I don't know how use of indicators is taught in the US, but as I understand it, you use the indicator to indicate (to other drivers) your intention to change direction.
I've grown much more fond of the term "indicator" because I think people assume that because we call them a "turn signal" that they should only be used in actual turns. Heck no, I use them whenever it's proper to indicate my action! For example, on my drive into work, the road will fork off to the right in two separate places, and that forked road has a stop sign from the other direction to let traffic onto the main road. When a car is waiting at that stop sign and a car signals that they will be taking the fork, the car that is waiting knows that they can go. What I try to do is also help people waiting by showing them that I am
not taking the fork by signaling to the left. I am technically not turning since I remain on the same road, but it's possibly helpful to drivers!
If traffic is jammed up you merge if you sense like a foot of weakness in the lane you want to be in you jump into that space all shove-like.
That's what it was like when I was driving outside DC one time. I realized that I wasn't getting anywhere with my turn signal being on for a minute, so I saw a space and stuck the corner of my car in it. Lo and behold, I got into the lane, but I felt like a dick for doing it.
I cut off a dickhead the other day.
There were two left turn lanes. The right one always has more cars in it than the left. That because about 200' after you make the left, there is a right turn that goes to the freeway. About 10 of us were queued up in the right lane and maybe two in the left.
Around here, lights sometimes don't stay green for long enough for everyone to get through
if people aren't aware. To give you a hint... people are normally not aware down here. I've had plenty of times where I sat in the proper lane and had to wait more than one light cycle where I could have been a bit of an ass and just merged in front of all the pokies. At this point, if I can grab the first spot in a multi-lane turn lane, then you sure as hell bet I will cut in front of everyone (if it's safe, of course). I don't do it to be an ass; I do it because everyone is so fucking slow here. A light will turn green and five seconds later, they finally start moving. :|