User yer - bleep - indicators!

Originally Posted by Daimo

You don't expect another biker to go about the road like an ignorent car driver.

That's the point I was trying to make on a different thread. Commuting on a bike can be different to riding for pleasure at the weekend etc. Familiarity of the route plus maybe not being so focussed could make for a less involved rider.

Also, lets be honest, just 'cos we ride a bike doesn't mean we can't be kn0bs too.

Well I've heard a lot of arguments for and against and as I said in my earlier post there is all sorts of different circumstances but nothing I've heard will change the way I feel, I'll indicate unless there is a damn good reason not to.

I find it a bit worrying that some people think the views of a copper or someone who has passed/instructs IAM as more valuable than their own experience or anyone else who has managed to stay alive and have a full complement of limbs after many years of riding.
I'm sure my riding would be much safer if I was riding a massive white BMW with a blue light on it and I gave up on my IAM (driving) course because I felt years of riding bikes gave me much better experience than their 'clever for the sake of being so' attitude. Also a good friend of mine got knocked of his bike from behind from his IAM observer first time out, this collision also put him into the path of oncoming vehicles on a roundabout (who luckily avoided him) coincidently this was on an SV1000!

Originally Posted by petevtwin650

Also, lets be honest, just 'cos we ride a bike doesn't mean we can't be kn0bs too.

Especially using the same road every day. Just asking for trouble winding up the same people every day.

Hence you gotta be more curtious, give them space, not come hammering past them at top revs etc.. Bit of respect for other road users is all it takes.

And moving that thumb twice aint really a big effort.

Next up someone will say wearing a high vis vest is pointless too...

[Red Herring]

I don't think someone's occupation or experience should influence your opinion of their advice in the slightest. I think it would be far more useful if you actually read what they wrote and based your view on the value of their argument, either they evidence their opinion or they don't.
I believe if you are able to consider all of the available information and as a result decide that a signal will not be of benefit to anybody then there is no point in giving one. If on the other hand you are not confident that you can do so then the best advice would be to indicate all the time. There are clearly a number of people on here who prefer to operate on automatic pilot, and certainly you are less likely to come to grief by giving a signal when it not necessary than by omitting to use one when it was.

There is actually a situation with an argument specifically against using indicators.

When you are crossing over a major road, by turning left onto it, then turning immediately right, with a car waiting behind you. Where you indicate for the first left turn and move off, the driver behind follows you when you move, whilst looking to the right hand side, up the road towards oncoming traffic and accelerating away. You then indicate right and slow to turn across oncoming traffic for the second turn as the driver behind runs straight into the back of you. He thought you were going left, expected you to be long gone, and didn't anticipate that you may turn right immediately afterwards.

In that situation you are best not indicating at all and leaving the driver behind guessing as to what you are about to do next. The reason he runs into the back of you is because he has seen your left indicator, therefore he thinks he knows where you are going.

Trollmode:

Why get angry?

It happens.

Deal with it.

/Trollmode

[SVGrandad]

IMO you should always indicate. If you cancel it as soon as you have got into your overtaking lane there should be no confusion about turning right. And if traffic coming towards you is not indicating, you know they are not going to overtake, so you are safe to go...............
No excuses for not cancelling - you only need to thumb the switch - on past bikes of mine you had to look down to check if the switch was back in its off position.

And never ever leave a roundabout without indicating or I shall blow a fuse!!

I witnessed a car crash where a car overtook into the path of an overtaking car, one point the police made very clear they were sure on was if either of the vehicles had signalled. it turned out the vehicle coming from behind was signalling, the vehicle which pulled out on that overtaking vehicle didn't signal and was charged for dangerous driving.

[Red Herring]

I suspect the charge of dangerous driving had more to do with the fact that they hadn't looked to make sure it was clear rather than the omission of a signal. Put it this way if they had signaled as they had pulled out and the collision had still occurred would it have made it any less serious?
You would not believe the number of people I pick up off the road who bleat "Oh but I signaled" as if by moving their thumb they think they introduce some magical force field that shields them from danger. As I said earlier signals are there to tell other road users what you intend to do. They rely on two things to be effective, firstly there needs to be someone there to see them, secondly they need to be given early enough to serve a purpose. They're not there to stop someone hitting you, that bit is down to you.

Originally Posted by Spiderman

And back in the real world.... on my recent bike safe course the cop advised me not to do this.

1. Do you really think the vehicle in front is watching you closely enough to notice it?
2. The risk of leaving it on by mistake and the ensuing fool pulling out on you cos he thinks you are turning far outweighs the benefit of the indication to overtake.
3. Dont indicate to move back in either he advised for the same reason as no.2 above.

I was very surprised to hear this as i kinda pride myself on using my 'cators all the time, sets a good example to other road users imho but he was adamant its a pointless thing to do. OK in built up areas where its vital but on country roads, single lanes and dual carriageways he said its just a waste of time.

Real world riding he called it.

Unbelievable, you would fail a test for this, if you are a good aware driver/rider then you should know your f***ing indicator is on, the police huh a world of their own.