# People don't use turn signals because... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 23, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409 "2008-03-23T03:41:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Anomalous\_Reading](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Anomalous\_Reading](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomalous_Reading)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/141 "2008-03-26T00:48:19Z")
[QUOTE=CanvasShoes] Slight Hijack, (not directed at you **Ruken** , I’ve seen this more and more lately and this particular thread it just really seemed out of place). **Bearflag’s** an _Asshole_? Really? Has the definition of the word asshole changed drastically lately? I thought it meant someone who is purposefully nasty, cruel, selfish, and malicious in thought, deed, and the spoken word and someone who enjoys being that way. **Bearflag’s** turn signal belief is incorrect (technically per laws of the road), maybe kind of lazy, and silly but he’s an asshole? end hijack… [/QUOTE] I’d say the way he’s generally handled the situation - sticking it out, trying to explain himself, listening to the point of being open to change… distinctly contradict that he’s an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/142 "2008-03-26T05:16:07Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] I doubt anyone here advocates obstructionist driving. Can you point me to the statute? -FrL- [/QUOTE] I don’t think anyone here was advocating obstructionist driving - **MrSquishy** was saying that making room was a nice thing to do, and I was adding to that - it is also the legal thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/143 "2008-03-26T05:25:40Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] I don’t think anyone here was advocating obstructionist driving - **MrSquishy** was saying that making room was a nice thing to do, and I was adding to that - it is also the legal thing to do. [/QUOTE] You mean that if there are two lanes of traffic, no merge, highly congested, and a person in lane A signals to get into lane B, the person in lane B is legally required to let him in? Let me say I have my doubts about it - I’ve never seen it in any of the driver books in the five states where I’ve had licenses. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/144 "2008-03-26T05:45:57Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] You mean that if there are two lanes of traffic, no merge, highly congested, and a person in lane A signals to get into lane B, the person in lane B is legally required to let him in? Let me say I have my doubts about it - I’ve never seen it in any of the driver books in the five states where I’ve had licenses. [/QUOTE] Yes, this is the kind of intuition I was trying to voice in my previous post as well. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/145 "2008-03-26T06:05:58Z")
I’m sure that everyone here recognizes that Czarcasm was completely inappropriate when he moved the thread so obviously. Just so you know, I truly doubt anyone puts much stock in that thread,Cz. Your moving it was out of the blue and calling someone an asshole kind of spelled it out., ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/146 "2008-03-26T06:14:42Z")
Hmmm, I would love to edit my earlier post. Whadever. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/147 "2008-03-26T13:57:54Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] You mean that if there are two lanes of traffic, no merge, highly congested, and a person in lane A signals to get into lane B, the person in lane B is legally required to let him in? \ [/QUOTE] No, not quite - the person in lane B is legally required to NOT do things that intentionally prevent person A from getting in. This law as I know it here is for merge situations, where both drivers have equal rights to the lanes. I’m not sure about simple lane changes, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you weren’t allowed to obstruct that, either. Obstructionist driving causes accidents and road rage. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/148 "2008-03-26T16:29:52Z")
[QUOTE=CarnalK] I’m sure that everyone here recognizes that Czarcasm was completely inappropriate when he moved the thread so obviously. Just so you know, I truly doubt anyone puts much stock in that thread,Cz. Your moving it was out of the blue and calling someone an asshole kind of spelled it out., [/QUOTE] Yup. When I first responded to this thread, it was in IMHO. If the OP had opened the thread in the Pit, then I probably would have refrained from responding at all because I would have known in advance the OP sought a bitch session instead of a poll or a desire for gaining a better understanding of human behavior. In hindsight, as soon as the thread was moved to the Pit, I should have abandoned it instead of getting sucked into defending against ad homenim attacks and strawmen. No more traffic threads for me, regardless of the forum, unless I don’t engage in offending driving practice that is the subject of the thread. If the thread is started as a valid pursuit of knowledge in some other forum, I can just wait; surely it will end up in the Pit where I can just sit on my perch and throw stones at anyone who admitted engaging in the offending behavior. I guess fighting ignorance sometimes must yield to a mod’s desire to berate a poster for doing something IRL the mod doesn’t like. Thanks to all who came to my defense. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/149 "2008-03-27T06:17:39Z")
[QUOTE=Punoqllads] Quite the contrary, here in California you’re required to turn into the furthest right-hand lane when making a right-hand turn. It’s left turns where you’re not required to turn into the left-most lane. Unless otherwise marked, of course. [Cite](http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs25thru29.htm#turnexamples). What really freaked me out when I came here was people making right-on-red turns when in a right-turn lane that is not the rightmost lane, which apparently is legal: [http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/localnews/ci\_8638309](http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/localnews/ci_8638309) [/QUOTE] I am extremely tired, partially drunk and on dial up so I didn’t click on your cites. However, I cannot imagine that they apply to two lanes turning right onto multi-lane streets, which is what I was talking about. Or, maybe they don’t have those up there - I haven’t driven in San Francisco all that often. 😉 Kathy ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/150 "2008-03-27T06:20:31Z")
