Reasons for drivers no longer indicating

mellowsun

This has been discussed on here before, but it is noticeable that so many drivers do not bother to indicate any more.

When I used to ride a motorbike, indicating was second nature, you didn't need to think about it, it was muscle memory. Surely it should be the same for car drivers?

Anyone have any insights into why drivers don't indicate?

It's particularly noticeable around South Kensington where I work, the driving around there is generally appalling. Perhaps related to the higher than average quotient of entitled dickheads in comparison to some other parts of London.

olafgarten

The driving in all of London is terrible. People stop on crossings, don't indicate and run red lights. 

The cyclists are really bad as well, I was almost run over by one that wasn't looking at a Zebra Crossing on Fleet Street. They don't care about their own safety and that of those around them. I'm not surprised that there is so many accidents. 

ThePrettyDamned

I've no idea. It drives me mad, if I stop to give way on a roundabout and they decide to come off but didn't indicate. Thanks, dickhead - you're contributing to the traffic problem by slowing flow. 

jellyroll

Didn't you get the memo? Mercedes drivers are no longer required to indicate. Same for the psychopaths in Range Rovers. Honda drivers always indicate

Bygone_Tones

It's basically down to lack of driving experience and a selfish attitude. Because with experience comes annoyance at other people doing it, so you make sure not to do it yourself. Of course, some people are just plain too stupid to be on the road, and dont learn from their mistakes or other peoples mistakes.

Nothing more annoying than when people dont indictate at roundabouts, especially if they can see you waiting.

Another annoyance for me is housing estates. Apparently, once you come off the main road onto a housing estate, indicating is no longer required. Just pull over onto the path or onto your drive even if there's a car behind you.

Cirrus

I think that some of it is cultural leakage from abroad (I'm aware I have at times strayed dangerously close to sounding right wing today, but hear me out...)

The UK has quite strict driving codes, a robust testing system for learners, and traditionally us Brits are quite good at politely following the rules. Obviously these are just generalities.

But when you go abroad, you'll notice that basically every other nation on earth drive like complete tools, fucknuts, knob lickers and bumberclarts. It's not because they're worse in some kind of racist wet dream way. It's just that cultures differ throughout the world. If a British person toots their horn, you can be sure they'll still be steaming about it by the time they get home an hour later. If an Italian toots their horn, it literally just means they had a hypothesis that they were driving a car and that was the quickest way to test the theory.

So it stands to reason that in London where there is a very high percentage of 1st generation immigrants, by your standards it would seem that driving culture in that area had taken a step backwards. And even as a British person, how many cars do you need to be cut up by or see surprise lane changes/ turns from before you yourself stop caring about other road users as much?

Basically, TL:DR: it's about driving culture.

Don't get me started on the death of the courteous double flash to cede right of way.

Skipped

mellowsun said:

Anyone have any insights into why drivers don't indicate?

There must be an explanation. So here is a completely random one.
Mini roundabouts.
People stopped indicating their exit from mini roundabouts....maybe because they decided it was pointless.

 But they had then lost the habit (of indicating).

Fretwired

Bidley

ThePrettyDamned said:

I've no idea. It drives me mad, if I stop to give way on a roundabout and they decide to come off but didn't indicate.

The amount of times that's literally made me scream with pure animalistic rage is frightening. Turns my piss to vapour instantly.

Moe_Zambeek

The reason is that there's no longer any visible roads policing in the UK, due to refocusing of resources and priorities and budget cuts. You could also hypothesise that the introduction of the gatso in the 90s was the initial trigger for the decline in driving standards.

ThePrettyDamned

Bidley said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

I've no idea. It drives me mad, if I stop to give way on a roundabout and they decide to come off but didn't indicate.

The amount of times that's literally made me scream with pure animalistic rage is frightening. Turns my piss to vapour instantly.

I don't like it, but I HATE traffic - and things like that, in heavy traffic periods, really can contribute to heavier traffic. 

GIJoe

I've been driving for about 4 months now -- 1 hour commute each way to work...

The number of idiot drivers is unbelievable, even out here in the countryside.

So many people:

• Sit 1 inch from my bumper
• Leave brights on
• Block junctions/crossings in heavy traffic
• Attempt to overtake without looking in mirrors, nearly smashing the person overtaking them

I hate it, and I turn into a sweary raging monster when driving!

Octafish

Being an old duffer must be one reason. Vast amount of non-indicators I see seem to be car coated OAPs. You know the sort... 4000rpm for first gear pull away, 40mph in a 60, 40 in a 30, "oh dear, I've just mistaken the throttle for the brake again and driven into someone's house/killed a pedestrian" or forgotten to put the handbrake on sort.

Emp_Fab

Never mind not indicating....  Twice this week I've been tempted to press the 'launch missile' button because I've approached a T-junction, turning right, and flashed someone waiting to pull out - they sit there staring at me.  I flash them again.  They sit there.  Meantime, I've almost come to a complete stop.  Just as I've abandoned the idea that they're actually going to move and continue with my right turn, they suddenly pull out in front of me - AND - cause a car coming towards me to slam on the brakes...  AND then.... (shakes with rage)....  they don't even say thankyou.

robgilmo

Modern cars lead people into a false sense of security, and the indicator stalks are too small and hidden away behind the steering wheel..

ICBM

Probably because it's too hard to indicate as well as steer when they've got a phone in one hand.

Axe_meister

Not just indicating. A new piece of crap driving that is more and more common is cutting across the left hand lane when turning right. So you sit there at a junction waiting to turn onto a main road and somebody aproaches from the left turns right but still manages to clip your front bumper no matter how much space is available.

spark240

ICBM said:

Probably because it's too hard to indicate as well as steer when they've got a phone in one hand.

This is the reason.....same as them not looking at busy junctions then missing their exit opportunity while your fuming behind !

EricTheWeary

Moe_Zambeek said:

The reason is that there's no longer any visible roads policing in the UK, due to refocusing of resources and priorities and budget cuts. You could also hypothesise that the introduction of the gatso in the 90s was the initial trigger for the decline in driving standards.

Going back a few years but when I had a responsible job I used to go to big meetings with people like police inspectors and the police crime commissioner and all that's (^)about right. The relative success in driving down drink driving numbers and pressures elsewhere enabled the police to take officers off the roads. Varies from place to place but in metropolitan areas the speed cameras are almost all the policing there is on the roads outside of emergencies. 

slacker

It's lane discipline on roundabouts that gets me. I;ve nearly been taken out a lot of times by someone starting in one lane and driving at me as they drift across. 

richardhomer

It's the same mechanism at work as when people decide that pulling out in front of you from a side street is okay - forcing you to brake. It's a sense of entitlement that really pisses me off.

See also 'Can I get?' when asking for things in shops....