No one is perfect. I don’t claim to follow the law 100%. But if I find myself doing something on the shady side of legal, then I correct. If someone points out that I’ve done something wrong, I 'fess up and admit to the guilt. I don’t try to make up ridiculous reasons why my way is in fact the better way. That’s what makes me not an asshole. (The sanctimonious tone, however, might. 
)
Like the moron in who not only didn’t signal for a left turn but also didn’t yield to oncoming traffic. Damn glad I hesitated before proceeding, still nearly clipped the rear quarter of that huge-ass van.
People should always use their turn signals. Nothing is more annoying or potentially dangerous than the schlob that suddenly brakes and turns right in front of you. Or the guy that suddenly cuts you off on a crowded interstate at highway speeds.
Of course, the opposite is also true, people that forget to turn them off are equally annoying and dangerous…there’s no telling what Grandpa might do next…
And as a poster earlier iterated, police do hide, and not using a signal to change lanes or turn just gives them an excuse to pull you over.
Someone like that will signal every time, in case of failing ot notice another driver or pedestrian. Because thinking tnings through before they happen would lead one to that conclusion.
Sailboat
I thought things through when I was learning to drive. For instance, I thought to myself, what are the things I need to do before I can change lanes/turn safely? Then I kept doing those things, in the proper way, in the proper order, over and over again, until they became a rote habit. The thinking part comes into play when I’m deciding what to do with the information those rote habits give me. So do I shoulder check every time? Yes. Do I change lanes regardless of what I see during my shoulder check? Not so much.
Yeah, it struck me like that too.
Anyway, if it makes you feel any better, I suppose that all these folks consider my hubby to be an asshole too (see post #6). Only he doesn’t know it yet. 
Anyone else wonder if this is a function of location? I think I’m much more concerned about turn signal usage on a multi-lane road. People who travel on single-lane roads are not as likely to be dangerous if they don’t signal, perhaps?
I ride a bike and can’t count the times people have changed lanes into the one I am currently in. Riding besides a car seems to be a sure way to die in traffic, most of the drivers that do use their turn signal seem to think that it removes any need to actually look and as a result I always overtake quite fast so as to spend a minimum of time in the “kill zone”.
Ah yes those people who cant find the gear automatically but think about it,what speed am I doing lets have a think about it.
The people who usually claim to be thinking drivers are those who are making their explanations AFTER they’ve caused an accident.
I’d rather share the road with an unthinking driver who does it right every time rather then one who does what HE thinks is right regardless of what everyone else thinks.
Oh yes everyone thinks that you should slow down on this bend ,but they dont know what a good driver I am…
So I’ve had a few drinks but unlike a lot of people my driving isn’t affected by it,god knows I’ve been driving for a good many years and I have to say it I’m a pretty skilled driver after all this time…
I hear all the time about how when putting on a turn signal somebody will speed up and not let you in and I think that is just false. I would saythat 90% of the time when I put my turn signal on, the person actually slows to allow me in.
And I lived in Southern California for almost 11 years.
This happens a lot in southern Ohio. I don’t know why but it pisses me the hell off. As it is, you have to drive somewhat aggressively to get anywhere because of the multitude of drivers who do this. I put my blinker on when I see an opening to merge into another lane. Invariably, I notice the asshole behind that opening starts to speed up. I’ll start my merge anyway. My blinker says I’m coming over and I know you saw it because you sped up the moment I turned it on. That said, I’m coming over. You can back the hell off and quit trying to intimidate me or you can hit me. Your choice.
Calgary drivers are almost universally raging assholes, and I use my turn signal while merging and changing lanes, and have only once or twice not been able to get in (an asshole who speeds up and slows down to not let you in while you’re signalling should come back in the next life as a lesser form of life). You don’t just turn the signal on and expect the world to fall into place; you have to pick your spot, get up to speed, turn the signal on, do all your checks, and make it happen.
I’ve come to the conclusion that people don’t use their turn signals because 50% of the drivers out there are below average, and that is what an inferior driver does.
“Use my turn signal? That’s just what they’ll be expecting!”
I love people who are coming up to a left or right turn, which has a dedicated lane. They change lanes into the dedicated lane, get about 10 feet from the turn, and then put on their blinker.
Then talk about how they’re a good driver who always uses their signal.
:rolleyes:
What do you consider an opening? Can you merge and still leave the other driver a safe following distance?
Your blinker should indicate your intention to change lanes assuming conditions warrant it, not that you are coming over and everyone can back the hell off. You don’t have a right to just be in any lane you choose; before executing a lane change it is incumbent upon you to ascertain whether it is safe to do so. You are not staking a claim. If the guy speeds up, he may be an asshole, but it does not give you the right to cut him off.
How about enough room for me to be in the lane without tailgating the guy in front of the opening or cutting off the guy behind the opening. In any case, safe following distance appears to be subjective. I can’t remember ever seeing people following the three second rule in heavy traffic. Inasmuch as its considered safe, it’s not always practical or even achievable. So, if you’re asking if I’m following the 3-second rule when I merge, my honest answer is, “Not always.” Sometimes, I’m forced to merge in heavy traffic. Am I choosing a safe time to merge? In my estimation, yes.
Exactly, my blinker does indicate my intention to merge and it is not an invitation for anyone who sees it to intentionally close the gap preventing my successful merge. My blinker also indicates I have ascertained it’s safe to merge in the present conditions. If you choose to purposefully change those conditions as I’m attempting to merge just for the sake of being an asshole, I will not be intimidated and you will be forced to reevaluate your behavior or commit to the consequences of your assholishness.
