Submitted 3 days ago by TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works to [deleted]
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
There are only 4 ways to communicate in a car what your intentions are to other drivers. Left blinker, right blinker, brake lights, and the finger. 5 if you count flashing brights but I’m convinced most people think it’s just a fuck you for having headlights that are too bright, which might be the case, but I’m usually telling you there a pig ahead.
No no, brights are a fuck-you for having your brights locked on or having swapped bulb types that cannot actually be aimed properly because they fucked with the beam pattern. Or you’re using light bars/pods with non-highway optics, in which case, have my brights and my light bar
I read that last bit as "warning you that you might hit a large meaty object, but then I realized…I was pretty much right.
In my area, most drivers don’t start the turn signal until they’ve reached the intersection or have already started the turn. Infuriates me to no end. This is also true for left turns at red lights; they don’t activate their turn signals until they stop, sometimes not even until the green light, so you have no chance to change lanes before they block you.
Where I’m going is none of your business.
In all seriousness I’m pretty sure I always do. Even when no one is around. Just good habits.
Oh I’m very happy to also use it in a turn only lane at a red light for 3 minutes
Basically everywhere. Not always when pulling in my driveway if no one else is around, but I’ve certainly seen driveways where you might even use it pulling out. I don’t use it pulling out of my driveway. It’s rare that I not use it otherwise, though. Very occasionally I’ll think I’ve put it on but discover while turning that I didn’t have it on. Might be my ADHD causing that.
No, I ran out of blinker fluid and the price is too high from the tariffs now.
Hey, it’s your life. If you want to use your blinker so that it is easier to get an opening, and so people are more likely to avoid hitting you, well, that’s your choice.
Also, the results in here will be survivor biased. The people in wrecks because they didn’t use their blinker are too busy dealing with insurance and repair times and rental cars to be on Lemmy. They are also busy having to remind people that they are the most important person on the road.
Just to note, it could also be other people’s lives.
If it makes a difference to someone, yes. Otherwise I don’t bother.
no because i am an uncouth so and so
Didn’t say anyone mention insurance. If you’re in an accident, and they didn’t indicate when manoeuvring, they’re at fault. Unintentionally tested this out. The opposite is also true, if you indicate, and someone runs into you, likelihood is they will be found at fault.
Yes, i don’t even think about it anymore, i just throw my hand on the stick as i turn the steering wheel, even for simple adjustments when i park. It’s not as mutch ahead of time at it should be, but still better than most of my country tha might as well not have that stick.
as i turn the steering wheel
You should be signalling before you actually turn.
Exactly right, if you make it part of your muscle memory, you don’t have to think about it, you just do it. Also, even if “no one’s there” 99% of the time you “didn’t need” to put on the signal, there will always be the 1% it helped somebody and you never even noticed.
OP should make fun of the people making fun of them.
Either you use it or you dont. It is good to use it though, make it a good habit. Plus, I want to announce to those around me especially when I am backing up into a garage: I am here, do not stand in my way. If you dont use it, obviously you can cause accidents.
That being said, there is a 3rd group who I absolutely fucking despised:
Those who use it just to show the cops or whoever the fuck around that “look, I use blinkers”
When changing lane or enter a turn, uually this type of driver will go Click-Turn-Click. No head movements whatsoever. Also turning the signal off immediately like the sound of it can cause them brain cancer or something.
100%
It’s just good practice. If you don’t make it a habit you will forget.
“Every important sideways manoeuvre” is what I learned from my driving instructor. I sometimes even feel a bit bad when I forget to use my indicator.
Can I make a small complaint here that the 3 blinks your car does is way too short to start and finish most actions?
If you’re making a turn push the lever farther and it will keep blinking until the steering wheel starts to return to center. If you’re just edging sideways into the next lane, a little flick will give you the few seconds of blinks and stop, because the wheel doesn’t turn enough for the other system and you might not realize it’s still blinking mile after míle.
I do wish the blinks were a faster tempo, more chances to alert others quickly.
Would you use your blinker in a car? Would you wink at your lover, from afar? Would you twerk and dimple, or is that too far? I don’t know how to rhyme this anymore, ABLAR.
Confession: I use indicator lights so much that I sometimes use them in very tight turns
I’m not perfect, but my signals pretty religiously… and I’ve been driving for almost 30 years.
I’ll ride with my dad sometimes though… and in his old age he won’t always use his turn signals. Never has, actually. I always get onto him, and he gives me this shit-eating grin and says “it’s on a need-to-know basis.”
Pulling out of the driveway does sound pretty excessive to me.
If you turn on the right turn signal but you’re going in reverse is it pointed in the direction the ass of your car is going, or the direction you’re going to be facing? There’s no non confusing way to use them in reverse, and your reverse lights are enough of a sign that you’re probably gonna get in the way.
It should signal the direction the car is going to move. If the car’s moving ass-first, then it should tell which way the ass is going. Helpfully, this is the same direction you have to turn the steering wheel, so your muscle memory will do just fine. It will tell the small child you can’t see which leg will get broken.
I might have to agree with this, if you’re pulling out, I wouldn’t even know which direction to put them on
Obsessively. I’ve been driving German autos since college, including BMW’s and most BMW owners are jerks. The only exception is when I hung out with the local BMW club one summer. They drive crazy fast, but are some of the most courteous drivers on the road.
Let them make fun. People who don’t use theirs are the reason why the system is failing.
Anyone use when backing out of the driveway or parking spot?
No, but only because I rarely pull out of a driveway or parking spot into any sort of traffic. Parallel parked on a road, though, sure.
Area dependent. Blinkers get in the way if you live somewhere like India or San Antonio
Even if you and everyone else drive like a maniac, you should use your blinkers. In fact, especially.
Keep in mind, using the blinker isn’t asking permission. It’s a warning.
Enjoy never reaching your destination as other drivers risk life and limb to box you out of “their” space.
In India, they’re still useful; just make sure you use the horn too.
Audi driver huh? For most they’re non-optional when about to manoeuvre, except in the turn-only lane situation you mentioned where you don’t need it (it’d actually potentially signal a lane change).
BMWs in the U.K.
I’d group Audi drivers and BMW drivers into the same class of obvious driving.
Just yesterday I saw an Audi swoop from the slow lane straight into the fast last between two tightly-spaced cars in the middle lane. Without indicating.
From a technical point of view, I’ll admit it was an impressively small gap to sneak through, but it probably gave the second car in the middle lane a heart attack.
If I’m in a traffic area or pulling into a traffic area, always. I indicate out of my driveway because I’m going on to a road and there’s 2 directions I could go.
my car weighs like 1.6t and people need to know where it’s heading.
Cryophilia@lemmy.world 2 days ago
My old house was one of a row of housing with assigned parking spaces in front, perpendicular to the road. Like in front of a store.
I was going to turn into my parking space. This behemoth of a truck was in front of me, going slow as molasses. I mean like 2 miles an hour. I could have stopped my car and walked home faster, but I was in the middle of the road.
The truck in front of me veered left, towards the parking spots on the opposite side of the road. I said “fucking FINALLY” and darted past them on the right.
Turns out they had finally found the spot they were looking for and had just swung wide to turn into the spot. On the right, not the left. They turned straight into me as I tried to drive past.
Ever since then I make sure to use my blinker even if I’m just turning into my driveway.