The purpose of the indicator...

[prydey]

Yep, drive in traffic long enough and you'll witness all sorts of illogical (and illegal) behaviours.

The use of indicators, or lack of, is one of those things that there really is no excuse for. Everyone knows what they are, why they're fitted and how to use them.

It seems to me though that their usage is becoming quite rare, or pointless. It's basically just laziness and selfishness.

Can't narrow it down to any one particular age group but from what I've seen it tends to be those older, rather than younger that offend the most.

An indicator is to let people know of a future event. Not an event that you just did, or are doing. Something you are going to do!! It's really not that hard.

And on that note, one of the first things you learn is to indicate before braking as well. All too often you'll come across those who leave you wondering what they are doing, and then at the last second the indicator comes on as they make the turn.

Then there's those who enter the turning lane, drive right up to the intersection, stop, and then put the indicator on. What's the point by that stage??

Speaking of entering turning lanes, get in the lane when it starts. Not gradually drift over, just making it in by the end. Don't be a lazy driver.

Maybe some really do think there is blinker fluid, and that using them too much will use it up?

[.:4:.]

Yep, you have hit the nail on the head. An indicator is there to indicate a persons intention to turn, change lanes etc. Its all down to lack of courtesy in my view. Or arrogance, depends on how you choose to look at it.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

Yep, drive in traffic long enough and you'll witness all sorts of illogical (and illegal) behaviours.

The use of indicators, or lack of, is one of those things that there really is no excuse for. Everyone knows what they are, why they're fitted and how to use them.

It seems to me though that their usage is becoming quite rare, or pointless. It's basically just laziness and selfishness.

Can't narrow it down to any one particular age group but from what I've seen it tends to be those older, rather than younger that offend the most.

An indicator is to let people know of a future event. Not an event that you just did, or are doing. Something you are going to do!! It's really not that hard.

And on that note, one of the first things you learn is to indicate before braking as well. All too often you'll come across those who leave you wondering what they are doing, and then at the last second the indicator comes on as they make the turn.

Then there's those who enter the turning lane, drive right up to the intersection, stop, and then put the indicator on. What's the point by that stage??

Speaking of entering turning lanes, get in the lane when it starts. Not gradually drift over, just making it in by the end. Don't be a lazy driver.

Maybe some really do think there is blinker fluid, and that using them too much will use it up?

I remember Will Hagon describing this situation as people using the "Confirmator" rather than an "Indicator".

[Rallye Sport]

Then theres indicator abuse, just as bad.
When someone pulls along side you, a nose in front, then throws on the indicator to move over like you are no longer there or are somehow meant to yield to their demand. "But I've got my indicator on"
Its a jungle out there, I've largely given up thinking about the actions of others and just concentrate on what I need to and should be doing.

[Tonz]

over here its the mumsies taking their little ankle biters to school, bloody hell indicators what are they?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Tonz

over here its the mumsies taking their little ankle biters to school, bloody hell indicators what are they?

The entitlement that goes on at that time of the day is outstanding. "I'm a parent, so get out of my way" type of attitude. Guess what darl, I have to be somewhere too, just because you reproduced doesn't mean you have priority on the road or permission to drive like a lunatic.

[kevino]

I like the way the females mummies particuarly always smile and wave as they do something uncaring and aggressive in their for instance Mazda Cx3/5/7/9/60/90 stop have I missed one

[arm79]

If you watch enough of the Dash Cam Owners FB page you will recognise that the horn is often mistaken for or used in place of the brake.

It's these nitwits we share the road with.

Given this kind of rampant "confusion", is there any reason to think modern drivers know what a blinker is or what it does? I think some of us are just expecting too much from people these days.

[arm79]

Coincidentally came across this last night. Thought it was rather fitting.

[Interceptor]

I thought indicators were there as the most widespread example of mental health support?

I mean, whenever you're feeling like you're worthless and whatever you do in life means nothing, just think, BMW employs people in a dozen or more locations worldwide to fit indicators and indicator switches to their cars!

