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One of the most ridiculousl things I've ever heard.
To me, it makes perfect sense. Even though I do signal and get annoyed by those who change lanes without signaling, what is the point of signaling if there are no other vehicles around you? I mean, if the closest vehicle is hundred plus yards away (would take that vehicle more than 5 seconds to get to where you are if you, somehow immediately stopped)? Makes no sense to me.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurcoLoco
To me, it makes perfect sense. Even though I do signal and get annoyed by those who change lanes without signaling, what is the point of signaling if there are no other vehicles around you? I mean, if the closest vehicle is hundred plus yards away (would take that vehicle more than 5 seconds to get to where you are if you, somehow immediately stopped)? Makes no sense to me.
Maybe not, but it's still the law and if caught you will be ticketed. One morning at 4:30am I left for work, with no cars within miles, two blocks from my house I turned on my left blinker and it didn't work. As I stopped at the stop sign I saw what appeared to be a cop ahead with his cruiser facing me so I stuck out my arm to signal. He pulled me over. Luckily I got a warning but he said the arm signal is useless in the dark and he could have given me a ticket, but allowed me off as long as I replaced the bulb that afternoon.
California Motor Vehicle Code does NOT require a signal if there is no other fraffic that would be affected. So check your state law and make the cop show that there were other vehicles present whose movement was actually affected by the lane change.
22107. No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.
Well, if the cop was there to see it, I doubt this argument will hold up. And while I applaud busting people who do not signal, it does seem like piling on to cite them twice.
to the OP, I assume this a moving violation, so you really should do some checking to see how it might affect your insurance rates and if there are two on one ticket, if it will be the same or worse than one.
If they have a traffic school reduction option in your area, it would definitely be something to look into. if not, it might be worth it to talk to an attorney to see if they think they can reduce the charge.
The problem with the "no other vehicles around" is now we have people making that judgement. Exactly how far back would traffic have to be to not be impacted? And what if you don't see the person getting on the road from the side? Everyone will make that argument.
To me, it makes perfect sense. Even though I do signal and get annoyed by those who change lanes without signaling, what is the point of signaling if there are no other vehicles around you? I mean, if the closest vehicle is hundred plus yards away (would take that vehicle more than 5 seconds to get to where you are if you, somehow immediately stopped)? Makes no sense to me.
Why chance it? And not to get into some ethereal example, but how do you know that there is no-one affected by your lane change? BTW, at 60 MPH, that 100 yards would go by in just over three seconds......
The person coming in from a blind side road? The cop coming at you from the other direction at over 100 MPH? The person you are overtaking getting ready to make a left hand turn across your bow?
There are just so many things, however peculiar, that could influence the safety of your move that it is much easier to turn on your blinker, examine the conditions around you, and then safely pull out to make your turn.
It costs nothing, is a matter of good driving habit, and so very useful in the majority of cases that to not use the signal is just silly. What's to lose? You burn out the light bulb prematurely?
BTW, I have heard the same comments from some people about stop signs and red lights. There was nobody coming so I didn't have to stop......
Whew! You guys are brutal, but I understand the frustration with people who don't use turn signals, I myself am extremely frustrated when people don't signal. It's one of the most frustrating things, along with drivers who drive well below the speed limit and are constantly braking for no reason. Around here that kind of behavior is endemic, like most other places (based on posters here). I just get so frustrated I say why should I myself use my signal if no one else does. I know it's the wrong attitude to have but you have to admit that's human nature to feel that way. And to answer another poster, while I actually think I signal more than the average driver in my area, I am guilty of not using my turn signal at every turn. I actually had no problem with the ticket, it just seemed the officer was singling me out. I'm not sure if he writes tickets all the time for not signaling or he was just in the mood to do so or maybe had to make his quota for the month. If he did ticket all the time he could make a hell of a lot of money for the city.
