Do you indicate if there's nobody else around?

[Cryingatthegym]

Hard hitting question of the day...

Was thinking about this yesterday as I drove to my gym which is along a quiet country lane - no other cars around at all but I still indicated as I turned in.

Got me wondering if I'm normal or not? Do you still indicate even if there's nobody else around to see it?

I'm not sure this is right though. What kind of advanced driving instructor specifially tells a learner driver to not indicate? (Even if there is no-one else around?) It's important to always indicate, even if you can't see anyone about, as there may be someone slightly hidden/that you haven't noticed, like maybe someone in a wheelchair, or on a bike, or maybe a pedestrian. And you should always indicate anyway, as it keeps you in the habit of doing it.

I mean, the sky won't fall in if you occasionally don't indicate when there appears to be no-one else around, but saying 'don't indicate at all if there is no-one to indicate to' is bad advice. And I find it disturbing that an advanced driving instructor apparently said this.

I always indicate, even when no-one appears to be around...

I don't think I am better than anyone else, or more intelligent because of that though!

People not indicating when there ARE other cars/people around really annoys me though.

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My driving instructor explained to me (which I don't agree with) that if you indicate when nobody is around the test person will think you're not paying attention to your surroundings as your indicating to nobody. After I passed my test I chose to ignore this advice.

No, not always. I'm very observant of my surroundings and check my windows and mirrors well before the turn to establish if there are any other road users or pedestrians who need to know my intention. If the place is deserted then no need to indicate. You need to be careful not to just be lazy though, and always thoroughly check.

no i dont think i do - but it does go through my mind

It’s right. Everyone who has done advanced driving has said so. Response drivers, again, same training. I think if you look carefully you will also see multiple comments from people who have had their driving instructor tell them the same. What makes you think it isn’t right?

I need to clarify when I said ‘same training’ re response driving i was referring only to the indicators. It sounds like I was saying the training is the same as an advanced driving course

Totally agree with this. I cross near a big busy island too and some cars don't indicate when quiet too and when busy! . Hard to know if save to cross.

Yes, always. It was considered good driving practice when I learned to drive many eons ago, and I did the advanced driving course as well.
Maybe instructors have changed their advice since then, given some of the replies on here, but I don't agree with it if so.

I live in a very rural area with tiny country lanes and I'd soon get out of practice if I went around not indicating if no-one is around.

Signalling shouldn't mean you're not thinking; quite the opposite - it should be ingrained in a good driver to check mirrors, check surroundings and signal before each turn, so that checking and signalling go hand in hand. Thinking there's no-one there so don't signal will eventually train you not to do all the checks either.
And in our lanes there are all sorts of hidden obstacles when no-one's there...deer, pheasants, foxes, the hunt suddenly leaping over a hedge, even (once) a huge falling tree! An 'empty' lane still requires you to remain alert.

No I don’t. If there’s no other traffic or pedestrians then there’s no need to indicate. It’s very rare that I don’t encounter other driver/pedestrians/cyclists though.

As someone who walks everywhere and is often a pedestrian on smaller roads with not much traffic about, I can tell you that most people don't bother indicating if there's no other traffic about. It causes problems every day for me as a pedestrian as I can't tell whether they're turning into roads I'm trying to cross or not. I think it's really inconsiderate.

I always indicate as a natural reflex (I can't help myself) whether there's anyone else around or not.

It's not "an" advanced driving instructor. It's part of the advanced driving manual and the police training manual. So ALL police/advanced driving instructors should be telling people the same thing.

I can tell you that most people don't bother indicating if there's no other traffic about. It causes problems every day for me as a pedestrian as I can't tell whether they're turning into roads I'm trying to cross or not. I think it's really inconsiderate.

Or conversely, when I'm waiting to cross beyond the junction, if a driver approaching the junction doesn't indicate I assume s/he is coming straight on so don't start to cross. Then they turn, either without indicating, or only indicating as they're about to turn.

Because broadly speaking people don’t change their opinion when presented with facts…

Yes, I always indicate. There is no downside to indicating when there's no-one there to see it, and the upside is that there may be someone there that you haven't seen!

As a pedestrian waiting to cross a road it hacks me off when a driver further up doesn't indicate that they're turning off (there's "no-one around" that junction, after all) - because it means I have to wait to find out that they're turning.

I indicate 99.9% of the time. The only time I don't is when there is definitely absolutely nobody else around, not even a parked car.

The thing with parked cars is that you never know whether there's someone sitting in that car just about to fling open their door or a small child hidden behind the vehicle just about to step in the road - so I would always indicate in such a situation, just in case.

I know that when I'm a pedestrian I really appreciate when drivers indicate, so I will always do so when there are pedestrians too.

Are advanced drivers really being told not to indicate if there's no traffic i.e. there could be parked cars or pedestrians? Seems risky to me.

Why, though? What possible reason is there to not bother indicating?

What’s the reasoning in not indicating? Is it because it would distract you? As a pedestrian I find that when drivers don’t indicate it’s very confusing

But it’s not just “doing something “. It’s informing people I’d your intentions. People who don’t walk much but who drive a lot don’t seem to grasp why this is important. Far too many drivers can’t be arsed to indicate when they’re turning left. They don’t seem to grasp that not indicating a turn is actively indicating that they are not going to turn

Yes. It is an ingrained habit so i automatically do it.

Yes I do

If we are indicating when it is unnecessary we aren't concentrating or observing the road properly. If there is a pedestrian about to cross then it would be necessary to indicate to let them know. But the post asks of people indicate for no reason so no, I don't and emergency services should be trained to observe the road and indicate only when necessary

If there is a pedestrian about to cross then it would be necessary to indicate to let them know.

What about any pedestrian, regardless of whether they look as if they're 'about to cross'? Sometimes I want to cross the road, but I keep walking while looking out for a gap in the traffic. A driver wouldn't know that I wanted to cross, but I still want to know their intentions.

No, not always. I live rurally with very little traffic so if there’s no-one else on the road, including pedestrians, then I don’t bother indicating. It’s rare for pedestrians to be walking on these roads though.

I always check my mirrors before doing any manoeuvre though.

Yes, me too. Sometimes I'm not even walking alongside the same road, but looking across a corner/through vegetation. It's helpful if traffic on the other road indicates: if they do I won't cross the minor road, if they don't I might well do.

I can see the "don't be on autopilot" argument, but there's a big assumption that you can see anyone who can see you. That's not always going to be true.