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It's
Giving signals
correctly(imagine you're behind me)
Everything written about signals stresses the following simple points:
- Where necessary
- Correctly timed
- When you signal to the left or right you are the only one who really knows what your
signal means
- Other road users guess (pedestrians guess as well)
- You've got just one chance at getting your message across to everyone else
- It's easy to assume that just because you've signalled that everyone has seen your
signal
- But what if they haven't responded to it?
- Yes ok, you've signalled
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(But did you check your mirror to gauge a response from your signal?)
- Or, do you just assume that everyone else has seen your signal?
This page might help you see it from another driver's point of view
Here's an example:
- I signal to the left (imagine you're behind me)
- Am I turning left at the next junction?
- Am I stopping on the left just before the junction?
- Am I pulling into a driveway?
- Am I stopping on the left just after the junction?
(It's for me to know and for you to guess)
So, what should I consider before I signal?
- I check my mirror, how close are you behind me?
- If you are too close
- Do I need to warn you earlier than necessary?
- Will you understand me?
And what should I do after I signal?
- I check my mirrors again
- And I ask myself?
- Did you understand me?
- AND....
Here's another example:
I signal to the right (imagine you're behind me)
- Am I stopping on the right just before the junction?
- Am I pulling into a driveway?
- Am I stopping on the right just after the junction?
- Am I turning right at the next junction?
- Am I passing a parked vehicle on my left? This final signal causes the most confusion
(More about this further down the page)
Here's another example:
I have stopped behind a bus to allow oncoming traffic a safe path (imagine you're
behind me)
When it is safe to move around the bus:
- I will signal to you (behind me) to tell you I am going to move
- I will signal to the bus driver warning him/her that I intend to move
- I will signal to oncoming traffic that I intend to move around the bus and it is safe
for me to do so
- I will signal to other road users warning them also
(More about signalling to pass a stationary vehicle)
- Signalling to the right to pass a stationary vehicle often causes confusion especially
if you are close to a junction on the right
- Large vehicles will often signal to pass parked vehicles simply because the driver is
aware that you probably cannot see the parked vehicle ahead
I have not (at this stage) included how signals help pedestrians!
- Forgetting to signal is a common mistake
- It's often the case that the problem ahead of us is taking all of our attention and we
simply forget
- And it's easy to forget to signal when we drive a route that we use daily
BUT:
- It's at this very moment we should consider how important our signal can be
- Many drivers forget signals because they are on a route they take day in day out
- They probably don't realise that they haven't signalled
- If you are ever in doubt about another road users signal then wait
- 5 seconds lost is better than a £500 repair bill (and of course a hike in
Insurance costs next year)
- Insurance companies don't forget
Think through the scenarios above to consider how important it is to check your mirrors
before you signal.
NOW go to Mirrors
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- Incorrect signals confuse and annoy
- Late signals are as useless as no signals at all
- No signals are downright dangerous and (unconsciously) contribute to road
rage
- Signals are for all road users not just car drivers
- Most drivers, if asked, would say they always give signals
- There's a lot written about signals on this page
- But it's not the definitive statement on signals
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who read this page also read:
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