Turn signals

[Night Elf]

Fess up. Do you use your turn signals on your car? It seems I'm running into so many people lately who don't use their signals. I even use mine in a parking lot!

[maize]

Yes I use mine, but not sure I always do in a parking lot.

 

Using them is pretty much a reflex.

[theelfqueen]

I am a turn signal girl... is use them properly in roundabouts. I use them to change lanes... I even use them to turn into my driveway. This appears to make me out of sync with the turn signalling public :)

 

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[UCF612]

Yes I definitely use mine.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Always

 

 

[kewb]

The majority of the time.  The only time I may skip using my signal is when I am clearly the only car on the road.

[Anne]

Another vote for always.  

 

My dh and I got into a discussion about signaling when entering a highway.  He claimed he didn't need to signal because, "what else would he be doing when he's on the on-ramp of a highway???"   I said that the turn signal was another way of alerting other drivers to your presence - in these days of distracted driving, anything that can help with that is worth doing!

 

Anne

[Outdoorsy Type]

I think this is like confessing to leaving your shopping cart in the middle of the parking lot or not replacing the toilet roll. 😂

[stephanier.1765]

Absolutely and automatically without thinking.

[SparklyUnicorn]

My driving instructor told me to do it always even when nobody is looking because that'll help you remember to do it.  Of all the things I remember from driving instruction, not much, I remember that!

 

 

[poppy]

Highway yes.  City , sometimes.

Drivers here are very aggressive. If they see a signal, they will move in anticipation of what they THINK you'll do. Which can be dangerous if their assumption is wrong.  For example, If I want to turn at the light at the end of the block, and I signal, a guy in the gas station will think I'm pulling into the gas station and will accelerate to pull in front of me. 

[zoobie]

Even turning into my driveway. 

[38carrots]

Always. Parking lot. Driveway. Even when I turn "with the road" and it is not an actual turn. I puzzles me when others don't signal.

[Liz CA]

Yes, of course. Couldn't you get a ticket for not using it? Besides I want to give the car behind me ample warning, I am about to slow down and make a turn.

[DragonFaerie]

Highway yes.  City , sometimes.

Drivers here are very aggressive. If they see a signal, they will move in anticipation of what they THINK you'll do. Which can be dangerous if their assumption is wrong.  For example, If I want to turn at the light at the end of the block, and I signal, a guy in the gas station will think I'm pulling into the gas station and will accelerate to pull in front of me. 

 

Problems like this can be avoided by not signalling too early (don't signal for the end of the block if there are other driveways coming up first as that does create confusion).  Not signalling can cause an accident because cars behind you will be expecting you to keep driving. If you don't signal your turn, you could end up getting rear-ended.  I ALWAYS use my signal, and I'm teaching DD to always use it as well.

[MEmama]

Always. Drivers here tend to drive very close to the car ahead of them, so I want the car behind me to fully aware that I am going to slow down. Plus, DS is always watching; this is not the time to be lazy in my driving habits. Thankfully using signals is automatic, like putting on our seatbelts and physically turning to look behind me (not relying on the backup camera) when backing up.

[Corraleno]

Always, including parking lots and driveways.

 

 

[poppy]

Problems like this can be avoided by not signalling too early (don't signal for the end of the block if there are other driveways coming up first as that does create confusion).  Not signalling can cause an accident because cars behind you will be expecting you to keep driving. If you don't signal your turn, you could end up getting rear-ended.  I ALWAYS use my signal, and I'm teaching DD to always use it as well.

 

 You ever drive in an older, very densely populated city?  There is always a driveway before the end of the block. It's all driveways! And drivers looking for any small space they can maneuver into.

 

I use the directionals as a tool... sometimes very useful, sometimes best to hold off. 

 

I knew my post wouldn't be popular, but, otherwise no one would ever admit to no signaling 100% of the time!

[Laura Corin]

I use mine in my own drive.  The drive is straight, then there is parking to the left.  I signal before parking.

[Miss Tick]

To DH, not using your turn signal is a sign of the "Downfall of Society!" This is said in the same tone one might use to point out signs of the apocalypse. So, I always have that message running through my head when I approach a turn.

[J-rap]

Yes, unless I'm clearly the only car on the road.

[regentrude]

Yes, I do.Always.

Not just because it is a matter of courtesy and safety, but also because the turn signal could be my ultimate safety net in case I was not careful enough looking over my shoulder, and the driver of the car I did not see can anticipate my turning or witching lanes and avoid the collision my carelessness would have caused,

[OneStepAtATime]

I do it automatically so I don't even really think about it anymore, thus I even use it in the parking lot or getting out of my driveway.  :)

 

It was interesting to me that when DH and I got jobs in a town in Kentucky many years ago the boss was giving us the low down on the area (we had never lived there before) and one of the first things he mentioned was that people in the area would turn on their turn signals all the time...but they wouldn't actually turn.  He said that when he first moved there nearly 15 years before it had driven him absolutely batty.  We thought he was exaggerating.  Nope.  Our first day of work we were driving behind another car for most of the way.  Turn signal on the whole time.  They never turned.  We turned off before they did.  It was miles.  He was right.  At least in that area there were turn signals everywhere whether they were actually turning or not.   :confused1:

[OneStepAtATime]

 You ever drive in an older, very densely populated city?  There is always a driveway before the end of the block. It's all driveways! And drivers looking for any small space they can maneuver into.

