Once again I agree with you Shayna, if you can change lanes in front of me when there is room I agree no wave is necessary but if I have to touch/slam my brakes or slow down to let you in then it is just common courtesy. Don’t get me wrong if you don’t wave I don’t really care it’s just that the next person who wants me to let them in might get a hearty F U.
I use my lane change blinkers.
I look to see if I have space to merge, then turn the blinker on the instant I start moving into the other lane.
You may call me an ass, but I’ve tried it your way. Using your blinker is a signal for the guy behind you in the other lane to stomp on the gas to cut you off. I got tired of looking to see if I have space, put on the signal and try to change lanes only to find I’m being cut off. I think it’s safer my way. Especially the huge predominance of a-hole drivers where I live.
Unfortunately, it seems more efficient to NOT use the blinker, at least where I’m from. Could be my selective memory, only remembering those diffucult lane change occasions, but it’s how I feel anyway.
Simply put, when there’s traffic, and both lanes have cars and everyone is tailgating, there’s simply not enough space to change lanes, ever. The only thing you can do is find an almost big enough space, and cut off the person who happens to be behind that space while changing. If you turn on your blinker and wait for someone politely to slow up to leave you room, you’ll die of old age before that happens. Partly because people are assholes and don’t want to let you in, and partly because people have tunnel vision, and only see the road in front of them, not the car up ahead in the other lane with its blinker on. So changing lanes without the signal, or using the signal as you do it, forces them to slow down and make room. I manage to avoid doing it myself by keeping in mind that eventually I’ll need to make a left/right, and to get over when I can well in advance of the actual turn (miles and miles in most cases). Regrettably, I’ve been forced to cut people off a few times.
On a side note, when I see a car up ahead patiently waiting with their blinker on, I will slow up to make room for them. If I’m stopped or in slow moving traffic, and the car next to me has their blinker on, I will make room for them to get ahead of me. However, many a time I’ll slow up and they don’t realize it, and since I can’t stop because of traffic behind me, I’m forced to continue ahead of them and leave them to their fate. With daytime running lights, I can’t turn them on and off to signal the driver ahead. Flashing the brights is distracting to other drivers, so I won’t do that either.
If a patient of mine reported such a degree of difficulty in activating the turn signal, I would, after confirmatory examination, report him to the DMV as someone who no longer had the skills necessary to drive safely.
QtM, MD
Hey man, if I was in Louisiana, I’d probably have time to use the signal. I have to drive the 110 in Los Angeles twice a day. Nobody here pays attention to anything short of automatic weapons fire. So the signal really doesn’t make much of a difference, and in the half-second it takes to move your hand down to the lever, you may need to suddenly maneuver around an old sofa or somebody’s drunken grampaw lying in the middle of the road. Hell, I’ve deliberately skipped my exit several times due to the imminent bodily risk of trying to change lanes in front of a lowrider full of career felons on their third strike. Fuck the turn signal!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by CuriousCanuck *
**So, were you an ass because this was the pit and you felt compelled to be since no one had piled on her yet? **
I explained the obviousness of not always being able to wave. If my being less than polite prevents One accident, then so be it.
** I drive a Standard car. I have no problems raising a hand to thank a person when they are courteous to me. It only takes a second **
In one second at 60 miles per hour your car will move more than 14 feet. I take it you’d happily plow into the car in front of her just to be polite? You Can’t be that stupid.
** If you do not, may I suggest that you are a terrible driver. **
Suggest all you want, I have zero points on my license and have had no accidents in more than 10 years (and even then, it was car that hit me from behind). Prior, it was another 10 years before that. How does your driving record stack up?
** If you require keeping your hand on the shifter on the highway at every second, then you shift way too often and do not know how to drive a manual transmission. **
What in my post tells you how often I shift? Please CITE.
For the record, I don’t either shift too often or not too often. I do, as required by Law, stay in control of my vehicle at all times. It’s a good law as it prepares the driver for the accidents that might be caused by Boneheads who take their hands off the controls of their vehicles.
The law also indicates that merges are to occur in an alternating car fashion, like the teeth of a zipper being zipped. Following the law shouldn’t require a ‘Thank You’, especially if it could risk both your car and the one next to you. The state tends to call that Reckless Driving.
** My advice: buy a new car, or stay off the roads. In my opinion, your driving habits cause more accidents that kookie’s ever will. **
Your opinion carries little weight, considering what you’ve posted.
Instead of waving, apply the following bumper sticker:
IF I JUST CHANGED LANES IN A MANNER THAT REQUIRED YOU TO SLOW DOWN, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME IN. // SI Acabo de CAMBIAR CARRILES De una MANERA QUE LE REQUIRIÓ RETRASAR, GRACIAS POR DEJARME ADENTRO. // 如果我有些换要求您减速的道, 谢谢让我进来。
By the time they get done reading it, you’ll be miles away and they won’t even remember you cut them off.
quietman1920 are you saying that driving a manual car you keep your hand on the gear stick pretty much all the time? Or only when making a gear change?
A wave is a nice gesture, but ONLY when completely safe. I don’t think anyone feels there is a requirement for a wave of thanks at all. But I do feel miffed if after letting a vehicle in to an otherwise motionless line of trafic they don’t acknowledge the curtesy.
