From: alan.holmes on

I find that often I am following a car, which suddenly rams on it's brakes
and indicates to turn left immediately when they get to the turning!

I was always taught to indicate early at least 50 - 100 yards before the
turnoff, but few, if any drivers these days do that, they all seem to wait
until they are just about to turn then indicate and turn.

Alan



From: Ian Jackson on
In message <iJL_n.207405$Yb4.142523(a)hurricane>, alan.holmes
<alan.holmes27(a)somewhere.net> writes
>
>I find that often I am following a car, which suddenly rams on it's brakes
>and indicates to turn left immediately when they get to the turning!
>
>I was always taught to indicate early at least 50 - 100 yards before the
>turnoff, but few, if any drivers these days do that, they all seem to wait
>until they are just about to turn then indicate and turn.
>
I blame it on the drive to minimise global warming.

Indicating early, although correct, entails the expenditure of energy by
the driver as he moves the indicator lever. At the same time, electrical
energy is used to power the indicator lights.

If you delay indicating until you are starting to turn, the moving of
the indicator lever and the turning of the steering wheel can be
combined into one action (simply extending a little finger as you turn
the wheel), so you effectively get the indicator movement 'for free'.
The indicator lights are powered for much less time, so the energy they
use is cut by up to (say) two thirds.

I can think of no other logical explanation for the phenomenon.
--
Ian
From: brass monkey on

"alan.holmes" <alan.holmes27(a)somewhere.net> wrote in message
news:iJL_n.207405$Yb4.142523(a)hurricane...
>
> I find that often I am following a car, which suddenly rams on it's brakes
> and indicates to turn left immediately when they get to the turning!
>
> I was always taught to indicate early at least 50 - 100 yards before the
> turnoff, but few, if any drivers these days do that, they all seem to wait
> until they are just about to turn then indicate and turn.

You find that they actually indicate?
And with traffic lights near me, my road and the opposite road are single
lane, so both sides either turn right, left or go straight on.
When we change to amber I indicate to turn right and wait for the dope
opposite to let me know where he's going. We look at each other, I'm
indicating right, he's indicating that he's going straight on (or brain dead
but actually wants to turn right too) but comes to a halt (usually), I shake
my head muttering expletives and sometimes the pillock suddenly understands.
I'm afraid that we drive amongst a bunch of clueless arseholes, the type who
wouldn't dream of holding a door open for you.


From: mileburner on

"alan.holmes" <alan.holmes27(a)somewhere.net> wrote in message
news:iJL_n.207405$Yb4.142523(a)hurricane...
>
> I find that often I am following a car, which suddenly rams on it's brakes
> and indicates to turn left immediately when they get to the turning!

The closer you drive to the car in front, the more the problem is
accentuated.

> I was always taught to indicate early at least 50 - 100 yards before the
> turnoff, but few, if any drivers these days do that, they all seem to wait
> until they are just about to turn then indicate and turn.

I tend to try to use at least a few flashes of the indicator before slowing
down, turning or changing lane as it gives anyone remotely interested a fair
idea of what I am about to do next which then should not come to any
surprise. This does not seem to be normal practice though. Apart from when
drivers are indicating at the side of the road but sit there with the
indicator running without any intention of pulling out.



From: Man at B&Q on
On Jul 12, 10:23 pm, "alan.holmes" <alan.holme...(a)somewhere.net>
wrote:
> I find that often I am following a car, which suddenly rams on it's brakes
> and indicates to turn left immediately when they get to the turning!
>
> I was always taught

How often did you have to be taught? Were you a slow learner?

> to indicate early at least 50 - 100 yards before the
> turnoff,

What if there are two turnoffs, 25 yards apart, and you are taking the
second one? Seems you need to be taught some more.

MBQ