When do you use your turn signals?

[PWMDMD]

There are times where you have to be aggressive and "take" the spot. Waiting would have you blow past your exit, miss your turn, etc.

There is the school of thought that says, using my blinker is not me asking for permission, it's me telling you what I'm about to do. Not sure I agree with it, but there are times when you need to change lanes and there's no getting around it.

Yeah, I'm not a blinker and pull the wheel guy. I'm talking about currently there is plenty of space to move over, I put my blinker on to signal to the driver behind me my intention, and then they speed up just enough to make it questionable but it's still safe to move over. I will wait 10-15 seconds with my blinker on and if they don't slow down and it is still safe then I'm moving over.

In my mind, they are being a butthead. As I said, 30 years and no accidents but sometimes I just need to move over and they can't say I didn't warn them.

 

[mk378]

Thinking about whether a blinker should be used or not in each situation is unnecessary thinking that reduces attention on important things.

When you're about to back up, anything blinking draws further attention to your car which is good. Technically it is illegal to back out of a driveway onto a highway. If there's no way to turn around on the property you're supposed to back in.

 

[supton]

Yeah, I'm not a blinker and pull the wheel guy. I'm talking about currently there is plenty of space to move over, I put my blinker on to signal to the driver behind me my intention, and then they speed up just enough to make it questionable but it's still safe to move over. I will wait 10-15 seconds with my blinker on and if they don't slow down and it is still safe then I'm moving over.

In my mind, they are being a butthead. As I said, 30 years and no accidents but sometimes I just need to move over and they can't say I didn't warn them.

Yep, BTDT. I haven't seen many speed up and block me, but I know it happens.

It could always be worse. My brother, who now lives in Houston but cut his teeth in the Lowell area and drove all around MA as a courier, got to drive a bit in CT a few years ago. Said there were bad drivers in both places, but with one difference: up here, when someone cuts you off with 6" to spare, it's because they knew they had 6". Down there, someone cuts you off, it's because they didn't know you were there. Not trying to say we're better, but when I hear about what driving down there is like... Think I'll stay in the sticks and contend with (real) turkeys instead.

 

[supton]

Technically it is illegal to back out of a driveway onto a highway. If there's no way to turn around on the property you're supposed to back in.

I'm on a 30mph side road, traffic is both tame and light, with good visibility. So I feel fine doing it. When I lived on a more heavily traveled road I would back in, could not understand why when people visited me that they didn't back in, while marked 30mph it was more like a 45 zone. I didn't feel comfortable backing into the road, avoided it when possible, laws aside, it was just "common sense".

 

[JeffKeryk]

All the blinkers in CA are broken.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Anytime I need folks around me to know my intentions. Changing lanes on the highway. Moving into a turn lane at an intersection. However, I don't keep them on in right or left-only turn lanes at lights because once I'm in the lane (signaled to get in of course!) there is no ambiguity w/r to my intentions. Turn signal use seems to be a lost skill.

Problem I have seen up here is the incorrect use of brakes when turning. I have a 40 -55 mph state highway running through my town that I use all the time. There are multiple accidents, monthly, along a 15 mile stretch between three towns. Problem is drivers intending to turn have been BRAKING before signaling a turn! You'll just be tooling along, three car lengths behind, then out of nowhere the driver in the car in front of you SLAMS on his/her brakes, THEN they put the turn signal on as they are entering the turn. NUts!
I use my turnsignals when required - or for safety, even backing into a parking spot.
That's another concept inept parking lot "racers" don't seem to comprehend; backing into spaces.
-Ken

 

[mk378]

incorrect use of brakes when turning.

No, what you describe is turning on the turn signal too late. Obviously a car has to slow or stop before turning. When turning the signal on early watch for the car behind you to back off, indicating he's expecting you to slow or stop. Braking decisively just before turning (as opposed to gradually slowing down over the course of half a mile) will get your car out of the highway quicker meaning less disruption to traffic, but of course the car behind you needs to be on board with this plan.

"Three car lengths" at 55 mph is less than 1 second of following distance, which is not safe.

 

[Aredeeem]

Great question. I use them all the time WITH exceptions. If I’m approaching a right turn I'm planning to make I’ll wait to display my turn signal IF I’m passing potential right turn possibilities BEFORE said intersection. Such as driveways and the like. Keeps left turning traffic on alert that the signal I’m displaying is for them only. Confusion at intersections = problems.

 

[John105]

I use them when it's safe to do so.