Yes, I am staking my claim. And if he cuts himself off in an attempt to argue with that claim, too bad.
That’s often the way it is on the 405 during rush hour. Not so much closer to where I live. And I was conceived here 27 years ago 
I do this sometimes, and you might be interested in knowing why. It is for the following reasons:
–I don’t want to arbitarily slow traffic behind me
–But I don’t want to prolong your wait
–I also consider it a happy bonus if you have more space behind me than you might have otherwise
–So I speed up to let you over.
-FrL-
Hmm…I’m thinking on this one. I’m guessing under certain circumstances this may work for you and those around you, but in others it wouldn’t.
–If we are all going the same speed, how would it slow traffic behind you if the gap was large enough to fit my car without having you tailgate me?
–If I had sufficient gap to merge before you sped up and closed the gap, how is that not prolonging my wait?
–What if I don’t wish to be behind you in your big Suburban that I can’t see ahead of? [I don’t know what you drive, but I don’t like being behind cars I can’t see ahead of.]
–How about just maintain your speed and let me over without the pole positioning? I’ve been watching you in that lane attempting to determine whether you’re a tapper (i.e., what I call people who, lacking cruise control cannot maintain a cruising speed) or safe to merge in front of. This speeding up business is out of character and highly unexpected. Don’t do that!
I also have been merged in front of, with and without blinker. When someone indicates they’d like to merge in front of me, I’ll adjust my speed slightly and only to give them a wide berth indicating back it’s safe to complete their merge. This is not difficult or unsafe. It’s called considerate.
That sounds about right.
Nevertheless, it is still not subjective. Threes seconds is three seconds.
Forced? By whom, or what, exactly? What is preventing you from continuing in your lane?
It is incumbent upon you not to merge until it is safe to do so. The fact that some asshole makes it unsafe does not excuse you from your responsibilities.
Stake it all you want. You still have no right to it.
That’s pretty much incoherent. Cuts *himself *off? Nonsense. If you move in front of him, you cut him off. Here’s how it works. You decide to merge. You check and see if it is safe. You indicate your intention by signalling. *You check again to see if it is safe. * By now, you will have been able to judge his speed. If it is no longer safe to merge, don’t. Your unsafe maneuver is not somehow mitigated by his. If anything, it is worsened. You pulled in front of a speeding car. WTF is that about?
Thank you.
No, I’m not saying three seconds is subjective. I’m saying ‘safe following distance’ is subject. The point is, you just don’t see the three-second rule being observed in heavy traffic, therefore ‘safe’ becomes whatever distance prevents collisions from occurring.
I knew you would bring this up. Of course, I’m not arguing that every merging situation is forced, but there are a few that are. ‘This lane ends’ is one. Another quite common one around here are those blasted cloverleaf interchanges where you get on the highway in an exit lane for an offramp a few hundred feet beyond. Poorly designed and hazardous from a merging standpoint considering you’ve people trying to merge onto the highway and people trying to merge off the highway mixed in with people who like to ride the slow lane and truckers, as well.
No argument there. I don’t consider myself the unsafe driver when someone is trying to cut me off, regardless of what lane he is in.
I’ve got as much right to travel to my destination as safely as possible without being accosted by assholes as anyone else does, which isn’t saying much, really. If I have determined that I can safely merge, signal my intentions and begin my merge, I have the right-of-way. If I get rear-ended and I’ve done those things, guess who’s going to be cited? That’s right, the asshole that rear-ended me.
Sorry, maybe I should have phrased it “tries to cut me off.” If I have moved into a gap after indicating my intention to do so, he has no claim to that gap. I don’t just put on my blinker for the fun of it. Without that understanding, there’d be chaos on the road because he has no obligation to observe my intention and respect the rules of safety.
Again, I see how it works. Don’t assume I haven’t done any of those things prior to merging. I use my blinker in advance of the merge, I check for safe passage and then I take it. My maneuver only becomes unsafe by the actions of another. I’m driving offensively, not aggressively. I’m just saying if you’re going to drive like that, you’re going to reap the consequences, because I’m not going to be bullied on the road by aggressive assholes.
However, I will admit that if the asshole is particularly aggressive and floors it, I’ll probably back off because I realize this person isn’t likely to care if he causes an accident, particularly if his vehicle already appears to have been in a few accidents. (Or if it’s a Hummer or an 18-wheeler, with which I have no desire to tangle.) But that’s not always the case.
Like I said, all one has to do when seeing someone is intending to merge in front of them is take their goddamn foot off the gas and allow the merge to happen. It’s what I do and it’s called consideration.
Once you read the totality of my posts, you will understand that these are strawmen.
Apparently, as I am now cautioned - never get into a thread about driving, pets, and parenting. I do think the tone of some here is just to FIND offense where none is intended or even there at all. Not that I haven’t done that already in this thread (sorry again, Frylock)…
My point - simply stated - is that a signal alone, does not a capable driver make. I drive next to “legal” drivers enough - that doesn’t make them good drivers. Some are fucking idiots. Turn signal or not.
And as I’ve said before - on MANY occasions in this thread - I do use my turn signals. Even if I, like many I’m sure, feel like a dumbass doing it in purely absurd situations - alone on a road with NO ONE at night… stopped at a red, with no cars… and a turn signal lighting and dimming against the signs… as I wait for the dumb thing to turn green.
I swear… if I could make a living out of selling e-whips… I’d make a fortune here…