I’m sorry Keapon, I really like you and I don’t mean to pick on you:
but if you don’t know, why are you driving? This is scary.
When I was teaching my brother to drive, he never used the turn signal or turned on his headlights during the day due to pride/feeling invincible/laziness. I tried to emphasize using turn signals with the admonition of “If you force other drivers to guess your intent, that’s when accidents happen.” This may sound ridiculous but I think some drivers believe using turn signals is a sign of weakness.
I’ve seen that sticker and I love it! Although the best bumper sticker I’ve seen on this topic, in the “What Would Jesus Do?” vein, was
Jesus Would Use His Turn Signal
I asked a friend iof mine, eho grew up the suburbs of Boston, why he didn’t user turn dignals, turn on his headlights in rain/fog/snow, and just basuically why he was a jerk while driving. His repsonse:
“Driving is a contest! If the other guy knows what you’re doing, he’s got the edge on you! You have to be sneaky about it. If he knows you’re going to change lanes, he’ll get there first! You can’t let him win!” 
As funny as it is, apparantly most peopel view this as being true. I’ll admit I don’t always use my signal, but I would say I do use it at least 90% of the time. And at least 5% of that 10% I don’t use it is spent in a left/right turn only lane, or in a situation where there are NO other cars around.
I think that many drivers are just simply aggressive people who consider indicating your intentions to other road users to be a sign of weakness.
To people like this it is simply not ‘cool’ to be considerate or polite. They would think it makes them appear weak.
How about the goofballs who swerve into your lane ahead of you without signaling then when they end up in the turn only lane there comes the signal.
And those who don’t signal 'cause they’ll get cut off, driving is about safety, not your convenience. PEOPLE DIE OUT THERE.
[bolding mine]Actually, quite the opposite, from my POV. I hate people that do that. And, yes, they do. It’s quite common in these parts. I have become so infuriated by this intentional fuck you that, I’m slightly ashamed to say, I’ve started fighting back.
Old scenario:
[ol]
[li]Cinnamon Girl puts on turn signal to merge into next lane.[/li][li]Asshat behind me sees signal and immediately punches it to block my access to lane.[/li][li]CG backs down and tries again with the next driver.[/li][li]Rinse and repeat.[/li][/ol]
:mad: :mad: :mad:
New scenario:
[ol]
[li]Cinnamon Girl puts on turn signal to merge into next lane.[/li][li]Asshat behind me sees signal and immediately punches it to block my access to lane.[/li][li]CG mutters, “Like hell!” and punches it (as space ahead is available because I usually make a bit of room in front of me for this maneuver) continuing with intent to merge with signal on.[/li][li]Asshat lays on horn. CG reminds Asshat to check blinker.[/li][li]CG merges successfully as Asshat backs off not wanting to cause accident.[/li][/ol]
I know this isn’t the best way to handle it, but this behavior is par for the course around here. And as my mother, a horrified-by-this-maneuver non-resident, will attest, it’s more often than not the only way to actually get into the lane you want.
I don’t recommend it to all. It’s not the safest thing to do, I admit. But I drive a big van and I usually assume that the more expensive the car (and smaller than me), the more likely they’ll give up their false bravado for fear of scratching the damn thing. I’ve been lucky so far.
Hey, why isn’t this in the Pit? :smack:
Sorry. :o
The Cody doesn’t use the turn signals when I’m not in his car. His left rear turn signal is burnt out, and apparently he thinks that only having 3 out of 4 isn’t good enough, so why bother using any of them? EVERY time I’m riding with him, I make a big fuss about how I don’t want to die, and he’d better use his turn signals NOW.
I, on the other hand, am damn near compulsive about it. Even in parking lots and turn-only lanes.
Here are my two biggest annoyances about people with a lack of signaling power:
-
I’m driving down the road, and there’s someone (usually a truck, hmm) slightly ahead of me in the other lane. I notice that he’s drifting into my lane and think, “Is this guy drunk?” Drifts in, then out, then sloooooooooooooooooooowly drifts into my lane ahead of me. What the HELL is that?
-
I’m on a 5 lane road. Two each way and a middle turn lane. This usually happens to me in busy traffic, which means I’m in the fast lane, next to the turn lane. The vehicle in front of me starts slowing down. And slowing down. And slower. I can’t get over, because I’m now going 40 in a 55 where everyone in the other lane is going 65, and there’s no way for me to merge. So, I have to sit behind this nitwit. Then they jerk into the turn lane and stop, waiting to turn. GET OVER BEFORE YOUR TURN. Arg. That’s what that lane’s for.
In Austin, about 75% of the vehicles are Big Trucks, SUVS, or Hummers. Apparently, these folks have decided that because their vehicle is so Big and Indestructible, there’s no need for them to use signals, even if they’re about to take the front end off my little Saturn. Big meanies.
