Indicators- Really!

archangel

archangel

Suspended / Banned
Messages
5,024
Name
Mike
Edit My Images
No
I travel along the M4 almost everyday and at least 2 times each way.
I also travel along numerous other Motorways and Dual carriageway. I am sure a lot of you do also.

Why do some drivers indicate right when leaving the slip road to the motorway? There is no point we are all going the same way.....

I seen one guy this morning indicate unto the motorway and then change lane numerous times without indicating and then he left at junction 12 in front of me with no indicator when I would have thought this was the time he would have needed to.

Ah Well Monday rant over! Have a great day photo people:thumbs:
 
archangel said:
Why do some drivers indicate right when leaving the slip road to the motorway? There is no point we are all going the same way
Click to expand...

To remind those already on the motorway that we are joining, and we will need a gap to slot in to. Not everyone is as alert/polite to traffic trying to join.
 
Don't get that? I always indicate when joining the motorway as a courtesy to those already on it and make them aware of what I'm doing. In fact if somebody doesn't indicate that annoys me.
 
I always indicate when joining. It's force of habit when i'm driving so i'd have to actively think about not indicating. It also gives me an extra reason to blast the horn at anyone not moving over to let me join safely (when the other lane is clearly free for them to do so) as even though they may have missed my bright red car, they shouldn't have missed the blinking light.
 
I always indicate when joining from the slip road because it is safer to do so, so should you, it might save your life one day !
 
Last edited:
Apart from anything else, a flashing light of whatever colour is more likely to catch a driver's attention than a car with nothing showing. Pretty sure that the Highway Code tells you to indicate whenever changing lanes (which would include leaving a slip road).
 
Julie1979 said:
I always indicate when joining. It's force of habit when i'm driving so i'd have to actively think about not indicating. It also gives me an extra reason to blast the horn at anyone not moving over to let me join safely (when the other lane is clearly free for them to do so) as even though they may have missed my bright red car, they shouldn't have missed the blinking light.
Click to expand...

Isnt one of the guiding rules of the highway code something like "your actions as a driver should not cause another driver to have to change their speed or course"
So I dont think you can *expect* drivers to pull out for you just because the middle lane is empty, its up to you to slot in.
Having said that, of course, most drivers will pull out into the middle lane to let traffic filter in and thats fine but its not obligatory. I do if im not pulling out in front of someone bombing up the middle lane behind me.

Anyway life goes on!
 
Indicators to me aren't an issue on slip roads.
My beef on slip roads are those that want to merge right at the start when traffic is heavy rather than using the full length and those that don't know how to match their speed with the flow of traffic to thus slot in nicely.
 
Galaxy66 said:
I always indicate when joining from the slip road because it is safer to do so, so should you, it might save your life one day !
Click to expand...

I don't see how indicating could save your life to be quite honest. Good progressive and safe driving is what will save your life.

I once attended a police safe driving course and the police instructor had said that indicators should only be used at junction at which there are multiple options of direction or to indicate that you are pulling over to park.

I understand that some drivers already on the motorway have a little red mist when they approach the merging slip road but it is clearly obvious that vehicles coming down the slip road are joining the motorway.
 
archangel said:
I travel along the M4 almost everyday and at least 2 times each way.
I also travel along numerous other Motorways and Dual carriageway. I am sure a lot of you do also.

Why do some drivers indicate right when leaving the slip road to the motorway? There is no point we are all going the same way.....

I seen one guy this morning indicate unto the motorway and then change lane numerous times without indicating and then he left at junction 12 in front of me with no indicator when I would have thought this was the time he would have needed to.

Ah Well Monday rant over! Have a great day photo people:thumbs:
Click to expand...

Because as mentioned it gives those already on the motorway a visible sign of peoples intentions. A light to most people can be seen from from quite a distance away due to the nature of how fast light travels. Drivers could be plodding down the usual Monday morning que at a steady 40-50mph. And yup being Monday morning I would imagine their thoughts are elsewhere most of the time and not fully concentrating.
 
stupar said:
Indicators to me aren't an issue on slip roads.
My beef on slip roads are those that want to merge right at the start when traffic is heavy rather than using the full length and those that don't know how to match their speed with the flow of traffic to thus slot in nicely.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with that also.:thumbs:
 
stupar said:
Indicators to me aren't an issue on slip roads. My beef on slip roads are those that want to merge right at the start when traffic is heavy rather than using the full length and those that don't know how to match their speed with the flow of traffic to thus slot in nicely.
Click to expand...

