Why/When Don't You Use Turn Signals?

A huge pet peeve of mine (amongst many)

Maybe if you’re in a right turn only lane - I’ll cut you some slack.

Maybe if you’re all alone on a road with no one ahead of you or behind you.

Other than that - use the freakin’ things - that’s what they are there for!

(I’ll save the “Why Don’t You Turn OFF Your Freakin’ Turn Signal Once You’ve Made Your Maneuver, You Moron?!” question for another time) :smiley:
VCNJ~

I normally use them, but lately I’ve noticed myself making a couple exceptions.

The town where I work is surrounded by a string of roundabouts, which I have to take twice every workday. There’s a couple of those where I have to exit the roundabout (which would mean right blinker) but zip over to the left lane straightaway as the right lane merges directly into it (so, left blinker). Like myself, most people Just Do It and watch out for people zipping form the roundabout’s middle lane into that left lane. It’s just too bloody confusing, I’d like to meet the civil engineer who designed those exits and make him stand in them directing traffic for half an hour during rush hour every day until he cried Uncle.

I use them consistently and automatically, out of pure habit, even when there is no one else on the road with me or the turn is obvious, such as marked left turn only lane or something. Drives me crazy when others fail to use them. It also drives me crazy when they forget to turn them off again.

I use them religiously. I use them in parking lots, turning into and out of my driveway, changing lanes on a deserted highway, etc. And add me to the list of people for whom the lack of signalling is a huge pet peeve, and one of the reasons I never let my mom drive when we’re going somewhere. Her attitude is, “I know where I’m going. Why should I signal?”

Hear, hear. It also irritates me when people ask “Why did you do that? There’s no one behind us!”. I’d rather make it a habit and do it all the time than look if there’s someone I need to signal to, thank you very much. I can’t seem to convince my sister and dad of this, though, which is why when I’m at home, I drive.

Rather than make a habit of using your mirror to see if there’s someone there, then signalling regardless which is what you’re meant to do.
Mirror - Signal - Manoeuvre.

I never signal when i’m in a “can only go left/right lane”.
What’s the point, everyone knows where you are going.

Having seen many people blow straight through those “turn only” lanes, I have to say that’s dead wrong.

In Doperland, everyone uses their turn signals.

Pisses me off too. Knowlege of your intentions is as important to those in front of you…The ones behind can see the signs and markings regarding the turn-only nature of the lane you occupy, oncoming traffic does not have this information. AND the signal is most important of all to that motorcyclist you failed to see.

As to the OP, I use my turn signals at all times. I’ve been chided for using them on 4WD two-track forest roads where there was probably not another vehicle for miles…pointless, except that it shows how automatic it is.

At a little over 200Kmiles I wore out the turn-signal switch on my old car. Pretty sure I bought the only replacement ever sold in this state.

I always always use mine. Part of it is habit, and lately, I’ve been noticing it more in other people as my son is driving now (with me in the car - he still has his permit) and I am trying to instill in him good habits.

Hubby on the other hand, is horrible about it. I once asked him why he doesn’t use them - he said he’s out of turn signal fluid. :rolleyes:

I use them every time, whatever the circumstances. I’d rather be in the habit of it, and leave no doubt to others or myself what I am up to.

It seems we’re all on the same page. Count me as another one who always uses his turn signal (at least 99%, I’m sure there must be some times I haven’t) even when no one is around and in parking lots. I swear less than 50% of vehicles have working turn signals here.

I’m with you on all cases except this one. If you’re going straight in a turn-only lane (i.e. not leaving the lane before the turn) then it should be pretty obvious which direction I’m going to go.

If I break out of the lane at the last minute and cause a pile-up, the “but my turn signal wasn’t on” argument shouldn’t hold any water. (IANAL, I don’t know if arguing this would work.) If you’re leaving a turn-only lane, your turn signal should be on - you’re shifting lanes.

I also don’t use my turn signal when I do slow-mo turns in parking lots. :eek:

Arg.

Clarafication: If I’m going straight in a turn-only lane, (i.e. not leaving the lane until after I follow through with the turn) then it should be pretty obvious which direction I’m going to go.

I get the opposite from my wife. She asks “Why didn’t you signal? Your supposed to signal.”
I reply “I do signal if there’s another car around which relies on my signaling. Behind me, in front of me, across the street. But when it’s 2 a.m. and there’s no one around I don’t signal.”
Her, “Well, you should. You’re supposed to.”

Ditto for me, but add when two lanes are merging (even if I’m in the “dominant” lane) and when I’m parallel parking–even if there’s no doubt of my intentions or other cars around to see me doing it.

I figure if I do it all the time, it’s easier than constantly reminding myself to do it based on the circumstances.

I always use my turn signals in normal traffic situations. Where I don’t use them:
[ul]
[li]Parking lots, unless I am looking for a parking spot in a crowded lot and want to let someone approaching from the other way that I intend to take the spot as soon as the person backing out has left. I also use them if a feel a pedestrian needs to see where I am planning to turn.[/li][li]Turning into my driveway. I live on a dead-end street and there’s almost never anyone behind me.[/li][li]Making a turn where there is no other direction to go (e.g. a road that turns 90 degrees with no other ways to go).[/li][/ul]

Yeah, I’ll use mine all the time… usually not when making the final turn in to a parking space, but pretty much every other time out of habit. My dad doesn’t signal if there’s no-one around; it irks me, but it’s a silly thing to get uptight about, and he’s one of the best drivers I know, so I just ignore that.

I don’t subscribe to the ‘nobody around’ theory myself. Notifying people I’m going to make a jackass move 'cause I didn’t know they were there is a good enough reason to keep doing it.

Count me as another who uses turn signals all the time. I have enough to think about when driving without having to add that to the decision-making process.

Some people call that kind of turn a “curve”.