[CyberWasp]

I am sure this is the scene in a fair few cars.

[MrEL]

I was in renewing my licence once and a young girl doing her Ls test sneakily asked me how many metres before a corner do you put the indicator on.
My reply was "as I'm changing back to 3rd gear........"

[kevino]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

I am sure this is the scene in a fair few cars.

image

I saw that shot and thought
Bugger eh people parking up their cars due to petrol prices

[Franco Cozzo]

Mirror, indicator, slow down, gear down - that exact order is what I had drummed into my head when I was doing driving lessons for my licence.

Before you even think about doing something, rear vision mirror.

Or more recently in a truck, left and right mirrors - entering intersection, left mirror, through intersection right mirror, out of intersection left mirror again.

Standard of driving is woeful on our roads, too much focus on some things and let people get away with absolute murder on others. God forbid you drive with one hand on the steering wheel and one on the shifter in a truck, but lets not cover anything what so ever about the fatigue management laws and how they work

Its not an overly expensive process to get a car licence in Australia, its a little more expensive for truck licence ($2000 but not significant expense), because you just learn by others passing down their bad habits to you.

On my Ls the first time I saw traffic lights was in my licence test, I spent 200 hours driving on my local country highway, then the next day after passing my licence test by the skin of my teeth I was picking up customers cars with mechanical faults in South Melbourne and bringing them back to Essendon - the first car I picked up was a Holden Rodeo with no brakes.

When I first got behind the wheel I struggled driving on the left side of the road, in my world cars were left hand drive and you drove on the right, thats what I'd been brain washed with as a kid, 10+ years playing video games and then I get behind the wheel when I get my Ls, it was difficult to get that out of my head.

[mad2]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Mirror, indicator, slow down, gear down - that exact order is what I had drummed into my head when I was doing driving lessons for my licence.

Before you even think about doing something, rear vision mirror.

Or more recently in a truck, left and right mirrors - entering intersection, left mirror, through intersection right mirror, out of intersection left mirror again.

Standard of driving is woeful on our roads, too much focus on some things and let people get away with absolute murder on others. God forbid you drive with one hand on the steering wheel and one on the shifter in a truck, but lets not cover anything what so ever about the fatigue management laws and how they work

Its not an overly expensive process to get a car licence in Australia, its a little more expensive for truck licence ($2000 but not significant expense), because you just learn by others passing down their bad habits to you.

On my Ls the first time I saw traffic lights was in my licence test, I spent 200 hours driving on my local country highway, then the next day after passing my licence test by the skin of my teeth I was picking up customers cars with mechanical faults in South Melbourne and bringing them back to Essendon - the first car I picked up was a Holden Rodeo with no brakes.

When I first got behind the wheel I struggled driving on the left side of the road, in my world cars were left hand drive and you drove on the right, thats what I'd been brain washed with as a kid, 10+ years playing video games and then I get behind the wheel when I get my Ls, it was difficult to get that out of my head.

and don't forget to turn your head .. for a head check as sometimes you can miss a vehicle in your blind spot.

[UTXR8]

here in South Aus, the only time an indicator is nearly always used is....
when picking up the maccas order at the drive through, and taking off....
when entering a roundabout, people here indicate left, even when going straight through and not turning anywhere.....i mean, thank god you indicated....for a while there, i thought you were going over the middle of the roundabout, through the garden bed....SA drivers are the worst in the world for this....

[BENT_8]

Its not just a complete disregard for the indicator and those around them, its the bloody clear lenses and different location of indicators and side repeaters on every different car on the road that drives me nuts.
Or cloudy polycarbonate lenses.

It is the most annoying thing as a heavy vehicle driver. You approach a roundabout and before you can assess whether others are indicating their intentions, first you have to scan the myriad of chrome and plastic lenses to identify where the indicator actually is before you can identify if it is or isn't in operation.

[In Focus]

My personal favourite: the person in front of me who thinks, "if I switch the indicator on at the last second, the guy waiting behind me won't mind as much..."