On most sliproads I completely agree with you. The one I use is very short and on a bend. There have been several accidents and one fatal on it. I often have to hang back right at the top, on the hill to let a car in front get ahead of me so that I have sufficient room to accelerate or brake to join.
 
Having commuted on the M25 for many years on two wheels, I'm in the habit of letting people know my intentions as clearly as possible even though I'm back on four wheels now. If that means popping a flashing light to help remind someone that I'm about to occupy that space in front of their car, then so be it. It does rather depend on the traffic conditions, but after a few close shaves with cars when I was back on bikes, I'm hyper aware of how unaware some drivers are.

Besides, with my car, if I don't indicate when crossing a lane (slip road or otherwise), it has a nasty habit of trying to correct me and put me back into the lane I started with!
 
Last edited:
People should be using indicators more, not less.

It seems to be the least used function on a car yet it is one of the easiest to operate.

The most annoying indicator crime I see is people (correctly) indicating right to come off at the third exit (assume a roundabout at a crossroads) but not changing to a left indication before exiting. This just confuses and annoys people waiting at the next entrance.


Steve.
 
I thought this was going to be about people not using indicators :thinking:
There's no harm in indicating to come on to the motorway and if that's all it takes to irritates you, then remind me not to take a lift off you anywhere ;)
 
new2me said:
I thought this was going to be about people not using indicators :thinking:
There's no harm in indicating to come on to the motorway and if that's all it takes to irritates you, then remind me not to take a lift off you anywhere ;)
Click to expand...

It's a Monday morning thing......everyone to their own......just personally I find it pointless..... and don't forget if you need a lift let me know :)
 
I always indicate when joining, and I don't expect people to give me a gap. As the one joining it's my responsibility to get up to the appropriate speed to join the trffic.
 
It's not really pointless. It warns people who might be daydreaming a bit that you're about to join their lane and it means people are more likely to let you go in front of them. Also, people a bit further behind will notice you sooner, and are more likely to move into the middle, or right hand lane to give you extra space.
 
George7 said:
It's not really pointless. It warns people who might be daydreaming a bit that you're about to join their lane and it means people are more likely to let you go in front of them. Also, people a bit further behind will notice you sooner, and are more likely to move into the middle, or right hand lane to give you extra space.
Click to expand...

I underground the issuing of indicators changing lane is necessary and people do day dream whilst driving but seeing an indicator doesn't mean that they will still see you.... I see plenty of near misses each day and they use their indicators.
 
archangel said:
I underground the issuing of indicators changing lane is necessary and people do day dream whilst driving but seeing an indicator doesn't mean that they will still see you.... I see plenty of near misses each day and they use their indicators.
Click to expand...

It still makes people far more likely to notice you though, and it's no effort to flick an indicator on.
 
DorsetDude said:
Isnt one of the guiding rules of the highway code something like "your actions as a driver should not cause another driver to have to change their speed or course"
Click to expand...

An admirable goal and one I strive to achieve, but experience suggests that when the left-hand lane is traveling trance-like nose to tail at 56mph with no sensible gaps to pull into, sometimes something to alert them is required. It's not usually the traffic that's limited to 56mph that's the problem, I find the standard of motorway driving from lorries consistently higher than from from most cars and vans, it's the people in cars that won't overtake and won't leave a decent gap.
 
onomatopoeia said:
I find the standard of motorway driving from lorries consistently higher than from from most cars and vans
Click to expand...

Of course. It requires a specialist licence so you should expect a specialist standard of driving too - as it usually is.


Steve.
 
DorsetDude said:
Isnt one of the guiding rules of the highway code something like "your actions as a driver should not cause another driver to have to change their speed or course"
So I dont think you can *expect* drivers to pull out for you just because the middle lane is empty, its up to you to slot in.
Having said that, of course, most drivers will pull out into the middle lane to let traffic filter in and thats fine but its not obligatory. I do if im not pulling out in front of someone bombing up the middle lane behind me.

Anyway life goes on!
Click to expand...

