From: schaffer@cpsc.ucalgary.ca (Doug Schaffer)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Blinkers (was Re: Stereotypical frustrating drivers)
Date: 10 Apr 92 06:53:35 GMT
Organization: U. of Calgary Computer Science

In article <10901@rls.UUCP> randy@rls.UUCP (Randall L. Smith) writes:
>bill@Celestial.COM (Bill Campbell) writes:
>> How 'bout the idiot who pulls up to the intersection, waits for
>> the light to change, then turns on the left turn signal.  For
>> that matter any person who signals less than a block from where
>> they're going to turn.
>
>Whoa, there pardner.  You're suggesting sitting at an interminable light
>to leave your turn signal on for the duration of the light is the proper
>or "non-idiot" thing to do?  Au contrare.
>
>Bill, you might want to revisit your drivers ed books.
>
>First off, by signalling after the light changes, they are most likely
>performing their legally obligatory signal to inform oncoming traffic of
>their intentions.  If there's an accident and they don't signal, they
>can be cited for contributory neglegence.

What is this point here for?  Bill's not saying one shouldn't signal.
He is saying everyone should signal, and do it earlier.  Bill point is
that he hates getting stuck behind someone it traffic who is kind enough
to tell him that he/she is going to turn after its too late to do anything
about it.  By this I mean, if you *know* someone is going to turn left
from the left driving lane of a two lane (your direction) road, you can get
into the right lane and keep going.  This can be especially important in
heavy traffic when there is no turn signal.  If you are right behind this
person when they tell you they are going to signal, then you can't do anything
except wait, maybe for a couple of light or more.  All you needed was a 
little signal a little early and you could have driven around this person
and been on your way, happier, less irritated, and in a better state to
be in control of a motor vehicle.

>Secondarily, if you turn your blinkers on one block before you turn you
>are in violation of most cities and counties legal restrictions on use
>of turn signals.  In Ohio it is a maximum of 100 feet before the turn,
>no more.  Maybe you just live on short blocks. :)

A decent rule of thumb might be three or four "blinks" before the 
intersection.  Of course..if you're speeding a bit, you might need to 
cut this down so that your blinks don't take longer that 100 feet in Ohio.
Just how fast is a 100 foot blink???  I am certainly not condoning this
and at that speed the only direction on could possibly go is straight
ahead anyway, so why signal.

>Personally, I'm all for turning off turn signals while sitting at long
>lights.  I KNOW YOU'RE TURNING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME ALL DAMNED
>DAY LONG.  A brief informative notion that you're turning is enough,
>but don't wear the message out.  Since you're not going anywhere, who
>gives a damned. 

Well Randy, maybe you've just been sitting there, knowing full well the
whole time that the car ahead is going to turn even though it shut off its
signal ten or twenty seconds ago, but has everyone else in the area just
been sitting there watching too?  As cars enter the intersection from other
directions and at other times, the *too* need to be informed of the drivers
intentions.  Otherwise you get a car wanting to turn left just sitting
there in the left lane (maybe not a turning lane) and someone
coming from the other direction who also wants to turn left doesn't have
any indication why this guy is sitting in the opposing lane facing him/her.
Is it safe to pull out in front of this car just sitting in the middle of the 
road?  Who knows, without a signal.

Just cause you *you* know the car ahead of you is hoping to turn, doesn't
mean that everyone else knows.  Don't assume that the driver signalled just 
for your benefit.  And if it really bugs you that much, just look away, or
get some dark sunglasses, or drive on straight roads with no turnoffs, or...

>It would keep the dorks that drive down the highway with their signals
>flashing away in line and help the signally impared {tm} from flashing
>their turn signals for the entire duration of long lights.

I agree with you on the first part.  Nothing is scarier than coming up on 
someone who is obviously unaware of what is going on around him or her, 
letting there signal go on and on and on while driving along, you just 
don't know what they're gonna do (as bad as deer!).

Doug Schaffer, University of Calgary, schaffer@cpsc.ucalgary.ca