I use it literally everywhere out of habit, I got made fun of for using it when pulling out of my moms driveway once lol
It’s better to use your blinkers all the time than 90% of the time.
Do you use your blinker in a car?
Submitted 3 days ago by TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world
Comments
scytale@lemm.ee 3 days ago
undefined@lemmy.hogru.ch 3 days ago
Even when I’m a pedestrian I fucking hate anyone who doesn’t use a turn signal. Usually I’ll yield to cars because they’re faster, and as an impatient person myself I wonder who’d want to wait six years for someone to walk across whatever but I can’t do that when the idiots don’t use their turn signal.
MicrowavedTea@infosec.pub 3 days ago
It’s worse when you’re a pedestrian. If you swerve towards me and expect me to get out of your way you kinda have to tell me where you’re going. But if you walk a lot you get better at judging intentions by the changing speed of the car and distrasting blinkers.
adespoton@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
I’ve only been driving for 33 years, but I try to signal every turn.
Because the signals are for those situations where you don’t see something you should have AND those situations where someone else didn’t see something they should have.
Takes a flick of the pinky to do something that could save you thousands of dollars and wasted time, or even save someone’s life. So why not do it?
wjrii@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I don’t drive a BMW, so yes, I do use my blinker.
Mog_fanatic@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I was just talking about this with a friend. I think bmw drivers driving like douches is maybe the most accurate stereotype I know. It is shocking how often I see a car driving like an asshole and it ends up being a bmw.
Most stereotypes are hilariously inaccurate but that one seems pretty legit lol
wjrii@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I mean, we don’t really notice the BMW drivers who are acting sensibly, and it’s probably the vast majority. But that being said, outside Germany they attract a certain enthusiast demographic that will include a statistically relevant minority who think every trip outside the neighborhood is Gran Turismo.
monkeyman69@lemmynsfw.com 3 days ago
Mirror, signal, manoeuvre. This is the way.
corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
You forgot the part where you turn your damned head and look beside you.
Please tell me that’s just an oversight, and you’re not one of those.
Spider89@lemm.ee 3 days ago
Do I still count even if I have an ultrawide mini mirror?
CrazyLikeGollum@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Yes. You’re supposed to use it anytime you’re about to turn or change lanes, including if you’re sitting in a turn lane at a red light or backing out of a drive way of parking spot.
Not doing so makes you a road hazard.
starlinguk@lemmy.world 3 days ago
In the Netherlands you don’t need to signal when you pull back in after overtaking in the middle lane.
donuts@lemmy.world 3 days ago
That’s not true. You need to signal when changing lanes. Going back after overtaking constitutes changing lanes.
[Artikel 55 Reglement verkeersregels en verkeerstekens 1990] (…overheid.nl/jci1.3:c:BWBR0004825&hoofdstuk=II&pa…)
NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 3 days ago
That’s fair though if it’s a keep right situation as it’d be fair to expect you to move in as soon as you safely can.
whyNotSquirrel@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
Can you pull back in the right lane if there is an entry and incoming car?
brax@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Yes, and I really wish cops would aggressive ticket every motherfucker who doesn’t. ESPECIALLY the fucking morons who switch lanes without them, but when they’re in the turning lane with literal no other option, THEN they fucking find their blinker.
Like hello fuckwit, I’m not a damn psychic, but thank you so fucking much for using that blinker in the least important place of everywhere your dumb ass drove.
There is 0 scenario where a blinker should be used that I won’t use it, and fuck anybody who doesn’t use theirs. If you can’t handle the simple act of flicking a stick with your finger, you sure as fuck shouldn’t be able to operate a land torpedo.
OrderedChaos@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I just wish people would use it on roundabouts and not use it until after they pass anything that comes before their intended turn.
desktop_user@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
consider: some us states have no information about Roundabouts in their entire driver manuals let alone their tests.
a_wild_mimic_appears@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days ago
as a pedestrian i have to say that i never use my blinker.
joke aside, there’s not much that aggravates me more than drivers not using their signals when they can turn either left or right, but cannot continue forward, like near the street i live in that i frequently have to cross. since they HAVE to turn, i have to wait for them to either remember that they have turn signals, or wait until they have enlightened me about their decision by making them a fact.
don’t be an ass, use your turn signals to make your intentions known for the weaker parties on the road.
pixeltree@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 days ago
Your eyes must be really dry
rc__buggy@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
Yes, I use it. Over a million miles and nearly 40 years driving.
Fuck the haters, use that thing.
datavoid@lemmy.ml 3 days ago
That’s a lot of driving
rc__buggy@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
Yeah. 35k miles some years
2ugly2live@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Yes. I always use them. I hate when people don’t. Oh, so you needed to come over? I would have slowed down if you told me. What are you slowing down for? Move- Oh. You’re turning. Wish I would have known that. Dang, I need to pull out and make this turn. Let me wait until that car passes… Oh, they’re turning.