When I went on an advanced Police training course (on my motorbike) they advised to always move into the outer lane when there was a slip road joining the motorway, advanced warning of this was in general an "off" slip road, there's nearly always an "on" road too, so you have plenty of advance warning to move over,
1) to ensure the joining myopic driver didnt hit you as they failed to check their blind spot and
2) to ensure if they are travelling slower than you, which they may well be as they should be accelerating to 70 and you are already doing 70 then you dont have to swing out into an outer (2nd) lane at the last moment.

After all if you're doing 70 on the Mway and there is nothing close to you in the outer lane it will be safe for you to move over to the right as the person behind (in the outer (2nd) lane) will only be doing 70 too.

Well they will if you happen to be driving a police car anyway, perhaps not if you're in your plain old Ford Focus (or whatever you drive).

Personally I rarely if ever drive in the inner lane as I'm usually doing 80 and trying not to get jammed into some 65mph crawling traffic jam of lorries waiting to be squashed when they decide to do emergency braking practice, but that might just be because I live inside the M25 and any Mways I use are usually jammed right up with lorries in the inside lane.
 
Julie1979 said:
It also gives me an extra reason to blast the horn at anyone not moving over to let me join safely (when the other lane is clearly free for them to do so) as even though they may have missed my bright red car, they shouldn't have missed the blinking light.
Click to expand...

Sorry red rag to a bull here.

When you join the motorway you are supposed to give way to traffic already on the carriageway.

You would not expect someone on a normal road to stop and let you out of a side turning - same thing.

If you have a vehicle that has trouble reaching 60ish mph by the end of the slip road I'll cut you a bit of slack, but most people seem to just expect to be let in when it is their responsibility to blend without inconveniencing the flowing traffic.

This is one of the major reasons for motorways coming to halt at junctions where there is heavy traffic. Why do you think the Highways Agency have had to put traffic lights on some key motorway junction slip roads to control the flow of traffic at peak times - peoples inability to blend without disturbing the flowing traffic.

Discuss :D

David

[stealth mode on]Goes off to consult Highway Code[stealth mode off]
 
This had s to be one of the most ridiculous moans I've ever heard.
 
BRASH said:
This had s to be one of the most ridiculous moans I've ever heard.
Click to expand...

It's not a moan.....it is an observation of an action which I deem unnecessary when joining the motorway... :)
 
archangel said:
It's not a moan.....it is an observation of an action which I deem unnecessary when joining the motorway... :)
Click to expand...

In your own words you've described it as and irritation, pointless and a rant. Collectively that's a bloody moan in my book!
 
DorsetDude said:
Isnt one of the guiding rules of the highway code something like "your actions as a driver should not cause another driver to have to change their speed or course"
So I dont think you can *expect* drivers to pull out for you just because the middle lane is empty, its up to you to slot in.
Having said that, of course, most drivers will pull out into the middle lane to let traffic filter in and thats fine but its not obligatory. I do if im not pulling out in front of someone bombing up the middle lane behind me.

Anyway life goes on!
Click to expand...

Exactly
I will move over if it's safe but it's up to the traffic joining to adjust their speed and fit in
I had someone beep me up because I didn't move over recently some people should read the highway code
Sorry about the rant but it does bug me when people don't bother to plan ahead and adjust their speed and just expect people to move out of their way
 
Last edited:
BRASH said:
In your own words you've described it as and irritation, pointless and a rant. Collectively that's a bloody moan in my book!
Click to expand...

If you think this a moan you should hear me on a good day :lol:
 
A lot of people will argue that it shouldn't be necessary to signal - after all where else are you going to go when you are heading down a one-way road at 60mph? However, your signal is important and fulfils the following functions …

  • Warns drivers behind that you are about to move out and that they should not try to overtake.
  • Alert drivers who might be daydreaming and therefore not notice your arrival.
  • Satisfies the 'idiot expert' drivers who believe that "If you don't drive properly and give a signal you've no right to push in front of me".
Click to expand...

http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/DefensiveDriving/Motorway_driving/M2_.html

I like point 3. :D
 
I always move across a lane when approaching a slip road were possible I believe it makes joining the motorway easier. Whilst I realise it is not legally required I find it part of motorway driving etiquette.

What does annoy me is joining the motorway behind a driver who is doing 30 mph or god forbid even stopping on the slip road waiting for a gap, honestly it does happen.

Steve
 
I guess I'm quite lucky driving a BMW as they don't have indicators fitted
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top