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by In Focus

My personal favourite: the person in front of me who thinks, "if I switch the indicator on at the last second, the guy waiting behind me won't mind as much..."

Yep. Turn, then indicate, hear beep, look mirror, swerve back into original lane.

[Dr Smith]

Heard this many years ago in the local large shopping centre carpark.....
"Hey mate, your right indicator isn't working"....
"nah, it does, I can't be stuffed using it"......
"so if I kick it in you won't miss it?"...

[bangm001]

The fines for it aren't big enough to justify policing of it..

[Itsme]

I thought indicators were redundant, especially on the freeways when the gala's from center to right lanes decide to exit freeway ramp at the last second or two cutting off traffic.

[Dr Terry]

Is it my imagination or do the blinkers on BMWs & Audis appear to be the most defective ?

Dr Terry

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Is it my imagination or do the blinkers on BMWs & Audis appear to be the most defective ?

Dr Terry

Beemer SUVs.

Is it just me or do some new cars now have no amber blinkers, and instead use their driving lights as blinkers? Driving lights are also becoming thinner and slimmer, to the point that its hard to tell if someone has their blinkers on. Ridiculous.

[Ben73]

4x4s especially utes, some SUVs and German cars all seem to be missing indicators.
The closer to base model the German car is, the worse the driver is.

[ozpacman]

Originally Posted by UTXR8

here in South Aus, the only time an indicator is nearly always used is....
when picking up the maccas order at the drive through, and taking off....
when entering a roundabout, people here indicate left, even when going straight through and not turning anywhere.....i mean, thank god you indicated....for a while there, i thought you were going over the middle of the roundabout, through the garden bed....SA drivers are the worst in the world for this....

You should come to Far North Queensland and witness the indicator show as you approach a roundabout. You see every possible combination of indicator usage or non usage up here. I reckon if if you sat on the roadside and watched for more than a few minutes, you'd probably see some clown using their hazard lights so he or she could have a few bob each way!

Originally Posted by bangm001

The fines for it aren't big enough to justify policing of it..

Having experienced this in my years as a plod, most drivers miraculously rediscover the correct operation of the indicator switch when there's a marked cop car in their mirror.

I can't recall ever writing anyone a ticket for failing to indicate, but if duties permitted I did enjoy a quick intercept and a chat. I had a pretty standard spiel that used to work pretty well, especially if the driver's significant other was in the passenger's seat, and even better if the kids were in the car as well.

It was along the lines of:

"G'day driver, any ideas as to why you've been intercepted today?"

"No."

"Okay. I intercepted you because I didn't know which way you were heading. Did you mean to come this way?"

This usually produced a bit of a vague look and a bit of confusion, followed by something like:

"Yeah, I'm driving to ...(insert destination here)..."

"Okay no worries - but you really should have let us know."

This was usually followed by a bit more confusion, after which I'd point to the indicator stalk.

"Mister ...(Holden/Ford/Toyota etc) gave you this with the car just so you could let other drivers know which way you were heading. You know what else? I've never heard of an indicator switch bursting into flames from over-use, so please don't be scared to use it. Have a great day."

As I walked back to the company car I could almost guarantee that the significant other and the billy lids would be giggling. I always hoped it would be a little liaison that they'd remember and more importantly, put into practice.

That job did have its funny moments!

[EBSXR6]

A while ago was in a left turn lane with a solid white on my right.
A Ranger comes up on the right, left indicator on trying to push in.
The Car in front a white Passat lets him in and then lights up the Blue and Reds.
You gotta love Karma.

[mondeomatureguy]

Hi Guys,
one of my pet hates people not using indicators or your behind a car at the traffic lights. As soon as the lights go green they then turn on the indicator why they couldnt have turned it on when they were at the red light i dont know.

[MITCHAY]

It probably ****s me more as a pedestrian because I have become attuned to it while driving and can see it before they do it indicator or not

[anobserver]

A HR tool for worker dis-empowerment.