OT -- do you use your turn signal when no one is there to see?

"dragon" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've always wondered what others do. If I look around me and there's
no one to notice whether I put on my turn signal, then I don't bother.
What about you? :-)

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't -- when no one is around
to notice, or when many people are and I might not see the
necessity. It isn't a deeply ingrained habit, so usage is fairly
random.


P. Tierney

In article , Marie says...

On 18 Mar 2005 13:53:30 -0800, "dragon"
wrote:
I've always wondered what others do. If I look around me and there's
no one to notice whether I put on my turn signal, then I don't bother.
What about you? :-)

Nope! Also if I am in a turn-only lane I do not use my signal.
Marie

So, everyone around you is supposed to just know it's a turn-only lane?
Pedestrians, traffic on the cross street, out of towners, everyone?

Banty

"Bruce Bridgman and Jeanne Yang" wrote in
message ...

"enigma" wrote in message
. ..
"dragon" wrote in
oups.com:

I've always wondered what others do. If I look around me
and there's no one to notice whether I put on my turn
signal, then I don't bother. What about you? :-)

yeah, i do, but it's an autopilot response, just like shifting.
i don't think about it, i just do it.
lee

My dad used to use his turn signal when he was turning into the garage
(from
the driveway).

Jeanne


Parts of our road are really curvy (like 90 degree bends) and I often find
myself using the signal then!

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 07:17:12 GMT, "P. Tierney"
wrote:


"dragon" wrote in message
roups.com...
I've always wondered what others do. If I look around me and there's
no one to notice whether I put on my turn signal, then I don't bother.
What about you? :-)

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't -- when no one is around
to notice, or when many people are and I might not see the
necessity. It isn't a deeply ingrained habit, so usage is fairly
random.



P. Tierney

One of the most annoying things I have found since I moved is
the lack of signalling when people are turning here. We have
these streets with U-turns in the center because of canals in the
middle of the street for drainage. People don't signal and then
you get hung up behind them which is very annoying. If they
signalled you would have a chance to get around them and
not end up sitting in the left lane when your own turn might be
coming up next.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

I do. Doing it automatically takes less processing power than wondering
whether I should, it seems to me! My driving instructor tried to encourage
me not to when there was no need. I'm not sure why - maybe just as a check
that I was doing observations properly.

Also, it really annoys me when I'm a pedestrian and cars don't signal,
since knowing where they're going can make a difference more often than
most drivers seem to imagine.

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

dragon wrote:

I've always wondered what others do. If I look around me and there's
no one to notice whether I put on my turn signal, then I don't bother.
What about you? :-)

I always signal.

I've got a rather old copy of the (UK) Dept of Transport driving manual
here, and it includes the following comments about signalling:

"...they must be given in good time and for long enough for you to be as
sure as you can that other road users have seen and recognised them. You
must allow enough time for other road users to see your signal, realise what
you are going to do and take their own action".

Later on, when it discusses whether the positioning of your car is enough
guidance to other people: "not every other road user is another driver".

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three

On 19 Mar 2005 05:08:01 -0800, Banty wrote:
So, everyone around you is supposed to just know it's a turn-only lane?
Pedestrians, traffic on the cross street, out of towners, everyone?

Here, if you are in a turn-only lane, you have a turn light, and no
other cars will have a green light. So it is not a problem there. Not
many pedestrians either, and really I have never seen any in the
intersections where we have turn-only lanes. Those areas are too
crowded for people to even attempt to walk across the road.
Marie

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 12:28:50 -0500, Marie
scribbled:

On 19 Mar 2005 05:08:01 -0800, Banty wrote:
So, everyone around you is supposed to just know it's a turn-only lane?
Pedestrians, traffic on the cross street, out of towners, everyone?

Here, if you are in a turn-only lane, you have a turn light, and no
other cars will have a green light. So it is not a problem there. Not
many pedestrians either, and really I have never seen any in the
intersections where we have turn-only lanes. Those areas are too
crowded for people to even attempt to walk across the road.
Marie

We have the same here. However I prefer seeing people use their turn
signals, at it lets me know that they know what they're doing! I
don't like to assume they'll turn just because they're in a turn lane
in spite of knowing any possible accident would probably be their
fault. Much easier to avoid accidents than to assign blame.

Nan

Nan wrote:
On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 12:28:50 -0500, Marie
scribbled:


On 19 Mar 2005 05:08:01 -0800, Banty wrote:

So, everyone around you is supposed to just know it's a turn-only lane?
Pedestrians, traffic on the cross street, out of towners, everyone?

Here, if you are in a turn-only lane, you have a turn light, and no
other cars will have a green light. So it is not a problem there. Not
many pedestrians either, and really I have never seen any in the
intersections where we have turn-only lanes. Those areas are too
crowded for people to even attempt to walk across the road.
Marie


We have the same here. However I prefer seeing people use their turn
signals, at it lets me know that they know what they're doing! I
don't like to assume they'll turn just because they're in a turn lane
in spite of knowing any possible accident would probably be their
fault. Much easier to avoid accidents than to assign blame.

Nan


Except that I never assume people know what they're doing when they use
their turn signals. I've been at too many intersections where an
oncoming car signals a left turn, and then blithely proceeds straight
through the intersection. I'll believe they're turning left when I see
them halfway through the turn.

Clisby

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 18:00:50 GMT, Clisby
scribbled:

Except that I never assume people know what they're doing when they use
their turn signals. I've been at too many intersections where an
oncoming car signals a left turn, and then blithely proceeds straight
through the intersection. I'll believe they're turning left when I see
them halfway through the turn.

I also always wait until they're actually turning before I'll pull out
in front of them. I've had my turn signal stick before, so it's not a
stretch to think it happens.
I'm talking about center turn lanes on the arrow. *Most* people
obviously will only be in a turn-only lane if they intend to turn.
But I've seen exceptions (almost got hit once, and got yelled at by
the offending driver that they didn't have their signal on, so I
should have "known" they weren't going to turn.... this was from
someone in a left-turn-only lane that was clearly marked).

Nan