It’s such a small thing that makes driving safer for you and the people around you.
drmoose@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Currently I’m staying in Thailand the road culture here is fascinating. There are very few actual rules that people follow but its all about speed and projecting what are you doing so signals and everything is a big part of road culture here despite many drivers don’t really knowing road theory.
For example if you drive up a curvy mountain road you horn on the turn slowly to project that you’re driving there.
2ugly2live@lemmy.world 3 days ago
That’s so incredibly thoughtful. If you honk at the wrong person in the US, you might end up on a Tshirt.
SpikesOtherDog@ani.social 3 days ago
What kind of person shits on another for using a turn signal? My guess is it is someone who forgets to use it frequently.
RunJun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
It was out of his driveway lol I would have made a joking comment too. I use my blinker basically everywhere but I guess there could be more traffic by his moms driveway. 😉
Andromxda@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days ago
I drive a BMW
CouncilOfFriends@slrpnk.net 1 day ago
I felt dumb using it at a roundabout because nobody does there, then I looked it up and found it’s something you’re supposed to do. No harm in over communicating when you’re on control on a few thousands pounds of metal.
OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I use mine so often that sometimes I accidentally turn them on in sharp curves.
the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I have done that more than once, It’s nice to see it’s not an exclusive club.
OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world 2 days ago
We should all get together and beat up BMW drivers. Although that might be like matter and antimatter touching. We’d all be obliterated.
AWESOME!
Korrok@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 days ago
Me too haha
Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
Always use the blinker. Remember it’s not a request, it’s a warning.
When changing lanes in fast traffic, using the blinker will usually cause the car next to you to speed up. This is a feature, not a bug, as it opens a space behind them into which you can stick the nose of your car, ahead of the guy following them.
Adding in: if you routinely drive with your lights on, you will find that little extra visibility makes people slightly less likely to cut you off or more likely to let you in. Sometimes they don’t mean to be assholes, they’re just distracted, and being more visible helps. If you consider that “dingdingding” a reminder to lock it, it will turn off the lights and be safe.
sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 days ago
it’s not a request, it’s a warning.
This way of thinking comes across as a devil-may-care attitude, and a threat, even, whenever I see it. “Warning, I’ll do what I want. Stay out of my way!”
A turn signal doesn’t give someone permission to make an unsafe maneuver, because they “warned” others. Rather it’s an indication to others of your intentions, so that other people can act accordingly. Maybe it lets someone turn onto a road from an intersection ahead of you because you’re going to turn in. Maybe they’ll leave you space in front or behind them. Maybe they’ll slow down behind you instead of trying to pass, because they know you’re about to leave the lane. It does not give you undue permission to change lanes right in front of somebody who will have to brake to avoid a collision.
It’s not the first time I’ve seen “warning” used so I wonder if this is part of driver’s Ed somewhere, but it has always seemed like a dangerous way of approaching turn signals.
Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
You’re right of course. You should drive defensively at all times, and with courtesy, remembering the humans around you. But it’s also dangerous and confusing to others if you don’t take the right of way when it’s yours. Or if you signal a move and then don’t do it. As with my example of lane changing, you can anticipate another driver not making it easy and use that to find your spot. You shouldn’t try to zoom ahead and cut them off, and you shouldn’t even be starting to signal if there’s not room. But soon after you start blinking, your car should at least indicate what you’re doing by changing position within your own lane, and then you should finish the move as soon as it’s safe.
You should also realize that the other person’s signals need to be treated as a warning. Even if the car and its driver look small and easily intimidated, you should allow them the space to make their move. Too many drivers don’t.
I’m going to add, if you see someone do something incredibly stupid, assume their GPS just gave them an impossible direction. Or their kid is kidnapped and they are hurrying to the ransom drop. Or whatever it takes for you to let go of your frustration and just add it into the day’s tally of crazy driving rather than getting angry.
LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I’ve never understood how a simple hand motion can be beyond anyone’s skillset. It’s just part of driving.
Zip2@feddit.uk 3 days ago
Always, because I’m not a lazy git or self-centered arsehole.
dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
Yes and that’s how it should be. It shouldn’t even be conscious. I signal into and out of parking spaces, I signal every lane change, hell I signal for sharp corners sometimes.
It seems to me if you are choosing to signal or not, then the use of turn signals isn’t that heavily ingrained. Before I turn the wheel I’m instinctively touching the signal lever.
Keep up the good work!
KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
If you ever think you are useless, remember people are paid to install turn signals in new Lexuses
ikidd@lemmy.world 2 days ago
If a BMW has a turn signal on, rest assured, it was purchased in that condition.
