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From the way you described it this car was going way faster than you were and because of the difference in speed it appeared that they sped up to prevent you from merging. I am not going to lie, I like to drive fast, I use my blinker 100% of the time though because its a little something called integrity. I cant not use my blinker and then complain about those who dont use them. Anyway, as I was saying, I drive fast as do many many other people on the road and I will be the first to admit that I drive way faster than the posted speed limit when I am on the highway. There are times when I am in the fast lane going 75mph and someone merges in front of me and I am up on them in seconds and have to slow down.
Looking at your steps you have listed on how to safely merge lanes, I have to disagree in your order. Look in your mirrors to make sure it is clear..look over your shoulder to make sure its clear...if it is clear put on your blinker and proceed to merge looking over your shoulder one more time. You are giving yourself too much time in between making sure it is clear and the time you are merging. If I am doing 75mph and I see someone going obviously slower than I am with a blinker on to merge into my lane I am not going to slow down to wait until they make a move.
Not true. The turning signal goes on first with 100 feet BEFORE turning. It is in the manual, (see above), and it is international too. Same rules apply in Europe and elsewhere. If you don't do that and some idiot is playing with his radio and doesn't see that you want to turn when he can no longer hit his breaks he'll hit you instead! NOT turning the signals with enough time before turning is what is causing accidents right and left. From my side mirror I could see all other 5 lanes all free and clear...there was no other traffic except the few cars that turned left with me.
No he wasn't...that was the problem...he was lingering in the background with everyone else that turned at the light, and I sped up so I have enough time to change lanes. Simple as that. It was one of those ppl who think the road is theirs to do whatever they want.
Jesus Christ you people are uptight. If there is ample room in the lane next to you to safely make a lane change, a turn signal is a nice way of communicating but not necessary. Only when the lane is packed full of cars and you would like for someone to let you in do you need to notify them with a turn signal.
If you're merging into the left lane and cause someone to slow down, then yeah you're a jerk. But if you're merging into the right lane (which theoretically should be slower than the lane you're leaving) and the guy behind you tries to speed up, **** him and merge anyway.
I agree with everything except what is in bold. Ample room does not dictate whether or not you use a blinker. Im not uptight by any means either but they should be used 100% of the time. I dont even think about it, I just do it, its not hard. Too many times I have switched lanes to go around someone up ahead and as I approach them they pull into my lane without a blinker. SO now I have to merge over again and go around them. If they had their blinker on to let me know what their intention was I would have never switched lanes to begin with. Causes more headache for everyone...just use them. They are not their for your convenience, they are there for everyone else.
I didn't have to drive 70 in the left lane because when i was ready to move lanes there was NOBODY to block me! You cannot turn your signal and get over at the same time without asking for an accident. Do study the driving manual a tad!
Here's some excerpts from the driving manual:
I don't need no damn manual to look in my right mirror and see that there is a car 4 lengths away and then glance over my shoulder to see if my blind spot is good then turn my signal on and get over.
There is no accident! Look before you get over and get over. Now if there is serious traffic and you can't clearly get over then yes having a turn signal on so you are letting the people know is correct.
To think that you have to have your signal on for 10 seconds or something is crazy when your can clearly see that you hae ample room to get over.
Not true. The turning signal goes on first with 100 feet BEFORE turning. It is in the manual, (see above), and it is international too. Same rules apply in Europe and elsewhere. If you don't do that and some idiot is playing with his radio and doesn't see that you want to turn when he can no longer hit his breaks he'll hit you instead! NOT turning the signals with enough time before turning is what is causing accidents right and left. From my side mirror I could see all other 5 lanes all free and clear...there was no other traffic except the few cars that turned left with me.
No he wasn't...that was the problem...he was lingering in the background with everyone else that turned at the light, and I sped up so I have enough time to change lanes. Simple as that. It was one of those ppl who think the road is theirs to do whatever they want.
Were you reading the drivers manual while you were switching lanes? Maybe that why too much time lapsed, lol. Honestly though, not sure what I highlighted in bold has to do with applying a blinker 100 feet ahead of time. If you are referring to the guy you are merging in front of..well you just indicated that there was not enough room for you to merge in the first place and that you are going slower than him. ALso if all other 5 lanes were free and clear why didnt you just merge into one of the other lanes when you saw him speeding up on you?
Im not trying to be a pain...at least you DO use your blinkers and I appreciate that as another driver on the road. Too many people think they own the road and fail to use them, too many people want to be inconsiderate to others around them..just trying to maybe make sense of certain situations such as yours.
Indicator signals should be standardized as orange in color as well. In heavy rain with many brakelights at night, an indicator signal the same red color as the brakelights flashing on and off isn't so much of a help.
But I agree with the OP's premise - the more visual information every driver has about every other car's intentions, the safer it is for everyone. Blinker use in the US is abysmal. No wonder we need to keep highway speed limits down to amateur levels.
I so wish I was a cop...I would make a killing $$$$$$ fining everyone who does not turn their signals on. If it says in the manual to turn it, I turn it. I don't care. I turn it on my street as I leave and there is nobody here...it is a reflex.
If someone pulls one of these in front of me, and they don't use it I horn.
This is because there is no driving school required. Where i come from in Europe, you are required to complete 30 hours of learning the rules in a class setting, and another 30 on the road WITH an instructor (on all sorts of roads), and not by yourself, or with friends, or with parents....because they require the car have double controls (meaning pedals on both sides in the front) so that if the student makes a mistake (for not having reflexes YET), the instructor can stop the car before it hits something. Its called common sense since a vehicle can be used to easily as a weapon! I will put my kids in a driving school, as in no way in hell I would let them drive at 16 without proper learning. When i took my driving exam here the person with me had me drive 5mph in a parking lot. That was IT. Ridiculous.
Quote:
But I agree with the OP's premise - the more visual information every driver has about every other car's intentions, the safer it is for everyone. Blinker use in the US is abysmal. No wonder we need to keep highway speed limits down to amateur levels.
If they speed up so you cant get in it means there wasnt enough room for you to merge in the first place. Just because you signal does not mean there is ample room for you to merge and it does not give you the right to get in front of anyone.
Right. Because daily driving is just NASCAR without the advertisements plastered on our cars.
It gets to be such a habit sometimes I turn it on when I turn around the levels in a parking garage, then I feel silly. Then I go out on the freeway and forget once and get to feel silly again. Later I turn it on and forget to turn it off for three miles and feel silly once more. I think turn signals are thee to make us feel silly.
It gets to be such a habit sometimes I turn it on when I turn around the levels in a parking garage, then I feel silly. Then I go out on the freeway and forget once and get to feel silly again. Later I turn it on and forget to turn it off for three miles and feel silly once more. I think turn signals are thee to make us feel silly.
I hear you. I sometime reach for my seat belt when I get on my motorcycle.
Physical memory. Ain't we glad we got it, though? Otherwise, we'd walk around half the time with our fly open.
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