What I mean is if you use turn signals in Phila. and the traffic is dense, that ironically is not a safe way to change lanes. I would say at least 50% of people accelerate to prevent your lane change if you signal. If you don't signal, you can safely make the lane change, and then, 50% of the people lean on the horn. I had someone do that who looked to be 80 y.o. and her pass. even older. It was comical, because she followed with maybe 4 car lengths and I simply changed lanes, with a signal thinking it's safe. After that point, she tailgated me with the horn for I would say about 1/2 to 3/4 mile. This was the Schuylkill merging onto the Vine St expressway.

Outside of commuting to work, I use them all the time.

 

[Chris142]

In smaller cars I use them when turning or making a lane change. When in a semi truck I don't use them. using them in a semi truck just signals to cars that they can hurry up and block you from doing what you need to do. No signal and they get no warning to do so.

 

[JohnnyG]

I found out the other day, I need to start using them in parking lots too! I left a little too much room on my right side when at a stop sign. Road ahead was divided 4 lane, right turn only (me, no turn signal!) Wouldn't you know someone had to pull up on my right to make the SAME right turn!

 

[TmanP]

I’m firmly in the pro-turn-signal camp, but one interesting situation that’s a bit unclear comes up when using the innermost of multiple turn lanes (the rightmost of two plus left turn lanes, or the leftmost of two plus right turn lanes). You could make an argument that continuing to signal implies the intent to move to a further-out turn lane, instead of to turn from the current turn lane. I’m not sure if that’s a fair characterization or not, but I’ve noticed fewer folks signaling in those situations than in single turn lanes, particularly if they are strongly channelized turn lanes with curbs, markers, etc (that can’t be left once entered, so the turn is required).

 

[Aredeeem]

Another example is approaching a light configured as follows. Left lane left turn only, right lane right turns and straight ahead only. If it’s a right turn on red allowed intersection (there’s a few in New Jersey that allows right turn on red even though it’s a bit dangerous) inevitably if you tip your hand early and indicate that you intend to turn right you’ll have a dumbbell leaning on the horn coercing you into a right on red that you’re not comfortable with. I prefer to hold off on the signal, and wait until the light is changing to indicate my true intentions (I’m turning right, have a nice day). Driving is so easy we make it so complicated.

 

[Oliveoil2]

All the time. Use them 100 or mor yards before I turn. Turn signals are for other drivers and pedestrians and as such for safety.

 

[Toy4x4]

I use them.

There are those that think that because they turned on their blinker, they have carte blanche to the space right in front of you. Or they turn their blinker on AND switch lanes at the exact same time...right in front of you. I do allow people who courteously put on their light to show their intent to move into my lane. Getting into a lane you need to be in early on avoid the mad dash, lane cut-offs, too.

 

[Lubener]

It would also drive me nuts when someone uses their turn signal after appying the brakes approaching their turn. I use them all the time before I apply my brakes as I approach a turn.

 

[TiGeo]

Same for me. Finally stopped using my signals in mandatory turns. They're redundant but it's not a bad habit.

Of course it's a good habit but at some point, they aren't doing anything beyond me listening to it for several minutes and that's why I don't typically leave them on after I've signaled to move into the turn lane. I will say that if I first in line I often keep it on so the folks on the other sides of the intersection know it's a turn lane.

 

[TiGeo]

Several times a month I deal with drivers in mandatory turn lanes that end up going straight - NONE of them have the turn signal on. Use of the turn signal in mandatory turn lanes is a mental reminder of ones intentions. So many people today are sloppy, lazy drivers.

Redundancy is good. Laziness and fear of wearing out one's turn signal is foolish.

EDIT: " using your blinker gives away your next move, and now someone will try to block it." The reason I chose to live a "non rat-race" lifestyle over 5 decades ago. I'm so glad that I chose the path less traveled and actually feel sorry for people that deal with this nonsense daily. You truly do live like caged rats in an experiment to test over crowding.

I am not lazy b/c I sit in a left only turn leg and don't want to listen to my turn signal clicking for a few mintues. I've never seen someone drive straight through an intersection from a left-only green arrow turn lane and I'm not sure the signal would change the outcome for the others in the intersection.

 

[Malo83]

Signal lights haven't worked on my 83 Silverado for the last 15 yrs.

 

[TiGeo]

It would also drive me nuts when someone uses their turn signal after appying the brakes approaching their turn. I use them all the time before I apply my brakes as I approach a turn.

This - terrible to do that. Signal. Then brake/turn.