ZagamTheVile@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Yup. All the time. There’s a road I drive several times a week that turns left. No intersection, it just makes a 90deg turn. I use it there out of habbit.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 days ago
Yeah; because I don’t want someone to end up hitting me if I turn unexpectedly. I want them to expect it.
myrrh@ttrpg.network 2 days ago
…i always use my signals to unambiguously communicate intent; the only time i’ve been embarrassed is after carrying that habit onto the track, but it’s tough to break…
MrsDoyle@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
Always always signal your intention. I heard a woman complaining that her new car had lane control, which forced her to indicate when changing lanes. “It’s so annoying, I mean it’s obvious I’m overtaking, I don’t need to indicate!”
Also, as a frequent pedestrian I appreciate when drivers and cyclists indicate and judge heavily when they don’t. So frustrating to be waiting to cross the road and someone turns without indicating.
SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world 1 day ago
It’s always good to communicate on the road, the more information the better. I’m not sure why anyone would give you a hard time about this, unless they’re insecure (about what, I couldn’t analyze). Signals tell everyone around you what you’re about to do. Keep up the good work.
rumba@lemmy.zip 2 days ago
I never get bent about other people using them when they don’t need to. It’s real fucking old sitting at a busy light where I could have gone five times if someone would have had a moment to flick a switch.
LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
I get mad at myself if I don’t turn it on early enough. As I. If I go to change lanes and it only flashes once it really isn’t enough notice for other drivers so I usually bitch at myself
Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days ago
First thing: the blinkers are for your own safety, but they’re also for other people’s safety and to help improve the flow of traffic (for example, if somebody waiting at a T-junction to go into your lane sees in a timely fashion that you’re going to exit at the junction, they’ll know earlier they can come in rather than have to wait to see what you actually do and this kind of thing times many such situations adds up to better traffic flow).
Second thing: it’s a lot easier and cognitively simpler to just do it without thinking rather considering the situation to see if you should do it or not and a good mental trigger point to train that as an instinctive movement on is “if I’m going to turn out of my lane, I’ll turn the blinker on for the side I’m turning to” - so, turning of that road -> blinker on that side; changing lane -> blinker on the side I’m moving to; going to stop and park on a side of the road -> blinker on that side.
Personally I just use the blinkers for all such situations and don’t even have to think about it, and as for my first point, that just informs how early I do it (I’ve trained myself to do it quite a bit before I turn). This does mean that at times I’ll use the blinkers when there is nobody else around to actually use that information, simply because I’m not actually thinking about “should I do it or should I not?” I’m just unthinkingly executing a trained impulse. Never had any problems with excessive wear and tear of blinker lights and since I don’t need to think about it I can focus on more important things, so as I see it even end at the cost of at times using the blinkers for nobody to see whether is really no point, I’m still better of having trained myself to do it like this.
That said blinker usage amongst drivers massively depends on the country and the general driving culture there. For example were I come from, Portugal, most people only use the blinkers in situations were they stand to gain from it themselves (for example when exiting a road to the left, crossing a lane, were others might give you way, out of good manners if they know your intentions), then of the rest most will use it for the safety of other cars but almost none will do it for the safety of pedestrians, whilst in The Netherlands (were I picked up my current habits on this) they’re generally pretty thorough on using blinkers in all situations they should quite independently of seeing or not people who might use that information (possibly because of all the bicycles around, as they’re often hard to spot using the mirrors when in certain positions relative to a car which are exactly the positions were knowing that the car wants to turn is important for the safety of the cyclist)
RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 2 days ago
All the time. To the point of if I don’t use it I really kinda have a “Shit, forgot my signal” moment.
That said I don’t get too bent out of shape about other people signaling unless it’s these two situations: making a tight lane change, or with a speed differential where I’m overtaking. Basically just short of cutting me off. Signal and I can compensate. Cut over and fuck you. Second is braking before signaling a turn, say into a driveway or side street. IDK what the hell they teach in driver’s ed these days but we got drilled that you signal first and then brake because the signal is a warning to the driver behind you that you’re gonna slow for a turn and gives them time to prepare for what you’re gonna do. Be predictable. Seems like 3/4 time people just hit their brakes in the middle of the lane leaving you wondering wtf they’re doing or if they’re just an idiot.
dQw4w9WgXcQ@lemm.ee 2 days ago
I use it 100% of the time when the rules of traffic prompts me to use it.
Within a small single-lane housing area: I blink.
When exiting my driveway and the road reaches a dead end 100 meters in the one direction, so it should be very obvious which way I’ll go: I blink.
The roundabout in town which is so tiny that it looks more like an intersection, and when heading straight through it: I blink.
It’s so much better to have a habit of blinking and making unambiguous signals than to forget it. It helps with the flow of traffic and probably lets everyone get where they need to go quicker.
ApatheticCactus@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I always do. Feels wrong not to. Just get in the habit of ALWAYS using them and it becomes a no-brainer. It’s just a good habit to have.