ARRRGGGHH, I was JUST gonna post a rant on this, THANK YOU.
PEOPLE, if you are merging ONTO the freeway, it’s YOUR job to merge, not the people GOING HIGHWAY SPEED!!!
These people are my number one driving pet peeve. They come up onto the highway from the onramp, and instead of adjusting their speed to either get in ahead of you (and no, I don’t mind people getting in front of me), or behind you they just cruise along EXACTLY beside you, waiting for you to, I don’t know what? Issue them an invitation?
GRRRRRRRRRR, get a clue folks.
I’ve pondered that one myself.
Let’s see-I weigh about 35 tons and I’m about 60 feet long. The fellow next to me has similar dimensions and we’re both proceeding at the speed limit.
You are a fucktard who expects me to fold all 70,000 pounds into a George Jetson briefcase and stuff myself up my ass so you can seamlessly (cluelessly) merge at 40 MPH.
When I fail to vaporize before you, you pull alongside and flip me off, several miles down the road.
Diagnosis: You have a tiny penis and your Chevette has body rust.
Why would I want to signal and give the enemy an advantage?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by quietman1920 *
**
In one second at 60 miles per hour your car will move more than 14 feet. I take it you’d happily plow into the car in front of her just to be polite? You Can’t be that stupid.
…
Suggest all you want, I have zero points on my license and have had no accidents in more than 10 years (and even then, it was car that hit me from behind). Prior, it was another 10 years before that. How does your driving record stack up? **
I won’t address the rest of your post since you obviously do not get it, but for these two points:
- in that 14 feet (thanks for doing the math by the way, I’ll accept that as being correct without checking) after I have been let in, yes, I will only have one hand on the wheel. If you NEED to shift right after passing someone, then you are doing it wrong. Secondly to this point, my car is probably 16 feet long. After being let in by someone, I would hope that you have at least 2 full car lengths of space to merge into, otherwise you are doing so unsafely. If in that 14 feet you have a reasonable chance of having to need to slam on your brakes/shift/or do anything other than maintain speed, then you have merged unsafely.
- My driving record is spotless. From the way you seem to drive, I would not be surprised if the car tat hit you from behind was because you did something wrong behind the wheel, even if technically according to the law the person following should maintain a safe distance. Not that you seem to know what a safe distance behind another vehicle seems to be when you merge, if you expect your arguments to be valid for the way you drive.
HUH? It’s a reflex for me… just extend a finger or two on my left hand and flick… don’t even have to let go of the wheel. In what possible version of reality is that distracting?
Not using your turn signal is rude period.
I thought I was?
My main pet peeve is this:
I’m behind a car that’s going, maybe, 15 to 20 miles under the speed limit. Instead of tailgating or getting irritated, I just decide to pass it. So, I turn on my blinker and slide over to the left lane. THEN (!!!), the asshole who was going way too slow decides to lead-foot it and speed away, or even worse, match my speed! After giving up trying to pass the jerk, I slide back into the lane before, right behind him/her again. THEN (!!!) the dickhead slows down right back to 15 to 20 miles under the speed limit!!!
I will never for the life of me understand why people take offense to someone else passing them while driving.
I agree with ** OpalCat **, I don’t even take my left hand off the wheel, just a slight flick with my fingers. I use my turn signals all the time. It’s gotten so automatic that I’ve caught myself using them while turning into my driveway.
As to the folks who try to speed up to prevent you from merging, I do this: I put in my turn signal and wait a few seconds before slowly moving over. If I see them begin to speed up, I’m coming over NOW. If they ass end me at that point, it’s their fault.
FTR, I’ve never been in an accident or caused an accident. The only ticket I’ve ever gotten was for an expired inspection sticker in '87 & I drive a manual.
Clearly, most people don’t bother touse their turn signals. But over time I’ve come to realize that, for those special few who actually signal their lane changes, the actual meaning of the flashing signal varies by region:
MidWest: A flashing turn signal is a request. Would someone please let me change into that lane?
New England (excluding Boston): A flashing turn signal is a warning. I’m going to change into that lane. Be prepared to get out of my way!
Boston: A flashing turn signal is a timer. The driver is counting as it clicks. Click-one, click-two, … At click-three the driver will change lanes whether someone else is there or not.
Southern Atlantic: A flashing turn signal is a declaration. Hi, there. I’m changing lanes right now, which is why I flipped the turn signal lever as I was turning the wheel to make the change.
South, interior: A flashing turn signal is a reminder. A few seconds ago, I changed lanes. Sooner or later, I may get around to turning off this blinker.
Well, I live in L.A, and despite many of the cynics, I feel that using my turn signal actually helps me to merge, even in traffic. Are there jackholes who see a trun signal as a threat,. Of course, but I have actually found that most people realize that letting you change lanes is hardly going to slow them down.
One thing I just don’t get, why do so many people treat driving as some sort of competition?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by CuriousCanuck *
**
Well, it probably had something to do with him not signaling his intention to change lanes!
You forgot one:
Washington Beltway: A flashing turn signal is a challenge. See if you can get into that gap before I can!