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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Yes. You’re supposed to use it anytime you’re about to turn or change lanes, including if you’re sitting in a turn lane at a red light or backing out of a drive way of parking spot.
Not doing so makes you a road hazard.
In the Netherlands you don’t need to signal when you pull back in after overtaking in the middle lane.
That’s not true. You need to signal when changing lanes. Going back after overtaking constitutes changing lanes.
[Artikel 55 Reglement verkeersregels en verkeerstekens 1990] (https://wetten.overheid.nl/jci1.3:c:BWBR0004825&hoofdstuk=II¶graaf=24&artikel=55&z=2024-07-01&g=2024-07-01)
Got my licence a bit over 2 years ago. I ALWAYS use the blinkers. You never know when there’s some other participant in traffic that you don’t notice for which the information of what I’m about to do is important.
It annoys me to no end that a lot of drivers here won’t signal for lane changes or turn offs.
The “unknown participant” is a great term for it. I use it alone on my neighborhood turns, particularly at night, because I can’t properly see around the turn. One of them is totally in darkness, situated between street lights. If there’s a pedestrian crossing, I’d like to give them a little warning. One of my cars has stellar fog lights and gives ample sideways light though, so I recommend using them under 40mph for turns.
Over 10 years of driving here.
I get mad at myself if I don’t turn it on early enough. As I. If I go to change lanes and it only flashes once it really isn’t enough notice for other drivers so I usually bitch at myself.
I may be the only person you meet who road rages against himself.
Yeah; because I don’t want someone to end up hitting me if I turn unexpectedly. I want them to expect it. I mean, I don’t wanna be hit either way but you know what I mean.
use. your. blinkers.
Unless you get a BMW. Then you buy the right not to use your blinkers.
I thought they made that a subscription now.
If you turn your wheel, use your blinker.
We say we know people aren’t from our town when they use their indicators going round the market square and the corner after/before it.
No. Not when the road curves. Only when changing lanes, turning at an intersection, or pulling out from being parked.
Ideally a good 10-20 seconds beforehand.
I use it as soon as it’s clear what it means. If there are multiple turns, that might be four seconds so that they don’t expect me to turn early. I’ll typically hit it in the middle of the intersection of the first turn.
If there’s no earlier option to turn, I’ll absolutely leave it on for 10-15 seconds.
Regarding switching lanes I prefer when other driver enable their signal a few seconds just before they do the maneuver. If they enable their blinker too early I don’t know when exactly they will switch lanes which is confusing IMHO.
Yes. You’re moving heavy objects with meat in them very fast. You should always clearly indicate your intentions.
I use it to pull into my driveway because it’s immediately after a sharp blind turn and I’d rather not get shoved into my own mailbox.
I’ve used it in to turn into my driveway when there are other cars around because some of my neighbors and most of the delivery drivers drive like total dicks and can’t seem to figure out why someone would slow down in a neighborhood.
Yes, I use it. Over a million miles and nearly 40 years driving.
Fuck the haters, use that thing.
That’s a lot of driving
If I used my blinker, I wouldn’t be able to cuss people out for not letting me in.
I don’t drive a BMW, so yes.
I have ridden BMW motorcycles for many years and made a point of using blinkers when needed. Cars have crumple zones; on a motorcycle, you are the crumple zone.
But yes, BMW cars are often driven by self-centered assholes.
It has sadly extended to all the more expensive German cars, somehow they think they are better then everyone else
I would think the people buying these expensive cars wouldn’t want to crash them. I guess they do though.
Nah, the blinkers of all German cars are just intentionally broken.
Nah, the kind of people buying those cars are just all assholes
Always use the blinker. Remember it’s not a request, it’s a warning. The only time you might not is if you have to make a sudden emergency swerve and don’t have time and need both hands on the wheel. In this case, survival should be immediately followed by an apology wave.
When changing lanes in fast traffic, using the blinker will usually cause the car next to you to speed up. This is a feature, not a bug, as it opens a space behind them into which you can stick the nose of your car, ahead of the guy following them.
Adding in: if you routinely drive with your lights on, you will find that little extra visibility makes people slightly less likely to cut you off or more likely to let you in. Sometimes they don’t mean to be assholes, they’re just distracted, and being more visible helps. If you consider that “dingdingding” a reminder to lock it, it will turn off the lights and be safe.
it’s not a request, it’s a warning.
This way of thinking comes across as a devil-may-care attitude, and a threat, even, whenever I see it. “Warning, I’ll do what I want. Stay out of my way!”
A turn signal doesn’t give someone permission to make an unsafe maneuver because they “warned” others. Your actions on the road should never be dangerous. Rather it’s an indication to others of your intentions, so that other people can act accordingly. Maybe it lets someone turn onto a road from an intersection ahead of you because you’re going to turn in. Maybe someone in the lane next to you will leave you space in front or behind them. Maybe the driver behind you will slow down instead of trying to pass, because they know you’re about to leave the lane. It does not give you undue permission to change lanes right in front of somebody who will have to brake to avoid a collision.
It’s not the first time I’ve seen “warning” used so I wonder if this is part of driver’s Ed somewhere, but it has always seemed like a dangerous way of approaching turn signals.
You’re right of course. You should drive defensively at all times, and with courtesy, remembering the humans around you. But it’s also dangerous and confusing to others if you don’t take the right of way when it’s yours. Or if you signal a move and then don’t do it. As with my example of lane changing, you can anticipate another driver not making it easy and use that to find your spot. You shouldn’t try to zoom ahead and cut them off, and you shouldn’t even be starting to signal if there’s not room. But soon after you start blinking, your car should at least indicate what you’re doing by changing position within your own lane, and then you should finish the move as soon as it’s safe.
You should also realize that the other person’s signals need to be treated as a warning. Even if the car and its driver look small and easily intimidated, you should allow them the space to make their move. Too many drivers don’t.
I’m going to add, if you see someone do something incredibly stupid, assume their GPS just gave them an impossible direction. Or their kid is kidnapped and they are hurrying to the ransom drop. Or whatever it takes for you to let go of your frustration and just add it into the day’s tally of crazy driving rather than getting angry.
I most likely agree with you, except I think we do this a little differently:
you shouldn’t even be starting to signal if there’s not room.
I disagree with this because I think it’s better to signal your intention to change lanes as soon as it’s practical to let others know. For example, if there is heavy traffic and I need to get over, I’ll put on my blinker and wait for my safe chance to merge. That way the person behind me knows why I’m slowing down, and the cars to my right can either speed up or fall back, if they notice at all. I may have to wait until it’s safe to change lanes, but I’m being courteous to those around me by signaling my intention.
The only time I wait is if there is a single car passing me: I’ll wait until they pass before putting on my signal, since I don’t have to wait long, and that car might misinterpret my signal as a warning :p and slow down. If it’s multiple cars passing, I’ll put on my signal so people can predict my actions: that I’ll change lanes at my first safe opportunity.
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.
Only when I remember to fill up on my blinker fluid.
Indicators?
Yes, only pillocks don’t use their indicators. They’re an essential method of communication between vehicles and for pedestrians, and an essential safety feature.
I cannot stress this enough, people who don’t use their indicators are massive twats and shouldn’t be on the road.
They’re a danger to themselves and everybody around them.
I read this in a posh British accent.
