# When you're in a dedicated turning lane, do you signal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556 "2018-02-10T00:06:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/61 "2018-02-12T15:28:36Z")
In my neck of the woods, the vast majority of people don’t signal when they ENTER the dedicated turning lane (when it would be useful to know what they’re planning), but signal once they’re IN the turning lane (when their turn is now mandatory). People around here do some patently stupid things while driving. The prevailing rules are “drive however you feel is acceptable” rather than “drive according to a set of laws.” My birth province actually enforces a lot of the same laws that are on the books in my current province, but if the police did that here I’m sure there would be tons of blown minds. Indignant people who don’t care to even know they are breaking the driving laws. /End rant 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/62 "2018-02-12T16:00:43Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > If you were in a roundabout, would you hold down the left flasher all the way around the circle until you came to your exit? I was pulled over in New Zealand for not signalling in a roundabout. The officer was very nice and gave me a break. I was still learning the ropes of driving on the wrong side of the road, remembering to signal in roundabouts made driving more fun. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/63 "2018-02-12T16:34:49Z")
Yes, and if I’m behind you, you should signal \*before \*you enter the dedicated turn lane, not after you’re already there. People behind you want to know your intentions, too. ETA: Just as **Whiskey Dickens** said. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/64 "2018-02-12T17:17:23Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Depends on state driving laws. The National Transportation Safety Board requires all automotive vehicles have operational turn signal devices installed and that drivers use those signals to indicate any lane change or turn. And yes, that includes turns performed in designated turning lanes. See the Uniform Vehicle Code, any state rule that differs is the exception and not a generally safe to assume rule. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/65 "2018-02-12T18:39:29Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, thing is around here, people _will_ get into a “right turn only” lane and then just go straight. This is particularly why I appreciate people signaling. At least I then know they are aware that they are in a right turn lane and have intentions to actually turn right. _looks at location_ Yep, in Chicago, if I see someone in a turn lane without a turn signal on, my default assumption is that they’re trying to jump ahead as soon as the light turns green and make an illegal pass. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/66 "2018-02-12T18:44:05Z")
I may or may not. If there is a reason to indicate it to others I will do so, even continuously or just for that time, if the clicking annoys me I will turn it off. There are various shades of gray too. One typical thing I may do is signal my intention to turn till I am safely snuggled into the turn lane, then turn it off, wait till it’s time to move, then turn it on again to make my turn. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/67 "2018-02-12T19:38:50Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > No, but I do use my turn signal to exit the traffic circle. As far as I can tell, I’m about the only one. You and me, brother. I have yet to see another road user signal to leave the traffic circle. If I ever see one do it, I’ll hang out the window of my car and shout “Hi, **Balthisar**!!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/68 "2018-02-28T17:27:05Z")
So, this just happened to me last night. I was in a dedicated turn lane waiting for the light to change so I could make a left. Across the intersection, there was a car in his dedicated turn lane, waiting for the light to change. He wasn’t signaling. When the light changed, he gunned it, and went across the intersection without turning. ---
**Author:** ![LiveFree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@LiveFree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveFree)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/69 "2018-02-28T17:33:30Z")
Always. It’s common courtesy. Something that is in decline nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Unabashed\_Fascist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c2a13f/32.png) [@Unabashed\_Fascist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unabashed_Fascist)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556/70 "2018-02-28T21:26:12Z")
As a general rule I use my signal in turning lanes. I’m a bit ambivalent towards using in when there are multiple turn lanes. If I’m not in the innermost lane of the turn, I worry people may think I’m attempting to get over. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-in-a-dedicated-turning-lane-do-you-signal/808556.md?page=3)