# Is there a standard way of telling a driver their turn signal is on? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406 "2005-08-31T12:29:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Corporate\_Hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Corporate\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corporate_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/1 "2005-08-31T12:29:20Z")
On my long daily commutes, I almost always come across some person who has left their turn signal on when they obviously have no intention of turning. I was wondering if there is some soft of accepted code for letting them know their signal is on, similar to flicking your headlights to tell someone they need to turn theirs on. If there is no such standard, maybe we should make one up! I’ve thought about pulling in front of the person and turning my turn signal on to the left and then right, alternating back and forth repeatedly, to draw their attention to the idea of turn signals in general so that maybe they become self-conscious and check to see if theirs is on. Then when they notice and turn theirs off, I’d turn mine off and resume driving normally, and they’d surmise that I was indeed doing it for their benefit, perhaps feel a little sheepish, and learn a lesson. What say you, Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/2 "2005-08-31T12:32:44Z")
Honk your horn a couple times, drive past in a huff. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Corporate\_Hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Corporate\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corporate_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/3 "2005-08-31T13:07:02Z")
Yeah I guess that works, but the whole driving with their signal on doesn’t really _bother_ me so I guess I’m looking for a way to let them know in a neutral, friendly sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/4 "2005-08-31T13:31:09Z")
Flash your headlights. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/5 "2005-08-31T13:34:24Z")
**Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor.** And risk getting killed in a [gang initiation?](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/lightout.asp) Nuh-uh. Nope. Not the kid. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/6 "2005-08-31T13:57:03Z")
It isn’t a standard, but this often works (and is not misconstrued as agressive or hostile): Simply flick the turn lever from side to side, so the other driver sees left light, right light, left light, right light, etc. The more perceptive ones understand quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/7 "2005-08-31T14:30:25Z")
PITT maneuver. ---
**Author:** ![Corporate\_Hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Corporate\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corporate_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/8 "2005-08-31T14:49:31Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > PITT maneuver. lol, yeah I’ll just 10-50 their ass. Although I believe it’s [_PIT_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIT_maneuver) maneuver. ---
**Author:** ![elsquid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@elsquid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elsquid)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/9 "2005-08-31T18:20:11Z")
I sometimes hold up one hand and flap the four fingers against the thumb, kinda like a shadow-puppet imitation of a quacking duck – to suggest that something on their car is attracting attention. Sometimes they get it. Other times they buy supplemental disability insurance. ---
**Author:** ![yerba\_buena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7ea924/32.png) [@yerba\_buena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yerba_buena)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/10 "2005-08-31T18:50:06Z")
I’m somewhat less forgiving of people leaving their turn signals on. In the days where I had a smaller wage to garnish in case of lawsuit, I’d honk, pull up next to them, honk again, and give them the “I’m number one” sign. I’m probably a little anal-retentive on this one, but not only does leaving your turn signal on annoy kind people who might want to let you in, it also dilutes the ability of the turn signal to be properly used. On a slightly (only slightly!) tangential note, I do wish there was a universal signal for “one of your rear lights burned out” – especially the brake lights (the only lights that you cannot check by yourself). I had a kind gentleman point that out to me once while we were waiting in line at a toll plaza. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/11 "2005-08-31T19:16:00Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > The more perceptive ones understand quickly. But it’s usually the _less perceptive_ ones that do this! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/12 "2005-08-31T19:26:12Z")
Pull the gun you keep in your glove compartment out. Shoot rear turn signal out. Pass them. Shoot their front turn signal out. Run like hell. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/13 "2005-08-31T19:30:37Z")
Okay, now that we have the problem solved of how to get people to turn them off, how do we get people to use them when they’re supposed to? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/14 "2005-08-31T20:03:58Z")
> [@yerba buena](#): > > On a slightly (only slightly!) tangential note, I do wish there was a universal signal for “one of your rear lights burned out” – especially the brake lights (the only lights that you cannot check by yourself). When you go to a store at night (or anywhere you can think of that this would work), get your back end facing a big window and just check the reflection. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/15 "2005-08-31T20:23:12Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > It isn’t a standard, but this often works (and is not misconstrued as agressive or hostile): Simply flick the turn lever from side to side, so the other driver sees left light, right light, left light, right light, etc. The more perceptive ones understand quickly. Yep, I’ve toggled to the ones I’ve passed on the highway. Just a little less than half figure it out. You, gotta wonder what they’re thinking when they first see you toggling your lights… Moron Driver: What’s wrong with that guy? Why does he keep signalling left…then right…then left…then right? Astute Passenger: I think that’s the universal signal for,“Hey, You’re a moron who drives down the road with your turn signal on.” ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/16 "2005-08-31T20:24:48Z")
> [@yerba buena](#): > > On a slightly (only slightly!) tangential note, I do wish there was a universal signal for “one of your rear lights burned out” – especially the brake lights (the only lights that you cannot check by yourself). There really should be a light on the dashboard that indicates when one of your rear lights is burned out. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/17 "2005-08-31T20:33:57Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > PITT maneuver. Leave your wife for Angelina Jolie? I guess that would get their attention, but it would be hard to manage in rush-hour traffic. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/18 "2005-08-31T20:59:05Z")
> [@elsquid](#): > > Sometimes they get it. Other times they buy supplemental disability insurance. Bless you, **elsquid**. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/19 "2005-08-31T21:02:18Z")
I believe the standard way is to point your fingers skyward and then to bend into your palm the first, third and fourth fingers. To emphasize this point you also yell the Aramaic saying, “fa que”. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406/20 "2005-08-31T22:24:30Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > There really should be a light on the dashboard that indicates when one of your rear lights is burned out. Many cars do have such a light. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-standard-way-of-telling-a-driver-their-turn-signal-is-on/319406.md?page=2)