Indicators, the lost art?

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broadway
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by broadway »

reohn2 wrote:
old_windbag wrote:One aspect that arises sometimes that you sort of mentioned in your post thirdcrank is that of a car waiting to pull out at a junction. They look to their left and its clear, then look to their right and the car is indicating left.... to turn into the junction. Driver pulls out seeing car slowing:-

a} Car isn't turning into junction but indicating to pull up at kerb just past junction, outcome crash or horn toot.

Should the indicating driver be indicating before the junction if s/he isn't intending turning into it?
IMHO any driver with a grain of sense would realise that on approaching a left turn off a major road with a vehicle waiting to join the road they're on,would automatically think that a driver indicating to turn off that road before that road would be turning off it into the road they're exiting from.That seems more than reasonable thinking.

Or an indicator may not have been cancelled, same outcome.
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661-Pete
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by 661-Pete »

The best strategy for a driver, if wanting to come to a halt just beyond the junction, is to indicate left in good time, but approach the junction slowly expecting someone to misinterpret your signal and pull out. If you are able to stop in time and there is no collision, no harm done.
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old_windbag
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by old_windbag »

I think in the case of driver indicating to turn into junction but doesn't it sticks in my mind from my driving lessons. On waiting to pull out I was about to go due to a car indicating as discussed, my driving instructor held the brake on and said "whoa where are you going".. "I'm pulling out its clear, he's turning into junction", so my instructor said "How do you know that he could be pulling up past the junction, you can't assume".... so I guess it sticks in my mind. I'm sure everyone has something instructional from their driving lesson days that they don't forget... I really enjoyed the hour a week of driving a mini.

Similarly a traffic policeman on TV pulled a man for overtaking on those pinky red dividing areas in the middle of the road covered in white diagonal lines.... I don't think it was an offence as such but he explained why it was there and the common cause of accidents. It was good sense in that he said when most people turn left onto a major road they look right see its clear and pull out never thinking to look left for an overtaking car, rightly or wrongly. He said the demarcation was there at the junction to help prevent this by dissuading drivers on the main road from overtaking at that point due to high accident rate previously.
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bigjim
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by bigjim »

I'm getting used to non indicators and don't get too adgitated about them. They are just part of our ever more selfish society. What does bug me is this new thing of actually deciding to indicate as they are turning. What's that all about? Too late mate. No good to me now! :roll:
Bonefishblues
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by Bonefishblues »

bigjim wrote:I'm getting used to non indicators and don't get too adgitated about them. They are just part of our ever more selfish society. What does bug me is this new thing of actually deciding to indicate as they are turning. What's that all about? Too late mate. No good to me now! :roll:

I agree - with the caveat that I remember as a child reading them described as "BOIL"* many many years ago, a phrase that stuck in my mind ever since!

*Brake operated indicator lights

Thinking about it, I suspect, but don't know, that successive generations have railed against the driving standards of the next generation. But who knows, with the current resurgence of cycling, driving standards towards cyclist might improve :?
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bigjim
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by bigjim »

But who knows, with the current resurgence of cycling, driving standards towards cyclist might improve :?

Bless. Aren't you nice. :)
Bonefishblues
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by Bonefishblues »

bigjim wrote:
But who knows, with the current resurgence of cycling, driving standards towards cyclist might improve :?

Bless. Aren't you nice. :)

Not typically, but I do find it quite difficult to enunciate with my tongue so firmly wedded to my cheek. :D
rmurphy195
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by rmurphy195 »

We've recently replaced my wife's old car. The new one has a "clever" facility on the indicator stalk - if you lightly press it and let go, it gives 3 flashes - this is for lane changing.

I discovered this "facility" the first time I drove the car. I indicated to turn just as I realised that it was the wrong turning off the island, so stopped pressing the indicator stalk before it locked into position. Except the dam thing started flashing anyway !!!! So I gave the stalk a little push the other way thinking that I hadn't cancelled properly. And the dam thing started flashing in the other direction! Cue lots of hooting horns from everyone around us.

Still catches me out - its a very light switch(no pun intended) and will be set off by the lightest touch - deliberate or otherwise. And I can't disable this facility.

So if you see a blue Skoda with erratic indicators driven by a red-faced person with a beard -its me getting angry with the dam switch!

AArrggh
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old_windbag
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by old_windbag »

Thats exacly what I described in an earlier post when vauxhall introduced such an indication system in the early 2000's. All of us who got an astra hire car were cursing as we were using the indicators as "normal" but they had a life of their own..... the instinct to cancel then setting them off in the other direction caused much annoyance. They're useful to a point but I still prefer the standard system on my vectra B, it works perfectly.
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Paulatic
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by Paulatic »

I think the 3 clicks after a light touch is referred to as a "convenience" click. As far as I know they are standard on all VW group cars.
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Cusqueno
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Indicators, the lost art?

Post by Cusqueno »

Surprised nobody has mentioned motor bikes, or more often scooters, whose riders use indicators and then forget to cancel them. I suppose they can't hear any clicking sound through they helmet and any flashing light on the dashboard isn't noticed in daylight. Very confusing in traffic in towns. It is often hard to tell what motorcyclists are about to do since their position on the road often varies wildly.
reohn2
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by reohn2 »

Cusqueno wrote:Surprised nobody has mentioned motor bikes, or more often scooters, whose riders use indicators and then forget to cancel them. I suppose they can't hear any clicking sound through they helmet and any flashing light on the dashboard isn't noticed in daylight. Very confusing in traffic in towns. It is often hard to tell what motorcyclists are about to do since their position on the road often varies wildly.


I've seen some indicators on motorcycles as almost invisible they're so small and if the rider can't see the front ones from the riding position or an obvious large flashing light in the cockpit they can be dangerous.

I'm also finding some cars indicators to be small and easily obscured by bright sunlight and or brake lights these aren't old car either but 5year old cars or less,whilst other LED ones are great in both their flashing sequence and brightness
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Noticed a few cars recently that when the indicators started they turned off the DRLs on that side, very sensible.

Now they just need to turn both sides off all the time....
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reohn2
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by reohn2 »

[XAP]Bob wrote:Noticed a few cars recently that when the indicators started they turned off the DRLs on that side, very sensible.

Not noticed any myself yet but you're right,good idea.

Now they just need to turn both sides off all the time....

You're not wrong there! :)
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brooksby
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Re: Indicators, the lost art?

Post by brooksby »

Spinners wrote:
oneten wrote:Once heard a frustrated road user's shouted response to someone not indicating: "Sorry mate - I'm not very good at guessing games!"


I use, "Yeah, don't bother indicating mate... I'm psychic!"


"My other hat lets me read minds!"
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