Turn Signals...

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Billb2

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2005
3,035
70
86
Aren't turn signals supposed to be activated just at the moment you start changing lanes.? Kind of a warning that "I just cut you off"

Yeah, 35 in a 40 zone, then when it changes to 30, still 35 ...what are they thinking? I guess it's just to hard to eat a burger AND talk on the cell phone.

Yeah, the expressways jammed up, bumper to bumper, so I think I'll l drop back 15 car lengths so every sucker behind me is even later.

And then there's the doofuses that STILL don't turn right on red.

THERMONUCLEAR traffic control!
 

Sumguy

Golden Member
Jun 2, 2007
1,409
0
0
I keep a good distance away from other drivers because I find that if they even bother to use their turn signal, they do it while they are turning or half a second before.

At 1AM the lights go flashing yellow/red. Everyone burns through the yellow and stops at the red until its clear. Not exactly how its supposed to go, but it works. Haven't seen an intersection where they are both the same color.

During the day though, its terrible. You will have cars going both ways in the middle of the intersection honking at each other and many birds a-flight.

Edit: The one that takes the cake though is what happens on one particular road I have to drive through if I need anything besides food. People like to make left turns, across solid double yellow lines. They just start braking, no turn signals, to a complete stop. So they go from 55 to 0 without a signal, to make a left turn that they shouldn't be making. Its even better when you have two idiots in front of you. One that does what I just mentioned, and the other that swerves sharply into the other lane without ANY warning at all. But everyone has reflexes like spider man, so 30 feet is nothing at 55mph.

Assholes.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,476
19,977
146
I use mine most of the time. However growing up in Los Angeles and regularly visiting there has taught me a very bad habit: I never use turn signals to change lanes.

Anyone who spends time on LA freeways will know why.
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
81
Originally posted by: K1052
I believe once you move to Chicago someone breaks into your car and disconnects this feature.

Nobody uses them here.

Except me, but I'm just a stupid immigrant.
 

nobody554

Senior member
Jan 21, 2006
526
0
0
Originally posted by: Section8
In Texas, the turn signals are used to alert other drivers that they need to speed up beside you so you can't change lanes. I think they teach you in driver's school not to use them.

QFT
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
Originally posted by: Aikouka
I've been in some of the situations like the people above... it's fairly annoying. I hate when people drive at least 5 under the speed limit. I mean c'mon, at least go the speed limit unless there's no one behind you. It's all about being considerate to the other drivers. What bothers me is when I'm in the 30MPH part of the city and people are going 25MPH. It's not really the speed that's bothering me, it's the fact that my car gets shitty MPG below 30MPH (or so the car says). So not only are they slowing me down, but they're literally burning more of my money away.

Sometimes I wish people would use cruise control more often. Having to sit there and constantly speed up and slow down because someone can't push down on the accelerator enough when going up a hill.

People that don't use their lights in the rain, snow or fog suck too. First off, I live in NY state. It is illegal here to not use your lights while using your wipers. It's definitely harder to see cars in rain (more so depending on color) and using your lights certainly helps. My Driver's Ed teacher always taught me to turn 'em on in an overcast sky (or worse, obviously).

I also hate fuckers that drive with their parking lights on. They turn 'em on to see their dash board, but they couldn't think that they can't see their dash because it's dimly lit outside and perhaps assisting others properly to see their car would be better. I mean, they literally had to go and turn on the parking lights... is it that hard to turn on the lights? It's one little tiny, insy-winsy turn of the thing on my car.

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Shoot 'em Up.

KT

That was my favorite scene in the movie. I felt so vindicated :D.

Originally posted by: interchange
Kudos to the first person that knows (by the book) what to do at a flashing yellow.

Isn't it that essentially you have the right of way but be aware of cross traffic, where as the other side will have a flashing red and they stop and ensure there is no cross traffic and then go (kinda treating whichever direction they're going like you would if you were doing a right turn on red). When I lived down in Williamsport, they had intersections that would change to flashing red + flashing yellow at... I think 1 AM?

I always slow down going up hills, because this is the most efficient way to drive. Why do you feel the need to burn twice the gas, just so you maintain an arbitrary speed? You probably brake when going downhill too, preventing me from building up momentum.
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
0
0
They taught us in drivers ed to never trust turn signals cause people are too retarded to use them properly. Just keep your space and wait for the idiot to swerve towards you. Still, I want everyone to use them, and would like to kick in people's doors for not using them.
 

ObiDon

Diamond Member
May 8, 2000
3,435
0
0
i don't think the more recent hondas come with bulbs in the turn signals anymore. i don't even remember the last time i saw a honda make a signal.

even though it would be nice if everyone learned how to drive properly, it's just easier to assume everyone else on the road is a dumbass. i can usually pick out which cars are going to do something stupid (and what it is) before they do it ;)
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Originally posted by: Section8
In Texas, the turn signals are used to alert other drivers that they need to speed up beside you so you can't change lanes. I think they teach you in driver's school not to use them.

Simple solution is to speed up to change lanes like you should be doing anyway.
 

ObiDon

Diamond Member
May 8, 2000
3,435
0
0
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: Section8
In Texas, the turn signals are used to alert other drivers that they need to speed up beside you so you can't change lanes. I think they teach you in driver's school not to use them.

