Indicators should be banned, to improve road safety.

[400bhp]

In the absence of indicators, you should use your arms and indicate your intention before you make your manouver, and then that gives you time to make it with both hands on the bars. I'd call it good planning, and that goes along the same line as road positioning on a junction, ot turning right across a carriageway.

It's not always possible to do that - e.g if there are two turnings close to each other.

I think it was Greg Collins a while ago on here who said that he doesn't signal to turn left as you often get cars [who are waiting in the opposite direction to turn right into the road you want to go] taking a chance and pulling across you when they see you indicating to turn left (and to a lesser extent, cars overtaking you when you haven't finished your manouver). I think this is a very good point and I now generally take this stance.

 

[400bhp]

Then I'm an incompetent driver then. I indicate at every turn, and at every lane change. , be I on busy or a non busy roads. I think it's a good attatude to have, and airs on the side of caution as its possible I may have not seen something or someone (blinds pots, minor obstructions etc). I would not assume that just because I think no ones around that it's really the case.

If you can't see them they can't see you.

 

[byegad]

A friend, a police trained driver has the same attitude to signalling as the OP. I on the other hand ws trained to signal no matter what by the now defunct RAC/ACU Motorcycle training scheme. Even though we didn't know each other at the time and met some 20 years after our initial training we both think we are good drivers.We are both 60 now.

Our insurance claims record, and speeding fines records come out in favour of signalling. As does the fact that two of our none driving friends will no longer get into his car for a lift, preferring the bus or a taxi to riding with him, whereas they'll happily jump into my car for the same journey.

Not a statistically significant sample I know but I won't be not signalling my intentions any time soon. There is one exception I make when I'm cycling, and that is with only me and a following car in sight, I don't signal a left if the driver is too close to me as I get to my signalling point and is slowing or accelerating for no apparent reason. I take this a sign that the driver intends to turn left and is either going to come around the turn on my tail or try to beat me to the corner and then throw the car in front of me.

 

[400bhp]

A friend, a police trained driver has the same attitude to signalling as the OP. I on the other hand ws trained to signal no matter what by the now defunct RAC/ACU Motorcycle training scheme. Even though we didn't know each other at the time and met some 20 years after our initial training we both think we are good drivers.We are both 60 now.

Our insurance claims record, and speeding fines records come out in favour of signalling. As does the fact that two of our none driving friends will no longer get into his car for a lift, preferring the bus or a taxi to riding with him, whereas they'll happily jump into my car for the same journey.

Not a statistically significant sample I know but I won't be not signalling my intentions any time soon. There is one exception I make when I'm cycling, and that is with only me and a following car in sight, I don't signal a left if the driver is too close to me as I get to my signalling point and is slowing or accelerating for no apparent reason. I take this a sign that the driver intends to turn left and is either going to come around the turn on my tail or try to beat me to the corner and then throw the car in front of me.

Really

 

[Mushroomgodmat]

If you can't see them they can't see you.

I assume that's in reply to my comment about blind spots...I should therefore point out that my blind spot comment was just to illustrate one possible reason you may not see everything on, or predict everything you see on the roads when making the judgement to indicate.


Also...If everyone stopped indicating, wouldn't we all move as fast as the slowest car in built up areas? (maybe not a bad thing) As a cyclist I'm not sure I would ever overtake a slow moving car If I didn't know their intentions.. So as a result I would travel as slow as that car. And while we are getting rid of indicators, why not get rid of brake lights too?

 

[GrasB]

If you can't see them they can't see you.

Not true actually. Hedgerows etc. can give effective one way vision (for instance I can clearly see 3 cars from my office window through a hedge, however you can't see me from the car park due o the same hedge). Also there are blind spots.

That said I do think people over-indicate these days. There's no need to signal around every single obstacle in your path & also if you're unsure it's genrally better to not signal than signal.

 

[GrasB]

or just polite, considerate road users.

Indication is to give extra information to other road users, exactly what extra information signalling to move back in actually give? Answer... none! So why signal? I am assuming we're talking on a single-lane carriageway road here. On a multi-lane carriageway there's good reason to signal; so that people are aware of any road space conflicts which may occur.

