You have indicators (turn signals) Use the damn things!

[Golden Phoenix]

I walk to work every day, it's about a mile and a nice walk past the allotments and along a peaceful road (coming home is another story, i got mugged there once, which is why i now get a lift) there's one or two tunr offs, one of which goes into an industrial estate type place.

I was walking along happy as can be and turned to look behind me to see if there weare any cars as i was about to cross the entrance to the industrial site.

Any cars?
Yup.
Signalling a turn?
Nope.
Ok, so cross.

So i step out into the turn and nearly get flattened by the first of the cars that was approaching, which wasn't using its turn signal. My handbag gets caught by a wing mirror and ripped off my arm (which bloody hurt) and i pull up short just in time to avoid bouncing off the car or getting my toes run over.

The guy stops the car and gets out and begins screaming at me to watch where i'm going, having just had a rather nasty shock i scream back at him.

Since he was (apparently) in a (unmarked) company car he insits i speak with his manager. I conceede to this since there was some minor damage, not to mention my bag was damaged and i was hurt and we head inside to the site manager.

We track the guy down and asshole driver (AD) starts off on the "she wasn't paying attention" bit again, from what i gathered he'd been in trouble for car damage before and didn't want to take the rap this time. I naturally protest this.

After a few minutes of this my brain begins to function properly again, and since i happen to work on the same site but for a different company (located further round the street) i suggest we check the CCTV that covers the entire place. AD starts to look worried.

CCTV shows AD not indicating, me checking to see if it was safe and him nearly squashing me flat.

Long story short, AD's on report, i've been reimbursed for my bag and then some, i've also been issued a very nicely worded apology letter, and i didn't even get into trouble for being late to work.

[Aethian]

My Mom is bad about not using the signals. I'm constantly telling her to use them and she just gives me an exhasperated sigh. When I'm driving and don't use them once she starts yelling at how we could have just been killed...... I was in a left turn lane turning left...with a left turn light...

[Buglady]

It doesn't matter anyway - if you were on the sidewalk but crossing a driveway, you had right of way and the driver had a duty to yield to YOU. Period. He was an ass, knew he was in the wrong, and tried to bluster his way out.

(Now, I've been known to mutter nasty things at pedestrians when I'm driving, if it's dark and the person is wearing black for example, but I still know it's MY responsibility as a driver to look out for them and anticipate whether they might be about to cross a road or driveway. I mean, if they came RUNNING out from a hiding place like a ninja and flung themselves in front of my car I'd still be responsible, ultimately, so as long as people are walking in a reasonably predictable manner I'm happy).

[Trayol]

if they came RUNNING out from a hiding place like a ninja and flung themselves in front of my car

It's a testament to my evil mind that I instantly thought of a ninja trying to commit vehicular seppuku, leaping through the air in a monkey-style pose for the front of your car.
Sometimes I wonder if I should continue to suppress the evil, or just let it take over?

Back on Topic: I trust no driver out at my Uni. I usually check 3 times before actually crossing any street even with the light.

[froglet]

What bugs me are the people that signal AS they turn. Fat lotta good that does!
Now that I drive, I try to signal as far from the intersection as I can without giving the impression I'm turning somewhere else or pulling over.

[PepperElf]

yeah. people in virginia don't know how to use them either.
including the cops.

[jedimaster91]

My husband jokes that here in Kentucky, people get a discount on their insurance for not using turn signals. I for one have lost count of how many times I've ALMOST hit someone who decided they HAD to have the spot my car was occupying without even looking to see if I had moved.

[joe hx]

my step-dad always signals way too early... like a mile or so. when i was like fifteen or so someone almost hit him thinking he was going to turn. he of course didn't notice...

[Kogarashi]

The rule of thumb I heard when learning to drive was that you should start signalling about three seconds before making your turn, and my driver's ed instructor drilled it into us that turning on the signal was the first step in making a lane change, not somewhere in the middle. Signal intent, then start looking around and actually making your turn/merge.

Hubby and a lot of the people around here tend to fall prey to the signal-as-you-turn fault, or just don't bother to signal at all.

[Aramika]

yeah. people in virginia don't know how to use them either.
including the cops.

Quoted for truth. It annoys me so freakin much.

[Andrew B.]

Apparantly in Massachusetts turn signals are a sign of weakness. Local police officer told that to my mom when we were visiting my grandparents up there during the summer.

[Rapscallion]

It doesn't matter anyway - if you were on the sidewalk but crossing a driveway, you had right of way and the driver had a duty to yield to YOU. Period. He was an ass, knew he was in the wrong, and tried to bluster his way out.

Last I heard, in the UK (where phoenix is), pedestrians have right of way everywhere barring motorways and possibly dual carriageways. Of course, if you step out in front of an eighteen tonne wagon doing fifty mph and tell it that you have the right of way, you might get two or three words out if you're lucky.

Rapscallion

[smileyeagle1021]

Last I heard, in the UK (where phoenix is), pedestrians have right of way everywhere barring motorways and possibly dual carriageways. Of course, if you step out in front of an eighteen tonne wagon doing fifty mph and tell it that you have the right of way, you might get two or three words out if you're lucky.

Rapscallion

I like my mother's way of saying it better
"it doesn't matter one damned bit who has the right of way when you're dead"

[wagegoth]

In most places here in the U.S., you can cross a street anywhere, not just in crosswalks, marked or unmarked, as long as you don't interfere with traffic. However, you can be cited if you cross in a crosswalk against the light, traffic or not, and some places do not allow pedestrians at all.

[MannersMakethMan]

Any cars?
Yup.
Signalling a turn?
Nope.
Ok, so cross.

Wouldn't it be great if cars came fitted with indicators as standard?