Originally Posted by
hagen2456
Heh. It's not so much Bek as some of your staunchest disciples (some of whom, I've learned, take the "Vehicular" part a bit further than you do yourself) who have at times led me astray. The discussion between you and Bek first of all leaves me rather confused as to what you think about not least signaling. Though he does kinda twist what you'resaying here, I basically read what you write in much the same sense as does he. Thus my observation that you might have expressed yourself a bit more clearly. After all, it isn't rocket science, eh?
Well, just consider the general principle. If driver one's desired change in course (or even speed) will affect any other driver, then driver one must either yield to driver two, which requires no signal because no change will occur, or signal to driver two to persuade him to modify his course or speed to accommodate the desired change. If no other driver will be affected, if there is no driver two, then signalling is pointless because there is either no driver to see it, or any driver who does see it is in such a position or course that he need pay no attention to it. This could be in the case of a driver approaching an intersection at which he sees a driver from the opposite direction waiting to make a left turn. Since the turning driver must yield, then the straight-going driver need pay no attention to whether or not the turning driver exhibits a turn signal. However, there are times when it is a courtesy to other drivers to make a signal; this is particularly valuable when the signal tells driver two that driver one will be getting out of driver two's way, so that driver one can avoid doing something that he would have to do if driver one continued on his present course. It could also apply to the earlier example of the left-turning driver. If both drivers intend to turn left, which are movements that can be done simultaneously, then signalling will allow them to make their movements more smoothly and rapidly. However, this courtesy does not "manufacture safety"; it just enables traffic movement to be made a bit more smoothly.