To ask drivers to please indicate BEFORE turning

[LittleTurtle]

not AS they turn because they are about to knock you over as you are in the middle of crossing the road.

They know in advance they will turn left at the light, why leave it till the last minute. This morning driver almost knocked over this woman with her child on the school run and had the nerve to swear at them, when I clearly saw the mom look out for cars turning in and the driver did not indicate as he approached.

I see a lot of this in London. Some don't bother to indicate at all. I guess now I have kids I notice it even more.

[Spatsky]

Actually yes to be fair when I lived in Seattle they had crossings every 10 paces and I nearly got a ticket for jaywalking but played the foreigner card and got off

[Wallison]

I thought that's what LRD was short for!

And I agree about drivers not indicating - it drives me nuts, both as a pedestrian and cyclist, because it's so downright dangerous. Not only on roads but on roundabouts as well. Me and my son nearly got mown down by one recently. They all drive around the rabbit-warren of streets round us looking for spaces because they're too tight to pay for parking and so they never indicate because they literally don't know where the fuck they're going until they see if there's a space or not. Her window was partly down so I actually shouted "Indicate, you bastard" and to her credit she did look a bit guilty. Stupid cow.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Ahhh ... I see, Sweden!

Yeah, it'd be nice if we had more crossings here, I guess.

wallison - no (I feel unintentionally arrogant now). It's daft really - my original name on here was LittleRedDragon and then I wanted to put something in my name to remind me to speak up a bit more in RL about feminism, because I felt I was keeping quiet about it when I should have said something, so ended up with LRDtheFeministDragon.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Oh, and gotta say, I love 'indicate, you bastard'!

[Wallison]

It was maybe a bit OTT but she nearly ran us over!

And I never thought of your name as being arrogant - I kind of heard it in my head as "Lord, the Feminist Dragon" to the tune of "Puff, the Magic Dragon" so it always sounded friendly, iyswim.

[BionicEmu]

Not just in London, I'm in the East Midlands and the lack of indicators is a big problem here too.

If I'm a pedestrian, I need to know you're about to speed into the road I'm about to walk across.

If I'm driving, it would be good to have some warning that the car I'm following is about to turn - usually the first I know is when they brake heavily all of a sudden before they turn. Not expected, as the road is clear! Also, if you're turning left at the roundabout, then sodding well indicate that you are, I'm fed up of sitting there waiting to pull out when it turns up nobody is coming round anyway.

And another thing - it may have gotten a little bit foggy, but I am crawling along in traffic right behind you. I know you are there, so you don't need to put your rear foglights on right in my face. Similarly, if it's not foggy then you don't need your front foglights on. Those day-time running LEDs on new cars are one thing, but you're not fooling anybody in your 12 year-old Corsa.

And on the subject of lights - if it's foggy, rainy, or dark that means visibility is impaired. Put some bloody lights on so I can see you! And no, front foglights are not a substitute for headlights.

Well, that was cathartic. Can you tell I've just had the journey from hell 30-odd miles into Nottingham, then 30-odd miles back home?

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Aw, how nice, thanks wallison.

I'd have yelled something too, btw. What else can you do?!

bionic - oh god. I learned to drive in Nottingham. I know exactly what you mean.

It is not good.

Especially, why the heck do people who know the road in to town over Trent Bridge gets misty when it's dark and cold not realize that lights would be helpful, even if you think it's still 'daytime' (at 5pm in November).

[FunnysInLaJardin]

I have the opposite problem. Where I live no one ever seems to stop at smaller junctions or crossings to check nothing is coming. It is always up to me as a driver to assume they won't stop to look. I there is anyone within 200 yards of a crossing I always stop as they seem to assume they have the right of way

[Startail]

Indicators?
These aren't necessary in rural areas or leafy Midlands towns.
Central London, the other day was way better.

[financialwizard]

This drives me nutty. I lived in Cyprus for a couple of years recently and they have no idea what an indicator is used for, or what round a bouts are for.

[Pixieonthemoor]

YANBU. There is a special circle of hell reserved for people who don't indicate.

[financialwizard]

Oh Bionic I went to Nottingham the other day (I also live in East Midlands) and it was hideous

[Pootles2010]

I think they do funnytail if they have already started to cross when you get there.

[cumfy]

Pet.Peeve.

Like Peasant says "What indicators ?".

YANBU

[FunnysInLaJardin]

was that for me Pootles? I quite like the name funnytail! Of course if they have started to cross they have priority, but lots of people seem to see a crossing as just an extension of the pavement with no need to stop and see if any car approaching are actually going to stop. They just keep on walking. It makes me jumpy. Oh and I always indicate. It pisses me off no end when folk don't esp at roundabouts

[NothingIsAsBadAsItSeems]

I'm always a bit when some pedestrians can't be bothered to walk an extra 50-100 yards to the zebra crossing yet still think that you should stop for them as 'they are near enough to it' Ermm no mate, when you are actually about to step onto the zebra I'll stop for you.

[Pootles2010]

Of course most sane people check, but they have the right to do it.

Sorry could have sworn you were funnytail! Think i confused you and Startail... oh dear...

[Itsaboatjack]

I fucking hate people who don't indicate. How lazy are you that you can't reach with one finger and flick a little lever!!

I also hate drivers who speed up when they see you approaching a zebra crossing.

[fluffygal]

Oh I never knew walkers had right of way, I wonder why on some roads where there is a line there are crossings if itd their right of way anyway? All I can think is town traffic would be even more of a nightmare with pedestrians having right of way!

I always indicate well in advance, not that the majority of pedestrians look anyway.

[FunnysInLaJardin]

I don't think they have the 'right' to cross, I just think they have priority meaning that they still have to have regard to whether there is a car coming or not. Just like when driving on a roundabout. No one has the right to go first, just priority

[Pootles2010]

We're talking zebra crossings right? If so, see here which is quite good article, particularly para 4 - they do have the right of way!

[FunnysInLaJardin]

but that says if a pedestrian has started to cross they have the right of way which is right. I'm talking about situations where I will be driving right up to the crossing making it dangerous to brake suddenly and someone sets off across it. In that circumstance I as the driver have the right of way

[Pootles2010]

Oh i see what you mean - like you're almost upon it? Difficult - I guess technically they do because they set foot on it before you 'set wheel' on it, but its obviously easier for them to stop. To be honestly though if they're that close to the crossing shouldn't you be ready to stop anyway?

[NothingIsAsBadAsItSeems]

There is a zebra crossing near me that is smack bang in front of a shop door so you very rarely get chance to see the person for more than a second before they step out into traffic. This, I feel is very dangerous since you get a lot of commuters passing through who are unaware that you have to slow to a crawl at that particular zebra crossing. It often results in emergency stops and glares from the pedestrians - regardless of the fact that they didn't give the driver enough time to A) See them B) Register that they are planning to cross the road and C) react to it

One of the most stupid places to put a zebra crossing. Less than 100 yards after roundabout exits is another...

[WMittens]

Agree. And while we're at it, indicate when you change bloody lanes, or when you're entering a roundabout (when not going straight ahead) and when you exit a roundabout.