The other cars behind me were at least 100 feet behind in 20 mph traffic between stop light, and I inconvenienced no one. While I understand there could have been a car that I didn't see (hence the need for turn signals), I literally see people doing exactly what I did every couple of minutes on the road while I'm driving, and a lot worse. If I'm ticketed I wish everyone who changed lanes without signaling would be ticketed, that way we'd have everyone signaling all the time. It's really frustrating to see people not using signals all around you and then you're ticketed. I'll just pay the ticket and consider it lesson learned, the other options (going to court, talking to a lawyer), seem to be more trouble than it's worth.
I just get so frustrated I say why should I myself use my signal if no one else does. I know it's the wrong attitude to have but you have to admit that's human nature to feel that way.
What a **** poor attitude, although I think many people probably feel the same way. That's what our country is made up of though, people who feel "they don't do it, why should I?"
As frustrated as I get with today's drivers, I'm placing even more of the blame these days on law enforcement, or the lack of it.
Whew! You guys are brutal, but I understand the frustration with people who don't use turn signals, I myself am extremely frustrated when people don't signal. It's one of the most frustrating things, along with drivers who drive well below the speed limit and are constantly braking for no reason. Around here that kind of behavior is endemic, like most other places (based on posters here). I just get so frustrated I say why should I myself use my signal if no one else does. I know it's the wrong attitude to have but you have to admit that's human nature to feel that way. And to answer another poster, while I actually think I signal more than the average driver in my area, I am guilty of not using my turn signal at every turn. I actually had no problem with the ticket, it just seemed the officer was singling me out. I'm not sure if he writes tickets all the time for not signaling or he was just in the mood to do so or maybe had to make his quota for the month. If he did ticket all the time he could make a hell of a lot of money for the city.
The other cars behind me were at least 100 feet behind in 20 mph traffic between stop light, and I inconvenienced no one. While I understand there could have been a car that I didn't see (hence the need for turn signals), I literally see people doing exactly what I did every couple of minutes on the road while I'm driving, and a lot worse. If I'm ticketed I wish everyone who changed lanes without signaling would be ticketed, that way we'd have everyone signaling all the time. It's really frustrating to see people not using signals all around you and then you're ticketed. I'll just pay the ticket and consider it lesson learned, the other options (going to court, talking to a lawyer), seem to be more trouble than it's worth.
Yes it is. I was once ticketed for speeding, and I told the state trooper the 18 wheeler was going faster than I. He said, "I wasn't clocking his speed, I was clocking YOUR SPEED".
I urge you to go to court and fight it, tell the judge what you stated here, nobody else was signaling, but yet the cop ticketed you only. You do not need a lawyer to do this either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WPANative
What a **** poor attitude, although I think many people probably feel the same way. That's what our country is made up of though, people who feel "they don't do it, why should I?"
As frustrated as I get with today's drivers, I'm placing even more of the blame these days on law enforcement, or the lack of it.
Oh lighten up. If you've ever driven in Milwaukee or Chicago, especially during rush hour, almost nobody signals, not even the CPD or Wisconsin state troopers. Don't be shocked, it's true.
I've seen people act like the biggest, most attitude laden dirt bags on the side of the road, arguing with the officer when pulled over and then be the nicest, most respectful people ever when relaying the story later.
Not saying this is the case of the OP, but it's been my experience (and one of someone that once had a driving record a mile long), that copping an attitude with the officer (heh..pun not intended), is a good way to get offenses "piled on", even if you're 100% in the right. So is having that driving record that's a mile long
I suspect that this wasn't solely a jerk cop, and that there were other factors that played into getting cited twice.
What a **** poor attitude, although I think many people probably feel the same way. That's what our country is made up of though, people who feel "they don't do it, why should I?"
As frustrated as I get with today's drivers, I'm placing even more of the blame these days on law enforcement, or the lack of it.
I already said it's the wrong attitude to have but it's also human nature. No need to pile it on unless you want to sound like a jerk. I already admitted fault and said I'll pay the ticket.
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