Driving standards and use of indicators etc

He hadn't left his indicator on; I saw him switch it on as he approached the second exit. Plus, he was in the outside lane. If he had always intended to take the third exit, he should have been in the inside lane and indicating right.

I'm generally cautious at junctions/roundabouts and you'll find posts from me on here telling new drivers to take their time at junctions, don't worry about people behind you getting annoyed, move off when you're 100% sure of what's going on, etc.

The fact that this bellend was in the outside lane and deliberately signalling left as he approached the exit meant I was satisfied that it was safe. Regardless, my trust in other drivers has gone from 10% to 0% since then, so I won't make that mistake again.

I still use indicators as I was taught by my instructor back in 1964. No excuse for anyone not to use them.

Omg I didn't know that was a thing! It's so bad, along with the crime etc, owning a car in London is a nightmare

Yea so many don't even bother to indicate at all though.
The slipping in an off ramp is a real bugbear - nothing to do with indicating, it's the 'oh I don't need to wait like everyone else someone will let me in', which then causes the other lanes to get backed up. I regularly drive down the A3 and the junction with the M25 is on a three year expansion plan. There are always tailbacks there, and there are always people who think they can jump in last second. And no excuses - there are half a dozen or more signs about the queues and what lane you should be in.
Roundabouts - ugh. People seem to have totally forgotten how these work too.

I agree. I don't think the instructions are teaching to use signals as had two learners today without signals that needed signals. In my town a learner and instructor went down a one way street wrong way recently but luckily that was photoed and reported...how they missed the massive signs I don't know. Proper instructor as well.

I agree. I don't think the instructions are teaching to use signals as had two learners today without signals that needed signals. In my town a learner and instructor went down a one way street wrong way recently but luckily that was photoed and reported...how they missed the massive signs I don't know. Proper instructor as well.

I agree driving standards have deteriorated significantly in the last few years.

Probably due to a combination selfishness / laziness / lock-down / lack of knowledge / lack of police / being a twat. etc.

I especially hate people:

• Driving over mini-roundabouts, like they are just "theoretical"
• Cutting the corner when turning right, and then being surprised there's a car coming.
• Driving over the unbroken lines on a motorway exit, because they left it too late.
• Not giving pedestrians the right of way when turning into a junction.

Roll on self-driving cars....

Oh, and I followed a van for about a mile the other day and the left indicator was just on constantly. Then they turned right.

Too many people with licences they bought in their home country or no licence at all since there is no one to check.

DP is from southern Italy and considered going back home to buy his!

Mine is 'What the fuck are you doing? Indicate!' 😂

I think lack of traffic police is a part
I agree. I think that over dependence on cameras and the focus on speeding as the ultimate sin, to the detriment of other offences is a bad thing. Actual trained traffic cops do a much better job as they can use discretion, spot dangerous behaviour other than speeding, plus of course actually advise and influence driving at the time.
I remember many years ago when I was a newish driver I got pulled over for speeding on the motorway. It was early morning in excellent weather conditions and the road was virtually empty so not wildly dangerous but yes, I was breaking the law. I got a firm talking to, at least as much for the fact that I hadn't slowed down when they were behind me as for the fact I was speeding. That made the officer think I wasn't using my mirrors as much as I should be and maybe wasn't concentrating fully - fair point. Anyway, they told me off and let me go on my journey, driving better than I was before. I actually learned something from the experience. Nowadays I'd probably have driven home regardless and then got a fine in the post 2 weeks later. Call me a cynic but I think one method actually improves standards and one is a great revenue stream! I'm sure that finances are at the heart of it. Cameras are cheap and make money. Traffic police are expensive. But if we want driving standards to be better we need more real people out there to enforce them.

This would have been your fault as you're not meant to go unless you are sure the other vehicle is turning

Rule 104
You should also

• watch out for signals given by other road users and proceed only when you are satisfied that it is safe
• be aware that an indicator on another vehicle may not have been cancelled.

In london, the driving standard is ABYSMAL omg

Don't get me started! People who have no idea how to use roundabouts. People who just drift from lane to lane without indicating. People who don't seem to understand right from left. And the complete fools who drive down the street that I live on the wrong way! It's a 1 way street, the signs are all there!

I frequently find that I'm the only one indicating out of a group of vehicles.

I've had my licence a long time. For me, it's muscle memory to flip the indicator when I need to make a manoeuvre. For others, I think they don't bother so often that it no longer even occurs to them to use the indicators.

There are a lot more dickhead drivers on the road over the past few years. You have to have swively eyes on stalks as well as be able to read minds. So many people just don't bother with indicators at all. BMW and Audi drivers are the worst.

One idiot stopped dead at a green traffic light recently. Nearly crapped myself. Of course she just gave me the middle finger when I objected. Then just sat there for the whole cycle to go around. Wtf stops at a green light?!

Wow they still use indicators in your area? I've currently got two dents where people just drifted over whenever they felt like it.

We've got tons of roadworks lately, plus two very local parts where there are permanent merge/zipper lanes to stop junctions getting blocked. People either straddle both lanes to make sure you can't "overtake" or you get abuse and refusal for trying to use them correctly.

All indicating at roundabouts should be banned.

So many people do it incorrectly that it creates more danger not less.

I don't think standards have gotten worse, I think there's just more people on the road. If you go for a drive and encounter 100 other drivers, and only 1 of them is a dickhead, then it's not too bad, but if you encounter 500 drivers, then suddenly you've had to deal with 5 dickheads in a single drive.

I agree, and in part I think lack of traffic police is a part. Also cars that do many things for you (lights, tell you when to change gear, for example) cannot help although introduced with the best of intentions.

BMW and Audi drivers seem to be the worst, indeed when I can cross a road near me where there is a left hand turn, respond differently if one of them is coming, and the stereotype is true.

I have noticed a massive increase in the number of people who don't indicate, or who do it incorrectly. People changing lanes on the motorway with no signal (or signalling when they're halfway across) is a common sight here, too.

A few weeks ago I was almost T-boned by an arsehole who doesn't understand how to use a roundabout. He was in the outside lane and indicating to exit to my right so I started to move, but he didn't turn off and almost went into the side of me.

(I know the rules; diagram duly attached 😂)

I am often silently shouting “use your bloody indicators” at roundabouts. I’ll be approaching a roundabout and see that a car to my right is about to enter the roundabout with no indicator on so I crazily assume that they can’t be taking the first exit and therefore I have to stop and wait for them but oh no they are actually taking the first exit and there was no need for me to stop at all. I think some people thing that if there is no one BEHIND them that indicators aren’t necessary.
And I agree with a pp who mentioned that indicators aren’t just for other vehicles but also signify your intentions to pedestrians too.
And for those who do actually indicate - you are meant to do it BEFORE you move. What is the point of using them at all if you do so at the exact same moment that you move??

I think driving standards nose dived around the Covid lockdowns and haven't really picked back up. The thing I have noticed most is lack of lane discipline on motorways. I mean there were always idiot middle lane hoggers but it seems so much worse now, especially at weekends.

I've been driving since the early 90s. I don't think the general standard of driving is any worse today than it was then tbh. There were way too many bad/aggressive/clueless drivers then and there are still way too many bad etc drivers today.

And I'm constantly on a loop of 'Don't bother to indicate - I'm psychic!' 😃