 

I use the directionals as a tool... sometimes very useful, sometimes best to hold off. 

 

I knew my post wouldn't be popular, but, otherwise no one would ever admit to no signaling 100% of the time!

My brother ran into this.  I cannot remember what city.  He said it was scary.  As soon as he would activate his turn signal cars would try to cut him off, squeeze into the space he had spotted.  He hated driving there.

[shawthorne44]

Religiously.   What is funny is that I was once pulled over for not signaling.  I was in the downtown area of a smallish city.  I was trying to find the library and everything looked different at night.   One-lane streets confuse the heck out of me.  So, I'd drive to the intersection and look around to figure out which way the road went and whether or not I was turning.  THEN I would turn on my signals.   They said I was supposed to turn them on a block ahead of time.   I said that assumes I KNEW a block ahead of time.  I think they really pulled me over because my not_knowing_where_I_was_going, meant  I was driving squirelly.  

Edited January 4, 2017 by shawthorne44

[marbel]

Always, every time I'm turning in any situation.  My dad was adamant about that when he was teaching me to drive, and if I'm ever tempted to skip it, I can still hear his voice talking about it.  I have been driving since 1974.  

 

 

[Mimm]

Most of the time. When there's no one around, like if I'm the only one at a four way stop and no one is behind me, then I don't bother with it.

[Mimm]

If there's only a few people that don't use turn signals, they are probably annoying a hundred people or more every time they leave the house. :) There SEEMS like lots of people who don't use them, but we don't notice the ones who do.

[TravelingChris]

Yes, I do.  My dh doesn't always if there is no one around but I do anyway.  It is ingrained in me.  However, I don't do it from my driveway because I have never done this.  It makes no difference since there is hardly anyone on my road at any time.

[idnib]

Almost always. It's ingrained in me and I have to overcome my conditioning to not do it. That said, I learned to drive in Los Angeles and drive in city traffic now, so I'm pretty good at spotting the car I know is going to deliberately close the gap and not let me in if I signal my lane change ahead of time, even if technically I have adequate room. So once in a while I don't.

[AmandaVT]

I am a turn signal girl... is use them properly in roundabouts. I use them to change lanes... I even use them to turn into my driveway. This appears to make me out of sync with the turn signalling public :)

 

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Not using a turn signal in the roundabout is one of my pet peeves and almost no one does it around here! 

 

I use mine for everything. Except turning into my driveway at night. Our road is so dark and quiet that if I used my signal, I'd worry that I'd scare the deer or something.

[DragonFaerie]

I do it automatically so I don't even really think about it anymore, thus I even use it in the parking lot or getting out of my driveway.   :)

 

It was interesting to me that when DH and I got jobs in a town in Kentucky many years ago the boss was giving us the low down on the area (we had never lived there before) and one of the first things he mentioned was that people in the area would turn on their turn signals all the time...but they wouldn't actually turn.  He said that when he first moved there nearly 15 years before it had driven him absolutely batty.  We thought he was exaggerating.  Nope.  Our first day of work we were driving behind another car for most of the way.  Turn signal on the whole time.  They never turned.  We turned off before they did.  It was miles.  He was right.  At least in that area there were turn signals everywhere whether they were actually turning or not.   :confused1:

 

I admit to poking a bit of fun at those people.  "Hey, Bertha?  You hear that clickin' noise?  What IS that?"  :lol:

[DragonFaerie]

 You ever drive in an older, very densely populated city?  

 

Yep. And it still doesn't make me disregard the law. 

[MEmama]

My brother ran into this. I cannot remember what city. He said it was scary. As soon as he would activate his turn signal cars would try to cut him off, squeeze into the space he had spotted. He hated driving there.

I find driving in Boston is like that. It's as though using a signal is a sign of weakness. We still do, but it's at our own peril, for sure.

[DragonFaerie]

I find driving in Boston is like that. It's as though using a signal is a sign of weakness. We still do, but it's at our own peril, for sure.

 

"A sign of weakness..."   :lol:

[SparklyUnicorn]

 You ever drive in an older, very densely populated city?  There is always a driveway before the end of the block. It's all driveways! And drivers looking for any small space they can maneuver into.

 

I use the directionals as a tool... sometimes very useful, sometimes best to hold off. 

 

I knew my post wouldn't be popular, but, otherwise no one would ever admit to no signaling 100% of the time!

 

I live in a densely populated older area.  I still signal every time.  What's the worst thing that is going to happen?  Someone thought I was going to turn into alley A, but I ended up turning into parking space B?  At least they know I'm going to be turning and can adjust accordingly. 

[Bootsie]

Yes, of course. Couldn't you get a ticket for not using it? Besides I want to give the car behind me ample warning, I am about to slow down and make a turn.

