Indicators don't need to be used if there's no-one around!

Hm, now should I sig that or not?

There's a peanut roundabout near us that's tiny.
And we have exactly the same issue - most of the traffic flows on in two directions out of the four potential exits, so if you're not using those exits it's a bit of a bugger. ANd of course nobody indicates, which leads to people like thinking they've seen a gap in the flow only to find it's not and you've just upset another motorist by pulling out on them.

I can see the point of using indicators on reasonably-sized roundabouts. Round here, the local authorities have a passion for pimples - sorry! - mini roundabouts. They're almost exclusively at busy T-junctions.

Now, If I was on the arm of the T, and going straight ahead, I won't indicate. If I was turning right (or left depending on my direction of travel) then I'd indicate. If I was on the stem of the T, I'd indicate to show my intended turn. Essentially, these junctions are still Ts, but with changed give way priorities.

Yet, I still catch some people on the arm direction, indicating even when they're going straight across. If I indicated in such a way, I would be expected to turn into someone's driveway!

There is another much larger roundabout junction, which is part of a complex suite of junctions between a major A road and a motorway. Each roundabout is on bridges, over the main highway, and each is traffic light controlled and has lane markings. I routinely have people come up on my right (I ought to be using the middle lanes throughout the complex for my particular route), only to switch to my left part way round and usually in front of me. They think they're being clever, but they're just being muppets. Sometimes they find I'm in their way, and they get quite cross when I won't let them complete their manoeuvre. It's quite funny how big you can make a small car if you try hard enough.

Yup, this rant was inspired by two issues of someone having to slam on their brakes because of people not indicating at roundabouts. One was a bloke in a chavved up corsa going at breakneck speed all the way round the roundabout without indicating. The trouble was, at the speed he was doing, you assumed that he would be going straight on as it would be madness to turn at that speed.

The other was ver difficult to explain, but really made me think how non use of indicators holds up the traffic.

How does this happen? Go upstairs to collect my mail, end up cornered by my sister talking at me about cleaning, and how great Henry hoovers are. I just want to read my post!

Henry hoovers are the best. Your sister's bang on.

I disagree.

The only good vacuum cleaner belongs to someone else.

Dyson Ball FTMFW

In other news I had an idiot driver the other day. I was in the wrong lane (left turn only) so indicated, made sure there was no one in my way and moved into the right lane. This wasn't at a junction or anything, the road simply splits for the junctions further up the road. Then a Laguna driver zipped in behind me honking his horn (he wasn't there before) in some way to make a point of the lane I was in is left turn only. He waved his arms to say "you should be going left".

On what planet does he live on whereby you cannot change lane if at some point you decide you need to go in a different direction. He was acting like I'd broken some law by indicating and manoeuvring into another lane. I can only presume he thinks "you picked the lane, now stay in it" so I can go around for all eternity never changing lane.

He then did the dick-head thing of zooming up behind me and swerving out into lane two for the next junction revving his [LIFTED] French estate car in a display of his annoyance. As we pulled up side-by-side at the lights I wound my window down, got his attention and asked what his problem was. He mumbled some incomprehensible language before zooming off to the next red light (on that road there are 4 lighted junctions and he hit red on every one despite his best efforts to gun his car away ).

This is a clear breach of the Highway Code, and should be enough for a retest. None of this points or fine malarky. Make the buggers do the driving test again and watch a rapid improvement in driving standards.

Bah, why are hotels so expensive??

And why does Goodwood need to have a Festival of Speed slap bang in the middle of the only week my step daughter gets free this summer, so that we can't get a hotel within an hour of my family?!?!?

We've ended up in Mordor, so we'll have to fight the Goodwood traffic to get to my cousin and aunt.

But dave, think of the awesome cars you'll see on the way!

Heather, there are similar issues where I live. Essentially it's a main road with side roads (which are cul-de-sacs) on one side. In a recent bout of "improvement" by the council, each T-junction is now a mini-roundabout. Causes even more problems than it solves and seems to confuse people who indicate left when going straight ahead.

But I'm on holiday, it is costing me an arm and a leg (and if an iPad costs a kidney, then both kidneys as well! ) and I don' want to spend time sitting in the car, I'm there with 3 women (girlfriend and her 2 teenage daughters), who have never been in a traffic jam in their lives(!), so I'm not really looking sitting in traffic on the south coast, when I should be visiting friends and family...

So you can explain that Herren Benz und Daimler are to blame for the traffic. Mercedes are currently advertising here about 125 years of progress. How being stuck in a traffic jam burning dead dinosaur equates to progress, I don't know.