Reasons for drivers no longer indicating

Moe_Zambeek

Cirrus said:

People *used* to know that flashing your lights in certain circumstances obviously meant "I'm letting you go". In the last 10 years, I've gradually noticed it tailing off to the point that now, more often than not people don't react to it. 

I think this is partially due to the introduction of daytime running lights. Nowadays it is harder to notice someone flashing when what you see is a modulation of light level rather than no-light / light / no-light.

stickyfiddle

You guy can theorise all you want but the ultimate cause of all this is simple - it's because people are dickheads.

Bygone_Tones

slacker said:

It's lane discipline on roundabouts that gets me. I;ve nearly been taken out a lot of times by someone starting in one lane and driving at me as they drift across. 

+1 I find this really annoying. Why cant people stay in lane? The white lines are there for a reason - to stop you from hitting other cars, keep within them.

When I lived in Warrington this happened to me almost daily. Frustratingly predictable (roundabout by B&Q if anyone else lives there).  People who think its OK to just glide over into your lane because they are going around a roundabout. Somehow not noticing you are about to hit them.

Gagaryn

Possibly more annoying is people who put there indicator on as they start to turn - you know by then anyway so if you are going to go to the bother of putting it on at least do it in time that it indicates intention.

digitalscream

As a learner, I have to say that all these things are fucking irritating. If I can do it, why the hell can't all these people who supposedly have years of driving experience behind them?

Because you know that if I didn't, they'd be screaming and shouting about how shit I am.

ICBM

Gagaryn said:

Possibly more annoying is people who put there indicator on as they start to turn - you know by then anyway so if you are going to go to the bother of putting it on at least do it in time that it indicates intention.

The correct sequence is: mirror - signal - manoeuver. Most drivers seem to do: manoeuver - signal(ish).

Sambostar

I was entering a roundabout and waiting at the lights last year in the transit with trailer with some out of towner with a caravan alongside me in the right hand lane and a army bloke in a small hatchback in the left.  The guy with the caravan completely missed his lane and cut me rather go around again as he decided he was in the wrong lane, so I cut the army bloke up and missed taking the caravan out.  He was an army lad, he had good reactions.  This is how it works.

ICBM

Sambostar said:

 and missed taking the caravan out.

Wasted opportunity.

Headphones

Some real attempts at ignoring reality here.

Use of headlights (it's main beam remember!) at people in front of you has the potential to dazzle in almost any normal circumstance.

How it can be seen as sensible or benign is, well, blindingly dim.

There are few occasions when your hand can't be seen through the windscreen to signal with - if you need to, even at night.  It's safer and clearer.

If you've any doubt as to the issue here, switch on your nearest 100w bulb and try looking at it.  You might be further away on the road, but those 110w from the car are focused on you (and many have 120w of spots too)!


If you want really bad roundabout behaviour, try the Bristol ring road.  It's not that the driving's bad as such, just that the nitwit that designed them painted right angles in the traffic lanes!  Cars simply can't do right angles, and as for trucks...

Thes have the added pleasure of painted direction markings (left, right, straight on, etc) that in roughly half of cases lead the unwary somewhere entirely different.

Cirrus

Headphones said:

Some real attempts at ignoring reality here.

Use of headlights (it's main beam remember!) at people in front of you has the potential to dazzle in almost any normal circumstance.

How it can be seen as sensible or benign is, well, blindingly dim.

Sir.

See my last post which dealt with night time, and using common sense.

I would also posit that flashing full beams twice over the course of half a second for approx. 100 milliseconds a time in broad daylight is unlikely to dazzle someone, unless their eyeballs are either;

a; suffering a serious medical condition.

or

b; already embedded in the front bumper of the flashing car.


Now, I have driven around Bristol, and I think it's fair to say that the driving culture there is mainly about classic cars being driven by white haired old men wearing flying goggles. I think it's only natural that we don't see eye to eye on such controversial issues as common decency and kindness. Why, in Birmingham it is not even required that a flag bearer proceed ahead of the motor vehicle to warn oncoming pedestrians and horse drawn carts of the powered motor-car's incipient appearance!

Bridgehouse

WTF are indicators???

I have a vague recollection, but I'm sure it was wiped out by the pill they gave me in the BMW dealers...

pintspiller

GIJoe said:

I've been driving for about 4 months now -- 1 hour commute each way to work...

The number of idiot drivers is unbelievable, even out here in the countryside.

So many people:

• Sit 1 inch from my bumper
• Leave brights on
• Block junctions/crossings in heavy traffic
• Attempt to overtake without looking in mirrors, nearly smashing the person overtaking them

I hate it, and I turn into a sweary raging monster when driving!

I have been driving over 30 years. I am the same as you. The stupid lazy fuckers!