Turn Signals People!

[Tithera]

I just don't understand why people find it so hard to use turn signals. I mean, you flick the lever up or down, depending which way you want to turn or merge, then it either automatically shuts off or you flick it again. NOT THAT HARD OF A THING TO DO! Or so I thought. Now, I have somewhat of an excuse. My right turn signal doesn't technically work (spring is going out in the lever), so I have to push up on it, VERY hard and hold it there for it to work, which usually makes turning difficult, so I then instead poke my hand out the window and point right repeatedly. Normally, this works for most people.
But, if your turn signals work, there is no excuse for you to not use them. They are there for several reasons:
1) to let the people at an intersection know whether you are going to turn or go straight
2) to let the people in front of you and behind you know that you are about to turn, so slow down or watch out.
3) to let the people behind or in front of you know that you are about to switch lanes, so they can adjust accordingly.
I don't know how many times in the past few days that I've either been almost hit or almost hit someone else because these dumbasses don't know how to use a turn signal. Many of them while switching lanes on the highway. One guy kept constantly changing lanes, almost just weaving in and out of both lane. I'm the only other car on the road. What the hell? Are they drunk already? Seems early since it's 2pm, on a Sunday, but whatever.
Please people, use your damn turn signals, or I will pummel you with my 4x4. Once it's fixed of course.

[Kogarashi]

Seconded.

On the way home from a shopping run today, I encountered one of these guys.

The ramp to the highway is two lanes, with two left-turn lanes leading into it. I was in the right-hand lane, and this white car was to my left. The light turned green, we both started our turns, and the white car suddenly cut in front of me in the middle of the turn without signalling. He proceeded to switch back to his lane of the on-ramp without signalling.

Once on the highway, he merged without signalling into the rightmost driving lane just as some clueless yahoo in the second lane over pulled into the same lane. The white car ended up in perfect tailgating formation to the yahoo thanks to that cutoff. The white car then proceeded to merge over two lanes at once without signalling, and sped on ahead while weaving between cars without much clearance.



I don't know if that's worse than the people who signal one direction and then go the other way (or just leave their signal on for half a mile, then merge/turn the opposite direction). Saw one of those today too. Driving in the middle lane. Signalled left as though they were going to merge to the fast lane, then immediately merged right instead.

[Midnight_Angel]

Thirded.

Is it just me, or is there an increasing percentage of drivers that seem to think turning signals are purely optional?

[chainedbarista]

too many of them do; i've also noticed a disturbing new trend in those who do use turn signals: signal dyslexia, where the right turn indicates a left turn and left indicates a right.

best done during medium to heavy traffic, for maximum fun.

[telecom_goddess]

I'd also like to see people use turn signals even when there are no other cars around but there are pedestrians. I have to know which way you're going to.....jeeeeze.

[Green_Fairy]

i think i've figured out why people don't signal as much as they used to...

they're too busy:
texting
talking
eating
drinking
shaving
reading
applying make-up
looking at ipod
doing homework/officework
tweezing eyebrows/other unwanted facial hair
scolding children
getting way to into car karaoke
any other random task that they shouldn't be doing in the car

[Pagan]

There's an old joke here that we don't use turn signals because it confuses the natives. However, speaking as one of the said natives, I very much appreciate knowing what the hell everyone else is intending.

There's also the reverse. Someone driving along with one of their blinkers going and never turning anywhere. I guess they're planning on turning.....someday, and just want to make sure?

My right turn signal doesn't technically work (spring is going out in the lever), so I have to push up on it, VERY hard and hold it there for it to work, which usually makes turning difficult, so I then instead poke my hand out the window and point right repeatedly. Normally, this works for most people.
But, if your turn signals work, there is no excuse for you to not use them.

This is absolutely no criticism of you, but I've seen other people doing this and just wonder if they even teach the proper hand signals in driver's ed anymore?

[Magpie]

This is absolutely no criticism of you, but I've seen other people doing this and just wonder if they even teach the proper hand signals in driver's ed anymore?

I never had it in my driver's ed course. Pretty much everyone around here knows them, because kids get some really really basic "how to ride a bike" stuff in school. I think that you're required to know them to pass your test too. However, they're never presented as signals for "people on bikes and people whose turn signals don't work". They're always just for bikes.

[Tithera]

This is absolutely no criticism of you, but I've seen other people doing this and just wonder if they even teach the proper hand signals in driver's ed anymore?

I was never taught it in school for bikes or in driver's ed. And I am sure that others in this area haven't either, thus my dumbing down of just pointing right. Even if I did know the correct signals and what not, I'm pretty sure those around me don't so there would be no point in it anyway. Although, I do think it would be a good idea to start teaching that again.

[TheSHAD0W]

I always use my turn signal, but I do notice that in some localities, some drivers take your signalling as a "challenge", and will speed up to try and cut you off. This tends to discourage the practice.

[HawaiianShirts]

TheSHAD0W, you've described many a driver in my home state of Utah (the behavior anyway--I'm not sure they see it as a challenge). My friends and I used to joke that "You know you're a Utah driver if you think that little yellow blinking light on the car in front of you means, 'Pull up next to me!'"

I once tried to signal and move to the right to make way for a fire truck coming behind me with its lights and sirens blaring. The jerk in the right lane tried to pull up next to me, but I deliberately cut him off. I'm not about to assume a fire truck will stop for little ol' me. The jerk braked hard, cut left, and sped around me (without signaling, of course). The driver and all three of his passengers made unfriendly gestures to me. Then he suddenly swerved right again (also without signaling) and stopped at the curb as the fire engine roared past. Too bad he sped off before I could see the expression on his face after that.

And while in Huntsville, Alabama, I witnessed another interesting signal phenomenon. I called them the Afterthought Blinkers. These are the drivers who turn or change lanes, then hit their turn signal for three or four blinks, as if to say, "By the way, I just turned."

[Kogarashi]

TheSHAD0W, you've described many a driver in my home state of Utah (the behavior anyway--I'm not sure they see it as a challenge). My friends and I used to joke that "You know you're a Utah driver if you think that little yellow blinking light on the car in front of you means, 'Pull up next to me!'"

I'll agree to that.

And then there's what I've seen of Texas (Hubby's home state), where only out-of-state drivers use turn signals. I guess Texans are telepathic to go with everything else.

[mattm04]

too many of them do; i've also noticed a disturbing new trend in those who do use turn signals: signal dyslexia, where the right turn indicates a left turn and left indicates a right.

best done during medium to heavy traffic, for maximum fun.

That a new one for me. Two options people, up or down. Little arrows flash on you dash telling you also.