Helmet Head

I'm with Hurst on this one, John.

Turns signals - on or off - provide no reliable information.

Getting upset about motorists who don't use their signals is a misfocused waste of energy. Even if we could increase compliance from 50% to 99.9%, you still couldn't rely on them, so what would be the point?

Life is too short to choose to get aggravated by stuff that doesn't matter.

Serge

FlatTop

Just an observation: This is likely to become the least-enforced law ever to be on the books. It will be universally disregarded by drivers, traffic officers and judges, all of whom will in fact break the law daily and in some cases continuously.
The law against using handheld cellphones while driving is smart. I despair of ever seeing it make a difference, though. Driving with cellphones appeals to people who weren't that interested in courtesy or safety anyway.

Buckwad

This thread reminds me first of all that it is irritating when people do not properly indicate that they intend to turn with the turn signal. If they have their blinker on, at least you know that they will probably turn. If they don't, no skin off of my nose. Everyone else should be regarded suspiciously--I swear that I can predict whether a car will turn (when looking from the side or head-on) with 90% accuracy. Body language and driving position tell alot about intent, since people rarely make emergency swerves into their driveway...

Still, the running joke here is that turn signals come optional on cars sold in Washington State, and I live in Portland, Oregon. Just a little healthy rivalry. I'll freely admit that Oregonians drive like idiots the first time it rains in a while.

My other pet peeve is cars that don't have yellow turn signals! It's hard to tell whether someone is riding their brakes with a tail-light out or what sometimes. Yellow signals just jump out at me more quickly. Not to mention the nice euro-style side indicators that more cars are getting. Those are nice, especially to peds and bikers.

But what do I know, I use signals in the parking lot even.

noisebeam

Once again... When driving a car I notice when others don't use turn signals and it annoys me that they don't give the courtesy.

But when cycling I don't find any useful benefit of them, they don't affect my riding in anyway, how could they? I go when I have right of way and I always position myself so it doesn't matter if car turns or not.

Al

trmcgeehan

Watch their front wheels. If a car passes me and I suspect he is going to turn right in front of me, I watch his front wheels. If the front wheels start to turn, I am on the brakes. Another tip: If you are proceeding along and there's a car waiting to enter your line of traffic, make sure the driver is looking at you. If not, be ready to stop. Many times I have approached this situation when the driver is looking right to make a right turn, and then makes it without checking what's coming from the left. Another thing: If a driver is getting ready to enter from a side road, and they're on a cell phone, assume they are going to pull out in front of you. If they are on a cell phone, and there are young kids in the back of the car, and the driver is putting on make up, and there is a dog on the driver's lap, you know you are in trouble.

I-Like-To-Bike

Consider traffic bearing down on you from the rear while bicycling on a high speed (55+mph) 4 lane road. I keep on constant alert through frequent mirror checks of vehicles approaching from the rear and always track the drivers until they move to the passing lane OR signal their intention to do so. Once that turn signal is activated I know the driver is alert enough to do the right thing. I can assure you that distracted drivers who are unaware of your presence do NOT turn on their signals. Many drivers will never signal before changing lanes but when they do use signals it reduces stress for me. I have had to bail out of the road several times because of drivers who never deviated from a straight course at 55+mph; no signal means be prepared for evasive action. If I didn't use my mirror as described I would not be posting this response.

cydewaze

35% isn't horribly dark. It's the legal limit here too. Lots of kids do 20%, and that's a lot darker. "Limo" tint is 5%, and in MD you'll get busted for it every time.

BUT, that's only on side windows. ANY tint on the front windshield will get you pulled over immediately.