Turn signals (what are those things, anyway?)

[The Pennsy Pegleg Gimp]

Where are the people who actually use their turn signals when they shift lanes or indicate they're exiting? The Amazing Kreskin's talent for ESP would be hard-put to figure out where these individuals plan to go next while tooling down I-95--- usually well above the speed limit (of cuss... of cuss...).

[CommonSense 4 turn signal]

Here are the ABCs of some examples of unneccssary use of the turn signal:

A: Alone on a desolate 2 lane roadway turning left or right, with or without turn lanes, nobody is around.

B: Alone on a desolate 4 lane roadway turning left or right, with or without turn lanes, nobody is around.

C: Lane merging, its already obvious.

D: Exiting the highway on a ramp when there is a decel lane provided.

E: When on accel lane, approaching the right lane

F: Going around a bend

G: a T intersection. Meaning, at a stop sign or light where you can only go left or right, with or without turning lanes provided.

H: Exiting a parking space

I: Entering a trafffic circle yielding the right of way. YOU CAN only go one way.

J: Exiting your own driveway from your own house

K: Using flashers in a legal parking space
(unless you are flagging somebody for help or location)

L: Using flashers on the right edge of a 12 foot shoulder
(unless you are flagging somebody for help or location)

M: Using turn signal when you are in between 2 lanes, when its already obvious you are switching lanes.

N: At a stop sign, not 2-3-4-5 way stop sign; where you are the only car at the intersection.

O: Using turn signal at a LEFT TURN SIGNAL traffic light, same with RIGHT TURN SIGNAL traffic light denoting " NO TURN ON RED ".

P: 2 lane highway or 4 lane highway even when turning lanes are provided ahead of time

Q: an L intersection

R: Sitting in a line of traffic at a light with no turn signal at a T intersection. WHen the light turns green, when approaching the left turn at the intersection, there comes on the unneccessary blinker.

S: Driving on private property and still using your turn signals when nobody is around

T: on a flyover ramp where the left lane goes one way and the right lane goes the other way and you are already in that lane to begin with. Ohhhhhh, there comes on the turn signal, duh!

U: Driving around a parking lot when you are by yourself

V: On a one way street stopped at a red light then proceeding at the green light at 5-10 miles an hour, about to turn left or right, by the time they reach the crosswalk, there goes the yellow turn signal.

W: Exiting a parallel parking space

X: Switching lanes when you are by yourself or cars are far away from you

Y: Driving with flashers or turn signals on for 100 miles down an interstate with no idea in the world and driving in the left lane of an interstate

Z: And finally, driving on a two lane roadway, one lane each way, passing the car in the passing zone with broken lines, using the left turn signal to pass, then entering back your own lane with the right turn signal. Way to go you idiot!

[interstate traveler]

Common Sense - About half of your list you should use turn signals even if no one is around. Why? Because it is the law and the right thing to do.
What is your reasoning, if a violation occurs and no one is around it is ok?
If so stay away from me.

[commonsense]

Get REAL! Some states do not require by law to use a directional arrow AkA turn signal. Leave the man alone

[interstatetraveler]

Some states do not require by law to use a directional arrow

What states have this lack of turn signal law?

Get real - it is common courtesy to use turn signals.

[I use turn signals]

being as it being "suggested" that there is no reason - legal or otherwise - to use turn signals, I found this interesting article from the Click and Clack show on NPR and cars.com (actually on topic as it takes place on I-95!)

http://cartalk.cars.com/Mail/Letters/2000/06.30/4.html

Games For The Open Road: Predicting Driver Behavior

The Click and Clack Car Game

Dear Click and Clack:

Over the years, it has been my pleasure to travel the beautiful highways and byways of this great land of ours, but I also have to make several trips each year between Washington DC and Maine. (No, I'm not a lawyer nor a politician!) I have come to know the I-95 corridor like an old friend . . . an old friend with ruts, potholes, open bridge seams, and traffic. Ah, the traffic.

The run from DC to Maine takes anywhere from 10-14 hours. To help pass the time, we invented a game. The goal is really quite simple: observe the operation of the vehicles around you, and predict for any specific vehicle the next rude, dangerous, or illegal action. Points are awarded in relation to the gravity of the infraction. A "Miss Manners" transgression might score a mere point or two. "Dangerous" actions might get up to five points. "Illegal and Dangerous" might get you ten. The exact points can be negotiated among the observers, but for obvious reasons, we don't involve the drivers of the other vehicles in these negotiations. A session of the game ends when one observer accumulates 100 points. At that point, we start a new session.