In Texas you can get a ticket for not using hand signals for turning and braking when riding a bicycle--the cost of the ticket is as much as for not using the turn signal when driving a car (and the price of the ticket is the same as an automobile violation)

[Zydruna]

Yes, I always use mine. And it is a pet peeve of mine when people forget to turn them off after switching lanes and drive for miles with them on.

 

My DH and I actually have a disagreement about HOW to properly use the turn signal when switching lanes. I use the signal as a sign of my desire to switch lanes and intention to do so eventually, but not necessarily as a look out, here I come ready or not sort of thing. For me, it allows the other cars to see my intention and hopefully allow me space. If people are being jerks and not letting me over, that means that sometimes I may have my signal on for a few seconds before actually determining it is safe to move. Dh however, thinks that you should not turn on the signal until you are immediately going to move over. So if there is no opening to move into, he won't turn on his signal. I argue with him that nobody in the other lane will ever let him over if they don't KNOW he wants to move over because he isn't signaling his intention to move. He thinks as soon as he turns on the signal everyone in the other lane will freak out and think he is cutting in front of him. What do you all think?

[Tap]

Almost always.  My instict is to use them, but if I am the only one around, I make a conscious decision not to. 

 

I like that my newer cars have the blinkers that have a Lane Changer blinker.  It blinks about 6 times and turns itself off, (turning the wheel doesn't turn it off, it turns off no matter what).  I use it quite a bit around the city. 

[LMD]

Always.

 

And we call them 'indicators' rather than turn signals.

[DragonFaerie]

Yes, I always use mine. And it is a pet peeve of mine when people forget to turn them off after switching lanes and drive for miles with them on. My DH and I actually have a disagreement about HOW to properly use the turn signal when switching lanes. I use the signal as a sign of my desire to switch lanes and intention to do so eventually, but not necessarily as a look out, here I come ready or not sort of thing. For me, it allows the other cars to see my intention and hopefully allow me space. If people are being jerks and not letting me over, that means that sometimes I may have my signal on for a few seconds before actually determining it is safe to move. Dh however, thinks that you should not turn on the signal until you are immediately going to move over. So if there is no opening to move into, he won't turn on his signal. I argue with him that nobody in the other lane will ever let him over if they don't KNOW he wants to move over because he isn't signaling his intention to move. He thinks as soon as he turns on the signal everyone in the other lane will freak out and think he is cutting in front of him. What do you all think?

 

I agree with you in that the signal helps to let other drivers know of your intention and they should, hopefully, respond accordingly and let you over safely. However, your husband is right in that if the other drivers are being jerks, they will speed up to avoid letting you over.  But, their being jerks doesn't change the fact that you're supposed to use your signal to notify other drivers of your intent, whether that's to turn or to change lanes. 

[PrincessMommy]

I am a turn signal girl... is use them properly in roundabouts. I use them to change lanes... I even use them to turn into my driveway. This appears to make me out of sync with the turn signalling public :)

 

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me too.  I also seem to be in the minority.

 

Most people seem to think of lane change signals as an excuse to speed up and not let the signalling vehicle over. :glare:

[Another Lynn]

Yes! Sometimes even in a sharp curve I've done it without thinking. 😂

[Starr]

I tell my kids to use them always so it becomes automatic.

[chocolatechip]

I do it without even having to think about it...

[lllll]

nm

Edited January 6, 2017 by .qp_

[SKL]

Yes, I have the habit of using them without thinking.  My dad is one who will decide "is anyone around to see" before he uses them each time.  That's too much thinking for me.  :P

[poppy]

Yes, I always use mine. And it is a pet peeve of mine when people forget to turn them off after switching lanes and drive for miles with them on. My DH and I actually have a disagreement about HOW to properly use the turn signal when switching lanes. I use the signal as a sign of my desire to switch lanes and intention to do so eventually, but not necessarily as a look out, here I come ready or not sort of thing. For me, it allows the other cars to see my intention and hopefully allow me space. If people are being jerks and not letting me over, that means that sometimes I may have my signal on for a few seconds before actually determining it is safe to move. Dh however, thinks that you should not turn on the signal until you are immediately going to move over. So if there is no opening to move into, he won't turn on his signal. I argue with him that nobody in the other lane will ever let him over if they don't KNOW he wants to move over because he isn't signaling his intention to move. He thinks as soon as he turns on the signal everyone in the other lane will freak out and think he is cutting in front of him. What do you all think?

 

I think if you have  a signal on, but don't move within 5-10 seconds, I will assume you aren't paying attention and forgot it was on..... which means texting or drunk or spacey, which means I want to get away from you, which MIGHT mean I pass you.  I'm not super aggressive. But the texters on the highway make me very very nervous.

 

 

[poppy]

I live in a densely populated older area.  I still signal every time.  What's the worst thing that is going to happen?  Someone thought I was going to turn into alley A, but I ended up turning into parking space B?  At least they know I'm going to be turning and can adjust accordingly. 

 

The worst thing that could happen is someone will veer into the space they think I'm leaving.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yes, I use them.  I suppose there have been a few times that for some reason I forgot in the last 30 years of driving but I've never consciously not used them.  Other drivers here use them as well.  I live in a big metropolitan area.