Do you use your turn signals?

[jagec]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Yes, I do. I frigging hate people who don't. It pisses me off to no end and causes me to wait at stop signs alot longer than I should.
And while we're on the subject can someone tell me why it is necessary to swerve to the far right edge of the road to make a left turn? :|

+1

Whether walking or driving, I operate by a "flow of traffic" principle...where any actions that I do should be calculated to maximize the smooth flow of traffic. If I cut someone off and they have to brake hard, I lose. If I see someone about to turn into my lane and speed up to stop them, I lose. If I'm about to cross an intersection on foot and someone's already stopped at the stop sign, I'll walk behind them so that they can go. It's polite, it's efficient, and it's actually good for your gas mileage not to use large inputs of gas or brakes. I'm usually going slightly faster than the overall speed of traffic, too, so it's not like I'm losing any time by driving this way. Indeed, by watching traffic and planning my moves early, I'm quite often in the "fast" lane during a jam.

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: jagec
Whether walking or driving, I operate by a "flow of traffic" principle...where any actions that I do should be calculated to maximize the smooth flow of traffic. If I cut someone off and they have to brake hard, I lose. If I see someone about to turn into my lane and speed up to stop them, I lose. If I'm about to cross an intersection on foot and someone's already stopped at the stop sign, I'll walk behind them so that they can go. It's polite, it's efficient, and it's actually good for your gas mileage not to use large inputs of gas or brakes. I'm usually going slightly faster than the overall speed of traffic, too, so it's not like I'm losing any time by driving this way. Indeed, by watching traffic and planning my moves early, I'm quite often in the "fast" lane during a jam.

Well, obviously you're not as good a driver as the OP, because you're not screwing other people in the process! Yes, you're a smart driver, but apparently you have to be discourteous to others also in order to really be good.

Actually, of course, you ARE a better driver because you understand why it's important to not cause others to have to react to your driving. It's safer, it avoids road rage, it reduces wear and tear on your own car, and by being alert to everything going on around you (versus being in your own self-centered world), you can avoid potential accidents.

 

[yelo333]

Yes. By signaling, you are being predictable. Besides, it's breaking the law not to. Don't give a cop any reason to pull you over.

But, don't signal TOO early. If you want to turn into the second of two drives 50 feet from each other, please wait until after (or right before) the first one. If you want to change lanes, try to find an opening before signaling.

Seen on a professor's office door:

"If you can't operate your turn signals, what makes you think you can operate the rest of your car?"

 

[Flash1969]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Always. Besides being the law it is really common courtesy.

 

[skyking]

On the rare occaison I don't, it is an empty freeway early in the morning, and I'm using all 4 lanes in the corners

 

[dighn]

Yes. Even when there is nobody around, just to maintain the habit.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: HammerCurl
I signal a little less than 5 secs if I'm merging into a new lane. If you leave your blinker on longer people will just accelerate and pass you. That's what you mean right OP? I signal at all the normal intervals, at stop signs and stop lights when you can either go straight or turn. Signaling when in a turn lane is completely optional IMO.

Completely f**king wrong. I can't tell you how many times I've signaled to enter an alternate lane, and a car backs up to allow *me* to do so, and some other motherf**ker two lanes over thinks that it's an opportunity/opening for him. By being used to NOT using your turn signal, you forget to look for other people who are and you barge right in and cause an accident. Two cars can not merge into the same space in the same lane simultaneously from both sides. If I have my blinker on and you don't, you'd better be a damned good liar when it comes to the police report.

Also, it made it stupid-hard to follow a friend ona four hour trip as he sould zip in and out of traffic and get boxed in by big rigs all because he didn't prepare me, who had no cell phone or directions, for his lane changes. Even if you think it's strategic to "keep your cards hidden" for strategy, it's a bad habit to form for many other reasons, not even counting fairness or legal issues.

 

[timosyy]

I do unless theres no one around, and then then maybe just a 1-second flick from force of habit.

Turn signals are useful for... getting into a lane for an exit thats coming up that you NEED to make (slow down a bit & turn on your signals and someone normally lets you in). I am guilty of the 5 second turn signal thing when I'm just switching lanes though (making sure theres enough space there already & watching for turn signals from cars in any other adjacent lane).

What really, really pisses me off is people not signaling when they're, say, turning right, and I'm at the road perpendicular to the one they're on at a stop waiting for them to pass me because I didn't know they were turning right. When I'm in situations like that I always signal way ahead of time to let people who might be waiting know my intentions.