When we first started the game, we thought that we'd also have to deduct points for inaccurate predictions. But there are astonishingly few cases where driver behavior cannot be predicted. The winning strategy is to imagine the state of mind of a particular driver (a frightening prospect in its own right) and then predict her or his next move. Once a "specially skilled" driver has racked up 10 or 15 points, we take that car out of the competition. We want you to be observing all of the vehicles, not just the "winners" in the pack around you.

The original idea was to pass the time and increase awareness of driving behaviors. But the game also reveals some deeper truths about the drivers, the vehicles, and the several states in this section of the I-95 corridor (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, depending on the route and detours).

A session might go like this . . . Toyota in the left lane, no signal when changing lanes: 1 point. Repeat, another point. BMW shifting to the right lane to pass, no signal: 2 points. Weaving in and out of several lanes of traffic, no signal, no safe following distance: 5 points. Cutting in front of a HazMat carrier: 10 points, and a potential "Darwin Award" nomination.

In busy traffic (did I mention that this is I-95?), the points come fast and furious. Or the points come fast and drivers are furious. And this brings us to the subject of some sweeping generalizations (otherwise known as ranting and raving).

Can anyone explain to me why the people of the great state of Massachusetts seem genetically incapable of passing on the left? Drivers go out of their way, shifting a lane or two, to be able to pass on the right. Do they think they are hiding from police or radar guns by speeding by on the wrong side? And what about turn signals? Do none of their cars have turn signals? Have they torn the turn signal lever off the steering column to stir their coffee, or thrown it at someone?

Sometimes we have to disqualify a car from the competition because the driver makes the game just too easy. The stupid actions are so frequent and easy to predict that it seems we are communicating telepathically with the moron behind the wheel and perhaps causing the behaviors. The cars most often disqualified are BMW's, Mercedes, and Volvos. Yes, dear sweet Volvos. Volvo drivers seem to have taken to heart (but not to head) the advertising that promotes Volvos as indestructible, so they adopt what we call the "General Patton" driving behavior, apparently intending to drive through or drive over, and apparently ignore, any other vehicles in their path. But we have to remember not to blame the car. There seems to be an inverse relationship between the price of the car and the driving IQ of the operator. Maybe you can explain in simple language what an inverse relationship is so that the drivers of the more expensive cars will understand . . .

New Jersey is often the brunt of many jokes, but I would like to come to the defense of the fine people of New Jersey. I can mention just one observation that puts New Jersey above at least one other corridor mate. One afternoon on a south-bound run, while watching the drivers of Connecticut rack up the points in their "imitable" way, my companion noted, "Driving through Connecticut is probably the only thing that makes one genuinely look forward to getting to New Jersey."

So if any of your three listeners happen to be driving the I-95 corridor and see a fellow traveler smile and wave, it's probably because you're helping me rack up the points. Thanks for being so predictable!

John Shores
Washington DC

[lou]

Interesting topic, turn signals. If its one state that motorists have a love affair with turn signals is New Jersey. Most of what that guy said above (the first post) which I've also found amuzing at times, it sounds very alike of how people use their turn signals in NJ.

The state that uses the turn signals the least yet when the turn signals are used, its done properly in most cases:

The Carolinas

[Guest]

Recently (last Friday) had the "experience" of driving I-95 from NYC to Boston and back. As to use of directional signals, the worst state by far was Massachussetts (and MA plates in other states); apparently directionals are an extra cost option in the Bay State -- and most people seemingly don't spring for them.
Those in MA that do have directionals seem to be of the firm opinion that directionals and emergency lights are synonomous -- they flick them on and change lanes simultaneously, accelerating and maneuvering into the next lane even when there is barely safe room for their vehicle. Of course, they then realize that they're too close to the car in front -- and hit their brakes.
The best was a driver who changed lanes -- all three available, plus the shoulder -- at least eight times in a one mile stretch, all the while holding her cell phone to her ear with one hand and a cup of Starbuck's in her other hand (which was the one on the steering wheel). I'm still puzzled how she managed to flick her directionals!

[Guest]

Well if you have problem with Bay State drivers then stay away from the
Bay Sate

[Guest]

Unfortunately, Mass drivers don't stay in their own state.