 

[Brandane]

One thing I learnt that changed the way I drive for the better, was the idea that you should only indicate when there is someone to indicate to. It sounds obvious, but point is that to find out if there is someone to indicate to, you have to look for them, so the importance of being observant when manoovering (never could spell that!) is reinforced.

Is it too much to ask that people learn to indicate AND be observant at the same time? I did my Police driving course in 1986 when I was still serving with them. We were taught to indicate whether or not you could actually see someone who would benefit from it. The theory is that you don't know at what point someone (pedestrian, cyclist, or driver) is going to appear. Case in point; you are approaching a roundabout and intend to turn left but don't bother indicating because there is no-one to indicate to. Meantime I am approaching the roundabout from your left (on the road you are about to turn into), unseen because of buildings, bushes or whatever. I get to the roundabout just before you and have to stop to give way to you approaching from my right, because you are not indicating and I have to assume you are going straight on. You then perform a left turn and I call you a few names.......

Not indicating is bad driving and laziness. There is nothing "advanced" about it. I agree with the point made about people overtaking on single carriageways and then indicating left when they have passed. That is just stupidity; it goes without saying that you are going to pull back into the left, where you are meant to be!

REMEMBER: Mirror - SIGNAL - Manoeuvre. It is the basic principle of driving!

 

[GrasB]

Brandane, Current roadcraft is that you indicate only when you observe someone to be present. This is something I don't entirely agree with.

 

[Mushroomgodmat]

Brandane, Current roadcraft is that you indicate only when you observe someone to be present. This is something I don't entirely agree with.

This could be out of date, but I don't suspect it is (see first point)
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/travelandtransport/highwaycode/dg_070338

 

[GrasB]

This could be out of date, but I don't suspect it is (see first point)
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/travelandtransport/highwaycode/dg_070338

and?.. Road craft almost completely agree with that but simply adds that you should only signal when you can see another road user which would benefit from your information (cyclist, ped, motorist etc.). They don't have to be on the road just the fact that they may benefit from your signal.

 

[Brandane]

Brandane, Current roadcraft is that you indicate only when you observe someone to be present. This is something I don't entirely agree with.

A change for the worse then, IMHO. I did a driving instructors course a few years ago. I couldn't believe one of the things they teach nowadays.... When going round a roundabout which does NOT have a straight ahead option (i.e. only 2 exits, one going left and the other right), you can use the LEFT lane if you are turning RIGHT!! Having been a full time driver of artics for 6 years I find that rule absolutely unbelievably stupid and badly thought out.

 

[GrasB]

As I said before, it's a part of road craft I don't agree with.

 

[400bhp]

Not true actually. Hedgerows etc. can give effective one way vision (for instance I can clearly see 3 cars from my office window through a hedge, however you can't see me from the car park due o the same hedge). Also there are blind spots.

What has that got top do with indicating?

 

[400bhp]

Is it too much to ask that people learn to indicate AND be observant at the same time? I did my Police driving course in 1986 when I was still serving with them. We were taught to indicate whether or not you could actually see someone who would benefit from it. The theory is that you don't know at what point someone (pedestrian, cyclist, or driver) is going to appear. Case in point; you are approaching a roundabout and intend to turn left but don't bother indicating because there is no-one to indicate to. Meantime I am approaching the roundabout from your left (on the road you are about to turn into), unseen because of buildings, bushes or whatever. I get to the roundabout just before you and have to stop to give way to you approaching from my right, because you are not indicating and I have to assume you are going straight on. You then perform a left turn and I call you a few names.......

Not indicating is bad driving and laziness. There is nothing "advanced" about it. I agree with the point made about people overtaking on single carriageways and then indicating left when they have passed. That is just stupidity; it goes without saying that you are going to pull back into the left, where you are meant to be!

REMEMBER: Mirror - SIGNAL - Manoeuvre. It is the basic principle of driving!

Are you an driving expert then? I'd rather listen to those thank you.