 

[Captante]

The only time I don't signal is 100% intentionally when I make the (very occasional) right-lane pass on a 3+ lane highway ... otherwise I signal every time even if I don't see any other cars.

 

[Eeezee]

I do unless I'm on the freeway (in southern california). Using your turn signal indicates to other drivers that you do NOT want to get into the next lane, so they will speed up and attempt to rear end the car in front of them.

California drivers are so nice that they assume you'd like to get over at all times, so they leave you a little space. Feel free to merge into this space if you'd like to change lanes. If you definitely do not want this space, turn on your turn signal to let the driver know so that they can occupy this space instead!

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: hungfarover

Originally posted by: Linux23
The reason why I don't use mine is I hate being in back of slow driving people. You know, the people that do 18mph in a 25mph zone. I always seems to get these people i front of me when I play by the rules and hate it. For example, if I need to make a right at the next corner, and someone in the opposite direction wants to make a left onto the same street, I just speed up a bit, and milliseconds before I make my turn, put my signal on or sometimes don't signal at all. This prevents about 75% of the people that are on the road, just to be on the road, from getting in front of me.

On the highway, I use my signal more, but I use it very wisely. This prevents the asshats from speeding up, just to spite you.

What's the big hurry? Are you in a race?

If you are always moving fast, then you'll live longer via time dilation.

So long as you don't die sooner via car crash.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: soydios
It's a common courtesy to use turn signals to tell the rest of us on the road what you are about to do.

Plus, since I use turn signals on the freeway, a nice BMW that charged into my blind spot had enough time to honk the horn before I sandwiched him into a concrete barrier, because I used my turn signal before changing lanes.

Is it worth several thousand dollars to be lazy and not use turn signals? Methinks not.

You use turn signals but you don't check your blind spot? What if the BMW hadn't noticed your turn signal?

Not checking your blind spot is 100x worse than not using your damned turn signal. Don't get all high and mighty about using your turn signal when you don't even check your blind spot before merging.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: soydios
It's a common courtesy to use turn signals to tell the rest of us on the road what you are about to do.

Plus, since I use turn signals on the freeway, a nice BMW that charged into my blind spot had enough time to honk the horn before I sandwiched him into a concrete barrier, because I used my turn signal before changing lanes.

Is it worth several thousand dollars to be lazy and not use turn signals? Methinks not.

You use turn signals but you don't check your blind spot? What if the BMW hadn't noticed your turn signal?

Not checking your blind spot is 100x worse than not using your damned turn signal. Don't get all high and mighty about using your turn signal when you don't even check your blind spot before merging.

Yeah, checking your blind spot is not optional. And putting on your turn signal doesn't mean you now have the right to merge into some one in your blind spot.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
You really don't want to use headlights in fog...parking lights or fog lights (which are misnamed in the auto world usually).

Wrong. Proper fog lights will not come on without the low-beam headlights also being on.

You should always have your low-beams on if you have your foglights on. Low-beams will not cause problems for the driver in fog. High-beams will though and one should never use high-beam headlights in fog.

ZV

 

[Kev]

I only use a turn signal if its use would benefit the other cars on the road, otherwise I do not.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Kev
I only use a turn signal if its use would benefit the other cars on the road, otherwise I do not.

well yeh, signaling out of your driveway is useless.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Pretty much always. It's law, and it's safe/rational/reasonable.

 

[BabaBooey]

Duh....they are not there for looks and folks just becasue you turn thew signal on does not mean you can come on over with looking,K thanks...and a shout out to the gals....HANG UP THE DAMN PHONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Seriously,you have a hard enough time with out the added distraction.




<-----------Steps off soapbox and runs for cover..

 

[Scouzer]

Hell will have to get a lot colder before I stop with my signals.

 

[RESmonkey]

yes.

 

[ViviTheMage]

yes, and if you don't ill kill you.

 

[Turin39789]

mine are in a box in my garage. I need to get new bolts and put them on and figure out the wiring so they work

 

[potato28]

Yes

 

[Lithium381]

yep, every chance i get. if someone signals, i let them over. if everyone used their turn signals and allowed other drivers who signaled in ......the world would be a happier place, and traffic would flow much more smoothly

 

[dpert1]

Originally posted by: bababooey
Duh....they are not there for looks and folks just becasue you turn thew signal on does not mean you can come on over with looking,K thanks...and a shout out to the gals....HANG UP THE DAMN PHONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Seriously,you have a hard enough time with out the added distraction.




<-----------Steps off soapbox and runs for cover..

QFT

/still on my soapbox though