Simple solution is to speed up to change lanes like you should be doing anyway.
Then they just speed up even more and it turns into a street race.
The proper response is to tap your brakes, then use PIT on the other car.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Originally posted by: Throckmorton
I always slow down going up hills, because this is the most efficient way to drive. Why do you feel the need to burn twice the gas, just so you maintain an arbitrary speed? You probably brake when going downhill too, preventing me from building up momentum.

Wrong. I refuse to go slow up a hill because I won't be a douche to the people behind me. Also, you don't use a horrible amount of gas keeping the same speed (as long as it's not excessive and the hill isn't at a "huge" angle) while going up a hill.

Why the hell would I brake going down a hill? I have a CVT in my car (Nissan Altima 3.5SL) and they don't roll much down hills... that's simply the way they're designed. In some cases, I won't accelerate to a speed limit change until I hit a decline, but if the decline is a bit in the distance, that's not being considerate to other drivers. In one area on the ride home, it's 45MPH and there's a decline and after that it goes to 55MPH (and there's an incline after that). I accelerate to 55 while going down the hill (so I'm technically speeding +10MPH). The best part is the speed limit is 55MPH for a hill and then once the long .75 mile incline is done (the incline isn't too bad for the most part, but the last little bit is steeper), it goes back to 45MPH :confused:. If no one is behind me (or if they are far enough away that they won't catch up), I'll stay at 50MPH. Typically, when the incline is over, I stay at my 55mph speed and cut cruise control as there's a small decline after that and a bit of an incline. I use that incline to bring me to 45-50mph for the change in speed.

Amusingly enough, you say I waste gas, but I'm the one who posted MPG numbers (in The Garage) that made people think I drove a 4 cylinder when I most certainly drive a V6. Right now I'm looking at around 27MPG with maybe only 10 miles of highway driving and using the AC the whole time (it has climate control, so technically it's always on). That's even after I let my friend drive my car on Saturday and he definitely doesn't drive as efficiently as I do. Most of my efficiency comes from being a proactive driver rather than a reactive. Coasting when a light up ahead turns yellow rather than waiting until you're at the light to brake. My mantra is that "braking = wasted gas." Of course it should be noted that I don't trade safety for a couple bucks in gas.
 

Quiksilver

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2005
4,725
0
71
Meh. I try to use my turn signal as much as possible but I still forget to use it sometimes, mainly during lane changes but otherwise I'm always using it.

What pisses me off at least around here are people who make right hand turns from the left driving lane; I see it all the time driving home from work at night.

or the people who don't turn on their turn signal until their turning rather than turning the shit on beforehand (and a decent amount of time before hand).
 

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
The thing that really bugs me, even more so than people who don't use turn signals, is when some asshat making a left turn decides to be half in the turning lane so that he/she takes up two lanes and slows everyone else down.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,576
126
"Flashing Signals:

The flashing red signal has the same meaning as the stop sign: Stop and do not proceed to move until you can enter the intersection without interfering with approaching traffic. The flashing yellow signal has the same meaning as a warning sign. Slow down and proceed with caution. "

From NC driver's handbook.

I hate folks who don't signal.

Also, if you want me to let you get over or get in line, you had better signal.
 

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
5
0
I pretty much always use mine.

I make a point to use them all the time especially because I own a motorcycle and realize that just because a quick glance in the mirrors does not cover the possibility of a motorcycle being around me that I wasn't aware of.

 

aesthetics

Golden Member
May 12, 2008
1,355
0
0
I always use mine. But what bothers me more than when someone doesn't use it, is when they leave it on and forget about it. Then they're driving like 10 miles and I don't know if they're actually ever going to turn or not.

The other day, a guy in a jeep was driving with his right turn signal on for at least a good 5 minutes, so I pulled up next to him and rolled down my window, yelling that his signal was on. He smiled at me at first like he thought I was trying to hit on him or something... but then he eventually turned it off. :p
 

EKKC

Diamond Member
May 31, 2005
5,895
0
0
Originally posted by: Pale Rider

What is even more insane is the person who pulls into a turn only lane, sits for 30 seconds to a minute waiting for the light to change and once the light has gone green (and as they begin to turn) engages their turn signal! Where is the logic in this? The purpose of the turn signal is to let people know your intentions in advance!

Ok, I'm done. Any other driving pet peeves?

that bolded section is totally weak. it's a turn only lane or turning bay, you know the person is going to turn, so why are you pissed off if they don't use the signal or if they use them at the last minute?

i do this too, mainly because i make it a habit of using turn signal, but only when i am beginning the motion of the turn (my left hand, placed on the 11 oclock position of the wheel, begins the motion to turn the wheel to initiate the turn, and i extend the finger to click on the turn signal behind the wheel while the car makes the turn.) I do it mainly because it is required by law and it has become a habit, that even when i turn in an empty garage i still use turn signals at the split second that I initiate the turning motion.

 

seemingly random

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2007
5,277
0
0
Originally posted by: Amused
I use mine most of the time. However growing up in Los Angeles and regularly visiting there has taught me a very bad habit: I never use turn signals to change lanes.

Anyone who spends time on LA freeways will know why.
Gang shit? (live in the southeast u.s.)
 

potato28

Diamond Member
Jun 27, 2005
8,964
0
0
I like kicking in people's doors and smashing their bumpers when they don't see me on my bike, and I know they can't do a damn thing because I have right of way and they weren't signaling :D. And that's why I always use my signals /serious tone of voice.