[QUOTE=Bearflag70] I was clarifying the position taken by others in this thread, not my own position. To specifically address your speeding question, I’m not walking into that buzzsaw. Rather, perhaps I should just say that, now that I have corrected my turn signal thing through therapy and sorting out some issues with Mother, I’m an absolute angel behind the wheel and I never do anything wrong or in violation of the law, ever. I am extremely morally outraged at anyone who does anything less than perfect at any time and I am always sure to throw my righteous indignation their way at every opportunity. I realize that people cannot rely on their own senses and good judgment, ever, and near certain death lurks around every corner when driving. People generally suck and driving is so inherently dangerous and fraught with peril and imminent harm to all that it’s a wonder why they let anyone but me and the handful of other Good Citizens in this thread drive at all. [/QUOTE] Heh, OK 🙂 I just couldn’t imagine anyone under 100 years of age who didn’t speed in Sac… Re: the rest of your post, I so agree! Kathy ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/151 "2008-03-27T06:25:56Z")
[QUOTE=MrSquishy] Damn right. The attitude of “it’s my lane, and I’ll let you enter it if I feel like it” is wrong. We all share the road. If I need to get over, I’ll put on my signal, and I _expect_ you to make room for me. _Because that’s what a nice person does._ [/QUOTE] What a “nice person does” may apply to places where there isn’t much traffic, but in areas like Southern Cal, if you are not going near the speed that the lane you want is, then you jolly get to that speed before moving over. You as an individual are not as important as the other 724,084 people on that freeway and if your lane change causes the cars behind you to have to slow down, you are creating a chain reaction that will slow the whole freeway down, maybe for miles, maybe for hours. It has nothing to do with “my lane” and everything to do with the definition of “merge”. Besides, saying that we all share the road and then _expecting_ me to get out of your way don’t really go together… Kathy ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/152 "2008-03-27T13:11:14Z")
People don’t use turn signals because, the world turns around them. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/153 "2008-03-27T18:01:35Z")
[QUOTE=curlcoat] I am extremely tired, partially drunk and on dial up so I didn’t click on your cites. However, I cannot imagine that they apply to two lanes turning right onto multi-lane streets, which is what I was talking about. Or, maybe they don’t have those up there - I haven’t driven in San Francisco all that often. 😉 Kathy [/QUOTE] Oops, looks like I misread my cite. You can legally turn into any lane for either right turns or left turns in California, unless otherwise marked. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/154 "2008-03-27T18:03:29Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] People don’t use turn signals because, the world turns around them. [/QUOTE] I think this sums up most of the annoying things that other drivers do that piss me off. Not just drivers either. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/155 "2008-03-27T18:23:38Z")
[QUOTE=Bearflag70] ad homenim attacks and strawmen. [/QUOTE] Since these two things are so prevalent in this thread, for the sake of efficiency, I recommend we consolidate the terms in to one of the following: adhomestrawmen strawmehomenim ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/156 "2008-03-27T18:30:16Z")
[QUOTE=Bearflag70] Since these two things are so prevalent in this thread, for the sake of efficiency, I recommend we consolidate the terms in to one of the following: adhomestrawmen strawmehomenim [/QUOTE] Adhomestrawmen Strawmehomenim – isn’t that the new ruler of Iran? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/157 "2008-03-27T18:32:39Z")
[QUOTE=Punoqllads] Oops, looks like I misread my cite. You can legally turn into any lane for either right turns or left turns in California, unless otherwise marked. [/QUOTE] ? See CVC 22100(a) > [@](#): > > CVC 22100. Except as provided in Section 22100.5 or 22101, the driver > of any vehicle intending to turn upon a highway shall do so as > follows: > (a) Right Turns. Both the approach for a right-hand turn and a > right-hand turn shall be made as close as practicable to the > right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except: > (1) Upon a highway having three marked lanes for traffic moving in > one direction that terminates at an intersecting highway > accommodating traffic in both directions, the driver of a vehicle in > the middle lane may turn right into any lane lawfully available to > traffic moving in that direction upon the roadway being entered. > (2) If a right-hand turn is made from a one-way highway at an > intersection, a driver shall approach the turn as provided in this > subdivision and shall complete the turn in any lane lawfully > available to traffic moving in that direction upon the roadway being > entered. > (3) Upon a highway having an additional lane or lanes marked for a > right turn by appropriate signs or markings, the driver of a vehicle > may turn right from any lane designated and marked for that turning > movement. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/158 "2008-03-27T19:00:19Z")
Yep, it looks pretty clear that for a right turn you have to begin in the rightmost lane, and the turn has to be “as close as practicable”, but the lane you wind up in doesn’t have to be the rightmost. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/159 "2008-03-27T19:07:15Z")
[QUOTE=Punoqllads] Yep, it looks pretty clear that for a right turn you have to begin in the rightmost lane, and the turn has to be “as close as practicable”, but the lane you wind up in doesn’t have to be the rightmost. [/QUOTE] How does one turn from the rightmost lane, stay as close as practicable to the curb through the turn, and end up anywhere else but the rightmost lane upon completion of the turn? ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409/160 "2008-03-27T19:31:51Z")
If you’re driving a semi? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-dont-use-turn-signals-because/442409.md?page=9)