Here's the place to chat about all things classic. Also includes a feedback forum where you can communicate directly with the editorial team - don't hold back, they'd love to know what they're doing right (or wrong of course!)
It can't be just me as I have asked around a bit,and other people have noticed that the massive effort involved in moving a small stick,a small amount next to the steering wheel is way too much effort for some folk now.Seems to be over the past 18 months to 2 years it's got worse,on motorways seems to be where it's most apparent.Lane changes are carried out with either the casual drift in front of you or the cut up .Road manners and general politness,seem to be dissapearing at an alarming rate.Has anyone else on here witnessed this too?.
Yep, it's not just BMWs that don't indicate these days!!
Seriously you are right, late indicating as well, lane discipline of roundabouts, poor parking, the list is endless... Used to be a pleasure to drive back in the early 70s but not any longer... Too many cars and not enough road, especially in England...
I was passenger with a driving instructor friend , (and i'm an excellent driver!!)... I knew where we were going, knew the road well, as did he . And i thought by watching his driving i could learn something , to be even better ! He was indicating at the last moment too... I didn't say anything ..It really bugs me too.
I am aware, quite often I leave my indicator flashing for miles and miles , if it doesn't cancel after a shallow turn... that must piss people off too.... sorry if you've ever followed me
I suppose it's the unhealthy mix of the arrogance of the "Old time toff", combined with course gutter manners (Especially when their egos are inflated by certain types of vehicle.....like a Range Rover "Handbag"). Since the '80s it seems that an increasing number of people seem to assume the world revolves around them. What we are seeing here is that attitude on the roads. Combined with the fact that many children seem to be allowed to do as they like, I can only see things getting worse.
There is one other point to make, concerning indicators. Some of these modern cars, that seem to have headlamps, resembling the compound eyes of insects, which contain the indicators; sometimes it is very difficult to see whether the indicator is flashing.
I have also heard that there are some, who have staged accidents by signaling left into a turning. The person in the turning has pulled out on the basis of this and been T boned. The person signaling has then denied signaling and claimed off the other's insurance.
To be fair, I rarely see classic cars being driven by brats. As a cyclist, I see the very worst in drivers (I also see some pretty stupid "Cyclists" and pedestrians) but only once have I, as a cyclist, had cause to curse a classic car driver (And he was hardly a class A prat). Where I live is on the border of populous South Wales and rural Mid Wales. The quieter roads are definately the ones I choose to drive on. With the Valleys now being very much closed down, many people commute south and roads like the A470 are a jungle. On my way to work, I cycle north and when I cross above the A465, I see the traffic building up. As I continue north, the traffic hum fades and I always have the feeling that I wouldn't swap places (Even when the weather is very bad).
Rules exist for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men.
MG Midget 1500, MGB GT V8, Morris Minor Traveller 1275, MG Midget 1275 & too many bicycles.
Can't say I've noticed it being much of a problem around here (North Wales).
Something that does worry me though are the number of late night nutters. Most Thursday evenings I go mine exploring, often into pretty dodgy abandoned workings, but the real danger is the drive home afterwards. I seem to have a near miss every other week as idiots overtake on blind bends, lorries drift across the centre line or flocks of sheep suddenly dash across the road in front of me!
Until I moved to Sunny Devon (well it is today) I was a member of Bath and District IAM. We had a couple of Achronyms for late indicators - SAILS (Steering Activated Indicator Light System) and BOILS (Brake Operated Indicator Light System). We also used to watch the "chassis language" of other cars to see if we could work out where there were going to turn, we got quite good at it and it's something that I still do today, when you get it right you feel rather pleased, even if the pillock in front has just done something really stupid. The only time we did not indicate ourselves is when there was surity of no other road user seeing the indicator if we had used it, if there was any doubt we would "Indicate for the Critical Man" the man that you don't see until commited and who will always say exactly what we are saying here - that no one indicates anymore.
I really do not know why people don't indicate anymore, it's not that difficult. I agree that it is most likely a combination of lessening standards and arrogance, with a bit of ignorance thrown in. I do believe that there is a check the accident investigators can do now that confirms if an indicator was on at the time of impact, don't ask me how they do that though.
Something to do with the state of the bulb isn't it? Same as they can tell if the brake lights were working in rear-end shunts to find those characters who disconnect them so they can claim for injury...
It can't be just me as I have asked around a bit,and other people have noticed that the massive effort involved in moving a small stick,a small amount next to the steering wheel is way too much effort for some folk now.Seems to be over the past 18 months to 2 years it's got worse,on motorways seems to be where it's most apparent.Lane changes are carried out with either the casual drift in front of you or the cut up .Road manners and general politness,seem to be dissapearing at an alarming rate.Has anyone else on here witnessed this too?.
I think it's one of those things that has always been the case, but the volume of traffic is so high that we see it more often. That's perhaps giving them the benefit of the doubt
I had also heard that driving instructors teach there is no reason to indicate if there is no-one there to see it. The "does a falling tree make a sound if there is no-one there to hear it?" syndrome.
Realistically, most of the real reasons have been captured here. Laziness, forgetfulness,
tornewtsam wrote:lessening standards and arrogance, with a bit of ignorance thrown in
Modern cars are part of the problem too. They make driving so effortless that people simply stop making an effort. I have to be far more aware of what's going on around me in my Rover because it doesn't drive like a modern car.
Personally I always indicate unless to do so lessens my control of the car eg come round a bend to be faced with a car broken down at the side of the road. Better to steer safely around the hazard than worry about indicating.
Drive defensively and presume they are coming your way until they prove otherwise.
Dave
1966 Rover P6 2000 SC - in daily use and running like a dream
1972 Rover P6 3500S currently undergoing surgery
1965 Rover P5 3 litre Coupe - long term project
Apparently for Range Rovers and Volvo's the section on indicators is a suppliment that you have to pay for. I believe that the trucks belonging to Nobhead Dentyourangle have indicators that take 10 minutes to warm up. They then have to be left on for a further 10 minutes for them to stabilise. It is therefor easier for the driver to just make the manouvre as quickly as possible and let the following traffic indicate/take avoiding action as appropriate. An extended arm through the window of the following vehicle with a loosely clenched fist and moved in a reciprocating action usually indicates to the offender the lack of appreciation by the white faced driver who has just seen his life and a 40 foot trailor pass before him! You will find the arm/hand movement whilst not EC or DVLA/Vosa approved it is universal as is shouting 'tossaire'.
I hope the above may be of help in your future motoring.
Speaking as a Range Rover driver, the car is so large the indicator stalk is a long way away from you fingertips so it makes using them very awkward
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
.Road manners and general politness,seem to be dissapearing at an alarming rate.Has anyone else on here witnessed this too?.
