What purpose do front indicators serve?

[Steve Walker]

Interesting topic, and more than a little worrying that there are drivers on the road who can't put themselves in the position of anyone else other than that of another driver in another car.

There are literally millions of kids in this country who walk to school. Many of them will walk along main roads on the pavement and cross connecting side roads on their way there.

How are they supposed to know that a car travelling along the main road is going to turn onto the side road that they need to cross if not for front indicators?

More worrying how many drivers don't realise they should give way to the pedestrian crossing the side road.

[Steve Walker]

What other drivers are thinking is irrelevant to me, it's what their cars do that matters and I can only act on that once their cars have done it. Having said that the question was about front indicators, I think rear indicators have a use if we really need them but only because you would almost certainly be travelling in the same direction as the car you're relying on and any errors would be less likely to result in a collision. Even then the slip road scenario is a good one, you're travelling along a dual carriageway using the inside lane approaching an entry sliproad and there's a car travelling on it, why would anyone need flashing lights to tell them where that car wants to go?

Ah, but there's information and there's how you act on it. The only thing a flashing front indicator tells you for sure is that the bulb is working, but it gives you a suggestion of the driver's likely intentions which you can then incorporate into your driving plan. For instance, "that chap might be about to turn right across my path", "that one is about to attempt a marginal overtake", etc. You don't have to assume that the signal is reliable.

 

I won't make a manoeuvre which would be dangerous if the signal is a mistake, but I will make one which would otherwise be rude.

[lutra]

More worrying how many drivers don't realise they should give way to the pedestrian crossing the side road.

Pedestrians always have the right of way, not just when crossing side roads....... If one drops out of the sky and you hits him with your car, its your fault.

[Vagabond]

Pedestrians always have the right of way, not just when crossing side roads....... If one drops out of the sky and you hits him with your car, its your fault.

Absolutely, but as a pedestrian (or indeed any other type of road user) you also have to take self-preservation into account - ie regard all other road users as potential homicidal/suicidal maniacs.

 

"This is the story of Harold Hay,

Who died maintaining his right of way

He held it right and he held it strong

But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong"

[barry luxton]

Pedestrians always have the right of way, not just when crossing side roads....... If one drops out of the sky and you hits him with your car, its your fault.

I absolutely love the pedestrians who multitask while attempting to do battle with a vehicle while attempting to cross in it's path.

Pedestrian crossings in particular where they don't even attempt eye contact with the driver, while on the phone and cross with impunity. knowing that if the driver fails to stop it will be all the drivers fault if they die.

 

Then there's the mother pushing the pram with the kid in it, who's first and foremost to die, because she's busy on the fone chin wagging pushing the kid off the curb without a care as she's busy having a chat about how many pints she necked with her chum the night before.

[Vagabond]

I absolutely love the pedestrians who multitask while attempting to do battle with a vehicle while attempting to cross in it's path..........................

Then there's the mother pushing the pram with the kid in it, who's first and foremost to die, because she's busy on the fone chin wagging pushing the kid off the curb without a care .

I will never forget a woman with push-chair attempting to cross one of the roads flanking Trafalgar Square. Lots of buses following head to tail. She would push the chair into the road, then pull it back as a bus approached, The toddler in the chair (apparently NOT strapped in) was rocking to and fro at each attempt. I was the other side of the road, waiting to cross, and had to watch this pantomime for several minutes before a gap in the traffic saved the toddlers life for the immediate future. I wonder if he ever lived to be old enough to sup a pint ?

[Rusty]

Ah, but there's information and there's how you act on it. The only thing a flashing front indicator tells you for sure is that the bulb is working, but it gives you a suggestion of the driver's likely intentions which you can then incorporate into your driving plan. For instance, "that chap might be about to turn right across my path", "that one is about to attempt a marginal overtake", etc. You don't have to assume that the signal is reliable.

 

I won't make a manoeuvre which would be dangerous if the signal is a mistake, but I will make one which would otherwise be rude.

 

That's true but think about it, you would still have those thoughts even if a front indicator wasn't flashing, the other car would still be there and so would the potential danger so you'd have little choice but to wait until the danger passes because you don't know what the car's going to do. A competent driver would wait anyway but many would act on what they think the other car is about to do (don't forget the scenario which kicked off the thread) so it could be argued that without front indicators less competent drivers would be forced into waiting.

 

It's no different for pedestrians, like others I've cursed drivers for not signalling their intentions but in reality all it meant was that I stayed on the pavement for a little longer before crossing the road.

 

Like I said earlier it is a bit left field but overnight I removed the bulbs from the front of JV44's Octavia so we'll see how the theory works.

[barry luxton]

Like I said earlier it is a bit left field but overnight I removed the bulbs from the front of JV44's Octavia so we'll see how the theory works.

hope it ain't driven on a public road, it's certainly an offence to drive a defective vehicle and as for an insurance co finding out it was done with intent. don't bare thinking about.

[Rusty]

How are they supposed to know that a car travelling along the main road is going to turn onto the side road that they need to cross if not for front indicators?

 

They don't so in my new world where cars weren't fitted with them they would wait until the car passes. A minor inconvenience maybe but better than assuming that because a car fitted with them isn't indicating it's going to go straight ahead and not turn into the side road, so they cross before the car's passed by and the driver changes his mind.

[Andrew]

And i wonder how many idiotic cyclists warn pedestrians or drives which way they are turning by using arm signals ???

 

PS or riding on the pavement causing mothers to go onto the road with their kids. Tosser cyclists.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Andrew