I wish that all the drivers who do not signal would spend a few hours motorcycling or bicycling on the same roads they drive on, as I do. Then they would realize that the stakes of their risk-taking is not just a crunched fender or ego, it is a life.
When drivers don’t signal, they are trusting their potentially-deadly actions to just one pair of eyes – theirs; when they do signal, they are trusting them to two or more pairs of eyes. If their eyes don’t prevent them from hitting me, hopefully my eyes will prevent me from being hit by them.
As a biker, non-signallers are my biggest gripe with drivers.
[I used to work with a girl who got pulled over at least once a month for failing to use her signal when changing lanes - and got ticketed about half those times. Her mommy and daddy paid her tickets ,so I guess she never had to actually learn from her mistakes. :wally
I’m the type of driver who obeys every single law on the road… exept speeding… I go down the road at 90+ MPH in the left most lane, but I use my turn signals on every turn and lane change. I even turn my headlights on in the middle of the day (I’ve noticed that more people get out of my way when I do 
).
There are some really crazy drivers out there, people going 100+ MPH swerving from the left most lane all the way to the right most (on a 4 lane each direction expressway) and then back again, just to get past a couple cars. And they NEVER use their turn signals.
I fully agree with this - and it applies for pedestrians as well. If someone isn’t signalling left or right, I’m reasonable in assuming they’re going straight on. So I should be able to cross side roads.
(Once while cycling I came off the victor in such an encounter - a pristine Range Rover swerved across the cycle lane where I was just starting to move. He snagged my handle bar - I survived fine, but his metallic paint had a pleasantly-large gash appear. 
)
This used to be one of my pet peeves. I always wanted one of those “Visualize using your turn signal” stickers.
Now…well…
I’m afraid since driving in DC, I’ve started to turn into a bit of an asshole driver. I don’t use my signals as much. I speed up for yellow lights. I don’t like these things about myself, but I never seem to catch myself until I’ve done them.
Driving is just so different here. It’s simultaneously more aggressive and more laid back. How else can it be when two turning lanes turn onto one lane of a cross street, left lanes suddenly disappear without notice leaving you on the wrong side of the yellow lines if you aren’t paying attention, and traffic lanes become parking lanes unexpectedy? And the circles! Those lines on the road are clearly just guidlines! (And not terribly useful ones at that!)
The amazing thing is that it all works! I feel safe and comfortable driving in DC. You just learn to look for people swerving unexpectedly into your lane at certain points. And you start to think that they must be looking for you, too. They certainly seem to be! I never get honked at. Drivers are generally courteous about letting people in. You learn to keep a constant speed. Merging into a tight space at high speed (and letting others do the same) quickly becomes second nature.
But still…I should use my signal. It’s no excuse that I was in the left lane of a circle and didn’t know I had to turn across two lanes to get on my street until I was halfway past it, even if everyone else in the circle does the same thing. Pretty soon it just becomes a bad habit. I want to be better. Really I do…
Drivers on the outrageously over-crowded expressways around here are just too fast and too aggressive and will not allow you to change lanes if you signal your intentions. If one is trying to change lanes and others see his blinker on, someone will fill the spot he is trying to take, everytime.
It’s a very sad state of affairs and everyone would be better off if we all followed the rules and allowed each other a modicum of courtesy but that’s not the way it is here.
I change lanes as infrequently as possible, but when I absolutely need to change lanes, I try to get next to a slower vehicle with at least enough open space in front of him. Then it’s a quick downshift to the lowest possible gear, nailing the gas and upshifting at the redline until I have accomplished the lane change.
Around here on the expressways during rush hour, lane changes need to be minimised and sometimes planned miles in advance. Almost no one will cut you any slack. Try to drive the speed limit and they’ll run you off the road and into a ditch.
Sorry you can’t all live in Texas. We wave you in with a smile.
I’m one of those that is OCD about using my turn signals. Actually, it’s just automatic for me and I know I use them when I don’t really need to. But, better to use them when not strictly necessary than to wish I had used them after the accident, I guess.
jimpatro- Not entirely true. You ever drive in Austin? Nothing but a bunch of assholes on the roads up here. But all the Native Texans blame it on the Californians. shrug
But outside the city, folks are really nice. I’m always amazed when I’m on a back road, and someone’s going slower then I am, then they pull onto the right shoulder to let me pass! It’s the most wonderful thing ever.
I’m one of these people who’ll even use my turn signal before turning into a parking space. I’ve also played the “I’ll let you in if you actually put your turn signal on” game, although I do realize it’s rude. On the other hand, the main man in my life doesn’t use his as much. When I don’t use a turn signal, it’s usually out of sheer, raw, absent-mindedness, coupled with a bit of “But, I always turn here. Don’t you people know that?” Mostly, it’s absentmindedness.
CJ
Silver Serpentine, how long have you been in Austin? I do see your point but it’s actually improved greatly over the past say 30 years.