhyme this anymore, ABLAR.
“Every important sideways manoeuvre” is what I learned from my driving instructor. I sometimes even feel a bit bad when I forget to use my indicator.
Can I make a small complaint here that the 3 blinks your car does is way too short to start and finish most actions?
If you’re making a turn push the lever farther and it will keep blinking until the steering wheel starts to return to center. If you’re just edging sideways into the next lane, a little flick will give you the few seconds of blinks and stop, because the wheel doesn’t turn enough for the other system and you might not realize it’s still blinking mile after míle.
I do wish the blinks were a faster tempo, more chances to alert others quickly.
Only when I remember to fill up on my blinker fluid.
If I’m in a traffic area or pulling into a traffic area, always. I indicate out of my driveway because I’m going on to a road and there’s 2 directions I could go.
my car weighs like 1.6t and people need to know where it’s heading.
I use it everywhere because it signals intent. You never know when someone might pull up fast or walk into your blind spot. This is the only indicator they have that you’re about to pull into traffic, or change lanes.
