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?

We indicate for pedestrians.

Yes but very few drivers are good enough to notice pedestrians. We are invisible.

And one could suddenly come out of a garden or out of a side road and you only see them at the last minute. Indicate anyway, and you've dealt with that eventuality. I can't see the problem with indicating even though there may not be anyone around to see it. Far better to indicate all the time and occasionally when you don't need to, than the reverse.

I would say the opposite is true. If you’re assessing whether or not there’s someone around who needs an indication from you then that assessment is a distraction. If you do it every time, then no distracting assessment is necessary.

You say that, but anyone who has done driving at a higher level than basic test will tell you the opposite, as you will see several times over on this thread alone. We don’t indicate to no one.

Yes I do, out of habit.

Another question about indicating though - indicating on slip roads when joining a dual carriageway/motorway. Why? Where else are you gonna be going? Taking off in to the sky?

I do it, again out of habit and because most other people do. No idea what the point is though

Well thousands of Emergency Services and trainers who do it for a living would certainly disagree with you. It's more observant to notice where people and vehicles etc so not to indicate rather than not looking and indicate anyway. They will also be doing a million other things that a general driver wouldn't do

The advanced driving system specifically highlights such "lane changes" as being when indication IS required whether you think it's needed or not, due to the large difference in relative speeds between vehicles on the carriageway and those on the slip road, where using the indicator has a purpose, i.e. alerting the drivers on the main carriageway that you're going to be moving into their lane and giving them a "reminder" to either change their speed slightly or move into another lane.

Sorry wrong message!

You may do, DrLevy, but I'd say over half of drivers don't on quiet roads.
I've had to jump back on the pavement lots of times when a car unexpectedly swings left or right.

No i don't indicate if there's no one around. Don't think it's weird or abnormal either way

I suppose it is ok for emergency services drivers and other professionals to evaluate whether there is anyone interested around. Those who drive with blue lights needs higher level of driving awareness and will be trained to take cyclists and pedestrians into account.

I'm not happy about normal drivers adopting the same approach - I see the risk and potential consequences of missing a pedestrian/cyclist/motocyclist/other car who needs to know the driver's intentions as much bigger issue than abstract problem of "any autopilot is bad".