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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wish drivers would use their indicators. Every time, please!

27 replies

lindsaygii · 17/12/2009 19:33

Indicators are there for a reason - to let other drivers and pedestrians know what your next move is.

It drives me crazy the amount of time I see drivers sailing round roundabouts, or pulling out on motorways, or turning into minor roads - without bloody indicating.

I have no idea what they're going to do next, so either I'm waiting for them to go straight on (and it turns out they're turning), or I'm on the verge of pulling out (and it turns out they aren't turning), or I step into the road with no idea they are pulling in across me. BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T INDICATE TO TELL ME.

Am I the only person in the world that can see that indicators are not just a basic piece of road safety, a legal requirement, but also just good manners??

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 17/12/2009 19:35

YANBU. It's a pet hate of mine, too.

GetDownYouWillFall · 17/12/2009 19:36

YADNBU
I feel exactly the same. In fact I was thinking this exact same thing just the other day. I was walking along, about to cross a side street, car suddenly swung round the corner without warning (WITHOUT INDICATING!!) and I had to leap back!

INDICATORS ARE NOT JUST FOR WHEN OTHER MOTORISTS ARE AROUND, PEDESTRIANS FIND THEM USEFUL TOO!!

RainRainGoAway · 17/12/2009 19:37

I think you will find the following car makes are exempt under the Highway Code section 71c (ii)

Audis, BMWs, any car with a spoiler, any van - pref white, landrovers, range rovers, cars on the school run as mum is far too distracted, cars on the motorway...etc

jeep · 17/12/2009 19:38

i really hate it too, especially on dark wet nights when it's really hard to see anyway.

coppers should start booking people

Brunettelady · 17/12/2009 19:39

Oh god this is a HUGE pet hate of mine too!!!!

Also there seems to be some massive problem as cars made since 2000 don't seem to have been fitted with indicators at all, or maybe thats just where I live.

Original poster
lindsaygii · 17/12/2009 19:42

I have noticed that young men especially all seem to have damage to the fingers on their 'indicating hand'. Grrr. And fat men. Grrrrrrr.

OP posts:
Kaloki · 17/12/2009 20:46

"Also there seems to be some massive problem as cars made since 2000 don't seem to have been fitted with indicators at all, or maybe thats just where I live."

I've noticed it too. That has to be the only explanation surely..

olderandwider · 17/12/2009 21:06

YANBU. I have a theory about this. Showing people your intentions is a form of weakness. Inside their pea brains, drivers who "forget" to indicate are thinking "Why should I tell anyone what I'm doing next? Let them wait and see. Consideration is for wimps.!

That is my theory and I know I am right [hmmm].

olderandwider · 17/12/2009 21:07

Sorry. should have been a sceptical face there!

IdrisTheRedNosedDragon · 17/12/2009 21:09

I get very annoyed when cars don't indicate on the road we need to cross by our house. If they do, we know what they are doing. If they don't I have to assume they are turning as it is better than getting squashed.

WinkyWinkola · 17/12/2009 21:09

This annoys me as well. It really adds delays at roundabouts too as nobody is sure where the other is going.

I too am convinced it's a, "Why on earth should I bother to let other people know?" attitude. The type of attitude that causes accidents.....

JjandtheBean · 17/12/2009 21:09

YADNBU!!!

drives me and dp crazy especially when following someone somewhere when we have no idea where we are, TWATS!!!!!

WobblyWenchisBEHINDYOU · 17/12/2009 21:25

Yep totally agree. This and friggin roundabouts, seems that younger people were taught differently to me.

2 lane roundabout, left lane for first exit or straight on, right lane for 3rd exit.

3 lane roundabout, left for 1st exit, middle for straight on, right for 3rd exit.

It pisses me off when people sit on a two lane roundabout in right lane to go straight ahead and then veer over to the left into your path... and DON'T indicate either!!

ByTheSea · 17/12/2009 21:27

YANBU!!!

juneybean · 17/12/2009 22:01

I absolutely love it when they move into my lane on the motorway almost taking my front off without indicating....I almost come to expect this now and have my hand ready on the horn lol

wollysocks · 17/12/2009 22:02

maybe all these characters have not taken a test?????

the stuff i see now i have slowed down to 40. it is beyond careless driving sometimes, only explanation for bad driving is they are not insured and don't give a damn because it won't come back on them.

we can all moan but they won't be reading these, they will merrily be skidding, not indicating, cutting lanes as we speak so to speak!

the thing is they never seem to end up in an accident, sadly which adds to their bravado. if only.....!!!!!!

anyone concerned about braking distance? since i witnessed an accident due to no braking distance i have driven more aware and it makes me nervous when someone too close. also if i leave a gap someone fills it so i have no braking distace????!!!!

wollysocks · 17/12/2009 22:03

maybe all these characters have not taken a test?????

the stuff i see now i have slowed down to 40. it is beyond careless driving sometimes, only explanation for bad driving is they are not insured and don't give a damn because it won't come back on them.

we can all moan but they won't be reading these, they will merrily be skidding, not indicating, cutting lanes as we speak so to speak!

the thing is they never seem to end up in an accident, sadly which adds to their bravado. if only.....!!!!!!

anyone concerned about braking distance? since i witnessed an accident due to no braking distance i have driven more aware and it makes me nervous when someone too close. also if i leave a gap someone fills it so i have no braking distace????!!!!

Brunettelady · 17/12/2009 22:13

I always prepare for the unexpected, someone pulling out in front of you etc, and more often than not - it happens. The amount of accidents I have avoided because of anticipating the worse is amazing.

Mishy1234 · 17/12/2009 22:16

YANBU!

It's one of my pet hates. I also think it's vitally important for pedestrians too. I've been very close to being mown down a number of times by someone turing into a minor road and not indicating.

I find lack of indication most annoying at roundabouts though.

golgi · 17/12/2009 22:29

Audis and BMWs don't have them fitted, do they?

Drives me mad at roundabouts when I don't pull out as I think the person coming round will come past me, then they actually turn off after all.

Then the person behind me will helpfully beep, clearly expecting me to have had better psychic powers than I possess.

YANBU

JaneS · 18/12/2009 10:01

I hate this too - especially when you indicate to move from left the middle lane on the moterway and some idiot thinks it's ok to ignore that and cruise in on you from the right-hand lane without indicating. I know you get taught in the driving test that you don't need to indicate to 'return to the left', but it scares the hell out of me when people do this.

Plus, what is it with drivers who start indicating when you're in their blindspot?!

Species8472 · 18/12/2009 10:19

YANBU at all, I also really hate this. Indicators are for all road-users - when a pedestrian is crossing a road or waiting to cross a road they are a road-user. Simple.

WingedVictory · 18/12/2009 10:27

These idiots must have had the letter L transferred to their foreheads when they passed their test.

AKMD · 18/12/2009 10:31

Maybe pedestrians could be issued with horns so that they can show their displeasure at non-indicators?

WingedVictory · 18/12/2009 10:38

Haha, AKMD, perhaps those horns could be the protruding sort, so we could gore car doors in self-defence!

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